Contents
This report is about the tour: Highest mountains
Report on the hike along the Montenegrin ridge (route "Highest Peaks")
By any chance, were you in the Carpathians in mid-August 2010? No, we didn't hit it! Well, you've lost a lot!
“Lucky, lucky ones, how lucky you are,” I heard these and other words with similar meaning probably 60 times during the five-day hike (from August 8 to 13). Almost all the guides, foresters and simply local residents we met were in a hurry to express their joy for our success. I not only agree with each of them, but I can safely say that I was, at least, much more fortunate than they assume. But let's talk about everything in order...
The main reason why, at the end of our short trip, I began to believe in my own super-luckiness was the incredibly luxurious weather, like for the Carpathians. Six days of sun and only one rain, and that at night, something like this on the Montenegrin ridge (Carpathian region) has not been remembered for a long time. “Such a long “window” is very rare for this region of the Carpathians.
Rescue refuge.
The fact is that the Montenegrin ridge is the highest and, accordingly, almost all rain clouds linger on it,” our guide and instructor Alexander Kushnarev explains the specifics of the local climate. At the same time, the altitude of the route (most of the time passes above 1600 meters) provided the much-desired coolness - during the day the temperature was about 20-25 degrees, at night it dropped to 10-15. It is probably worth recalling that in Kyiv at that time the thermometers did not drop below 30 degrees even at night, so the Carpathian Mountains cannot be called anything other than a saving refuge.
Such ideal weather conditions allowed us to spend five days with maximum benefit and get the maximum dose of positive emotions. Few people have the weather to go to all six Ukrainian mountains above 2000 meters and not only visit them, but also enjoy the views of the fabulously beautiful landscapes that open from them.
Six times 2000.
The first two-thousander on the route was Mount Petros (2020 meters). From this majestic peak you can see the entire Montenegrin ridge - from Hoverla to Pop Ivan. The bent and twisted cross around its own axis, mounted on the top, makes a strong impression. When you see how easily the forces of nature (lightning) distorted a three-meter iron cross, you begin to somehow differently evaluate your invulnerability (more precisely, as vulnerability).
Another feature of Petros can be safely called the descent from this mountain. If the climb to the top is not particularly memorable, then the descent on the other side (towards Hoverla) leaves a lot of impressions (not always pleasant). The descent is steep and if the track is wet, then you can drive at the fifth point for several dozen meters, which, in the presence of sharp stones, makes this method of movement very unsafe. By the way, the instructor said that the winter climb on this side of Petros is the only category climbing route in the Carpathians.
The next day, it was planned to climb the favorite peak of the ex-president of Ukraine - Hoverla (Viktor Yushchenko visited it 35 times). The climb up it is not at all difficult, although it is possible that this impression is created due to the en masse of pensioners (mainly from countries of developed capitalism) climbing it.
The surroundings and atmosphere at the top make a much stronger impression. Most of all, the highest point of Ukraine (2061) resembles... an amusement park. Crowds of people drinking beer, champagne and stronger drinks. Screaming schoolchildren and smiling foreigners. An unimaginable number of flags, flags and simply scraps of fabric hung wherever they can be held, creates a farcical feeling of a fair. The only thing missing is the gypsies and the Ferris wheel.
In the summer, about 400 people visit Hoverla every day (up to 2 thousand on weekends and holidays), so it’s not surprising that the highest point in Ukraine resembles an amusement park. The only thing that really upsets us is people’s disgusting attitude towards nature. The entire peak is strewn with a neat layer of garbage - bottles, pieces of paper, jars, cigarette butts, condoms - this is not a complete assortment of instruments of human bestiality. It’s hard for me to understand these people - IF THEY ARE ABLE TO PULL THE FULL BOTTLES UPSTAIRS, THEN DO THEY NOT HAVE THE STRENGTH TO TAKE THE EMPTY BOTTLES DOWN?!!!
The next day we visited two more domestic two-thousanders: Mount Rebra (2001 m) and Gutin Tomnatik (2016 m). These peaks are located somewhat away from the main routes and most tourists do not visit them, but in vain - the views from them are worth climbing.
However, the bulk of the impressions on this day were delivered not by the two-thousanders, but by the relatively low Mount Spitz (1864 m), or rather the rock massif on and near it. Do you remember the episode from the film “The Lord of the Rings”, where the heroes run through the caves of Moria (crossing the abyss)? Now imagine similar seventy-meter stone columns holding their balance in defiance of the laws of physics. These are the famous rocks in the Spitsy region (the name comes from the Polish “spitz” (translated as “spokes”). It’s difficult to describe in words what you saw, you have to go there.
It is impossible not to note the magical beauty of the high-mountain lakes - Nesamovyty (located at an altitude of 1750 m) and Brebeneskul (1801 m - the highest mountain lake in Ukraine). There are many legends associated with Lake Nasamovit. Local residents believe that it is in this lake that the souls of suicides and murderers live, and if they are disturbed by throwing a stone into the water, they will fly out of there and bring thunderstorms and hail for many kilometers around. No matter how “terry” superstition this legend may seem to you now, nevertheless our guide asked in all seriousness not to swim in the lake and not to throw anything into it. There were no people willing to test the veracity of the legend for themselves.
Finally, we left Mount Brebeneskul (2035 m) and the most mysterious and unpredictable Carpathian peak – Pop Ivan (2020 m) or as it is also called Chornohora (hence the name of the entire ridge). The mountain with the worst weather is also called Pop Ivan. Our guide admitted that in all the years of walking in the Carpathians, he had only been to Popa Ivan three times in clear weather. We were lucky, most of the group were in the Carpathian Mountains for the first time - and immediately got to Chornohora on a fine day.
In addition to the vagaries of the weather and a dozen Hutsul legends, Pop Ivan’s fame is added by the observatory on its top (or rather, what’s left of it). In 1936, the Poles and Austo-Hungarians jointly built the highest altitude observatory and hotel. However, after the war, the Soviet authorities decided not to restore the building, considering that the scientific value of the observatory was insignificant. However, 65 years of neglect could not completely destroy this unique building.
It is difficult to write something about such a place, the only thing you know and feel for sure is that it is good there and you should definitely return there.
The biggest success.
The weather is of course very important, but my luck didn’t end there. No less luck than good weather, but rather much greater luck, lay in the people. I would especially like to mention the guide-instructor Alexander. When a person does something with sincere interest and devotes himself entirely to it, it cannot but bring excellent results. This is just about Sasha, he knows and loves nature and is completely devoted to it. Therefore, in addition to the fact that you feel confident in the mountains with him, he is also a very interesting conversationalist.
Sasha is a zoologist not only by education, but also by vocation and knows a lot of interesting things about the animal world. So sometimes talking with him reminded me that reading Gerald Durrell’s books is just as interesting and informative.
And of course, many thanks to my hiking comrades - it was easy and pleasant to walk through the high Carpathian mountains with you. Great holiday.
Boris Davidenko, Kyiv.