Korab (mountain)

Mount Korab (Albanian Maja e Korabit, Macedonian Golem Korab) is the highest peak of the Korab Mountains on the border of Albania with northern Macedonia. The height of the main peak is not entirely clear. While Albanian sources consistently state 2754 m a.s.l., on the northern Macedonian side an altitude of 2764 m. a.s.l. is valid.

The Korab is highly fissured and consists mainly of shale and limestone of the Paleozoic with scaled and blocky structure, as well as highly destroyed gypsum rock of the Permotrias. On the west side, the mountain drops steeply over cliff faces. The north side also consists of jagged rocks. Forming a kind of double peak, about 150 meters northwest of the Korab peak within Albanian territory lies another peak, called Korab II, with almost the same height. To the southeast, meadows interrupted by a few rocky bands stretch all the way to the summit, which is thus quite easy to reach and is occasionally visited by shepherds with their flocks of sheep.

Climbing without a local guide or off the marked trails can be dangerous because of unexploded ordnance. The permit from the Ministry of the Interior, which used to be required for climbs from the northern Macedonian side, is no longer necessary - climbers only have to show their passports at the border police stations in the border area. The standard route is from the Radika River in the Mavrovo National Park and is equipped with easily recognizable trail markings.

On the Albanian side, the village of Radomira is the starting point for climbs.