Mountains Tatras

The start of our route is in the small Slovakian population of Zdiar, situated to 900 metres of altitude and to some 15 kilometres with the border of  Poland.

From the main road, to the height of the gasolinera, goes out a track asphalted that it directs to the valley of Monkova happening in little more than 1 kilometre by the old hotel Magura, good point to happen the night and begin very early our trek by the Tatras.

From the door of the hotel have to follow a small footpath that directs rightwards happening under a trace back until achieving the forest track that directs to the valley.

To the few metres to happen beside some typical Slovakian houses. The way begins to win height través of the valley confining in a beautiful forest of have, firs, arces, etc.

Once happened the caseta of save, the track turns into a footpath with white marks and green with a strong desnivel. From time to time we can do a high on the way taking advantage of the banks with explanatory signposts.

The way wins height with rapidity until we surpass the forest, moment in which we already see the first collado that have to surpass. From here the slope softens until we arrive to the collado of Siroké (1825m) situated between the spectacular beaks of Havaran (2154m) and Hlúpy (2062m). From this point have a beautiful sight of the High Tatras and of the valley of Zadné Med'odoly.

The way turns to the left to direct until the second collado of the stage to 1934 metres, the collado of Vysné Kopské.

From this collado begin to descend by a slope herbosa until the collado of Kopské to 1750 m. And where find us a marked way with white and blue marks that have to take leftwards to direct us to the following collado, collado of Predné Kopské to 1778 metres of altitude. From this collado follow descending by another valley until we arrive to a crossing of ways in which there is a small lake.

Here we have to take the marked footpath with white and Red marks that directs to the shelter of Zelené Pleso to the that will arrive in some 30 minutes of course.

The shelter finds situated beside a lake of origin glacier on the circus of Zmrzlá with splendid seen of the beaks that surround it.

Profile of the stage: Hotel Magura (915m) - Caseta (2km, 20min, 985m) - Collado of Siroké ( 6km - 2:35h - 1825m) - Collado of Vysné Kopské (8km, 2:50h, 1934m) - Collado of Kopské (9km, 3:15h, 1750m) - Collado of Predné Kopské (9,50km, 3:30h, 1778m) - Crossing of ways (10km, 3:45h, 1635m)- Shelter Zelené Pleso (12km, 4:15h, 1550m)

We initiate our stage descending some metres to cross the drain of the lake by a wooden bridge. We take the way with white and red marks that goes out to our right and that begins to win height quickly in a continuous zigzag directing to the rocky wall that we will have to surpass through the collado of Svist'ovkou that will achieve after 2,750 kilometres of trek and to a height of 2.023 metres. To arrive to the collado will have to happen a zone instrumented with chains but that does not present any difficulty.

From the collado have some seen esplendidas on the valley Poprad and all the macizo.

The way begins to descend by a shod of big blocks of granite of the Soviet period and carries us until the station of ski of Skalnaté Pleso to 1.750 metres of altitude and some 5 kilometres of trek. This is a point very transitado to the that can access from the valley in a telecabina and splice with another to go up until the beak Lomnicky of 2.634 metres of altitude.

The way follows descending and goes through a small shelter to the few metres that can be a calmer option to take us a break. The way follows descending and adentra in a forest until we arrive to a crossing, will have to follow the red and white marks but is worthwhile to divert us 100 metres to the right and approach us to the beautiful shelter of Zamkovského to 1.425 metres.

Of turn to the our way follow descending and cross by a small bridge the waterfall of Obrovsky and more advance the river Studeny.

Happened the bridge follow the marked way with red and white marks and to few metres will find the detour rightwards following the white and blue marks that will not abandon until our destination.

The first stretch of this way passes by a leafy forest and goes winning height softly. The forest gives step to a rockier zone dotted of small lakes of origin glacier. The last 200 metres win quickly until arriving to the small shelter of Zbojnícka to 1960.

Profile of the stage: Shelter Zelené Pleso (1550m) - Collado of Svist'ovkou (2,30km, 1:15h, 2015m) - Station of ski of Skalnaté Pleso (4,80km, 2h, 1750m) - Shelter of Zamkovského (7,70km, 2:45h, 1425m) - Cracked of Obrovsky (8,75km, 3h, 1385m) - River Studeny (9,15km, 3:15h, 1385m) - Shelter of Zbojnícka (14km, 5h, 1960m).

