We will walk along the traverse

Review of the hike Wild Gorgans Carpathians, June 1, 2014.

This is my first trip to the Carpathians. Before this, I only went to Crimea, so I’ll say right away: the Carpathians are not Crimea and you can’t compare them with each other, since these are two completely different regions with different climates and terrain. The Carpathians amaze with their color, endless expanses, grandeur and mystery.

We were immediately warned that prolonged rains and winds were possible in the mountains, but for some reason, being in hot Odessa, it seemed to me that I was well enough equipped for this hike and I was not afraid of anything.

Here I would immediately like to advise everyone who is going to the Carpathians: Guys! Don’t try to skimp on equipment, especially boots! Believe me, this is the most important thing on a hike (My CATs came unglued on the first day :)) Many thanks to instructor Yura for telling me how to properly glue them together in camping conditions :))

On the first day, the Carpathians greeted us, to put it mildly, unfriendly - it was pouring rain. When we set out, we hoped that it would end soon, but that was not the case: the weather decided to test us. On the first day, which turned out to be the hardest, we had to cross the river 6 times. The first overnight stay was supposed to be on Mount Serednya, height 1639 m, but since with strong wind and rain it was problematic to lay out tents, dry out and warm up, we had to move on.

Our instructors Oleg and Yura decided to cross Mount Visoka, height 1803 m, and go down to Kolyba for heating. Personally, for the second time, I am very grateful to Yura for his help on the top of Mount Visokaya.

Then everything was just super, the weather was getting better, the Carpathians finally opened up for us. At an altitude of 1800 m it seems that you can see half of Ukraine ! The beauty is so breathtaking. Then our path lay to the top of the Velika Sivulya mountain, height 1836 m. We descended for a long time along narrow paths, losing altitude. Finally we descended into the valley where we set up camp.

The next day we moved to the top. We walked first through the forest, then along rocky embankments along the cliffs, as our instructor Oleg said, “we will walk along the traverse.” This day was the most memorable for the beauty of the landscapes that surrounded us. Everyone had already adapted to the traveling conditions and it seemed that the backpack no longer weighed anything. At the end of the day we went out to the “meadow” where the horses were grazing. Those who wanted to went to the top to admire the scenery, others stayed in the camp to make a fire and cook dinner. The weather was wonderful that day.

The following days we no longer gained altitude, but only descended from the mountains and admired the endless landscapes of valleys, ridges, and forests.

At the end of our journey a pleasant surprise awaited us in the form of a “kolyba” and a bathhouse. I really liked the reception of Vasil, the owner of the estate where we spent the night. The cozy “eco-cottages”, which even had straw instead of a mattress, really pleased us with their comfort after a long journey.

Special thanks to our instructors Oleg and Yura. They really showed professionalism, self-confidence, support and cohesion of the group.

For anyone who is hesitant to go hiking or not, I can say with confidence that only those who have never been on a hike don’t like going on a hike. Anyone who goes camping at least once will no longer be able to deny themselves this pleasure. Because no vehicle can get to where your feet can take you.