Zliya Zub, at 2,678 metres, was the main reason for this outing. I wanted to try the scrambling section that leads to the top. We also reached neighbouring Orlovec, at 2,786 metres, making a day of the two Rila summits.
We approached Zliya Zub from the southwest. The route was unfamiliar to us, and the short scramble before the ridge was the part I had looked forward to most. I enjoyed how the day was going, with enough energy to look around and take it in.
By the end, we had covered about fourteen kilometres and around a thousand metres of elevation gain. I did not come away with exhausted legs or a dramatic story about something going wrong.
Mostly, I came away happy. Two peaks, beautiful surroundings and a day that felt comfortable to me. I like keeping these outings in the journal too: the ones where there is time and energy left to enjoy where I am.