Šator
Šator is a mountain in the Dinaric Alps, in the western regions of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The name šator means "tent". The highest peak Veliki Šator is 1,872 m (6,142 ft) a.s.l. Dimensions of the mountain are some 15 km (9 mi) in west-east and 10 km (6 mi) in north-south direction.
The mountain area includes a lake, rich flora and fauna, numerous geomorphological and hydrological phenomena, as well as the aesthetic appearance in general.
Geography
Šator rises some 1000 meters above high plains and enormous karstic fields which surround it. These plains are among highest and most spacious karstic fields in the Dinaric Alps and certainly in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
On the south is Livanjsko Polje field located some 700 meters a.s.l., which is over 50 km (31 mi) long. Šator rises from its north - north-west end.
On opposite direction, south - south-east, are mountain of Staretina with highest peak on 1675 meters a.s.l. and mountain of Golija with highest peak on 1890 meters a.s.l. These mountains divide Livanjsko field from Glamočko Polje field.
On the east is a huge grassy plain, which is around 1000 meters a.s.l. On the north is deep valley where the Unac River emerge and Župica Lake. On the north-west is an 1100 meters a.s.l. high grassy plateau, and a 1656 meters a.s.l. high mountain of Jadovnik.
Spacious and grassy Grahovsko Polje field is on the west, with an altitude around 900 meters a.s.l. At the middle of the Grahovsko field is a small town of Bosansko Grahovo with an altitude around 861 meters a.s.l., a place which is a main approach to Šator. This whole area is bounded with long mountain chain of Dinara, border mountain with Croatia.
Peaks
Šator peaks start rising with a sort of plateau at 1500 meters a.s.l., at the end of the dense forests of beech, fir and spruce. Those 5 peaks have a shape like tent and form a 10 km (6 mi) long string in east - west direction. That is almost perpendicular to most of Dinaric Alps mountains, which stretch in south-east - north-west direction.
From a distance the whole mountain gives the impression of tent and that is how it got its name (Bosnian: šator = English: tent). The highest peak, on the western end, is Veliki Šator (Bosnian: Veliki Šator = English: Great Šator) 1872 meters a.s.l., while somewhat isolated, on the eastern end, is Mali Šator (Bosnian: Mali Šator = English: Little Šator) 1768 meters a.s.l. Two of the remaining three peaks exceed 1750 meters a.s.l., while the third, the neighbor of Mali Šator, exceeds 1800 meters a.s.l.
Flora and fauna
South slopes of Šator are grassy, in spring covered with carpets of flowers. On the opposite, north side are steep cliffs and scree slopes (also: talus piles) and karst depression with lot of dwarf pine. Šator and area around the mountain were enormous pastures for thousands of cattle, which was driven here even from Dalmatia. Today you will hardly meet anyone on the mountain.
Tourism
Šator is a tame mountain in general, in a sense, and therefore more suitable for family trips instead of serious mountaineering, also thanks to a mountain road that reaches Šatorsko Lake at 1,488 m (4,882 ft) a.s.l. Grassy slopes, carpets of flowers and dense forests make this mountain attractive for visitors.
See also
References
Coordinates: 44°9′26.39″N 16°35′22.92″E / 44.1573306°N 16.5897000°E