Basecamp: Tips for Easter hikes to waterfalls and caves

Aktulity

• After the winter break, the State Nature Conservancy opened four caves: Ochtinská aragonite, Jasovská, Gombasecká cave and Drina cave. A total of nine of the thirteen accessible caves are open. Harmanecká cave, Dobšinská ice cave, Demänovská ice cave and Demänovská slobody cave are still closed. (fb)

• A new educational trail Lodný mlyn and its surroundings was created in Kolárovo. The undemanding trail with a total length of 1.8 kilometers presents local attractions – the dead arm of the Little Danube, water ecosystems of stagnant waters, the Frog Castle, the confluence of the Little Danube and the Váh, a floodplain forest with preserved willows and the national cultural monument Lodný Mlyn itself. (tasar)

• From April 3 to June 30, 2023, the road in the Dunajec Gorge is completely closed due to ongoing reconstruction work. The yellow tourist route in the section Targov – Huta will also be closed.
  More here.

• At the end of March 2023, the TANAP administration handed over a modified draft of the visiting rules to the district office in Prešov. This form of visiting regulations should be a compromise after TANAP negotiated with all affected entities and the sports public for the past four years. More here.

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Hike tip

Studený potok consists of the famous Studený potok Waterfalls and Obrovský vodopád, which are admired by thousands of tourists in the vicinity of Hrebienko and on the way to Zamkovského chat. However, the hike along the stream from Tatranská Lesná is worth it. At the top of the trip, you can stop at Rainer’s cozy house in Starolesnianská polana. From here you can continue to Hrebienok and to Starý Smokovec, or walk to Zamkovského chat next to the mentioned Obrovské waterfall and with a beautiful view of the Veľká Studena dolina.

Tour

Spring Studenopotock waterfalls and Zamkovského chata

Soňa Mäkka

More tips

• Little Carpathians: The Drina cave can be very nicely combined with a visit to the Hlboča valley with the only Small Carpathian waterfall, in which Zdeno Vasilišin described the favorable state of the water. If you have time, don’t miss the Molpír fortress above the Smolenický castle.
  Dolina Hlboča with children

• Slovak karst: Peter Mišovic recommends the tourist circuit from Plešivec along the blue road towards the Mestská prepašta and continue through Závozná along the green tourist sign to the cave.
  Gombasecka cave

Another natural attraction is located nearby: Silica glacier. The upper abyssal part of the cave is partially covered with ice. After the collapse of the transition to the lower parts, a closed depressed space was formed with the accumulation of cold air and the formation of ice. It is the lowest situated classic ice cave up to 50° north latitude in the temperate climate zone.

• Danube region: Miroslav Svítek will take us to the Austrian bank of the Danube with a long-forbidden view of the Devín castle rampart. Until November 1989, from Devínská Kobyla, I looked at Moravská pole as a place that, although it exists, is actually unreachable. This continued even after November 1989. I always took a photo of the bright spot of Schloss Hof, attached a few shots of the calm or flooded Morava and continued along the educational trail or the red trail to the top of Kobyla. It wasn’t until the beginning of April 2008 that I said to myself while taking pictures of the flowerbed on Kobyla: “Man, why don’t you go there?”
  Marchegg – confluence of Moravia and Danube

• Little Fatra: A more challenging all-day hike from Tomáš Denes takes you through Šútovský waterfall to Chleb and Veľký Kriváň. In addition to the waterfall, you can look forward to Mojžiš’s springs, distant views and Chata pod Chlebom.
  Through Šútovský waterfall to Chleb and Velký Kriváň

• Cera Highlands: Two-day April Fool’s Day by Martin Baniari. He visited Hajnáčka Castle, Steblova skala and Owl Castle. Several distinctive rock formations and especially the picturesque oak forests charmed Martin so much that the mountain range became the discovery of the year for him.
  Cerova vrchovina – the forgotten beauty of Gemera

Tips for hiking with children

A very attractive trip for children from a historical and geological point of view by Roman Matkovčík. In the foothills of the High Tatras, in the village of Gánovce, a petrified filling of the skull of a Neanderthal woman, imprints of vegetation and a fossil of mammoth (mastodon) teeth were found. Children can play in the geopark. We continue to the end of the village, where there are mineral springs – wells and a travertine pile.

