A month and half ago we visited in Slovakia in the hills
in between the Veľká and Malá Fatra Mountains. I had chosen this zone wisely in
order to be able to escape mountain tops which are frequently covered with
clouds and to climb other peaks with clear sky overhead instead.
The Malá Fatra Range seen from Podšíp.
Although the weather forecast promised clear skies
everywhere, from my experience I knew it would not be so. High peaks of the
Malá Fatra Range generally are cloudier then it is in lower zones of the Veľká
Fatra Mountains. That was why I planned to visit Šíp Peak, which lies exactly in
between those two mountain zones.
From there I wanted to continue toward the Malá Fatra
or to the Veľká Fatra. The decision wholly depended on what we saw from Šíp
Peak.
In the end we opted to go southward to visit Kľak Peak
in the Veľká Fatra Mountains, because The Malá Fatra Mountains crest was hidden
in clouds on Saturday.
As usually, we arrived in our destination (Ľubochňa)
on Friday’s evening. Immediately we started to climb on tourist path, marked with
yellow stripe, toward first mountain pass, where we set up a tent. Sky was
clear in the night, so I was able to make attempts at night photography, as I usually
do if conditions are worth of doing this.
Our tent under starry skies.
Next morning we woke up being entirely in fog layer.
Luckily a little higher up the peak, predicted blue skies appeared and we
revelled in the warmth of mid-October sun.
Looking down into foggy valley-II.
On the top we remained for about half an hour. From
there we saw that further to the west mountains are covered with dark clouds.
Also we discovered that a suspended bridge across the Orava River is no more
there, so we couldn’t traverse the river. Thus we were cut off from the Malá
Fatra Mountains, where I wanted to sleep atop Stoh Peak. In the end I slept
there two weeks later on my third attempt to do that!
Looking East.
Lesser Šíp Peak with the Váh River River below.
Kralovianska kopa seen from Šíp Peak.
After descend to Podšíp we took decision to get down
to Ľubochňa and to go to Kľak Peak, where there were no clouds visible.
Looking West from Podšíp.
Cottages in Podšíp.
Cottages in Šíp.
Vividly coloured beech forest above Podšíp.
On way down to Ľubochňa we lost marked path and
descended off-trail.
Quite late afternoon we arrived at Spa Ľubochňa and
went for a glass of beer. Afterward we ascended to Ľubochňa Pass, where we
arrived at dark. We continued uphill for another 40 minutes, when finally found
a good place for our tent. This place lacked any clear view in our surroundings
so that I made just a single attempt on night photography.
Our tent at night.
The morning dawned clear and soon we were on the trail
again.
Looking North from our camp.
In coloured autumn beech forest.
We passed through beautiful forest full of yellow,
copper and orange colours and on first clearing we met with a herd of horses.
We entertained with them for a while, and then we continued further.
Horses in Velká Fatra-II.
At a spring we filled our bottles with water.
After crossing Prislop Pass we continued to climb toward
Kľak Peak, which was towering high above us.
We got there just after noon and spent about an hour
there, revelling in the warmth of the sun.
Looking down from Klačik Peak.
Beech forest.
Descend toward the west was steep, though beautiful.
Vividly coloured forests were on every side.
Words cannot easily describe what we saw in front of us. Only a
photograph can depict the coloured fantasy of the world which surrounded us.
Autumn colours in the Velká Fatra Mountains.
Colourfull fantasy world below Klak Peak.
It was very warm for the begging of the second decade
of October and while we reached the bottom of the valley we took an idea to
take a bath in a mountain stream. Although we were in deep shadows, the air was
so warm that we felt no discomfort after getting our corps wet in cold mountain
brook.
In the village we arrived quite late in the afternoon.
Luckily there was a bus going to the nearest town, Martin.
While being in the bus we looked outside and said farewell
to the last weekend with really warm weather. We will have to wait until the
next April, when the temperatures will reach high twenties (in °C) again!
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