Skialpy is such a combination of alpine skiing and mountaineering, so it's great fun for all adventurers. And if they know the snow conditions and weather conditions in advance and have the right equipment, it's an idyll. Here are tips for the best ski slopes in Slovakia. Look
Skialpy over Bratislava? Sure, Kamzik!
Let's start nice and easy. You can go skiing or skialpping even if you are in Bratislava. And maybe even before or after work. It's not a long hike. Just go under the cable car from Železná studnička to Kamzík. If you don't have time for a day trip, but there is still enough snow and beautiful weather, or if you are a skialp beginner, this is the ideal route for you. The best ski mountaineers do this circuit in 30 to 40 minutes during night skialp races, but don't kid yourself, you can't do it that fast....
The advantage is that you can easily take public transport in your skis and get off pretty much right at the trailhead. You stick on the harnesses and through the snowy forest you get to the lift. Then it looks something like this
Skialpy around Strbske pleso (High Tatras)
Strbské pleso is my heartthrob, among other things it is also an ideal start for skialp tours. Both beginners and advanced skiers will find their own here. For beginners it is best to take the downhill route and go to the Furkotská or Mlýnická valley. Remember that you can only move on the slope within two metres of the right edge of the slope.
Photo:cas.sk
The other option is to take the cable car up to Solisko and then continue higher from Chata pod Soliskom (1841 m). There are plenty of beautiful destinations in the surroundings - Sedielkova kopa, Sedielkový priechod, Solisková sedlo, Mlynická Solisko and a large number of blue and red slopes on both sides. If you go down the other side of the Furkot valley, it is much longer and you will reach the waterfall Skok. Then you just follow the hiking trail back to Štrbské pleso.
Low Tatras from Donovaly to the legendary Kralova Hoľa
From the point of view of ski mountaineering, the most interesting are the middle, east and main ridge of the Low Tatras, its northern part is rougher with many couloirs, the southern part offers beautiful wide plains and thus endless possibilities for freeride descents.
But what to choose from this huge variety? An amazing route for skialps starts, for example, at Štefánik's chalet (where you can spend the night and set off early in the morning), from where you can climb directly to Ďumbier (2043 m above sea level), from where you continue along the ridge to Chopok (2024 m above sea level) and descend through one of the gullies back to the chalet. You just have to choose. But you will definitely enjoy magical views of the whole Tatra Mountains and a luxurious downhill, whichever you choose.
Western Tatras - or the best for last
Beautiful places for ski touring can be found all over Slovakia, but their mecca is clearly the Western Tatras, especially the Roháče Mountains, perfectly accessible near the village of Žiar. Variety of terrain, many routes, beautiful views, great snow.... In short, everything you need.
We have selected for you two routes that appealed to us.
Ziarske sedlo
After a refreshment at Žiarske Hut (1325m), stick on your harness and head upwards, just following the tracks through the conifers to below the Terrace. You will walk on a plain bordered on both sides by stream beds. You will then come to a crossroads. One route goes left towards Veľké Závraty, but the right is a bit nicer. This is the direction to Malé Závraty. After a while you will go down the valley and traverse the left slope to the Žiarská sedlo. From the hut it's almost 700 vertical metres, so a very nice hike. And when you add to that a beautiful view and a luxurious descent down the wide slopes back to the hut, satisfaction is in place. The downhill can also be made more interesting by jumping from the snow drifts to the bottom of the Smrečianka stream. An absolute blast!
photo: horydoly.cz
Salatin is not to be missed
The westernmost peak of the main ridge of the Western Tatras must not be missed in this selection. Thanks to the possibility to get close to the route by car, Salatín (2047 m) is one of the most popular peaks.
Salatin has basically two peaks and the small saddle between them is the most common access and descent route. If you use the cable car, it's less than two kilometres to the saddle and the summit, something you won't find elsewhere. The descent through this saddle is easy and can be done by anyone, but if you fancy more adventure, head down one of the chutes on offer from the northwest summit.
Photo: tulenipasy.cz
So, do you know where you are going yet?