From the shelter go back to take the way with white and blue marks that in a first stretch descends some metres. We find a bifurcation to the right but we follow leftwards in direction to the collado Prielom. We go winning height little by little until we arrive at the end of the valley where the way goes back very vertical and have to encourage us to look for the easiest steps.

Once in the narrow collado of Prielom to 2.290 metres already can see the lake of Zamrznuté (2.015m) to which have to direct us. We begin the descent by a channel instrumented with chains that although it requires of attention does not present big difficulty. Surpassed the channel the way softens and descends in zig-zag. 100 metres before arriving to the lake find a detour leftwards with white and green marks that will carry us to the collado of Pol'sky Hreben to 2200 metres of altitude.

Once in the collado have to descend to a new valley happening a first stretch of chains. From here a comfortable way carries us until the lake of Dlhé to 1940 metres. We follow descending, go through a meadow and arrive until the high part of the waterfall of Velicky that falls on the lake of the same name and where finds the shelter of Sliezsky Dom to 1670 metres that is our next destination.

Between the shelter and the lake goes out the way with white marks and Rojas that we no longer will abandon to the end of the stage. This way at the beginning llanea for afterwards win height slowly and achieve the 1884 metres where finds the beautiful lake of Batizovské.

From the lake go losing height until the height 1850. From here the way with spectacular seen begins to rise until we arrive to the collado of Ostrvou to 1996 metres having arrived previously until the height 2020.

From the collado see our final destination to 480 metres underneath of our feet in the lake of Popradské to 1495 metres. A way in zig zag carried us until this beautiful place where finds the hotel take refuge.

Profile of the stage: Shelter Zbojnicka (1960m) - Collado of Prielom (2km, 1h, 2290m) - Detour Collado of Pol'sky Hreber (2,70km, 1:30h, 2090m) - Collado of Pol'sky Hreber (2,80km, 1:45h, 2.200m) - Lake of Dlhé (3,90km, 2:15km, 1940m) - Shelter of Sliezsky Dom (6km, 3h, 1670m) - Lake of Batizovské (9,40km, 4h, 1884m) - Height 1850 (11,20km, 4:30h, 1850m) - Collado of Ostrvou (13,50km, 5:30h, 1996m) - Lake of Popradské (16km, 6:15h, 1495m).

This stage presents very hard, no so much by the distance as by the desnivel accumulated and the difficult descent of the beak Rysy by the Polish part that requires to loan a lot of attention to advance with security. By the difficulty of many of the steps is not at all advisable to realise it with rain.

We begin the stage taking the road that goes out of the shelter and that coincides with the way with white and red marks. To the few metres find a detour to the right with a poster indicativo to our first destination of today; the beak Rysy.

The way passes at the beginning by a beautiful forest of conifers. But forward we find a crossing of ways and have to take the one who goes out manually right to the beak Rysy with white and red marks.

The way rises until achieving the Lagos of Zabie to 1920 metres of altitude. From here we have a splendid sight of the Rysy.

Now the slope is more pronounced and in some steps have of chains to ensure our progression. Of this way arrive to the shelter Rysy that with his 2250 metres of altitude is the one of main altitude of the Mountains Tatras.

The way rises until the collado of Váha to 2340 metres where turns to the left to take the last stretch that leaves us between the Rysy Slovakian of 2503 metres and the Rysy Polish of 2499 metres.

A last effort to achieve the peak and contemplate the wonderful show of the mountains that surround us.

We follow the white and red marks to begin the hard descent to the lake of Czarny Staw pod Rysami to 1583 metres, a descent of more than 900 metres.

The first 300 metres follow the crest and have a very pronounced slope. To advance with security have of chains, with some stretches of difficult promotion. The chains give step to a way empedrado that in interminable zig saga carried us until the first lake.

We surround this beautiful lake by the right until achieving the drain that forms a waterfall until the following lake, Morskie Oko to 1395 metres. We follow the way bordeando this second lake until the shelter of the same name. A perfect place for a deserved rest.

From here, they remain us some interminable 450 metres of promotion by a way with white and blue marks that will find in a detour to our left going down by the road of access to the shelter and that will carry us first to the collado of Swistowa to 1850 metres from the cual descend until the Shelter Przedni Staw Polski to 1670 metres of altitude in the bank of the lake of the same name, the first of the three that will find in the next stage.

