Zigana Pass

Zigana Pass
Zigana Geçidi
Elevation 2,032 m (6,667 ft)
Traversed by Route D.885 E97
Location
Location  Turkey, Gümüşhane Province
Range Pontic Mountains

The Zigana Pass (Turkish: Zigana Geçidi) is a mountain pass situated on the Pontic Mountains in Gümüşhane Province close to its border with Trabzon Province in northeastern Turkey. The pass, at 2,032 m (6,667 ft) above sea level, is on the route D.885 E97 at a distance of 60 km (37 mi) from Gümüşhane and 120 km (75 mi) from Trabzon at the Black Sea coast. The pass is snow covered five months a year.[1]

The Zigana Tunnel under the pass, at an elevation of 1,795 m (5,889 ft) above sea level, is 1,702 m (5,584 ft) long, 11 m (36 ft) wide and has a maximum height of 8 m (26 ft). It is one of longest tunnels in the country.[2]

The namesake village of Zigana, located 3.5 km (2.2 mi) southwest of the tunnel, is a popular ski-resort.[1]

Nearby Lake Limni is reachable on foot by a 3 m (9.8 ft) trail or by car on a 11 m (36 ft) paved road via Kalkanlı village.[3]

On 25 January 2009, an avalanche killed 11 hikers on Mount Zigana.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b "En güzel 10 kar manzarası-En iyi 10:1. Zigana Geçidi-Gümüşhane" (in Turkish). Hürriyet. January 13, 2006. http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/cuma/3774035.asp. Retrieved February 22, 2009. 
  2. ^ Özdemir, Ulaş (April 1, 1999). "Zigana Tüneli tehlike saçıyor" (in Turkish). http://www.milliyet.com.tr/1999/04/01/ekonomi/eko04.html. Retrieved February 25, 2009. 
  3. ^ "Torul-Zigana" (in Turkish). Sis Dağı. http://www.sisdagi.com/torulzigana.asp. Retrieved February 23, 2009. 
  4. ^ "Avalanche kills 10 at Turkish ski resort". CNN. January 25, 2009. http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/01/25/turkey.avalanche/index.html?iref=topnews. Retrieved 2009-01-25. 

Gallery

Lilies at Zigana Pass