Rolling thunder

Upon arrival at the starting point of the hike, you shoulder your backpack - that’s where you understand what you have to go through. At first it seems that the road will never end, but the weight behind your shoulders gradually goes away as soon as fabulous views of the mountains open up, and you are already walking and absorbing the smell of fir trees. Our group was not very lucky - it started pouring rain on the second day. But even he brought with him a lot of impressions - the peals of thunder, literally deafening and sweeping through the mountains with a loud echo for a whole minute.

Getting ready for the hike began at the Ivano-Frankovsk station at 11 am, which is very convenient for those whose train arrives at night (you can sleep for a few hours in cozy hostels near the station). When the group has gathered and food distribution has begun, then you begin to feel the spirit of the upcoming journey. Upon arrival at the starting point of the hike, you shoulder your backpack - that’s where you understand what you have to go through. At first it seems that the road will never end, but the weight behind your shoulders gradually goes away as soon as fabulous views of the mountains open up, and you are already walking and absorbing the smell of fir trees.

Our group was not very lucky - it started pouring rain on the second day. But even he brought with him a lot of impressions - the peals of thunder, literally deafening and sweeping through the mountains with a loud echo for a whole minute.

The approach to the mountain was very difficult due to streams of water rushing down and incessant rain. But the more severe the conditions, the sweeter were the halts under the cover of thick spruce trees, allowing shelter from the rain and a snack. The route was changed; climbing Mount Petros was impossible under such conditions. We even stayed overnight in a warm wooden house among juniper thickets. The sky cleared up overnight and allowed us to admire billions of bright stars.

The next day the clouds dissipated and the sun occasionally peeked through the cumulus clouds. Climbing to the top of Goverla was simply wonderful - the clouds floated at our level, enveloping and slipping through our group, and when leaving they opened up a magnificent view of the panorama of mountains and waterfalls from a height of two kilometers. At the very top, the winds knocked us off our feet, but they did not stop us from rejoicing at this goal achieved with such difficulty. There were no people except us on the summit platform, perhaps because we were standing there already at eight in the morning. The descent was on the other side of the mountain, slightly steeper than the ascent. In the distance one could see the red roof of the Zaroslyak tourist center, and to the right there was the sound of a waterfall falling from above.

So we reached the base with a bus station, where we were able to buy tea and souvenirs to take home. On the ordered bus we arrived in Ivano - Frankovsk by five in the evening. And so ended a small adventure full of impressions and memorable for a lifetime.