Getting off the Kyiv-Uzhhorod train at Volovets. Get on the train in Kyiv in the evening and arrive in Volovets at 8:30 the next morning. Cost: $4-10 USD depending on class |
Street vendors sell fruit, food staples, and clothing next to the train station. Where we're going to ski (Podobovets) there's only one grocery store with a very limited assortment |
After a 15 hryvnia ($3 USD) taxi ride we are in Podobovets, an small village at 800 m. above sea level |
This cottage cost us 15 hr. a night ($3 USD) per person to rent. We had electricity and a wood stove for heating and cooking |
The first ski slope we visit is a 25 minute walk away. The hill is fairly gentle — perfect for intermediate skiers — and there are almost no lines |
Skiers tackle moderate moguls on the steep part of the hill |
All three ski areas in Podobovets use tow lines like this. One ride costs 1.5 hr. (30 cents), or 30 hr. ($6 USD) for a day pass. |
During the night this uninhabited cottage near ours burned down, possibly from a damaged electrical cord. Villagers gathered to put out the fire. This area is not accessible by car (or firetruck) |
Villagers feed their sheep hay, while goats munch on fir trees selected out of the forest for thinning. Villagers here practice subsistence farming |
Here is the stove with firewood ready to be burned. It kept us warm at night |
Villagers' laundry hanging out to dry on a beautiful sunny day |
Log houses with wooden bridges over a stream |
Hens at someone's front door |
Home with firewood stacked up against the wall to last through the winter |
Main street of Podobovets |
Fir crowns and sky |
Village scene. Many villagers have been earning money in recent years from housing skiers and tourists and renting skis |
To get to the most popular ski area you can take a horse-drawn sled. Other skiers tackle the difficult road in their cars |
This hill (a one-hour walk from the first ski area) rises to 1200-1300 m. One lift ticket costs 3 hr. (60 cents). The lines are long and there are moguls everywhere |
Looking down from the top. These slopes are not groomed (hence the moguls). There is also a small tow that goes a third of the way up the hill |
Beginning skiers use this gentle hill to train before trying the mountain. No tow here, however |
Facilities are minimal, but there are a few benches and private vendors with tea, coffee, and snacks. There's no place here to warm up indoors |
Skiers resting. Shish-kabobs, anyone? Luckily it rarely gets really bitterly cold here. Between 0° C and -10° C (14-32° F) during the day is the winter norm |
Landscape with snowdrift. Snow depth was half a meter on Feb. 1st |
Blinding snow against the blue sky |
View of homesteads and mountains |
Landscape |
Deciduous trees mix with conifers |
Carpathian mountain woods |
Icicles next to a waterfall. Water is abundant at all times of year |
Ice formation on a waterfall. Three states of water |
Landscape at end of day. Looking towards 1681 m. Stiy Mt. |
