Every cloud has a silver lining

Review of the trip to Marmarosh October 04-09, 2015. Rating 4.

I returned home, plunged into work and once again realized that vacation is a different life. And if your vacation is spent in the mountains, it’s a different life with a taste of a fairy tale.

The last time I was in the mountains was a long time ago - 6 years ago, and the trip was short - only 2 days, so choosing a new route was difficult. I was tormented by doubts about whether I would have enough strength, what the weather would be like, whether the group would get together... But the route was chosen, the tickets were bought, the staff was prepared.

Day 1. Light warm-up

The hike began at the station in Ivano-Frankivsk. Provisions were divided between the participants, everyone loaded into 2 minibuses and went to the starting point. We got off on the outskirts of the village of Delovoe, received a short instruction from the guide on how to properly adjust the backpack and at what pace to walk, and set off. The first steps with a heavy backpack are not easy. But as soon as you take your eyes off the road, you forget that you have a heavy burden behind you.

The Carpathian forest, as always, is clean and fresh. A stream babbles melodiously along the road, glistening in the rays of the evening sun, the color of the trees around changes from swamp green to emerald. If it were not for the dry leaves underfoot, it would be difficult to imagine that it is the beginning of October.

On the first day we don't walk long. This can rather be called a light warm-up. But we stop for the night in a very picturesque place. A round, flat clearing with a gorgeous view of our tomorrow’s goal – Mount Pop Ivan. Looking at the peak, which is lost in the clouds, doubt arises whether it is possible to get there in one day. But more on that later.

After setting up the tents, we go together to collect firewood. The instructor assigns 3 people on duty responsible for preparing food for dinner and breakfast. We eat, slowly drink tea, everyone briefly talks about themselves. A hiking joke appears: “I want to meet a bear.”

Day 2. Challenge

In the morning we have breakfast, pack up the camp and hit the road at the appointed time. The instructor changes the route a little and instead of off-road driving, we have a forest path under our feet. The view is more picturesque, but the climb is steeper. Today's day is 85% altitude gain. The stretch to the first stop seems incredibly difficult. We climb a steep slope, grabbing rocks and tree roots.

The forest gradually changes, turning from Lord of the Rings to Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Here is the feeder for "Bambi".

Rising after each stop, the backpack seems lighter. On the third or fourth day, walking without a backpack seemed unusual to us. Somewhere around lunchtime the forest ends, giving way to thickets of juniper and blueberry.

We are gradually approaching the top, and the goal no longer seems so unattainable. The last segment is very difficult. Everyone is already pretty tired, the mountainside is getting steeper, the wind is rising and clouds are appearing. And now the goal has been achieved - Pop Ivan Marmaroshsky, 1937.

We take a group photo and run downstairs. We can’t rest for a long time - there is an equally difficult and lengthy descent ahead, and it’s already late, in a couple of hours it will start to get dark.

We meet the first border posts and again walk for a long time. It seems like the day will never end. Everyone is tired, their legs are buzzing and unresponsive, and the camp site is still far below. We set up the tents in the twilight, without particularly choosing a suitable place. We all prepare food together with flashlights (a mandatory and irreplaceable thing on a hike!).

Day 3. Stress and relaxation

The morning of the third day begins in the dark with the roar of wild animals. The day before, the group leader warned that the place was wild. The forests are full of wild boars, deer, elk and even bears are not uncommon.

However, we did not receive instructions from the guide on how to behave with them upon meeting, or such forced proximity, either earlier or even after asking questions. So we were left to wonder who wanted to “communicate” with us: bears, moose or deer...

But as soon as the alarm clock rang at 7 am, the growling immediately stopped. As it turned out later, it was 150-200 meters from the camp that the deer, which were just in their rutting period, were “talking to each other.”

Nevertheless, a busy morning did not prevent us from leaving our overnight stay on time and continuing our route along the Ukrainian-Rumun border. After lunch, because of the rain, we were forced to stop for the night at the border guards' house, although we did not cover the entire required route.

However, as they say, “Every cloud has a silver lining.” After a couple of hours, the rain stopped and everyone went around the neighborhood in search of mushrooms. For dinner there were porcini mushrooms with buckwheat, and for breakfast mushroom soup. The evening ended with cozy gatherings around the fire under a clear starry sky and stories from the instructor about Carpathian forest fairy-tale characters.

Day 4. Bad weather

The next day we had to make up for the part we had not covered the day before. There was practically no difference in altitude, so the weather decided to throw up difficulties. We set out on the route in bright sunshine, in some places we moved in a solid cloud with visibility of 5-7m. Fortunately, there is only one road and it is impossible to get lost.

Overall, the day was conducive to reflection and contemplation. Until evening came.

For the last hour we walked either in fog or in a cloud, with a strong wind that blew through almost all our clothes, so we warmed ourselves as we went. It did not inspire hope for a long-awaited rest and a place to spend the night. A kolyba at the edge of the forest, on a slope quite large for tents, with nettles and burdocks as bedding and a rather meager source.

But we didn't have to choose. Dinner was prepared and warmed by the fire in the kolyb. The smoke stung my eyes and it was difficult to breathe, but it was even worse outside - the bad weather was raging. Having quickly swallowed the hot borscht, many did not wait for tea; everyone quickly ran to their tents.

Day 5. Completion of the hike

The morning greeted us with a light haze near the ground and the rays of the sun breaking through the clouds. There is no trace left of yesterday's hurricane. The weather was certainly pleasant. There was a feeling that the adventure was ending.

We gradually dropped altitude. Polonyna gave way to a picturesque forest with an equally picturesque road. Today we had to cross the river. We forded it twice (fortunately there had been no heavy rains the day before, and the river was not very deep). For the third time we crossed an abandoned bridge.

The forest landscape changed colors to ones more suitable for autumn, and signs of civilization appeared. The last stop was almost in civilized conditions. In the evening the guys went to the nearest village for wine and sweets. We spent the last evening around the fire as good friends with our jokes about bears and plans for our next hikes.

Results.

Cons: I didn’t like the instructor Yuriy Yurkiv. There was no doubt about my experience and knowledge of the route. The same cannot be said about the organization and attitude towards the group. During the hike, I expected to hear at least the names and descriptions of the places we passed, but the instructor, most likely, considered this unnecessary, devoting only one evening to folklore. There was also an opinion in the group that they were saving money on products (the instructor is also responsible for purchasing). Considering that the route passes through wild places and there is a high probability of encountering animals, there were no instructions on how to behave in such situations.

No luck with the group, because... Because of one participant, they were forced to finish the hike a day early in order to deliver the person to the morning train. The last day had to be sacrificed, despite the fact that the website clearly states to buy return tickets no earlier than 20:00!

And despite the fact that it was the duties of those on duty to wake everyone up, on the morning of the third day our tent was left without breakfast.

Organizer's note: In response to this criticism, one of the hike participants wrote a short note, outlining his point of view on what was happening in the group.

Pros: Of course, nature comes first! Undoubtedly, Vysotsky was right - “The only thing better than mountains can be mountains that you have never been to before.” In the forest, in the mountains you forget about fatigue, work and problems. I think we were lucky with the weather. Thunderstorms and frosts passed us by, and everything else was “spicy seasoning” for a dish called “Hike to Marmarosy”. But, as you know, without seasoning, any dish will be bland.

And the most important thing is the attitude with which you go to the mountains and the right people next to you! In good company, you won’t be afraid of a steep climb, a stormy wind or an encounter with wild animals. Any obstacles will turn into adventures, and pleasant moments will double. If you don’t allow negativity to ruin your vacation, you will get a lot of impressions and will definitely want to come back.