The "Zidanitsata" shelter is located at approximately 1900 m altitude, southwest of Albutin Peak in Pirin. From it, there is a beautiful view of a series of Pirin peaks – Vihren, Gredaro, Gergyitsa, Momin Vrah, and Sinanitsa. In early May, due to the warm daytime temperatures, the air is saturated with moisture, and the grayish-blue haze softens their sharp contours. The snow from the previous winter, still abundant on the northern slopes and gullies, melts quickly on the ridges and sunlit slopes, leaving the southwest slope of Albutin almost snow-free. Summer is arriving quickly this year.
The shelter itself is a small structure with a single room, approximately 3.5 by 4.5 meters in size. The furnishing is very basic, consisting of a small table and bench in one corner, an open fireplace, a few hooks, and a small shelf near the door. There are no beds or bunks, and the windows and doors are made from some kind of modern frames (probably aluminum). The door opens outward, and I wonder how, in winter, when snow falls and freezes, one manages to open it. Outside, a sign mentions some European project, which reminds me of another shelter – down in the valley of Vlahinska River, near Cherna Voda, below Bayuvi Dupki. There, too, there are no bunks or any conveniences for overnight stays, and the quality of construction makes one wonder how many winters will pass before the structure completely collapses. Oh well, what's important is to write big words in projects and allocate funds; the rest are minor concerns!
Water near the "Zidanitsata" shelter can be found about 50 meters to the west; a small stream above the dirt road provides a spot to fill your bottles. There is no toilet.
If you decide to stay overnight at the shelter, I recommend bringing a large piece of fabric (I use a lightweight waterproof fabric that also serves as rain protection when needed) to lay under your sleeping mat. The wooden floor is dirty, and if you lay directly on it, your sleeping bag will likely need washing sooner than you'd like. Moreover, whether because the fireplace chimney doesn't draw well or for some other reason, the shelter has a heavy odor that, after just one night, deeply penetrated my down sleeping bag, requiring several days of airing. As for the fleas that feasted on me, let's just chalk them up as a bonus :)
The easiest way to reach the "Zidanitsata" shelter is via the marked trail from the "Zagaza" hut toward Albutin Peak and the "Yavorov" hut. The distance takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes, with several crossings of the stream descending from the southern slopes of Albutin. In early spring, when the snow melts, crossing involves some risk of an ill-calculated leap and a splash in the water (personal experience, unfortunately).
To avoid the effort of jumping over the stream, you can start from the "Zagaza" hut via the dirt road to the Nivcha area. Follow the same direction along the marked path, but at the wooden bridge, do not cross the river; instead, turn left. After 10–15 minutes, you will see a road widening, a junction, and a sign. The road to the right ascends with several switchbacks along the ridge descending from Zidanitsata toward Zagaza and merges with the marked trail at the end of the forested area (1 hour and 20 minutes). From there, it’s another 10–15 minutes to the shelter.
There’s another option to reach the "Zidanitsata" shelter. At the junction with the sign, do not turn right but continue toward Nivcha. As soon as you reach the meadow, look for a branch leading right and upward. Soon, you’ll see something like two wooden thrones by the road (hunting shelters, perhaps?), and shortly after them, a dirt road veers to the right. This road winds along the eastern slope of Smiilkovets Peak (2013 m altitude), covered with beautiful, though thinned-out, forested areas due to logging, skirts around Peshansko Dere, and emerges on the meadow just below the "Zidanitsata" shelter. If you’re not continuing upward to Albutin and "Yavorov" but simply taking a walk from the hut, I’d recommend descending along this road rather than climbing up it.