Gerlach peak

This year, I decided to join my friends on a quest to climb the highest peak in Slovakia - Gerlachovský štít. We hired a mountain guide, set a date, and waited for the day to come. I recommend booking as soon as possible, as available dates quickly fill up with the arrival of summer, given the disproportionate number of interested parties compared to the number of official mountain guides. We settled on a date back in May when there were still a few options available. Although it's not exactly cheap, I don't recommend to inexperienced climbers attempting the ascent without a guide. Due to the lack of markings on the trail, it can be a matter of life and death, not only for you, but also for those climbing below you. Our guide shared with us some stories of falling rocks, emphasizing the importance of caution. But let's go back to the beginning.

Lake Velické pleso - Hotel Sliezsky dom

The starting point for the hike to Gerlach is the mountain hotel Sliezsky dom. Don't expect a mountain hut with atmosphere; it's really more of a regular hotel with a proper mountain surcharge, even though there is a road leading up to it, and supplies are not a problem. For getting there, there are four options how to combine it. You can use a mountain "taxi" or transport, as guides call it, to get to the hotel. That's the easy option. Alternatively, you can hike up the standard tourist route. Depending on time, preferences, and fitness level, you can start the ascent either in the morning on the day of the ascent or the evening before with an overnight stay at Sliezsky dom. Hiking from Tatranská Polianka to Gerlach and climbing about 1650m in the morning is only for those in really good shape, so I decided to keep this challenge in reserve for now. We didn't even consider transport, so we opted for a leisurely evening ascent to Sliezsky dom and overnight stay in the tourist accommodation, which is part of it. This allowed us to enjoy a relaxing evening with beer (some opted for juniper brandy), and we could sleep in a bit longer the next morning, which was also beneficial.

We had agreed with the guide to meet at 6:15. However, by the time he arrived, introduced himself, distributed the equipment (harnesses and helmets), and had his coffee, it was almost seven. The weather report was favorable, so there was no need to rush. Initially, we followed a marked path towards Poľský hrebeň, but after a while (I didn't even notice exactly when), we turned off and headed towards the start of Velická próba - the most traditional and technically easiest ascent route to Gerlach. During this initial part, the guide observed and assessed our technical and physical fitness to choose the right approach. We were all doing quite well, and, perhaps more importantly, we were all at a similar level. We took a short break for a quick refreshment, gearing up, and a brief instruction under the wall.

View from Velická próba towards Slavkovský štít

From this point on, we were all on the same rope, losing any comfort I usually enjoy when hiking. I found myself in the middle between my friends, and either the person in front of me pulled me in one direction, or the person behind me in the other. In addition, the cursed rope kept tangling underfoot, posing its own safety risk. I might be exaggerating a bit, but the fact is that I remember these feelings from the first part of the ascent instead of the views, and I had to concentrate to not be a hindrance to the others. We were climbing practically straight up, with an elevation gain of almost 60%, basically only a ladder could be steeper. We made one short stop halfway, but otherwise, we climbed this section without a break. Actually, the only real break we had was at the summit, and other pauses were just for photos and because of slower teams ahead of us. There wasn't much space to sit comfortably. The traffic is one-way, and teams behind us wouldn't be able to pass us at some points. Anyway, guides prefer a steady pace to prevent "cooling down."

Gradually, as we climbed the steepest section, new views opened up before us. In the distance, we briefly saw Kráľova hoľa, with good views of the Tatra peaks, including the well-known Slavkovský and Lomnický peaks. The first unique view was when we climbed Čertov chrbát, which, along with Dromedárov chrbát, delineates the famous Gerlachovský kotol. It looked fascinating from above, but nothing for the faint of heart.

Above Gerlachovský kotol

Besides that, we saw Ďumbier and Chopok peeking through the clouds, appearing quite diminutive from that height. However, there wasn't much time to admire the scenery, as mentioned earlier. We traversed under Kotlový štít and continued towards Gerlach. There were a few places where my heart rate increased, but otherwise, it was classic climbing on rocks, and going upwards was always going to be pretty straightforward. A while before reaching the summit, we realized it was quite crowded. Several groups had set out before us and were enjoying the views and rest, which awaited us.

When we arrived, after about three hours of climbing, we first stood in line for a photo with the cross. It didn't take long, the guide took a photo of all three of us together and then joined his colleagues to chat and relax. We settled a bit out of the way if you can call it that when there is not much space and could finally start enjoying ourselves. There was at last enough time and peace to look around and identify all the familiar landmarks beneath us not obscured by clouds. Tatras were practically visible in their entirety, with inversion hindering clear views to the south, but you'd rather have it that way anyway. We ate and drank a bit, rested, and soon it was time to head back down and join the mortals.

The cross on Gerlachovský štít

On the descent, we changed the order. I took the lead (the guide logically at the rear to secure us), and it immediately felt better. It's not like classic hiking; you still have to focus constantly to avoid endangering people below you by dislodging a rock, but otherwise, we had an excellent pace, the kind I like going downhill, and we passed many other groups. The rope was still in the way, not physically anymore, but mainly psychologically. I couldn't completely relax and was more eager to move faster so I could get out of it as soon as possible. If you pay attention and concentrate, there's nothing to fear on the descent. There were one or two places where it was technically a bit more challenging, but nothing extreme.

Above Lake Batizovské pleso

When we got above Batizovské pleso, we finally said goodbye to the rope and harness. We took a break for refreshments and watched the chamois, which reportedly lick the rocks that are salty from tourists' urine. I don't know if there's any truth to that, but that's how it was explained to us by our guide. From there, we set a steady pace towards Sliezsky dom. We looked forward to beer, cola, juniper brandy, to each their own. This is, of course, the worst part of the journey when you're just "walking" without any interesting views, everyone is quite tired, and they're just waiting for the end, which is not that close. At least we spiced it up with a conversation with the guide. I don't usually meet people like him, and due to the nature of his job, he has plenty of stories. It also depends on which guide you find, some are more chatty, some less. When we arrived at Sliezsky dom, we shook hands, wished each other well, and went our separate ways.

In conclusion, just a brief summary. Veni, vidi, vici, but I don't think I'll repeat something like this anytime soon. It didn't seem any better than hiking in Roháče or the route over Priečne sedlo to Východná Vysoká; in fact, quite the opposite. Freedom and liberty in mountain hiking are something I'm not willing to give up. Climbing in a group on one rope will never be my thing...

Your guide to Slovakia, Tomáš.

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