In the northwestern part of the Gorgany mountain range, one of the wildest areas of the Ukrainian Carpathians, the Western Gorgany, is located. It is a cunning interweaving of peaks, spurs and mountain streams, fairy-tale forests with berries and mushrooms, which are home to dozens of species of animals and birds.
There are hundreds of kilometers of marked trails that run not only along the ridges, but also along interesting and picturesque traverse paths called rayshtoks. Once they were used by local residents and hunters, but now they are increasingly used by hikers from distant parts of the country and nature lovers from abroad. A distinctive feature of the region is the small number of tourists and the absence of shepherds and cattle in the meadows.
The most convenient settlement, where many tourist routes converge, is Osmoloda. It is the last village on the road leading from Kalush to the south, to the heart of the Highlands. It takes about 2.5 hours to get from Ivano-Frankivsk to Osmoloda by car, but it should be noted that after leaving the main highway, the road surface is sometimes very poor.
Map of the regions of the division of the Carpathians into regions
Another place where interesting tracks start is the village of Myslivka, which is a 1.5-hour drive from Ivano-Frankivsk. From here, hikes to the Yayko Ilemske and Horgan Ilemsky mountains, the Arshytsia and Ukernia ranges begin.
The Western Gorgan is home to the largest population of European cedar in Ukraine. You can see many of these beautiful long-lived trees by visiting the eco-trails around the Yaiko Perehinske and Grofa mountains. Some trees are up to a meter in diameter and over 400 years old.
Western Gorgany is also famous for its mountain lakes. The most popular of them, the pearl of recreation and photo shoots, is Synevyr, as it is the largest lake in the Ukrainian Carpathians. It is located in the Zakarpattia region, near the village of Synevyrska Polyana. There is a good road leading here, so there are always a lot of visitors on weekends. Nearby is the brown bear rehabilitation center, where several dozen animals that were taken from circuses, zoos, and similar places of detention have found a home.
The other two are smaller and significantly different from the Synevyr. Lake Arshytsia and Lake Rosokhan are real wild mountain "mirrors" hidden on the slopes of the Arshytsia ridge among the dense Carpathian forest. The path to them is long and difficult - partly by car, partly on foot, so it is not surprising that few people have visited them.
To be honest, the KULUAR team is in love with this corner of the Carpathians, which attracts interesting and picturesque hiking routes all year round. Most of them are best done in a multi-day mode, but some peaks are quite possible for comfortable weekend hikes. Below, we will tell you about the locations that are definitely worthy of attention.
Grofa Peak, 1748 meters, is the highest and most popular mountain in the Western Gorgany. Its slopes are covered with spruce forests with a mixture of cedars, which gradually turn into a juniper and small flat stones - cecotes. At the very top, visitors can see a quaint stone garden, which looks mystical and mesmerizing in cloudy weather or at sunset.
You can climb Mount Grofa from the village of Osmoloda in one day. It is possible to shorten the "road part" of the route by driving a little further out of the village. However, to enjoy the views as much as possible, we recommend choosing a longer version of the hike - for 3-4 days through the so-called "Grofa Ring", which covers several more peaks united in a horseshoe-shaped ridge. Start and finish in Osmoloda.
To the north of Grofa, across a deep river valley, rises another iconic peak of the Gorgan, Moloda, 1724 meters high. Its name is derived from the name of the river and the village nearby. It is not easy to climb it in one day, because the ascent is steep and you will have to gain about 900 meters of height. In addition, there are other interesting places nearby that are worth seeing. For example, Mount Yayko Perehinske, around which there is a beautiful eco-trail through a cedar reserve. Here you can touch the real old-timers of the forest, who saw this world 400-500 years ago.
From southeast to northwest, between Myslivka and Osmoloda, the Arshytsia ridge stretches in a straight line. Only its first and highest peak, Gorgan Ilemski, can be climbed without great difficulty. Further up, the ridge is not passable, but there is a good traverse path along the slopes. It will be especially popular with lovers of the forest kingdom. In addition, along this route you can enjoy the beauty of two small mountain lakes - Arshytsia and Rosokhan.
Mount Yayko Ilemske, 1679 m, is the highest point of a ridge that stretches from north to south and has four other peaks. You can climb Yayko in one day from the village of Myslivka, if you drive a few kilometers deep into the mountains. A forest trail with a blue marker that runs along the stream gradually leads to the Mshana meadow. Then, steeply gaining height, we find ourselves in the picturesque Dovhe Pole meadow, from where it is about 2 km to the top. In general, you can reach the mountain in 5-6 hours.
If you include g. Yayko in a several-day hike, then there are 2 ways: along the top of the ridge along a path cut in the juggernaut or an interesting picturesque traverse. The latter option passes through a beautiful forest, four high mountain meadows, and has several water sources. It ends at the beautiful Solotvynka meadow, from where two routes diverge, one of which is to the already known Mt. Moloda.
In this beautiful region of the Carpathians, Coulouar can offer its participants 3 programs that differ in duration and complexity:
"Where the Cedars Grow: Legends of the Fairy Tale Gorgany" is a three-day hike of medium difficulty, suitable for most people. On the first day, we climb along a mountain stream to the Plitse meadow, where there is a high-mountain shelter with free access. On the second day, after leaving our belongings in the camp, we hike to two spectacular peaks over 1700 meters high - Grofa and Parenky. On the last day, we walk along a picturesque traverse trail, where we will meet old cedars and visit another tourist shelter.
The name of this route fully corresponds to the content and is suitable for true connoisseurs of sparsely populated places and unexplored paths. In 4 days, you will cross from Myslivka to Osmoloda via Yayko Ilemske mountain, traverse the Ukernia ridge and Moloda mountain. Participants will find fabulous forests, high mountain meadows, centuries-old cedars and difficult trails.
"Kolochava and Lake Synevyr" is a 6-day hike. The intense and scenic route passes through the Ozirna, Kamyanka and Pishkonya ranges. The latter can rightfully be considered one of the most beautiful in the Carpathians. We visit the famous Synevyr Lake at the beginning of the hike, and at the end we plan to visit one of the most famous museums in Kolochava, the "Old Village".
Make it a rule to look at the current weather forecast immediately before hiking in the Carpathians in general, and the Gorgany in particular. After all, even small mountains are still mountains with their specific microclimate, for which you should prepare in advance (mentally and with the necessary equipment).
For example, from late November to early May, many of the trails on the Gorgany ridge are covered with snow, and hiking is significantly difficult. However, if this is the time of year you are interested in, please read the tips on clothing, footwear and equipment "What to take with you to the Carpathians for a winter hike".
In this region, we would recommend hiking from the second half of May to October. Of course, at the beginning and end of this season, night frosts and even light snowfall are possible, so you need to be technically and psychologically prepared for this. Useful recommendations are set out in the articles "Three-layer clothing concept"and "How to choose shoes for hiking”
As for summer. Since there are rains and thunderstorms in summer, you need to take care of reliable protection from moisture: a raincoat, a backpack raincoat and a reliable tent. Another unpleasant factor is the presence of midges - small flying insects that are happy to attack tourists. A mosquito net and mosquito spray will come in handy here. But these little things are not worth giving up hiking in this wonderful land.
Author of the article: Ivan Kucheryavyi, team leader in the Carpathians
