Winter Ascent of Hajla — Safet Mavrić Ćako Memorial

This is genuine winter alpinism, not a snowshoe walk: participants climb with crampons and ice axes through deep-winter conditions on one of the great peaks of the Hajla–Prokletije borderlands. The three-day programme builds toward the group ascent, when hundreds of climbers from Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Albania move up the mountain together.

The scale is what stays with participants — a snowbound peak alive with rope teams from four countries, gathered to honour a fellow climber. Rožaje, the forested town at the mountain's foot, becomes the winter-mountaineering capital of the region for a weekend.

For those with the skills to join, the weekend delivers a rare combination: a demanding winter summit within an organized frame, and an evening culture of shared meals and mountain stories back in town. Even watching has its rewards — the sight of the long column moving up the snowfields stays with people.

Participation is free with mountaineering club registration, and winter equipment and experience are required. The memorial takes place over three days in early February, based in Rožaje.