Pip Ivan Observatory

On the summit of Pip Ivan at 2,022 metres stands a large stone building put up in 1938 as an astronomical observatory, with a dome, living quarters and thick walls built to survive Carpathian winters. It was abandoned within a few years and stood as a shell for decades, known locally as the White Elephant. Restoration has been under way since the 2010s and part of it now works as a mountain rescue and research station, though much remains raw stone.

What you actually see

• The observatory building - a 1938 stone structure with its dome on the summit.
• The summit - 2,022 metres at the southeastern end of the Chornohora ridge.
• The restoration - completed rooms alongside sections still open to the weather.
• The ridge view - the whole Chornohora crest and the Marmarosh mountains south.

When to go

June to September is the season. Snow and severe wind make the summit dangerous from October to May. Cloud sits on the top most afternoons even in summer.

Honest expectations

The climb takes three to five hours each way and there is no road. Parts of the building are still ruinous and unsafe. Weather on this summit is severe and has killed unprepared walkers.

Nearby

Dzembronia is the usual trailhead, and Hoverla is along the ridge northwest.