SK, Orava – A Trip to the Highest Peak

We chose a summit that is easy to access and is the main summit of the  Oravska Magura. You probably suppose already that we talk about Mincol (1394 m). You can access it from Dolni Kubin. Either climb along the slope of the popular ski resort to up to Kubinska Hole. Or take a cable car up there. However, this would be too easy for us. Therefore, we started at  Hrustin village, taking the summit from the other side.

At village's center at the church, you need to head towards the ski resort below Vasilovska Hole. Be ready for a 7-kilometer trek on asphalt road. You can reach the newly built resort by car for there are many spaces on local parking lot.

It was still early in the morning and it was crowded despite that. We did not idle and set off in quick pce towards Vasilovska Hole nature trail. It "took us into the world of amazing nature far away from the pitfalls of the fast world." It really was like that there. We passed information boards while climbing steeply. We learned of flora, and the protection and fragility of the area. A hair of an hour later we reached the part of the cable car where the carriages revolve on the summit. There was supposed to be an observation tower but htere was nothing actually. Perhaps some day...

Once we reach the summit we were at 1142 meters. For the first time, we enjoyed magnificent views of the land below us and also the Oravian towns such as  Namestovo, Orava dam, and beautiful land of Orava. After while, we set off towards the lakes across beautiful and wide meadow until we reached the edge of forest.

We felt slightly wet ground under our feet. Add sounds of this dense forest and you would get quite adventurous atmosphere. There are even bears there thus we quickend our pace.

We picked blueberries and found several mushrooms on our way. The blue trail led us by ferns, meadows and sometimes it crossed streams. All of a sudden, we found ourselves on the top meadow where blueberry bushes were scattered all over it. Locals call them "jafiry". We gathered several handfuls to our cups and sat on a rock. There we enjoyed the vista at slightly higher altitude.

Thirty minutes later we found ourselves walking along the Oravska Magura ridge seeking to reach its highest summit – Kubinska Hole (1 346 m). There we got the vista not only over the tehcnical facilities of the ski resort but also the town of Dolni Kubin, the Mala and Velka Fatra, the Nizke and the Vysoke Tatry mountains, and the Chocske Hills the majestic Velky Choc being its major peak. Near the ski slopes, there rises a huge white sphere on a tall steel pedestal. This is a weather radar.

 There goes a red tourist trail around this facility. It eld us to our destination Mincol - the highest summit of the Oravska Magura. The summit is covered in trees. It would hardly seem as if you were on the highest spot around.
 
It was a fast road for us. We reached a path and along it we climbed up. The name of this place on map is Pod Mincolem. Next we descended to the lakes. There was unmarked yet easily visible path. To read more about it click here. These gems are hidden deep in the mountains and are definitely worth seeing. The first lake is completely covered in vegetation. The second is getting close to the state of the first one. There are fallen trees across the water surface of the third lake, which is the smallest.

As we had only little time left we descended along forest paths. These led us out and got us in the middle of Vasilovska Hole. We don't recommend you this trail only if you have somebody living in the area to guide you. You can easily get lost and it almost happened to us.

At the end, we made the break we deserved in a shepherd's hut. There came an end to our day. We recommend you to undertake adventure similar to ours.

GPS: (Minčol) 49°16'42.0"N 19°14'26.8"E

Text and photos: Oskár Mažgút

Překlad: Stanislava Waniová