UKC

Hi

me and other half are slowly ticking of all of Europe’s high points, If COVID plays ball looking at a week trip out to the above at the end of August. 

Has anyone climbed rysy and gerlachov stit? Or any of the surrounding peaks?

how did people find logistics?

was there any dragging near by?

where was the best place to stay and fly into?

we are probs going to take in the comedy high point of Hungary as well and combine that with a day or so chilling there, so any ideas of what others have done would be grand!

cheers r

I've walked up Rysy. (There is climbing on the peak, but the standard way up it from the Polish side is just a walk in Summer conditions.)

You start from the Morskie Oko hut - so that would be the obvious place to stay. Krakow is probably the obvious place to fly into, with a train or bus from there to Zakopane.

I've climbed (walked up) Rysy from the Slovak side. Easier logistics if you are also climbing Gerlach Stit and visiting Hungary as well. I arrived at the summit of Rysy with just a couple of other people there. About 30m away on a lower point there were around 30 people taking summit photos etc. I asked what was going on. "They're all standing on the highest point in Poland". Nobody was walking between the two summits - some hangover from the cold war mentality regards crossing borders I suspect - this was 1990's. No issue now I would hope. The summit of Rysy is not the highest point in Slovakia. That's Gerlach Stit as you know, nearby but requiring a different approach - you can't do both the same day.

Email me if you want further details of the Slovak side - more than 20 years out of date though.

Martin

From Morkie Oto, I climbed the two highest of the three Rysy summits in late September 2018 following a surprisingly early heavy snowfall. The highest Rysy summit is 2,503 m and the north-western at 2,499 m is the highest point of Poland.  I was planning on also climbing Gerlachovský štít  (2,665 metres) which is Slovakia's  highest peak.   I was informed in Slovakia that rules didn’t allow me to solo Gerlachovský by the normal route  and  I would be obliged to hire a guide. This didn’t suit me, so unfortunately no Gerlachovský ascent.

Tatras are a great range of mountains. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit. Easy to get to  by bus from Krakow. 

Here’s a link to  a short video I made, which also includes Szpiglasowy Wierch 2110m.

youtube.com/watch?v=MkW57x1-5b8&

I'll speak for the Slovak side as that's what I'm familiar with as a Central European.

Rysy can be accessed from Strbske Pleso on the tourist path (these are well-marked), which is basically a summer hike with some easy ladders/steps and very straightforward scrambling. This is the only route you're allowed to take there from the Slovak side, unless you're both members of a UIAA club (I believe the BMC qualifies?). Slovakia has a fair amount of red tape within its national parks, hence why the UIAA requirement or needing to hire a qualified mountain guide. That's what you'd need to do for Gerlachovsky Stit, as there aren't any tourist trails going to the top due to it being a more involved ascent (route finding, scrambling, chains, etc).

If you want to do both Rysy and Gerlachovsky Stit then staying around Strbske Pleso would be your best bet. It's rather touristy, but you can find some pleasant traditional villages in any direction if you have a look, at more sensible prices.

As far as flying in goes, that depends on what else you'd like to tick off in one go. But if it's Slovakia and Hungary then Bratislava Airport or Vienna International Airport would both be good options.

I did Rysy in winter a few years back. I don’t know if it’s changed since but to book the hut at Morskie Oko you have to phone.. there wasn’t a problem in winter getting a space but summer books up very fast. That said, the summit would also be doable from the road head in a day too. It’ll be as busy as Scafell if the sun is out.

Zakopane is easily reachable by bus, coach or train from Krakow or Katowice. Lovely town and worth a night or two stay.

I've done all 3 (ie including Kekes) in 1 holiday by flying into Bratislava. 

Rysy is a nice walk although it was pouring with rain the whole day when I did it. Still about 50 people crammed onto the Polish summit and none on the higher Slovak top. 

Gerlach was fantastic - absolutely amazing! I climbed the Galfy Route and descended the "normal" ascent route. No one else on the mountain at all. A very, very long day as it was a 20 pitch rock route and we pitched it all. 

We didn't use a guide but relied on our BMC cards if challenged. Got chatting to a guide at the hut and he was very friendly, no problems at all.

The Slovaks are more conscious that the Tatras are dangerous and keen to avoid amateurs wandering around and getting injured, rather than trying to run a monopoly guiding service. 

Logistics all quite easy with a cheap hire car and maps. 

We stayed 2 nights at Sliesky Dom to do Gerlach and you can park your car there easily