Profile of the stage: lake of Popradské (1495m) - Lagos of Zabie (3,15km, 1h, 1920m) - Shelter Rysy (4,45km, 2h, 2225m) - Collado Vahá (5,10km, 2h, 2320m) - Beak Rysy (5,60km, 2:30h, 2495m) - Lake Czarny Staw pod Rysami (7,60km, 4h, 1590) - Lake Morskie Oko (8,90km, 4:45h, 1445m) - Shelter Morskie Oko (10km, 5h, 1405m) - Collado of Swistowa (12,50km, 6:15h, 1850m) - Shelter Przedni Staw Polski (14km, 6:45h, 1670m).

The stage of today does not present big difficulty, although the go up and drop of the crest that will visit today and the cansancio accumulated of the hard stage of yesterday, can do that the day of today was long and heavy.

We go out of the shelter following the way of white and blue marks that direct to the collado of Zawrat to 2158 metres of altitude.

The footpath visits the two first lakes, Przedni Staw Polski and Wielki Staw Polski, happened which begins to rise decididamente to the collado. 60 metres before arriving to the collado have the possibility to take a small shortcut leftwards to go back to take more advance our way.

Once surpassed the collado initiates the promotion of the beak Swinica of 2301 metres of altitude. The ascensión realises by some very vertical steps and aerial instrumented with chains to facilitate the advance. From the peak the seen are inmejorables.

The descent, less dificultoso, also is instrumented in some steps with chains. After the descent will arrive to the Collado of Swinica to 2050 metres.

From here we find us in the Tatras east and the way follows the border crest between Slovakia and Poland going through diverse beaks between which stands out the Mountain Kasprowy (1987m) where finds a meteorological observatory and a ropeway that can carry us to Kusnice in necessary case.

Our way goes on down a long goes up and drop until the collado of Kondracké to 1863 metres. From here we initiate the descent by a way with mark white and greens until the shelter of Hala Kondratowa to 1335.

If we want to escape of the chaos of the Polish shelters of the months estivales, a good option is to follow descending during some 30 minutes more to arrive to the Take refuge Hotel Polana Kalatówki situated to 1200 metres of altitude.

Profile of the stage: Shelter Przedni Staw Polski (1670m) - Collado of Zawrat (3,30km, 1:30h, 2158m) - Beak Swinica (4,50km, 2:15h, 2301m) - Collado of Swinica (5,40km, 2:45h, 2050m) - Ropeway Mount Kasprowy (7,75km, 3:20h, 1987m) - Collado of Kondracké (11,50km, 4:30h, 1863m) - Shelter Hala Kondratowa (4,50km, 5:15h, 1345m) - Take refuge Hotel Polana Kalatówki (17km, 5:45h, 1200m).

We go out of the Hotel take refuge Kalatówki and trace back the way of the previous day until the shelter Hala Kondratwa. Once in the shelter, after some 30 minutes of trek and a desnivel surpassed of some 120 metres, have to take the way with blue marks to the Beak Giewont of 1894 metres of altitude going through the Collado of Kondracka to 1725 metres.

Once achieved the beak with his big metallic cross descend again to the collado and follow the crest to arrive to the Beak Kondratowa to 2005 metres. Here we go back  to take the way of Red marks that delimits the border between Poland and Slovakia.

Our route goes through diverse peaks in a continuous goes up and drop that oscillates between the 1900 and 2100 metres: Beak Malplúcniak (2096m), Beak Kresanica (2122m) and the Beak Temniak (2096m).

Finally we will arrive to the collado of Chuda to 1858 metres of altitude, where will begin to descend by a beautiful valley by a footpath of green marks. At the beginning the descent is very soft, although it suits to have care because the terrain is used to to be humid and be slippery. Afterwards the slope stresses until after a long descent confine us in a forest of conifers.

The Solitude of the way breaks immediately when approaching us to the Shelter Hala Ornak to 1110 metres where will have to happen the night if we have reserved with a lot of anteriority put that this shelter is used to to be very requested by his exceptional enclave.

Profile of the stage: Hotel take refuge Kalatówki (1200m) - Shelter Hala Kondratwa (2km, 30min, 1345m) - Collado of Kondracka (3,30km, 1:15h, 1725m) - Beak Kondratowa (4,20km, 2h, 2005m) - Beak Malplúcniak (5,20km, 2:30h, 2096m) - Beak Kresanica (6km, 2:45h, 2122m) - Beak Temniak (6,60km, 3h, 2096m) - Collado Chuda (8km, 3:30m, 1858m) - Shelter Hala Ornak (15k, 5h, 1110m).

