When I saw a route from Svidovets to the Gorgany Mountains on Kuluar, I decided that I wanted to hike it in the fall.
Since I still can’t decide which mountain ranges I prefer—the Gorgany or the Svidovets—a route that combines both of these ranges has become my clear favorite.
I regularly hike in the mountains in the spring or fall, so I’ve already tested in practice what gear works best for me and learned how resilient I am to the challenges and adverse weather conditions that can arise on a hike.
That’s why I knew this route would be within my capabilities.
We set out from Trostyanets, not from Kevely, as originally planned, because the group leader had predicted a weather downturn and wanted us to spend the nights under the roofs of the kolybas whenever possible.
It was a sweltering autumn day. As we climbed uphill, beads of sweat rolled down our foreheads like hail, and it was hard to believe that this midsummer-like weather in the middle of September could suddenly turn into winter.
Along the way, we got to know the other group members, and by evening we made our way up to the mountain pasture. For some reason, the first day was very difficult for almost everyone.
Our team leader even began to doubt whether we’d be able to complete the entire route if we kept up that pace. Spoiler: we did it!
During the rest of the hike, the participants gradually adapted to the exertion and were able to maintain the necessary pace.
Our first night was memorable for searching for a spring in the bushes and collecting water. Since it was a dry summer, some of the springs along the route had simply dried up.
We spent our first and only warm evening by a magnificent campfire that the guys had built, under the starry sky of the Carpathians, sipping cups of hibiscus tea with mint while listening to one of the participants explain what an azimuth is and how to find it.
And in the morning, we woke up to a completely different world: clouds were drifting all around us, the air was heavy with moisture, and rain of varying intensity fell from the sky from time to time.
We waited for a break in the weather to continue our hike. A tough day lay ahead, and we had to cover a long distance in unpredictable weather conditions during a short autumn hiking day.
When we set out on the trail, it became clear that not everyone could keep up the necessary pace.
That day, our Olya made more than one very wise decision, thanks to which the entire group was able to complete the entire route together—for which I’m very grateful to her, because my butt really wanted to see this adventure through to the end.
Olya lightened the backpacks of those who were walking slowly and sent them ahead of the main group a few minutes early. This life hack helped ensure no one froze on the peaks and that we didn’t get too spread out along the slope.
We were hiking toward Blyznytsia and could still see the sun, but on the neighboring Blyznytsia Velyka, the sun had literally given way to a black cloud with snow.
We ran through this part of Svidovets all the way to Peremychka in Dragobrat, driven on by the wind and a light mix of snow and rain.
I was in awe of the beauty, because not everyone gets to see Svidovets like this. And I thought we were lucky with the weather—it was cold, sure, but at least it wasn’t pouring! And we could see everything around us, even with a cloud overhead.
We even saw a gorgeous rainbow! It was so beautiful that I didn’t really think about the cold or any discomfort.
At Peremychka, we realized we wouldn’t make it the distance we’d planned for the day. And thanks to our team leader, we made the right decision again—we hired a little minivan from Yasiniv, and it took us to a spot just a stone’s throw from our overnight campsite.
It was yet another fun adventure that day.
Then we made our way down to Lake Vorozheska along a steep, muddy trail in the twilight, but in high spirits. Of course, by the time we reached the mountain hut where we were to spend the night, it was already dark and we were a bit tired. But a warm stove and a delicious dinner made up for everything.
The next morning was rainy again. But would that scare us now? We set off through the forest along the trails to Lake Apshynets. It’s especially magical in the fall—I couldn’t get enough of it!
As we climbed the ridge, the weather changed again, and on Mount Tataruka we were taking photos amid a flurry of fluffy snowflakes.
I reveled in them like a child. But the greatest miracle was the rainbow that appeared right in front of us when the snow-laden cloud moved on to do its own thing. We ended the day in our tents at the Okole Pass.
It greeted us with a magnificent, full rainbow.
