Mount Bjelašnica is in the central part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, situated South-West, only 25 km from Sarajevo, where during the 1984, Winter Olympic Games were held, and today is one of the finest skiing resorts in Bosnia & Herzegovina.

Bjelašnica panorama view

Winter, from November to May, forms snow drifts of a couple of meters in height which are a particular challenge for winter sports lovers. The season is particularly interesting because of the landscape of the mountain under snow, which is somewhat like a white desert covered with rays of sunshine, above which there is nothing but the areal landscape.

The beauty of the mountain is augmented by the temper of its climate. It is the result of the geographical position of Bjelašnica within the Dinaric Mountains, its geological structure and altitude.

The highest part of the Dinaric Mountains, 300 meters in length, towards the Adriatic Sea, represents a border of impact of two climates - Mediterranean and Continental. Air mass from the sea interferes with the air mass from mountains on Bjelašnica. That kind of interference results in rain and snow precipitation in autumn and great amounts of snow in the winter which isretains until late in the spring. This kind of climate specificity is suitable for developing winter sports.

Bjelašnica's base is largely forested, however there are no trees above the 1500 meter (4921') tree line. There are numerous trails set up and maintained by local mountain clubs that lead to the bald peaks higher up. The mountain's name stems from the root bijel, which means "white".

A weather station was built on the highest part (2067 meters of altitude) in 1894. which is the highest constant inhabited point in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The peak itself was named after the Observatory. The mountain was named after the whiteness of its stones and snows which reside on its peaks up to August. An extraordinary mutability of weather characterizes the mountain so it is possible to experience three seasons in one day.

Winters are extremely sharp and long, spring weather is expected only after the first half of May and short summer weather is often followed by waves of cold air. The mean annual temperature is only 0.7°C because of the extremely low winter temperatures. The highest temperature is 24°C and the lowest is -41°C. Thick green grass covers the mountain in the summer while winters attract 4 meters of snow. Strong winds and thunders characterize the climate of this magnificent Bosnian mountain beauty.

The weather reporting station on Mt.Bjelašnica built in 1894, the first of its kind on Balkans

During the 1984 Winter Olympics, Bjelašnica hosted the men's alpine skiing events, where brash Bill Johnson (USA) won the downhill after boldly predicting victory. American twins Phil and Steve Mahre took gold and silver in the slalom at Bjelašnica as well. The base area has several structures dating from that time, including hotels and skiing areas. The women's alpine events were held at Jahorina.