Mount Mahura

Mahura is a peak of the Skole Beskids. It stands on the border of the Stryi district of Lviv Oblast and the Dolyna district of Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, between the Opir and Mizunka rivers. It is 1363 m high (more precisely 1362.7 m). Mahura is the second-highest peak of Lviv Oblast after Pikui. The village of Lybokhora lies west of the mountain.

The summit and slopes of Mahura are forested, so this is a quiet woodland mountain without wide meadows; views open up in clearings and near the top. The protected “Mahura” tract lies on the western slopes, and a stream of the same name rises on the eastern ones.

How to get there

The easiest ascent is the loop Lybokhora – Mount Mahura – Lybokhora: 18.4 km with about 800 m of ascent. It is a full day hike; allow 7–8 hours with breaks. Note that there are two villages called Lybokhora: this one near Mahura lies in the Skole Beskids, while the other one, in the former Turka district, is a starting point for hikes to Pikui.

Water, shelter and safety

Our map shows no springs or huts near the summit, so carry water and food. Forest paths are slippery after rain, and it is easy to take a wrong turn in dense woods — download the track and an offline map. The best season is from May to October; in winter you will need snowshoes or winter boots. In an emergency call 112 or 101; contacts of the nearest units are on the mountain rescue page.

Interesting facts

• Among modern Ukrainian neopagans Mahura is one of the names of Mother Slava, a winged warrior maiden.
• In the Carpathians “mahura” is a mountain whose summit is entirely covered with forest. The word comes from Romanian and means “hill, rise”.

Photos: Taras r, CC BY-SA 3.0; Elza Yurkiv, CC BY-SA 4.0; Anna Kuziava, CC BY-SA 4.0 — Wikimedia Commons.