Płasza

Płasza (Slovak Pľaša) is a 1163 m summit in the Western Bieszczady on the Polish–Slovak border; Slovak geographers place it in the Bukovské vrchy. It stands on the border ridge between Kurników Beskid (1037 m) to the north-west and Ďurkovec (1189 m) to the south-east, above the Slovak village of Runina, about 21 km north-east of Snina. The Polish side belongs to the Cisna municipality of Lesko County, Subcarpathian Voivodeship; the Slovak side to the cadastre of Stakčín in Snina District.

On the Polish side a short ridge runs from the summit, separating the Płaszyniw and Chomów streams, tributaries of the Smerek. The northern slopes drain via the Smerek and Wetlina to the Vistula basin, the southern ones via the Pľaša stream to the Ulička in the Uzh basin, and the western ones via the Černegov stream to the Cirocha in the Laborec basin.

How to get there / trails

• The red East Carpathian Trail (KST 0918) follows the border ridge over the summit: from the north-west from the Ruské sedlo via Kruhliak, from the south-east from the saddle below Ďurkovec; it continues to the tripoint on Kremenec.
• The Polish blue border trail (Rzeszów – Grybów) crosses the summit on its Wielka Rawka – Riaba Skała section.
• The green trail from Runina via the saddle below Ďurkovec (1120 m): about 3 h 10 min up, 2 h 30 min down, 603 m of ascent.
• The yellow trail from Nová Sedlica via the Jarabá skala junction.

From the Slovak side the easiest ascent is from Runina, the highest village in Snina District and in the whole Zemplín region.

The view from the top

The summit is treeless while the slopes are forested; the upper part is covered with mountain meadows, the poloniny, so the view takes in the whole horizon. You can see the neighbouring peaks of the Bukovské vrchy, the Slanské and Vihorlat mountains, the Polish Bieszczady with Smerek and Połonina Wetlińska, and the Ukrainian Carpathians. In good conditions the High Tatras, more than 160 km away, and Kráľova hoľa in the Low Tatras can be seen. The meadows between Ďurkovec and Płasza are considered the most beautiful poloniny in Slovakia.

Nature and history

The name comes from a Vlach (Romanian) word meaning «bald, bare», i.e. treeless; the more correct form is Plasza. The Slovak part of the massif lies in Poloniny National Park and in the Pľaša national nature reserve with the highest, fifth degree of protection; the Polish part lies in the Cisna-Wetlina Landscape Park. The summit areas belong to the Stužica – Bukovské vrchy site, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2007 as part of the ancient and primeval beech forests of the Carpathians: beeches over 200 years old and almost 40 m tall grow here, along with huge firs up to 50 m, sycamores and wych elms. The massif is also part of the Natura 2000 site «Bukovské vrchy».

The area around Płasza is the darkest region of Slovakia in terms of light pollution, and the country's first dark-sky park, «Poloniny», was established here. Traces of trenches from the First and Second World Wars survive on the northern slopes.

Safety, season and rules

In Poloniny National Park and the Pľaša reserve walk only on marked trails. The ridge is far from villages, so carry enough water; in winter expect deep snow and strong wind, and in fog it is easy to get lost on the meadows. In the Polish Bieszczady help comes from GOPR: 985 or +48 601 100 300; in Slovakia from HZS: 18 300 (+421 18 300); general emergency number 112.

Photos: Milan Bališin, CC BY-SA 4.0; Milan Bališin, CC BY-SA 4.0; Milan Bališin, CC BY-SA 4.0; Milan Bališin, CC BY-SA 4.0; Milan Bališin, CC BY-SA 4.0; Milan Bališin, CC BY-SA 4.0; Milan Bališin, CC BY-SA 4.0 — Wikimedia Commons.