Kremenaros/Kremenets

Page Type Page Type: Mountain/Rock
Location Lat/Lon: 49.08815°N / 22.56712°E
Activities Activities: Hiking
Seasons Season: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Additional Information Elevation: 4006 ft / 1221 m
Sign the Climber's Log

Overview

SE face of Kremenets (on the left) as seen from Ukraine's Uzhanskyi National Nature Park
Kremenets on the left
View of Mount Krzemieniec (1221 m)
From Wielka Rawka - by Henryk
Campground near Stuzhytsia village
From Stuzhytsia campsite

Kremenec (SK)     Krzemieniec (PL)     Кременець (UA)     Kremenáros (H) 

Until 1920 known as Kremenáros (this name is still in use as an alternative to the Slavic name), this humble summit was the highpoint of Zemplén county within the Kingdom of Hungary. But the borders and the neighboring countries have changed. After World War II, during the communist era, the summit was a T-junction of the borders of Czechoslovakia, Poland and the Soviet Union. Since the disassembly of the Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia in the early 1990s, the borders of Slovakia, Poland and Ukraine converge here. Kremenec is the highest summit in Slovakia's part of the Bieszczady Mountains (called Bukovské Vrchy by Slovaks), as well as the easternmost point of the Slovak Republic. It is also a junction of the parts of a trilateral protected area: Poland's Bieszczady National Park, Slovakia's Poloniny National Park and Ukraine's Uzhanskyi National Nature Park. In the actual fact, the tripoint is located at a lower summit of the mountain at 1208 m, while the main summit at 1221m rises about 250 meters eastwards, traditionally providing a meeting place for ecologists.

Kremenaros - tripoint monument
Tripoint monument
 
Krzemieniec shoud not be mistaken for the second highest peak in the Western Bieszczady, Krzemień, rising farther east, between Tarnica and Halicz. Unlike Krzemień, Kremenaros is completely covered with forest - no great views from the summit then. Its south face forms perhaps the most beautiful primeval beech-fir forest in the Carpathians named "Stuzhytsia". Extending from the Eastern Slovakia to Western Ukraine, this very old forest reserve (established in 1908) is now registered as part of UNESCO's World Natural Heritage. Being one of the most valuable pieces of the Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians, for the nature lover Stuzhytsia offers an exclusive insight into the wilderness - under the canopy of gigantic firs over 400 years old which reach 1.5 meters in diameter and nearly 50 meters in height! No wonder that these wild slopes of Kremenets summit are the best habitat for large carnivores. The fact that brown bear dens are localized here proves the remoteness of the area. The primeval beech-and-fir forest of Stuzhytsia is accessible via the red stripe trail running from Nová Sedlica in Slovakia, or a newly established red-striped interpretive trail from the village of Stuzhytsa in Ukraine. (Please see the table below.)
Treasure of the world
Stuzhytsia primeval forest
Footprint of a brown bear in deep snow cover
Tracks of brown bear

Getting There

Along the borderline to Kremenaros
Along the border

 

Top of Mount Krzemieniec (1221 m) - the place where three countries meet.
View South from Krzemieniec


The peak can be reached in less than an hour from Wielka Rawka, following the blue trail. This path first descends into the saddle between Wielka Rawka and Krzemieniec, then runs uphill along the Poland-Ukraine border. After Kremenaros, the blue trail follows the Poland-Slovakia border towards the summit of Rabia Skala (4-5 hours), from where the yellow trail branches off to the village of Wetlina (another 2 hours).


From the Slovak side, the peak can be reached by the red trail from Nová Sedlica.


Trailhead Marks Time of Walk Up (hours) Elevation Gain (meters) Remarks
Ustrzyki Górne (PL)
blue stripe
4
800
the best option of climbing Krzemieniec from Poland
Wetlina (PL)
yellow/blue stripe
8
1000
not a very good option via Paportna (1197m) and Riaba Skała (1199m), then along PL/SK border
Wetlina (PL)
green/yellow/blue stripe
5
800
better option via Mała Rawka (1272m) and Wielka Rawka (1307m), then along PL/UA border
Nová Sedlica (SK)
red stripe
4
800
the best option of climbing Kremenec from Slovakia
Nová Sedlica (SK)
green/red stripe
5
900
via Čiertaž/Czerteż (1071m) and Hrúbky/Hrubki (1186m)
Stužycja (UA)
red stripe
4
800
the only option of climbing Kremenets from Ukraine

Red Tape & Camping

wilderness camping
At foot of Kremenets
shelter at Ciertez pass (PL/SK border)
Čerťaž/Czerteż Pass
refuge near Ukraine s Kremenets
Ukrainian shelter


Because Kremenaros is part of the Trilateral East Carpathian Biosphere Reserve and three national parks meet up on its top, there are some restrictions for the visitors.

As most of the Bieszczady National Park area (70%) has the status of a strictly protected zone, public access to the park requires a well prepared system of marked tourist trails. Standard national park rules apply: no camping, stick to the marked routes, do not disturb wildlife, etc. A fee of about 2 euros is charged for entry to Bieszczady National Park. The nearest campsite is at Ustrzyki Górne.

Almost the same goes for Slovakia's Poloniny National Park, except for a small refuge/shelter. It is situated at Sedlo pod Čertažou/Przełęcz pod Czerteżem, right on the PL/SK border. The hikers are allowed to stay there overnight. Its capacity is 5 persons and it is localized 2 hours west of the top of Kremenec. The nearest Slovak campsite is at Nová Sedlica.

The situation in Ukraine's Uzhanskyi National Nature Park is now getting better and some campsites, marked routes and rest places have been set up. The nearest camping ground is located about 1 km past the uppermost cottages of Stuzhytsa village.

NB: Ukraine is not part of the European Union, so the regulations are much stricter, and border-crossing is out of question. In my experience, it is good to ask the border police if you are allowed to climb Kremenets. It is also advisable to report your plans at the headquarters of Uzhansky NNP at the town of Velikyi Bereznyi.



Maps & Accommodation