Peak 45 | Gaiziņkalns, Latvia | 312m | 10th September 2019
- Adam Stevenson
- Sep 10, 2019
- 3 min read
Updated: Jan 10, 2020
Despite its low height, I was amazed to discover that the second-highest point of the Balkans is the home of a small ski resort in the winter months. Complete with an operational chairlift, chalets, and a multitude of slopes around the area. Yes, really.
Quick Summary
• Starting point - Gaiziņkalns Car Park
• Route taken - 'The Visiting Path'
• Total ascent - 50m (approximate)
• Total length - Under 1 km
• Total time - 30 mins return
• Expense category - #VeryLow
• Equipment - #None
• Difficulty - #Level1 of 5
• Enjoyment - #1star of 5*
The highest point of Latvia
10th September
We were continuing with our Balkan road trip for the day after traveling here straight from Estonia's highest hill just a few hours earlier. A journey that took us around three hours to drive, including the 'occasional' stoppage for toilet-breaks as I was now reunited with sharing a vehicle with the hosts of two worst bladders in Europe. But joking aside -
We eventually came in close to our second peak of the day and unknowingly, what would become the most challenging part of our mission in reaching Latvia's high point.
But first, to put a bit of background to the following event, I should explain that by this point in the expedition, we had been experiencing numerous problems with our budget road-trip vehicle. It had now done over 30,000 km for us on this trip alone! But we were certain that it was due to conk out on us at any moment. Especially the suspension. We felt that the suspension had been a ticking time bomb in disguise since Poland.
I was praying that the car would last long enough to get me through the Balkan states, as I planned on leaving it behind and traveling solo to the final two destinations.
The challenge upon us was due to our failure to set the correct location in our sat-nav. It took us off a turn too early from the standard exit for Gaiziņkalns. Instead, we were unknowingly heading down through the woods towards a nasty 4x4 track. By the time we realized, there was no turning back. We had to power through.
A few slightly hairy and stomach-churning moments later, we came out into a clearing and what turned out to be a farmers' field full of grazing sheep. So, if it wasn't obvious enough already, we had undoubtedly taken the wrong route. We had to let ourselves out through an electrified gate. But at last, we had found the car park.
Once we were out of the vehicle, there wasn't much too it. Just a five-minute walk and a 60 meter incline up one of the ski slopes on the hill to reach the summit.
On the ascent, we came across the chairlift that ferries skiers up the hill in winter months. It wasn't the most high tech lift, yet I was still amazed to see one at these low heights.
I can't say that I was expecting much for the top of this one, and it fully lived up to my expectations. We found at the summit a small timber structure imitating a much larger masonry one that stood here previously, and the Latvian flag.
I discovered that the masonry structure was built in the Soviet era to top its Estonian counterpart by a few meters and claim the title of having the highest architectural roof in the Balkans. However, it was never fully finished and deteriorated to such a state it fell victim to demolition in 2012. We had to make do with the much smaller timber one.
But peak number 45 now complete; we had just enough time to pay a flying visit to Riga for the night before moving on to Lithuania's high point the following day.
Read the last chapter in the Balkans - Peak 46 | Aukštojas Hill, Lithuania.
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