From Chopok Up To Ďumbier

So, the village of Bystrová will be our today´s target. This locality is, together with neighbouring community - Mýto pod Ďumbierom - a main centre, as far as the accommodation possibility of south hill-side of Low Tatra is concerned. In the north part of mountain range, popular winter ski centres Jasná and Tri Domky are to be found. Nevertheless,it would be rather problematic to get suitable accommodation in summer saison, not mentioning bigger group of travellers. Finally, the Slovaks just understood, within last couple ot years, that West tourist could be functioning as donors, and so, the hotels and cosy boarding houses were being built. We have good luck, we found suitable boarding house, and start to plan our mountain excursions.

The rain was no obstacle for us in Slovak Paradise. Here, in the mountains, it is a problem number one, not mentioning the storms which are, inside rocky terrain, without any chance to be hidden, rather horror experience. So, as a start of most expeditions, it will be low funicolar station of ski towel to Srdiečko. It is true that neighbouring ski area Chopok-juh is not so popular as the centres in north part, but, despite this fact, long ski descent routes (lines), including freeride slope are available here. Seat rope-tailway is offering the shortening of not too interesting steep mounting towards Kosodrevina, mountain chalet. During top saison, return ticket costs EUR 6 for adults and EUR 4,80 for a child. One way ticket costs EUR 5 or EUR 4 per person. The rope railway is in operation daily since 8,30 h till 16 h. So, such steep mounting could be abbreaviated in 90 minutes.

On terrace of Kosodrevina restaurant (1500 metres above sea level), we can fully enjoy the coffee of relatively good quality and more resistent persons could taste omnipresent 52% „medicine“, in a form of Tatra Tea. Powerful peaks of Chopok and Ďumbier appear to be very near from here. Attention: it is a fault, as we have to overcome steep climbing to the ridge, which connects these two giants. Following yellow marked tourist trail, we mount slowly, along moderate west arch, towards the top. Chopok (2024 metres above sea level) will be the first important point of our trip. So, two hours passed from romantic view in Kosodrevina, and to reach our first target, we need two hours´ walk at least, but this trip is worth to be done. The transfer is rather moderate from the beginning but it is changing suddenly to nearly perpendicular mounting, and we remaind the moments when the distance seemed for you to be quite short. Nevertheless, we overcome it, and we can finally embrace at the cross, placed on top of the mountain. Excellent, one third of our excursion is made, now, we can continue our walk to Ďumbier, the second check point.

We go down, passing very cosy Kamenná chata (Stone Chalet) refreshment point, situated in an altitude of 2000 metres above sea level. Red marked tourist trail leads us, close to Konske Hill (1874 m) via Demanovske Col (1756 m)  to the next moderate mounting in front of Ďumbier, the peak of which is to be placed in the height of 2043 metres above sea level. We mount again, along gravelled and with boulders paved way, at the edge of the ridge, our legs pain us, but the target is quite near! The top, cross, group photos are made. We have good luck, as we got effective lsun-light of late afternoon. Attention, please! When you can follow sunset here, it is necessary to descend as quick as possible! Now, we still descend. As an orientative point - it is General Stefanik Chalet. Here, we can be again stimulated with herbal-spirit tea and choose a way back to Srdiečko. If you have enough time and power, the other variant is to be offered: you can follow blue marked tourist trail back to Kosodrevina and from here, down along rope-railway line. Another variant: to descend throughout nice valley, following green marked tourist trail to Srdiečko or Trangoška, where your vehicle is parking.

This trek belongs to those of most beautiful, what mountain tourist activity in Low Tatra could offer. Except a visit of two highest peaks, you can fully enjoy circular views of wide environs, not mentioning High Tatra panoramas, and tens of majestic mountains of Slovakia.

The same top route we made during another eventuel climbing from north part, from Jasná, but we describe this route in the future.

However, our trip across Slovakia will be finished shortly. Final section will be described in our next chapter, when we visit, in our route to Czech Republic, Banská Bystrica.

Text: Jan Chaloupka

Translation: ing. Jan Jonáš

Photo: Jan Chaloupka+wikipedia commons