Mountain trails in the Obcini of Bucovina

What to pack for this range

• tent, sleeping bag, mat: there are no huts on the way
• 2–3 l of water per person and a way to purify more
• food for every day, a stove
• worn-in boots, trekking poles, two pairs of socks
• a warm layer, wind and rain jacket, gloves even in summer
• map, compass/GPS, power bank, headtorch
• a full first-aid kit, survival blanket, whistle
• 2 l of water per person; no spring at the top
• boots above the ankle, worn in; trekking poles, your knees will write you a thank-you letter
• warm layer + wind and rain jacket: at 1,800 m July is optional
• plenty of snacks, offline map, power bank, headtorch
• small first-aid kit, whistle, survival blanket (50 g, saves lives)
• 1 l of water per person
• trail shoes or light boots
• a thin jacket; it's cooler up top
• snacks; and a small rubbish bag: what goes up comes down

Tent, fire, mushrooms: what is allowed

• Camping · With conditions

  No designated spots; tents go in hay meadows, one night, asking at the nearest house. The villages have guesthouses at every trailhead.

• Fire · No

  Forbidden in the forest; on hay meadows, no: they're mown and dry. A gas stove, yes.

• Mushrooms and berries · Yes

  Yes, the Obcini ridges are full: porcini, chanterelles, honey fungus, blueberries, raspberries. For your own use, no berry rake.

Source: Salvamont Suceava, “Mountain tourist trails” (Suceava County Council); Forestry Code, art. 54.

Worth knowing about the range

• 1

  Obcina Mestecăniș is the highest and most spectacular of the Obcini, with Lucina Peak at 1,586–1,588 m; its crest is the “Tatars' Road”, along which the invasions came into Moldavia.

• 2

  Pietrele Muierii, the group of rocks reached from Solca, is the natural landmark of Obcina Mare.

• 3

  In winter all the Obcini trails are accessible, but with at least two people, snowshoes or touring skis and avalanche kit.

What grows and what moves in the range