Since the fall of communist regime in Eastern Europe, when borders became more open, the whole beautiful area of the highest part of Ukrainian Carpathians attracts attention not only of Ukrainian tourists but nowadays becomes more and more popular among hikers from other close countries especially Poland, Czech Republic and Slovakia for whom visiting Eastern Carpathian mountians is a real sentimental "back to the past" journey!

The main ridge of the Eastern Carpathians (which includes Hoverla) used to be a borderline. For a long time until the end of World War 1 it separated Galicia (area inhabited mainly by Polish, formerly Poland, later under Austrian rule) and the Kingdom of Hungary. After WW1 the border stayed in place, but the countries have changed: the whole area of present western Ukraine was divided between Poland (east from the main ridge) and Czechoslovakia (west from the main ridge). In 1938 and 1939 the western part was re-annected by Hungary until the end of WW2, when the complete region was snapped to the Soviet Union. Since the disassemble of the SU, the territory belongs to present day Ukraine. However, most of the characterstic granite border posts have remained in place along the whole ridge (a good guide for trekkers in fog) and the ruins of the Polish Astronomical Observatory on the summit of Pip Ivan/Pop Ivan peak (2028m) also remind old times.

Nature conservation and tourism

Main ridge trail

Wonderful nature of the area is protected by Karpats'kyi National Park - the first national park in Ukraine organized in 1980 and the Karpats'kyi Biosphere Reserve (southern slopes of the massif). The unique Central European forests, sub-alpine and alpine ecosystems with mixed beech-fir-spruce and pure spruce forests can be found in the park. The park also contains health resorts, lodges, sport facilities, architectural and historical monuments, and archeological sites.

The date of the first ascent on Hoverla is unknown. In late 19th century the mountain became a notable tourist attraction, especially among tourists from nearby cities of Galicia. In 1880 the first tourist route between the peak of Hoverla and Krasny Luh was marked by Leopold Wajgel of the Galician Tatra Society. The following year the first tourist shelter was founded there.

Chornohora Range

Chornohora (Black Mountains)

The highest mountain group in the Ukrainian Carpathians, the eastern part of the Polonynian Beskyd. Its main range extends for about 40 km from the Chorna Tysa River in the west to the Chornyi Cheremosh River in the east. Chornohora is built of hard sandstone with strata of low-resistance schist. The major part of Chornohora forms the watershed between the Prut River and the Tysa/Tisza River. For many centuries this was also the boundary of the states to which Galicia and Transcarpathia belonged. The western part of Chornohora, containing the Petros Peak (2020 m), lies in Transcarpathia in the basin of the Tysa river. The two parts of Chornohora are separated by a deep pass (alt 1550 m).

Chornohora - Eastern Carpathians

Chornahora from slopes of Hoverla

The western part of Chornohora is heavily gouged (the relative height of Petros is 300 m). The eastern part is a massive, monotonous range with peaks over 1900 m high: Hoverla (2061); Shpytsi, (1997); Tomnatyk (2018); Pip Ivan (2026) and a minimum elevation of 1750 m. Short ranges branch off from the main range. The slopes of Chornohora, which are dissected by narrow valleys 1000 m or more in width, contrast with the almost level ranges, which are the remains of former peneplains.

The landscape of Chornohora has been affected by glaciers more than has that of other parts of the Ukrainian Carpathians. In the Ice Age the boundary of permanent snow lay at an elevation of 1300-1400 m, and short glaciers formed at the sources of streams. In the Prut River Valley the glacier reached an elevation of 1000 m and was 6.5 km long. Postglacial depressions, with steep, often rocky slopes and broad bottoms sometimes covered with lakes (mostly under Tomnatyk) or peat bogs, the uneven slope of the valleys with occasional waterfalls (on the Prut River, for example), and lateral and terminal moraines are some of the effects of former glaciation.

The main ridge of Chornahora

ski-touring on the main ridge

The slopes of Chornohora are covered with forests, which occupy 70 percent of the surface. Beech trees are found on the northern slopes in the lower forest belt up to 1300 m, and spruce trees appear higher up (even up to 1600 m). Beech are also common on the southern slopes and they constitute the upper boundary of the forests. Above the forest belt , up to 1800 m, lies a belt of alder and juniper brush, and above it a belt of clear mountain meadow that reaches the peaks or ends sometimes at stone fields. There are many endemic species of flora.

The local population consists mainly of the Hutsul ethnographic group, which inhabits the lowest parts of Chornohora: in Transcarpathia (Zakarpattya) Yasinia lies in the Chorna (Black) Tysa River Valley and the town of Bohdan in the Bila (White) Tysa River Valley; in the north there are only the villages of Bystrytsia and Dzembronia. Arable land covers scarcely 0.5 percent of the surface area; forests, 70 percent; hayfields, 5 percent; meadows and pastures, 22 percent. To protect the soil and the villages from floods, small reservoirs were built after the First World War. In 1964 a preserve of 7,702 ha was created in the region; it now forms part of the Carpathian Nature Reserve.

