Author: Vadym Halazuk, Ukraine
I really enjoyed the trip. I already had a good idea of what the hike would be like while I was riding in the van. Our guide, Oksana, explained all the challenges of the route and what to expect, which inspired me even more, because at first I thought it would be an “easy” route. The food was delicious and awesome; on the first day, we had ramen for dinner, which really impressed me. This was my first hike in the Gorgany range, not counting Khomyak-Sinyak, and I came away with some really great memories. The ascent to Mala Syvulia looked very impressive; it felt like I was climbing somewhere in Nepal, even though I’ve never been there—maybe because the team leader often takes people to Nepal. By the fourth day, I was exhausted and didn’t expect to be able to go any further, but the mountain air and delicious food did their job, so I somehow found the strength. We were very lucky that the weather ranged from -5 to +5 degrees, so this temperature allowed us to fully enjoy winter camping, because at -10/-15 the experience would have been different and, accordingly, a different level of equipment preparation would have been required. Since this was my first winter camping trip, I was left with pleasant memories. I especially enjoyed the company—the group consisted of well-prepared and energetic people who knew where they were going, so we covered the planned route very quickly, and in the evening it was fun to chat about interesting topics around the campfire.
