Bjelašnica (, ) is a mountain in central Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is to the southwest of Sarajevo, bordering Mount Igman. Bjelašnica's tallest peak, by which the mountain group got its name, rises to an elevation of . Other notable peaks are Krvavac (), Mali Vlahinja (), and Hranisava (). The Bjelašnica range is bordered by the Rakitnica in the south, the Neretva in the west, Mount Igman in the north-east and Mount Ivan in the north-west. Only at 20 minutes distance of Sarajevo, it is a tourist attraction for hiking and skiing. Bjelašnica was, in certain areas, the site of extensive combat during the 1992–95 Siege of Sarajevo and particular areas pose a high mine risk. There are numerous trails set up and maintained by local mountain clubs that lead to the bald peaks higher up. The mountain is also visited by mountain bikers and has become a base for some paragliders. Etymology The mountain's name stems from the root bijel, which means "white". Geology Geologically, Bjelašnica is part of the Dinaric Alps and formed largely of secondary and tertiary sedimentary rock, mostly limestone and dolomite. Climate and vegetation The white snow cupola of Bjelašnica is a familiar sight from the higher points in Sarajevo in the period from mid October until early June. Bjelašnica's base is largely forested with mostly beech, however there are no trees above the 1,500 metre tree line. Bjelašnica has an alpine tundra climate (ET) with long, cold winters lasting for most of the year and short, cool summers. During winter, snowfall is extremely heavy and very constant, falling on most winter days. Weather station Bjelašnica summit is easily recognized from the distance by the structures that have been erected on top of it. After the Austro-Hungarian Empire occupied Bosnia following the Congress of Berlin in 1878 the Austrians installed almost immediately the first meteorological station on the summit in 1878, creating the first meteorological station in the whole area of the Balkans. This structure was replaced in 1894 by a more advanced meteorological observatory with an all-year around manning. The observatory is still there, has been repaired of the damage sustained during the last war, and still functions as an important chain-link in the meteorological survey of the Balkans. The communications centre with its landmark tower that used to stand next to the observatory was destroyed in 1993. The remains of the broken