Perevel Kamin-Klevka (Rakhivskyi) is a climb of 8.8 kilometers (hors catégorie). The climb finishes at 1,014 m above sea level. It is located in Rakhiv, Закарпатська область, Україна. The average gradient is 6.8% with a maximum of 13.8%. The climb has 602 meters of elevation gain.
Difficulty breakdown: With 8.8 km for 602 m of elevation gain and an average gradient of 6.8%, this climb is a real endurance test that gets decided over time. There's little respite, the gradients range between 4% and 9%, and the steepest sections come at km 2.0-2.5 (9%), 1.0-1.5 (8%), 4.5-5.0 (8%), 7.0-7.5 (8%) and 8.0-8.5 (8%). The 8% finish after nearly nine kilometres of sustained effort will be particularly brutal.
Tips for the effort:
1. Don't go out too hard. The first kilometres (5% then 7% over 0.0-1.0) are tempting, but you need to keep a steady cadence to arrive with legs left for the 8% and 9% sections.
2. Prepare for the ramp at km 2.0-2.5. This 9% stretch is the steepest part of the climb: shift down before hitting the slope, keep a cadence of 70 to 80 rpm and stay seated to save your legs.
3. Use the 4% sections to recover. The 3.0-3.5 and 8.5-8.8 stretches are your chance to drink, eat and gently pick up the cadence before the next efforts.
You can ride or drive up Lysa Hora, and the two ways are very different. On foot, the direct trail from Rakhiv takes about two hours for the fastest hikers, and more like three or four for others, over more than 7 km. It climbs almost nonstop. People who've taken it say it's slippery, with clay and leaves, and hard to follow in places. One cyclist recommends the shortcut via Burkut, because the direct route is brutal when you're not so young anymore.
The paved road is longer, roughly double the time. It climbs through steep switchbacks, and reports say it takes one to two hours by car to reach the top. Near the end, the road turns into a mountain track with rocks and potholes. Plan to take it easy, and some people had to finish on foot for nearly 500 m. The summit sign only shows up as you get close to the top. The descent takes 40 to 50 minutes. You need a suitable vehicle, a 4x4 in good weather according to several people, though a scooter can also make it.
At the top, the view goes a long way: Rakhiv down below, the peaks of Petros and Hoverla, and, when the clouds are below you, a sea of clouds. Several people recommend coming up early for the sunrises and the morning mist, while others talk about sunsets. There are sheep and shepherds on the grass, a swing with a view that's worth the trip, and a cheese dairy where you can taste brynza and other cheeses, including a cow's milk cheese with blueberries that one visitor calls the best of their life. To visit the shepherds, you need to call the owner in advance.
The place is quiet. One person found it almost deserted, with mostly locals who had come to their dachas. You can sleep on site in small, cozy houses, with toilets, a shower and a kitchen available. Some of the buildings and the restaurant aren't finished yet, which is a result of the current situation in the country. One visitor came through in winter and says the landscape is completely different then. For your legs, several people warn that you'll feel them the next day.
8.8 km • 602 m D+
VAM: average climbing speed, based on elevation gain
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