Herding is an important occupation in Chornohora, where the pasturing season lasts for five months. The main industry of the Ukrainian Carpathian Mountains is tourism. Its centers include Rakhiv, Yasinia, Vorokhta, Bystrets, and Verkhovyna (formerly Zhabie) .

Getting There

Good communication links in the area via major towns of Western Ukraine, first of all nearby Ivano-Frankivsk and then Lviv City, Chernivtsi and Uzhorod .

Railway Lviv-Ivano-Frankivsk-Chernivtsi and Ivano-Frankivsk-Rakhiv

Coming from Poland: via Lviv
Coming from Slovakia or Hungary: via Uzhorod
Coming from Romania: via Chernivtsi or Rakhiv

Russian and Ukrainian Railway Connection Search (in English)

Ukrainian Railways

Ukrainian Bus Connection Search

Remember! Ukraine lays in Eastern European Time Zone (GMT+2)

Approach of Yasinya (Körösmező) from Beregovo (Beregszász) via Chust (Huszt) and Rakhiv (Rahó)

Routes Overview

Main ridge

Hoverla is not a difficult mountain to climb. By far the most popular route is from the east - a 6 km climb one way from a trailhead at 1100 m above sea level (Zaroslyak mountain chalet). It costs a few hryvnias to enter the nature reserve at the end of the very bad gravel road from Vorokhta.

The trail starts at Zaroslyak chalet and rises through spruce forests that open up at 1400 m to reveal beautiful meadows. Grazing here is forbidden, so the grasses and wildflowers grow tall. There is a small spring at the beginning of the meadows where you can fill up your water bottle. The treeline is around 1600 m, but dwarf junipers grow as high as 1800 m.

The summit of Hoverla offers excellent views in all directions on rare sunny days. It is surrounded by other mountains above 1800 m. Patches of snow often remain through August. There are a number of monuments on the summit.

Another less popular but nice route up Hoverla is from the north - about 12 km. starting at the extreme south end of Lazeschyna village (seasonal Kozmeschyk tourist base camp).

The summit

In my opinion the best choice when planning climbing Hoverla Peak is taking a 2-3 day trip by the whole length of beautiful Chornohora ridge (with bivouacs) starting in the small village of Dzembronia (Berestechko) situated under under peaks of Smotrec (1894) and Pip Ivan (2028) at the sout-eastern end of the massif.

The village is accessible in the summer season by numerous mini-buses from Verkhovyna. The ridge route is just an easy hike by the highest summits of Ukrainian Carpathians, wonderful views in all directions. The trail is not marked but the orientation is not complicated: you just have to keep the path going by the ridge following the old border-posts, or traversing grassy slopes just below.

Hoverla summit in winter

Hoverla peak area - Map

Red Tape

Horses

It is Carpathian National Park and Carpathian Biosphere Reserve area.

There are some small entry fees on the main Hoverla summit route from Vorokhta through Zaroslyak.

Stay always respectful to mountain nature!!!

Follow the rules of wildlife conservation!

Don't leave any rubbish at camping places in the mountains...

Carpathian National Park - old link, not working

When To Climb

Hoverla in winter

You can hike in the area for the whole year.

Best time: August to October

June/July : frequent thunderstorms, heavy rainfall periods and foggy weather.

Great ski touring area.

In winter usually serious avalanche danger!

Mountain Conditions

Severe and extremely changeable Carpathian climate - be always prepared for sudden weather breakdowns !

See weather report for Ivano-Frankivsk airport or have a look at the current weather scenario of three nearby villages:

Weather Forecast | Weather Maps | Weather Radar | Hurricane Center

Camping

Hoverla in cloud, from Lazeschyna Valley

Huge tourist accomodation possibilities in the mountain villages (usually in private houses) like Vorokhta (major tourist centre of Chornohora Mtns.), Verkhovyna, Yaremche, Yasinia or others ...

Higher in the mountains there is only one mountain chalet - Zaroslyak - on the most popular summit route to Hoverla Peak going from Vorokhta .

While camping is not allowed on the east side of Hoverla, it is not forbidden on the west side, where horses and cattle also roam.

Drahobrat resort - 18 km from Yasinya (more on accommodations)

Chatka u Kuby tourist hut in Dzembronia (in Polish)

External Links

Ukrainian Carpathians (Cyrillic script)
Ukrainian-Polish Tourist portal

Images



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