Marmarosh Range, or Hutsul Alps

Marmarosh Range Carpathians

I decided to meet the beginning of May in one of the most picturesque places in the Carpathians – on the Marmara Range. As for me, this is the best time to hike these mountains, you can see with your own eyes how winter smoothly turns into spring – crocuses bloom right next to the snow drifts. For the beautiful slopes and diversity of nature, this mountainous part of the Carpathians is called the Hutsul Alps.

Camping Marmarosh Range

After a 12-kilometer ascent through the Marmarosh forests, we set up a tent camp under the mountain. In the morning we were awakened by the bleating of sheep and the cries of the shepherds, who were leading their flock to the meadow.

Landscape of Marmarosy
Marmarosy in spring

It is along this ridge that the border between Ukraine and Romania passes.

Photo of the Carpathians

Marmarosy is one of my favorite places for mountain hiking, because the nature in this area is very diverse – there are not only green hills with blueberries, alpine meadows, but also rocky slopes, almost impenetrable bushes and exciting views.

Mount Pip Ivan of the Marmarosh massif in Ukraine

The Marmarosh massif is a massif in the Eastern Carpathians, most of which is located in Romania. In Ukraine, it lies within Ivano-Frankivsk and Transcarpathian Regions, and the Hutsul Alps are located within it. The Marmarosh massif is also characterized by the steepness of the mountains; one still needs to look for such sharp peaks in the Carpathians.

Marmarosh massif in Ukraine

The highest point of the Marmarosh massif in Ukraine is Mount Pop Ivan, reaching 1936 meters above sea level, and in general for the entire massif, Mount Farkau (Farkeu), which is located to the south of Mount Pop Ivan, but is already in Romania. Its height is 1961 meters.

Crocuses bloomed in the mountains
Crocuses in the Carpathians

When summer came into its own at the foot of the ridge, snow still lies on the mountain peaks and it seems that time goes differently here – here crocuses and snowdrops still bloom, which, down in the valley, faded back in March.

Photo of the Carpathians
The border between Ukraine and Romania
Carpathians in winter

The border between Ukraine and Romania runs along the Marmarosh Range, so all tourists must get permission from the border guards, which, you see, adds a mysterious romance to the campaign. By the way, you can stand with one foot in Ukraine, the other in Romania, and you will not be held administratively liable for illegally crossing the border.

There are no villages in the next 15 kilometers, only sometimes shepherd’s houses stand alone by the mountain.

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