Chryszczata

Chryszczata (Ukrainian: Khreshchata) is a forested massif and summit of 997 m in the Western Bieszczady, in the Wołosań range, also called Wysoki Dział. It rises near Komańcza, on the old boundary between the ethnographic lands of the Lemkos and the Boykos; the massif stretches about 7 km from the headwaters of the Osława to the sources of the Tarnawka and is over 3 km wide. The nearest village is Rabe, about 2.6 km from the summit; Duszatyn and Mików are about 5 km away. A concrete survey obelisk dating from the time of the Partitions of Poland stands on the top.

The name is linked either to the Lemko name of a plant, «khreshchate zillia» (herb Paris), or to a crossroads (from «khrest» – cross).

Getting there / trails

• The red Main Beskid Trail (part of E8) crosses the summit on its Duszatyn – Duszatyn Lakes – Chryszczata – Wołosań – Cisna section. From Chryszczata to Wołosań takes about 3 h 35 min (3 h 10 min back).
• A blue trail leads north from Chryszczata over Suliła (759 m) to Pogary (641 m); in OSM this is the last section of the route from Sanok.
• Yellow trails – the so-called Papal Trail to Chryszczata and a path to the student tent base at Rabe; there is also a nature trail to the summit.

The view from the summit

The summit is covered by beech forest, so there is no all-round panorama; views of the valleys and neighbouring ranges open only through gaps between the trees near the top.

Nature and history

On the north-western slopes, in the valley of the Olchowaty stream, lies the Zwiezło landscape reserve, created in 1957 and enlarged in 2024 to 484.26 ha. It protects, among other things, two landslide lakes – the Duszatyn Lakes – passed by the red trail. They formed on 13 April 1907, when, after the spring thaw and heavy rain, the western slope of Chryszczata broke away and slid down, damming the stream. The Zwiezło landslide is considered the largest known in the Polish Carpathians: some 12 million m³ of earth moved, and it is over 2 km long.

The massif bears the marks of the 20th-century wars. In the winter of 1914–1915 the front between Austrian and Russian troops crossed Chryszczata twice; rifle trenches, dugouts and now overgrown war cemeteries on Chryszczata and Maguryczne remain from that fighting. In 1944–1947 the forested massif was the scene of armed struggle: partisan units operated here, and in 1945–1947 UPA units were based in it. In an underground UPA hospital in the Chryszczata massif, on 23 January 1947, during an attack by the Polish army, everyone inside died – estimates range from 7 to 20 people. In the summer of 1947 Polish troops finally destroyed the camps in the massif. Trenches and remnants of weapons are still found on the slopes.

Safety, season and rules

Chryszczata is a forested mountain with no shelters or springs on the ridge, and the red trail here is long, so carry water and allow plenty of time. Trenches and pits on the slopes can be deep and hidden under leaves – stay on the path, and do not touch any old ammunition you may find; report it on 112. No entry ticket is needed, but this is a Natura 2000 protected area and bears and wolves live in the forests: avoid walking alone at dusk and never leave food behind.

Rescue in the Bieszczady is provided by the Bieszczady Group of the mountain rescue service GOPR: call 985 or +48 601 100 300, or the general number 112; the «Ratunek» app, which sends your position to the rescuers, is worth installing.

Photos: Henryk Bielamowicz, CC BY-SA 4.0; Henryk Bielamowicz, CC BY-SA 4.0; Henryk Bielamowicz, CC BY-SA 4.0; Henryk Bielamowicz, CC BY-SA 4.0 — Wikimedia Commons.