We stayed at a comfortable campground. There was a spring nearby, a roof over the tents to keep out the rain, a nice, spacious gazebo for dinner and breakfast, and a campfire with benches around it for evening chats. And even a real restroom instead of the bushes!
But it turned out that some participants weren’t quite ready to spend the night in tents in the fall. So I want to remind everyone who hikes in the mountains during the off-season that your sleeping bag needs to be warm—at least rated for a comfort temperature of 0.
Also, if you’re sensitive to the cold like me, chemical body warmers can come in handy—they’re exactly what always help me stay warm during cold nights.
You can also always use the old tried-and-true method: fill a bottle with hot water and place it in your sleeping bag near your feet.
When hiking, you should always bring warm clothing for camp, such as a down jacket. It will keep you warm after a day of hiking, as well as while you sleep, if your sleeping bag isn’t enough.
At night, my knees and lower back always get cold, so I also bring long leg warmers, which I wear over my thermal underwear, and wrap a dry jacket or fleece around my lower back. There are also special down skirts designed for this purpose.
And for your feet, you can buy down-filled socks. It was a good thing I had spare chemical body warmers. By lending them to two members of our group, I saved their sleep and made the night a little less cold.
Earplugs also help you sleep. I recommend them to anyone who’s a light sleeper. Because almost everyone snores at night on a hike.
The fourth day of our hike was probably the hardest for me. I was exhausted, it was raining again, and we still had a long way to go.
Mount Bratkivska, with its steep ascent, greeted us first with rain, then with stinging snow and wind. We didn’t stay there long so we wouldn’t get cold.
Here, by the way, my fleece gloves came in handy—thanks to them, my hands stayed warm. And I want to remind you again: take a buff, a hat, and gloves with you to the mountains—keep them dry, because they can save you from hypothermia.
We then continued along the ridge toward our next peak—Mount Chorna Kliva.
At times, the clouds parted, giving us hope that we’d soon see the view.
But we spent the climb to the summit in the clouds, and in some places it drizzled. We walked through a corridor of slate and scree among the alpine pines. It was very peaceful, atmospheric, and magical. And in general, I really love trails like this.
And if they’re not yet cleared—well, that’s a whole different kind of ordeal, or pleasure, for those who love all kinds of challenges.
But we’re lucky! Did I mention that already? The clouds did clear for a while, and right at the base of Chorna Kliva’s summit, a view of the Gorgan Range opened up before us.
I finally saw my absolute favorite mountain—Syvulka. We also caught a glimpse of Petros before a cloud of snow covered it, as well as Khomyak and its neighbors.
All in all, this side of the ridge offers stunning views and is incredibly picturesque in good weather—I highly recommend it to everyone!
We spent our last, fifth day descending from the mountains to the village of Chorna Tisa. And on the way down, we had our fill of delicious blackberries. The weather was changing again. Of course: we’re finishing our hike, so the sun has to come out.
But I don’t regret for a second that it wasn’t sunny. When the weather is sunny, anyone can go up into the mountains and come back with a bunch of identical photos. But in weather like we had, only a few would take the risk.
At our last campsite, I really had a blast and let loose: we weren’t in a hurry, we weren’t cold, and we got creative—we built a campfire, set up a cozy little camp around it, gathered firewood from the nearby bushes, and Olya cooked us a delicious mushroom soup…
It was a warm farewell evening. I’m grateful to everyone who was part of it.
I’d like to highlight the work of our team leader, Olya Zhuravleva.
I felt safe and comfortable with her. It’s clear that she knows and loves what she does. Plus, she’s a great cook. I’d go on another hike with her, and I recommend her to you.
I also recommend Kuluar to you. This is my second experience with them, and I’ve noticed the high level of professionalism and responsibility among their team leaders. I feel cared for by them and by Kuluar.
And I’ll definitely go on another trip with them! To be honest, I’m already planning my next trip.