Polonyna Borzhava

Полонина Боржава (UA) Borzsa-havas (H)  Polonina Boržava (ČS)  Połonina Borżawa (PL)

Borzhava is a model of a 'polonyna', i.e. a mountain range in the Northeastern Carpathians that features a vast subalpine pasture (also called 'polonyna') located above timberline, or rather at where the natural timberline ran, as it has usually been considerably lowered by man. The range is almost 50 km long, stretches between the Vicha (or the Latorytsa) River in the northwest and the Rika River in the southeast and is divided into three segments. (If the Latorytsa is considered to be the northwestern boundary, then there will be one more segment, the Bozheva Ridge at 1095 m.) 

Massif	Photo	Location/Delimitation	Length/Elevation	Characteristics
Polonyna Borzhava		Western/Tsitska-Prislip Pass	25 km/1692-1209 m	Rolling summits, vast patches of berries, virtually no sheepfolds
Polonyna Kuk		Central/Kamianka-Volosianka	8 km/1361 m	Distinct massif rarely visited as there are no waymarked routes
Palenyi Grun		Eastern/Korytyshche-Vala-Techera	15 km/1162-945 m	Remote ridge with romantic glades enwrapped in pristine beech woodland, no signs of human activity except the only sheepfold under the summit of Skalia

The cross profile of the main ridge is asymmetric and the contrast between the northern (shorter and steeper) slopes and the southern (longer and moderate) ones is remarkable. Perhaps the best ski slopes in Transcarpathia are to be found in the northwest, on the outskirts of Pylypets resort. In the warmer seasons one of the main attractions is a 14 m tall waterfall called Shypit (literally cascade), declared a monument of nature. It is accessible via yellow stripes from Pylypets.

Shypit falls

 

 

The table below lists most of the major summits of the Borzhava.

 

Summit	Elevation in metres	Photo	A few words about
Stiy	1681		The highest summit and No.5 in the so called Crown of the Beskids. Its steep NE face was chiseled by a Pleistocene glacier. On its summit used to be a radar station monitoring a vast area to the west during WWII. In 1995 it was demolished. Nowadays the ruins of its reinforced concrete base can be seen. The peak stands on the lateral ridge heading SW, about 4 km off the main ridge. Blue stripes from Vovchyi or green stripes from Bereznyky.
Velykyi Verkh	1598		The highest summit on the main ridge. It is a junction of the lateral ridges trending SW (Stiy) and NE (Riapetska). In the center of Polonyna Borzhava proper. Red/blue stripes.
Magura-Zhyde	1516		Rounded summit covered by blueberries. In the eastern part of the main ridge of Polonyna Borzhava. The red stripe main ridge trail or green stripes from Izky.
Hymba	1491		Dome shaped massif with a large, avalanche prone nival niche on its northern side. It stands in the central part of the main ridge, between Velykyi Verkh and Magura Zhyde summits. The red stripe main ridge trail or blue stripes from Pylypets resort.
Hrab	1378		Springs on its north and south sides (traverse). The slopes of the mountain are covered by pristine beech woodland with admixture of fir and spruce trees. In the eastern part of the main ridge of Polonyna Borzhava. The red stripe main ridge trail or yellow stripes from the valley of the Borzhava river.
Kuk	1361		Distinctive grassy peak with a steep, hardly accessible SE slope. The highpoint of a namesake polonyna in the central stretch of its main ridge. Accessible via an unmarked path.
Temnatyk	1343		First conspicuous summit in the westernmost tip of Borzhava. The W and E sides are covered by pristine beech woodland (a namesake preserve) while S slopes are part of Potik Osa reserve. It is reached by the red stripe main ridge trail.
Plai	1323		Easily distinguishable summit thanks to a weather station on its top. In the western part of the main ridge. The red stripe main ridge trail, yellow stripes from Volovets.