Tour

Gánovce – geopark and travertine mounds

Roman ‘Bazin’ Matkovčík

• Kremnice hills: A postal route from Banská Bystrica through the Kremnické vrchy to Kremnica once led through the Malachovská valley. Tatiana Filipková used it to climb the rock cliff Skalka. On the next section of the hike, they passed the andesite stone sea and the Malachovský waterfall with a gorge.
  Malachovská valley: waterfall and gorge

• Once again Kremnické vrchy: Králická tisňava is located near the village of Králiky near Banská Bystrica. An educational trail leads through it. It is an ideal location for a short, easy trip. A bonus is the seven-meter high Králický waterfall.
  Králická gorge and waterfall in early summer

• Súľovské vrchy: An easy walk to Hlbocké waterfall in Súľovské skály by Andrea Morongová. The starting point of the hike is Bytča, a district of Hlboké nad Váhom. The route leads through the forest along the rocks. If you decide to continue with the green sign, there is a nice view of the rock town right above the waterfall.
  Deep waterfall with children

From the photo gallery

The weather

According to SHMÚ, on Saturday it will be cloudy to overcast and in several places rain or rain with snow, snowing from the middle places. Occasional precipitation in the east during the day and reduced cloudiness in places later in the afternoon. The lowest night temperature 1 to -4, in the west around 3 degrees. Highest daily temperature 5 to 10, on Zemplín and Abo in places up to 12 degrees.

On Saturday, there will be a lot of clouds, in some places temporarily reduced, especially at night. Showers or rain in places, snow in higher altitudes. The lowest night temperature 4 to -1, with reduced cloud cover, especially in the valleys, sometimes -1 to -6 degrees. Highest daily temperature 9 to 14, on Orava and Zamaguri around 7 degrees.

Current conditions

Avalanche danger level 2 applies in the High, Western and Low Tatras. There is a small increase of new snow in Fatra and the 1st degree applies here. The avalanche danger tends to increase with snowfall and wind.

Skialp in the Low Tatras: You can reach Štefánička from Trangoška on skis, the snow is very hard. You can step on the Kráľova hola from the Hut in Predný sedl.

According to the Center for Avalanche Prevention, the continuous snow cover is approximately from 1200 m above sea level

The HZS recommends having hiking crampons and ice axes in all the mountains within its jurisdiction.

Restrictions on hiking trails

HZS recommends having hiking crampons and an ice ax in your equipment.

High Tatras
HZS strongly does not recommend using the section of the trail – highways intersection Trigan – Popradské pleso red sign in winter. A safe alternative is a green sidewalk.

Great Fatra
The winter pole markings in the area of ​​Suché Vrch in Veľká Fatra have been changed, the HZS advises hikers to take the summer route. From Krížna to Suchý Vrch, the winter pole markings are broken.

Little Fatra
The section of the trail Suchý – Bublen saddle is not marked with winter pole markings. The trail passes through avalanche terrain and is difficult to navigate when visibility is reduced. HZS does not recommend using the yellow trail Medziholie saddle – Stohové sedlo. From 01.03.2023 to 15.06.2023, the following trails are closed for nature protection reasons: Medziholie – Veľký Rozsutec – Medzirozsutce (red tourist sign) Obšívanka – Malé nocľahy (blue tourist sign) Vendovka – Malý Kriváň (blue tourist sign)

Lúčanská Malá Fatra
The HZS via ferrata leading to Martinská hole is dangerous, there is a risk of falling into the stream.

Western Tatras and Chočské vrchy
Green TZCH Svorad – Spain – Lomnô (Lomné) and green TZCH Proscekné – Dol. Borovianky is poorly marked, with limited access (lots of fallen trees and overgrown). Bridges in Bobrovecká dolina, Hlboka dolina and Bystra dolina are torn down and in poor technical condition. The crest of the Western Tatras is sometimes blown into the ice base.

Low Tatras
Due to the number of fallen trees, the red trail from Široka dolina towards Pekná vyhlídka, the red trail from Ludrova to Salatín is difficult to pass.

Slovak Paradise
HZS warns tourists about a fallen tree in Sokolá dolina on the first bridge over the Veil waterfall, crossing it is difficult, so be more careful there. In the gorges there is an increased water level, remnants of snow and ice.