This stage presents like one of the hardest of all the route. There are several factors to take into account before realising this stage: the desnivel total, the distance, the fault of water in the main part of the route, the meteorology put that more than 14 kilometres realise by crest and the cansancio accumulated.

All these factors force us to contemplate the feasibility to realise the stage or abandon by any of the ways that will cross us and that descend to the distinct valleys.

From the shelter of Hala Ornak follow the marked way in white and yellow that carries us until the Collado of Iwaniacka to 1459 metres of altitude.  The colour of the marks becomes green to carry us to the Mountain Ornar to 1853 metres.

In this point begin to go up and go down by the crest until achieving the Collado of Gabaorovo to 1937 metres, point where achieve the border between Poland and Slovakia. Our way now is marked of red colour and carries us to diverse border peaks: Beak Klin to 2173  m, Beak Conçistá to 1993 m and the Beak Hruby to 2137 m. In this last peak begins a strong descent to the collado of Hrubym to 1820 metres to go back to rise to the three last beaks of the day, that compose the most spectacular stretch and aerial, instrumented with chains in some points.

The first in topping is the Beak Volovec of 2063 metres the rise does hard because we already carry a lot of hours of trek. We descend a small collado to start with the ascensión to the Beak Ostry Rohac of 2087 metres. This is the beak that presents main difficulty so much to rise as to descend; strong trepadas and steps very aerial instrumented with chains, especially last the last stretch before achieving the peak.

The third and last beak is the one of Placlive of 2124 metres, although if we walk scarce of strengths will be able to save us the last metres put that the way turns to the left to descend to the Collado of Ziarska to 1917 metres.

From the collado expects us a long descent until the renewed Shelter of Ziarska to 1290 metres of altitude.

Profile of the stage: Shelter Hala Ornak (1110m) - Collado of Iwaniacka (3km, 1h, 1459m) - Mountain Ornak (5km, 1:50h, 1853m) - Collado of Gabaorovo (8km, 2:45h, 1945m) - Beak Klin (9km, 3:15h, 2173m) - Beak Conçistá (10km, 3:40h, 1993m) - Beak Hrub (12km, 4:10h, 2137m) - Beak Volovec (16km, 5:45h, 2063m) - Collado of Jammicke (16,50km, 5:55h, 1915m) - Beak Ostry Rohac (17km, 6:30h, 2087m) - Beak of Placlive (18km, 7:15h, 2124m) - Collado of Ziarska (19km, 7;25h, 1917m) - Shelter of Ziarska (22km, 8:30h, 1300m).

We begin the last stage, that is also one of the longest, with a strong promotion from the shelter of Ziarska until the collado that will carry us to the Beak Prislop to 2142 metres of altitude.

Following the marks of green colour by the crest and will achieve the peak of the Beak Banikov to 2178 metres, the maximum height of the stage of today.

From here we take again the red marks that abandon in the stage of yesterday and are still in a continuous goes up drop  chaining three beaks more by an escarpada crest in which we will find chains to save the most difficult steps: Beak Pachol'to to 2166 m, Beak Espálená to 2083 m and Beak Salatín to 2047 m.

From this moment initiate a soft descent until the beak Brestová to 1902 metres from where already distinguish our final destination, the village of Zuberec.

The way follows descending by the crest until we arrive to the collado of Palenica to 1573 m, where take the footpath with yellow marks that directs to the population of Zuberec. Before we will have to face a long descent crossing a magnifico forest of conifers that carried us until the first houses of the population to 750 metres.

Profile of the stage: Shelter Ziarska (1290m) - Collado of Jalovske's (2km, 1:10h, 1856m) - Beak Prislop (3km, 1:45h, 2130m) -  Beak Banikov (4km, 2h, 2178m) - Collado of Baníkovské (5km, 2:20h, 2040m) - Beak Espálená (7km, 3h, 2080m) - Height 1885 (8km, 3:30h, 1885m) - Beak Salatín (9km, 4h, 2047m) - Collado of Panchvost (10km, 4:30h, 1870m) - Beak Brestová (11km, 4:45h, 1902m) - Collado of Palenica (13km, 5:20h, 1570m) - Zuberec (20km, 7h, 750m).