There are two peaks in the Ukrainian Carpathians named Pip Ivan. One of them is located on the highest and most popular mountain range in Ukraine - Chornohora, which is why the peak is called Pip Ivan Chornohirsky (2028 meters high) or Popivan, Black Mountain. It is the third highest peak in the Carpathians, the easternmost of the six two-thousanders. Its namesake, a much lower peak, Pip Ivan Marmarosky (1936 m), is located in the Marmarosy mountain range. You can read about its routes in our article about the Hutsul Alps. Here we will consider every question that interests tourists going on a hiking trip to Chornohora.
One of the main reasons for the popularity of Mount Pip Ivan is the building of the former Polish observatory at the top. It is the highest building in Ukraine. It is also called the Bilyy Slon because in winter a thick layer of ice and snow freezes on the walls and from a distance it resembles a bizarre animal (either an elephant or a mammoth 🙂).
In the photo: Black Mountain and Bilyy Slon (observatory)
Construction of the observatory began in 1936. Most of the construction was carried out by local residents, and mostly local building materials were used. Adolf Meissner, an engineer from Lviv, supervised the work, and Basel Laniewski, a builder, was in charge of the site. The building's area was 816 square meters, the walls were up to 1.5 meters thick, there was central heating and a small power plant, and there were 43 rooms and 57 windows. The grand opening took place in 1938, but observations began as early as 1937. Unfortunately, the observatory did not function for long. With the outbreak of World War II, the equipment was taken to Vienna. The observatory passed into the hands of the Soviet Union and in 1940-41 functioned as a meteorological station. In 1941, the building was occupied by Hungarian troops, who set up an observation post here. During the Soviet era, in the early 1960s, restoration work was planned, possibly with the installation of a radar. But the plans did not go further than that, and the building was abandoned, and the locals stole everything valuable from it. In particular, the copper sheets of the roof were used to make a vat in which shepherds in a neighboring meadow still cook cheese.
During the time of independent Ukraine, concepts for the restoration of the observatory began to be developed, and in 2012, research and subsequently restoration and construction work began, organized by the Warsaw and Precarpathian National University. In February 2019, an agreement was signed between PNU and the Ministry of Investment and Development of the Republic of Poland on the project "Adaptation of the former observatory on Mount Pip Ivan for the needs of a high-altitude rescue center." The concept is to create a research center with a training base for search and rescue operations. The partners in this project are the University of Warsaw, the Office of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, and the Bieszczady Mountain Rescue Unit (Republic of Poland).
In July 2014, a decision was made to set up a separate rescue post on the basis of several rooms of the observatory on Mount Pip Ivan. From 2017 to the present day, the Yavirnytsia Search and Rescue Department has been operating here around the clock, with several rescuers on duty at all times, sometimes assisted by tourist volunteers.
The post has its own Facebook page, where it posts information about weather conditions and avalanche danger every morning. During its operation, the staff has found and rescued hundreds of tourists. The rescue post has a room where you can wait out difficult weather conditions. This room is not a tourist shelter, but rather a shelter for different kinds of situations. It is not heated and consists of two rooms.
The first thing that attracts tourists to Pip Ivan Peak is its height of more than 2,000 meters above sea level, the observatory building, and picturesque views. But on the way to the top, you will find many more interesting things.
What can you see from the top of Mount Pip Ivan Chornohirsky?
О! Even a one-day hike to Pip Ivan will give you a lot of emotions and locations for photo shoots! It offers magnificent views of the peaks of Hutyn Tomnatyk, Brebeneskul, Smotrych, Shuryn, and the Kostrycha ridge. In good weather, you can partially see Petros and Hoverla, the Marmarosh massif, Chivchyny and some peaks of the Romanian Carpathians.
So how do you get to the start of the routes to Pip Ivan Chornohirsky? Unfortunately, it's not that easy. The best way to do this is by private transport, arriving in the villages of Dzembronia or Shybene. After the exit from the main road in the village of Iltsi, the road becomes significantly worse, but you can still drive. If you don't have your own car, it is best to arrive in Vorokhta by train, then take a bus to Verkhovyna, and then change to a bus to Dzembronia or Shybene. If the group is large and you have the money, you can take a taxi from Vorokhta to the start of the track.
There are four main routes to Pip Ivan Chornohirskyi:
1) Blue and red marker
This road to Pip Ivan Chornohirskyi starts in the village of Verkhnia Dzembronia, passes through Mount Vuhaty Kamen, Smotrych meadow and Dzembronski waterfalls. Then it goes to the Chornohora ridge, where the track connects with the red route to the top. Its length is about 10 km, the altitude gain is 1200 m, and the ascent will take about 6 hours one way. It is suitable for those who want to buy cheese, visit waterfalls and climb the rock of the Eared Stone. The last source of water is located under the mountain. Smotrych, near the ruins of an old tourist shelter. You have to go down about 300 meters from the main trail to get to it.
2) Green marker
It starts from the village of Shybene, runs along the stream of the same name, then through the Vesnarka meadow and Lake Maricheika, and finally leads to the top on a gentle slope. Its length is approximately 11 km with an altitude gain of the same 1200 meters. The ascent and descent can take you about 10-12 hours. It is advisable to replenish your water supply for the last time at Lake Maricheika. This is the option with the gentlest ascent, the opportunity to visit shepherds and relax in the comfort of a forest lake.
3) Red marker from the northwest
Climbing to Pip Ivan from the ridge side is the way to go when traveling in the format of a multi-day hike in Chornohora. The difficulty of the ascent is the lowest here, as the height gain is only 200 meters. But you still need to climb the ridge itself.
4) Red marker from the southwest
The path of those tourists who take the route from the Marmarosh Ridge and Mount Exodus. Before Popivan, you need to climb the 1730-meter-high Vaskul peak.
Since the height of the mountain reaches 2028 meters, the warm period for hiking here lasts from the second half of May to October. In early May, snow is often found on the route and the temperature sometimes drops to zero even during the day. In the summer heat, you can easily get sunburned and dehydrated, so you need to remember to keep water and sun protection.
In summer, the route to Pip Ivan from Shybenne or Dzembroni can be completed in one day, but you need to start climbing no later than eight or nine o'clock in the morning, have good endurance and patience. You will also need weatherproof clothing, sturdy and comfortable shoes, a raincoat, a water bottle, and a snack, flashlight, first aid kit, navigation aids, matches just in case, etc.
In winter, from late November to April, the conditions on the mountain can sometimes be very harsh: deep snow, winds up to 100 km/h, frost -20°C, visibility limited to 20 meters. Avalanches can pose a serious danger if the route is not followed correctly. The route from the village of Shybene is optimal from the point of view of avalanche safety. But the last kilometer before the top, the path passes through the so-called plateau, where there is a very strong wind from which there is nowhere to hide.
Winter climbing requires special clothing and equipment, good physical fitness and experience. To increase safety and comfort, you can use the services of a professional guide, which is why we recommend choosing a guide from the KULUAR team of team leaders 😉
It's a good six-day trip for those who want to fully immerse themselves in the mountain atmosphere, hike the entire Chornohora and climb not only Pip Ivan, but also other two-thousanders in Ukraine. There's also an overnight stay on Lake Nesamovyte, lots of scenery, mountain meadows with cheese dairies and Carpathian forests... What can I say - of course, it's better to see!
Watch the video report from the hike in Chornohora and join us 😉
Author of the article Ivan Kucheryavyi, team leader of the Kuluar club
