UKC

Hey all,

We are planning on doing a hike in High Tatra Mountains from Poland side on the next week. Checked webcams - snow is everywhere! We will be staying in Morske oko hill hut near the lakes for two days, dressed to endure whole winter for sure! Planning on climbing to Rysy on first one and maybe picking our own path on the next day.

Any recommendations for preparations and places to visit, roads to take? Maybe someone has been there recently, how was it? Did the snow/ice caused much trouble?

Thanks!

In case you haven't seen it yet (or it might help others asking the same), the avalanche forecasts are here for the Polish side and here for the Slovakian side (obv. in Polish and Slovakian, but the symbology is the same everywhere and google translate helps a bit). This detailed online map could also help (also shows common avalanche paths / gullies and their steepness on the Slovak side)

Mind you, if I remember correctly, the Slovakian side had restricted access during winter season for most of the hiking trails, unless you were embarking on climbing (UIAA III and higher diff.). Although the exact legal situation and the visitor policy had been quite murky according to ajmysmetatry.sk/en (proposed new visitor rules that are still being reviewed and not in effect), thus I have no idea how is it now.

At least on the Slovak side, insurance incl. rescue costs is highly recommended (otherwise you may pay for any rescue mission).

I am sure there must be some Slovak or Polish members here who would probably know more. Anyway, enjoy it, and beware of the frozen turf

Hmm, seems like the links disappeared (spam protection?)...

Here is the avalanche service:

lawiny.topr.pl

www.laviny.sk

(obv. this time of year it's gonna be mainly spring thaw risk)

and the map - bit.ly/2v8dXSD

Hope it works

http://www.gopr.pl/lawiny/babia-gora

well at least here it shows that the danger is low for a while. January it was 4th degree of risk tho xD

Ohh thank you, didn't see your message before!

Yep, I have actually been there then - the same day a pretty big one fell on the Rysy hut (thankfuly closed for the winter season and avalanche proofed some years ago). We ended up just touring the flatter bits around our hut and enjoying the sauna

Although English language topos and guides are a bit hard to find, there is some info incl. some climbs here, if that helps (though a lot more is in Slovak and Polish):

http://topo.uka.pl/english.php

http://winterclimb.com/climbing-base/item/34-climbing-in-tatra-mountains-po...

http://tatramountains.org

Woah! Lucky you . By the way, do all hiking road from Slovakia side are closed from November to June? Because from Poland side its always open as far as I've understood.

Yes, the hiking trails in Slovakia are officially closed till June something, for nature protection. Although it’s been quite a mess, as the new rules (according to www.ajmysmetatry.sk/en , who are lobbying for better mountaineering access and against - according to some - strange national park policy in Slovakia*) haven’t been passed, the old national park rules are a decade out of date and no longer valid, and everything is a total mess, unfortunately, with interim rules by the county administration instead of national park rules. Nobody from abroad seems to understand how it works including me, but at least you got it easier on the Polish side. Officially, you could still go on the Slovak side off season and off trail if you were embarking on a climb of at least UIAA III difficulty (and, IIRC, were a member of a mountaineering club).

* - I admit I am much for conversation, and the Tatras are very small and very crowded in the season by tourists on the trails, being the closest small Alpine environment for three countries (Czechia, Slovakia and Poland). But as my Slovak friends told me, the proposed rules really favoured accredited guides who had basically free roam (and good business) of the mountains. While at the same time, a lot of permitted skiing resort building and severe forest cutting were going on in all of Slovakia’s mountains (not only Tatras). As I wrote, it’s a mess I am, not being local, not in a good position to comment on...