Tatra Mountains

Tosh: I won't write much about Slovakia because I don't feel like I really visited the country. We came straight to Starý Smokovec and hiked the high Tatra Mountains. If I were to write about Slovakia, in my estimation, it would be like flying to Aspen in the US, hiking or skiing for a week (with all the other very rich folks who can afford Aspen), and then writing about what America is like.

After the Auschwitz tour and a day of bus travel to get to Starý Smokovec, Slovakia; we decide to take a rest day. So, we pretty much stay in our aparthotel (kinda like a VRBO apartment) for the day and watch TV and movies, and Johanna cooks a meal so we can get some veggies. The next day, we begin detailed planning of a hike through the mountains, and try to make some reservations at the chatas (mountain huts/chalets). We manage to book four beds at the Zbojnícka chata for the following night. We plan for a three day hike, staying at Zbojnícka chata then marching on to the next mountain hut for another stay, and then back to Starý Smokovec in a loop trek. We also do a warm-up trek on the mountain this day.

The High Tatras are a range of the Carpathian Mountains that span the border of Slovakia and Poland just south of Krakow. Though the highest peak, Gerlachovský štít, is only 8,711ft, much of the high parts of the mountains are above the treeline. I assume this is due to how far north the range is; due to the mild weather, I often forget that a lot of central Europe is further north than Maine. The lower parts of the mountain are a mix of deciduous and evergreen forest. I think the Tatras are in interesting mix of some of the things I love about the Rocky Mountains and the Appalacians. There are high, jagged peaks jutting well above the treeline to inspire awe; but unlike the Rockies, there is an abundance of water, and the forest is lush.

The hike is stunningly beautiful. The first part of the trek is through mountain forest and beside large waterfalls. Part of this is a very wide, paved trail, and there are a LOT of hikers. Though fewer than below the treeline, there are still quite a few folks at Téryho chata, who came up to see the high glacial mountain lakes, have a beer and lunch, and likely go back down.

An hour hike beyond Téryho chata, when we are only encountering a few isolated pairs of hikers, we arrive at the bottom of a mountain pass. I'd read that this part was considered pretty tough and required use of the chains and ladders affixed to the mountain, but I immediately see that I underestimated it pretty severely. The path is about a thousand feet climb, a lot of that nearly vertical. I thought for sure that Johanna, being nearly acrophobic, would say, "No f'ing way;" but to my surprise, she said, "Let's give it a try." The kids were undaunted.

It took us about 20 minutes to cross the remaining snowfields to get to the base of the cliff. It was quite tricky because the ice was very slick, and if you started sliding; there would've been no way to stop for about 800 meters and a 500ft loss in elevation. After I crossed the ice, I strung together a carabiner and 550 cord and threw it back over to the kids and Johanna to secure them coming across one at a time. Once we were all across, Johanna insisted that we have some safety measure to prevent falling down the mountain. Unfortunately, I only had the snapgate carabiners and 550 paracord. So, we made due. I tied a quick harness for all of us, and we were able to use the carabiners to snap into the cable which ran near the ladders.

As I was finishing up preparations for the climb, two guys we'd seen a few times around the town, and then on the mountain, arrived on the other side of the ice field. They debated for a while on whether to try it, but eventually decided not to attempt. I had the funny thought that these guys might be intelligence agents assigned to tail me (this happens sometimes; though, extremely unlikely in this case). I imagine the explanation they have to give their boss about why they lost their target: "Well, when he started up the hiking path with his wife and 12 and 10 year old children, I thought we'd just wear hiking shoes, like them, and follow along. I didn't know they were bat-shit crazy and willing to 'secure' themselves and children using a f'ing shoestring to go up a thousand foot cliff. Hell no, I didn't follow them."

The climb was pretty intense; Johanna came very close to panic several times and had to concentrate on normal breathing and hand coordination before continuing. The kids seemed to love it; I think Miles could've done the climb in 20-30 minutes. As it was, though, it took us about 2 hours to climb over the pass and back down into the next valley.

We were completely alone on the climb; and once over the pass; and the scenery is absolutely worth it. We get to a glacial mountain lake, and Miles and I strip down to take a quick dip. FROSTY!!! We keep walking and get to Zbojnícka chata about an hour later. The hut is above the treeline, situated in a small valley between some very tall peaks and just above a deep glacial lake. There are about 25 other hikers bunking there for the night; almost all seem to have paid for the board, as well. The staff cooks up some delicious soup and pork and serve it to the crowd, calling out the parties by name to come grab chow in the dining hall. Johanna and I drink a well deserved beer; Johanna orders a shot of vodka to calm her nerves. Johanna, Miles, Tut, and I are reminisce and chatter the way people do only after they've had a brush with extreme danger.

Speaking with some Hungarian women at the chata, we find that there is an alternate way down the mountain in which we don't have to use our make-shift harnesses. So, after a fine breakfast served by the chata staff, we set off down the mountain and conclude our hike in two days instead of three. Good call, as I think Johanna might actually have murdered me if she had to climb down anything nearly as intense as the path to get to the chata the day prior.

We spend one more night in Starý Smokovec to rest before taking a bus to Budapest. Starý is a decent enough resort town; though, I'd likely not come back. It's only real great quality is that you can access the mountain right out your hotel's front door.

Miles: The mountains were a real challenge but it was was worth it because of the beauty of the mountains. We stayed in a pretty cool village where their was beautiful views and it was awsome.

Tut: hiking the mountains were challing but the hotel was really nice. It had a beautyful and i liked it a lot.

Johanna: I almost considered skipping this post, for the sake of my marriage. Tosh described the hike well, but what he did not mention, is that I pretty much forced him to buy some hooks, the day before the hike. Without those and his glorious 550 cord, attempting this ridiculously steep part of the trail with the ropes and ladders would have bordered on suicidal ideation. He also omitted the fact that he picked this hike, because it was described on the internet as the hardest hike of the high Tatra, which he mentions to us leisurely after we complete the grueling 2-hours on a vertical cliff with hand-made harnesses.. So there is that. And yes, I have vertigo and had to force myself to not look down during that part, because I would have seriously lost my shit. I almost did several times when I looked up and saw the kids, literally hanging by a thread off this aforementioned cliff. Going to sleep in the hut later, I have dreams of the kids falling and ripping their guts open on the cord. Well, enough negativity. It was an absolutely stunning hike, and the night in the hut was wonderful. I am just glad we did not have to go down that way. Tosh is obviously not allowed to pick any more hiking routes from now on.