Goverla Mountain in the Carpathians

Mount Goverla does not need special representation. This is the most popular and famous point of the Carpathians among fans of climbing, which is located in Ukraine. The former president of the Ukrainian state raised the popularity of the summit to its maximum by its annual pompous ascents. Yes, indeed, the mountain of Goverla in the Carpathians is worth such attention. At least once in a lifetime, every conqueror of the peaks wants to climb on it, to see the Carpathian beauties firsthand, which open from there to the gaze.

Carpathians

The Carpathian mountains are nothing but the eastern branch of the Alps. These mountain ranges arose in the Tertiary period, which is marked by the most powerful uplift of the earth's crust. Currently, the mountain system of the Carpathians, as well as the Alps, in many respects differs from its original appearance. To their present appearance resulted multiple faults, erosion processes, local glaciation and volcanic activity. To a greater extent this is reflected in the state of the Carpathians, they have a rounded shape. Only the relief of the Tatras, as well as part of the Transylvanian Alps, has an Alpine character. The Carpathian Mountains are a chain of amazing beauty, the slopes of the mountains to the very peaks are covered with green forests and colorful mountain meadows. Animal and plant world is more diverse in the Carpathians. Nevertheless, the Carpathian and Alpine flora and fauna have much in common.

Peaks and arc of the Carpathians

Most of the Carpathian peaks reach elevations of 1500 to 2000 meters. The highest mass is the High Tatras, located on the border between Slovakia and Poland. Their height reaches 2655 meters. Mount Goverla is located on the territory of Ukraine, its height is 2061 m. The great arch of the Carpathians has a length of 1,300 kilometers, it stretches across several states: Romania, Ukraine, Hungary, Serbia, Poland, Slovakia. It originates in the plains of the Danube, between Budapest and Vienna and stretches to Polish Krakow. The eastern part of the arc crosses Western Ukraine and again joins the Danube between the Iron Gate and Belgrade.

Where is Mount Goverla

Goverla is the highest point in Ukraine. Over the sea level, it rises to 2,061 m. Goverla Mountain is located on the border of two regions: Ivano-Frankivsk and Transcarpathian. The border with Romania is about 17 kilometers away. Belongs to Goverla Carpathian ridge of Chernogor. What does the name mean? From the Hungarian word Hóvár - "snow mountain".

As early as 1880, the first tourist route was opened here, with an ascent to the top of the mountain. Nearby are the towns of Vorokhta, Yasinya, Rakhiv. At the foot of Goverla lies the source of the Prut River. There, where the water comes from the rocks, the beautiful waterfall of Ukraine is located, it is called Prut. This cascading waterfall reaches a height of 80 meters.

The mountain opens from its peak an amazing panorama of the Ukrainian Carpathians. The height of Mount Hoverla in good weather allows you to see the cities of Snyatin and Kolomyia, Ivano-Frankivsk, and from the south - Romanian to Sighetu-Marmatia. Also from the top you can well consider Petros (2020 meters), located nearby. From the south-east a panorama opens up to the tops of the Montenegrin ridge, even an observatory located on the hill of Pop Ivan Chernogorsky is visible. From the south-west you can admire the peaks of the Marmorosh ridge, it is along it that the border between Ukraine and Romania passes.

Description Hoverla

The Goverla Mountain is conical in shape. At the top is a flagpole with a Ukrainian flag, here you can see the coat of arms of Ukraine - a trident, as well as a cross that denotes the highest point of Hoverla. Immediately there is an obelisk, whose height is several meters, it stands for the highest point of the border that once passed here between Czechoslovakia and Poland. In addition to the flag, the coat of arms, the obelisk and the cross, there is a marble slab on top, it contains twenty-five capsules, they contain a piece of land from each region of Ukraine.

The winter view of Hoverla is especially fascinating. The mountain is a huge white pyramid, the top of which is crowned by a large icy cross. There is a sense of a view of the other world, the mountain of Goverla as if from heaven examines our perishable, vain life. The foot of the mountain is covered with coniferous, beech forests, rising higher, you can see the slopes with beautiful subalpine meadows. On Mount Goverla, there are more than forty-five species of various animals and plants that are listed in the Red Book of Ukraine. In the second half of the summer (July-August) the slopes of the mountain are simply strewn with blueberries. This significantly slows down the tourist rise to the top, because of juicy, delicious berries simply can not tear themselves away. Currently, Goverla is part of the Carpathian National Park, and it is a protected conservation area. In tourists this object has become very popular.

Ascent to Hoverla

To reach the top of Mount Goverla, special tourist routes have been developed. You can get here from the towns of Vorokhta, Yasinya, Kvasy, Lazeshchyna, Ust-Goverla. The shortest route starts from Vorokhta. If you drive to the tourist camp "Zaroslyak" on the off-road car, which is located above the sea level at an altitude of 1200 meters, the length of the climb route will be 10 kilometers. The height of the rise is slightly more than 1100 meters. "Zaroslyak" is located in a protected area, so the entrance is limited from 8.00 to 12.00. On the road there is a checkpoint of "Chernogor", all the passages are recorded here, and an environmental fee is collected. Depending on the route to the top of Goverly from the hostel can be reached in 2-4 hours. All routes are well marked.

Fans who overcome obstacles in long hikes choose a long three-day trip through the Carpathians. The trek includes an overview of the mountainous surroundings, including Petros 2020 meters, as well as climbing the summit of Hoverla.

What you need to know

Hiking in Goverla begins in May and ends in November. When going on a hike in the mountains, it is necessary to take into account that weather conditions can dramatically change at altitude. Although the climb is very popular, remember that if you do not follow certain rules, climbing can be dangerous, sometimes even accidents happen . Winter in the mountains is often a danger due to the convergence of snow avalanches.

Do not imitate those tourists who go to climb in T-shirts, slippers, shorts. Although the routes are well-trodden, slippery, uncomfortable sites often come across. The weather in the mountains can change drastically. Sometimes the clear sun disappears in a matter of seconds and begins a downpour or a dank wind. For a hike in the mountains it is always recommended to take warm clothes, wear comfortable shoes, in case of rain, have a raincoat. If suddenly when you climb you will find a thunderstorm, it is best to go down into the forest zone, on the tops of the ridge there is a high probability of defeat by lightning discharges. Wait for bad weather, do not risk your own life.

Goverla Mountain is the most visited peak

The most popular route in the Ukrainian Carpathians is a hike to the Montenegrin Range with an ascent to the top of Goverla. Every fan of mountain hikes dreams at least once in life to conquer this highest peak in Ukraine. However, it must be remembered that in summer the mountain of Goverla is very popular with tourists, it is easy to find on the map of Ukraine. On the routes there are always several hundred tourists, most often one-day "mattresses", they come on sightseeing buses. Consider this if you come to the Carpathians and want to visit more wild, deserted places. In this case, the routes along the Gorgan are suitable, these are the less visited ranges of the Carpathians.