Slovakia: Safely To The Mountains III. - High Tatra

Visit rate of Tatra Mountains during the summer season is several times higher than in winter, and thus a higher likelihood of risky situations. Most of us ever getting to know the beauty of our mountains suddenly caught rain is caused mainly by the significant change High Tatra pavement grip shoes and thus significantly increases the risk of slipping. Most of these walkways are kept on a rocky substrate, which is usually covered with mosses and lichens. Often slip, even to the fall and subsequent fractures to the limbs, so the best solution to stop a hike, or at least increase the maximum attention. In the case of torrential rains, which substantially alters the permeability of sidewalks, to be reckoned with restrictions like a temporary streams could be (even 1 hour after the rain), landslides, debris or other dangers. Sometimes it is necessary to find a viable segment and a distance of 50 m above or below the walkway.

If the approaching storm and the light flashes, we have to acknowledge that human intervention by lightning can have fatal consequences. The vast majority of fatal cases of tourists who hit by lights happened on the ridge of mountains. Under these conditions it is recommended as soon as possible to end a hike and come back to the valley. Don’t hide in the rocky ribs or gutters, because lightning can come off the bedrock. If descent is not possible, we need to find a suitable shelter, but beware the rock overhang or rock wall that protects the natural stream. I prefer to be getting wet a few meters from the cliff. A rare but more dangerous phenomenon is summer rain usually associated with rain and hail. There may be a sudden covering approaches and holds, we risk hypothermia hands, slipping, or even fall. For these reasons, we should stop and wait for a hike on the further development of the weather. If we are already in the rocky terrain, we should use gloves, to increase attention to putting limbs on outputs, which in this case are extremely slippery. It is recommended to use sticks and, of course if we have them.

In the High Tatra we can also often meet with fog, especially after rain. There may be temporary cooling and wetting the rock surface, which increases the risk of slipping. Fog, of course, can lead to temporary loss of orientation in the field, hence the need to remember most morphological features in the environment (rocks, scrub islands, rocky protrusions). If the fog continues, it is necessary to descend into the valley below. After darkness it is difficult to get down without light, especially in a rocky environment. When stuck in the mountaineering field to be thinking about that night in the mountains, temperatures can cause hypothermia man. Therefore, it is ideal to descend slowly into the valley. If it is not possible to move, we must prepare for emergency overnight stays. The rock overhang is great bivouac, fortunately in the Tatra and frequent phenomenon. It is important to keep warm, so we to put everything we have in the backpack and the backpack itself use to protect the meet.

Summer High Tatra are truly unique experience for all visitors and nature lovers, but we should never underestimate the basic hiking equipment and weather conditions.

Text: Oskar Mažgút

Source and photo: hory.sk