The „Chatka Puchatka” Mountain Shelter on Połoninia

The „Chatka Puchatka” mountain shelter on Połoninia is thehighest located mountain shelter in the Bieszczady Mountains. It is under Hasiakowa Skała peak at an altitude of 1228 m a. s. l. This building was built after the World War II by the army as an observation point. In 1956 it was taken over by Rzeszów PTTK but began to serve tourists only since 1967. For approximately 50 years, the host of “Chatka” was Lutek Pińczuk (to the end of 2016). Initially, he lived and worked in Silesia, but one summer he came to make some extra money by picking blueberries and pretty quickly he settled in the Bieszczady Mountains. “Chatka” owes Lutek renovation and development. In 2015 the owner of the mountain shelter became the Bieszczadzki National Park, which decided to demolish the present building and construct an educational station in this place. Currently, the conditions in the shelter are very hard - no running water (it comes from a nearby stream), no constant power supply (solar panels and generators provide electricity), tourists have at their disposal two multi-person rooms and external toilets.

Usually the shortest route is used to get to “Chatka” – a yellow trail from Wyżna Pass or red from Berehów Górne.