I know that astronomically, it’s over for more than a week, but especially in the last years, it’s not like weather cared much for that. Yes, the days are colder, but late September and sometimes even early October are still great time for a hike, especially when it combines the warmth and the autumn colors.
And that’s how my last cross-border hike of 2017 looked like…
Fourth and last day of the early autumn travel, the hike on Tarnica, largest peak of the Polish side. Weather was not to be as close to flawless as the previous day, but it was to be good and I was excitedly waiting for the last hike before departure.
Third day’s plan were the grassy peaks I’ve seen from the previous hikes. After the rainy second day, I considered it quite great deal of luck that my clothes managed to dry overnight, but outside it was still quite misty in the morning. Typical early autumn, I guess. The forecast was optimistic, but I refused to blindly believe it. Also, this time we were using one of the most used trails, so the ticket and souvenir shack was active in that place, meaning no free entry this day.
Second day of the stay, the plan was to reach Krzemieniec, the peak where Polish, Ukrainian and Slovakian borders converge. Just as the first day, the night was rainy and it did not look better for the day, but unlike the first day, now the situation repeated here in the hills, not in the city now far away.
While we boarded the bus in very faint rain, it changed to worse while it carried us some 10 minutes on the main road to reach the start of the trail. It was now raining consistently, though it was still not too bad. This fact probably saved us a bit of coin, as entering the national park (Bieszczadzki Park Narodowy) costs 6 PLN/day (roughly 1,4€ or 1,6$) but in this terible weather and the main hiking season gone, the shack selling tickets and souvenirs was closed.
One month after my return from Slovakia, another trip happened, this time for five days. Needing to cross pretty much half of Poland’s width, the bus journey was quite lengthy and the weather, in the fist part, did not help it much. I spent the first part in power saving mode, interrupted by a stop somewhere behind Krakow.
When we were moving again, I picked up my kindle and started reading, something that kept me occupied through the long journey. Shortly after that break, we left the highway and road quality kept gradually decreasing until we reached the Bieszczady mountains in the south-east corned of Poland. The first hike started in quite late time 13:15 and the plan was some 16 km.
With the seven days in Západné Tatry gone, it was time for the short epilogue, the two limestone valleys that are part of ‘Chočské vrchy’ mountain range. It was to be half-day hike so the other half would be for the return journey. After the farewell given by hotel staff, the bus took us to the lower end of the first valley.
Rocks above the valley
Seventh day, the grand finale. With some 127 km already walked in the previous six days, it was surely to be tough goodbye to the mountains. The plan was to get to the fourth highest peak, ‘Baníkov’, and if everything goes well, continue through the ridge through ‘Hrubá kopa’ and ‘Tri kopy’ on what is one of the most dangerous trails in this location with steep drops and exposed rocks all over the place.
Valley in the morning
The sixth day was to be quite relaxing, at least by hike length. The decision to take the shorter, 14km version was not so much to make it easier, but because the longer version was what I did in 2007, only in reversed direction. This way, I would ascend the peak from a bit different side. For the first time of this 8-day stay, it was ascending the peak right away, then down immediately, and then relax for the rest of the day.
So, the holiday was half-way over. Fifth day, another sunny morning and promise of being one with the wild. In the previous two days I walked through the ‘Jamnická dolina’ and ‘Račkova dolina’ valleys, this day I would ascend the ridge that separates them. Unlike the previous days where the starts was calm, often with two hours of walk through a valley before serious ascension started, this day, it was the opposite and made slightly harder.
After the almost perfect weather in the previous day, the forecast was just as shiny for the fourth one. The plan was to go for the highest peak of the mountain range at 2248 meters and by this day it was likely that the next three days after would go for the second, third and fourth respectively.
The two main prepared options were both similar: ascend through one valley and descend through another, moved by one valley compared to each other. I chose the “easier” one still, but it was almost the same by distance, slightly easier by elevation and for reasons that will be seen later, a very lucky pick.
Scenery in the valley
Tomas - the wandering dreamer 
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