Skok Waterfall in the Tatras (source: TASR)
A striking new natural wonder has been added to the map of the High Tatras: a 116-metre waterfall in the Veľká Studená Valley, officially recognised as the hundredth waterfall of the range.
The discovery was made by mountain guide and climbing instructor Martin Murár, who introduced it publicly this week at Hrebienok, reports SITA news agency. What makes it unusual is its source – the water bursts straight out of the ground, rather than flowing from a surface stream. The cascade is divided into two drops: the Lower Strelecký Falls (38m) and the Upper Strelecký Falls (78m). Murár describes it as “a year-round waterfall with a steady flow, split only by a short cascade.”
Although he first located the site six years ago, Murár waited to announce it until he and fellow climbers had completed a new route alongside it. That climb, named Žriedlo (“The Spring”), follows the Strelecká Tower in 12 rope lengths and is graded IV on the UIAA difficulty scale. In one section, climbers can even drink directly from the spring as it emerges from the rock.
Tatras waterfall expert Milan Lučanský, who maintains the official register, has confirmed repeated measurements of its height, placing it among the tallest in the mountains.
The falls, however, are not accessible to ordinary hikers. Only climbers can reach them, tackling a demanding ascent that takes around five hours, followed by a 2.5-hour descent. “Sections are at fourth-degree difficulty, so it requires proper skill and experience,” Murár cautioned.
The new line forms part of the Little Mountaineering Manifesto Ta33, a grassroots project that has opened 22 routes across the Tatras since 2014. Supported by local huts and resorts, the initiative aims to make climbing in the range more widely available.
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