The Žltá Stena (front) and Prostredný Hrot (back) peaks near the Téryho Chata mountain hut. (source: Matúš Beňo)
Here's a phrase you might encounter if you talk to a Slovak about the weather, especially when it's foggy: 'husté ako mlieko' (as thick as milk). When I described my recent hike to the Téryho Chata mountain hut in the High Tatras to a Canadian friend, I led with this phrase, much to their amusement.
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They conceded, upon seeing my pictures, that it was quite apt.
Instead of the royal blue sky and silhouettes of the mountains illuminated by the sun, all I got on this particular February Tuesday was low cloud cover with visibility down to a few dozen metres. It was way worse than the merely cloudy skies of the previous day.
Less-than-ideal weather is arguably the last thing you want when spending a vacation in the mountains. But when life gives you lemons and milk, you can try to make ice cream. There is beauty in seeing the peaks of mountains slowly coming into view and then immediately disappearing behind clouds. It's as if the mountains are giving you the opportunity to take a different look at them, one bit at a time.
Get ready
The trail to the Téryho Chata mountain hut, also known as Térynka, is another of the few that remain open during the winter season.
Better safe than sorry
As always, before you start hiking, it is strongly recommended to check weather reports and warnings issued by the Mountain Rescue Service via its website, especially in winter.
In addition, install and set up the service's app on your phone before you set out – and, of course, don't forget to fully charge your phone. Also, make sure you have mountain insurance.
For more information about who to call if you are injured or get lost in the mountains, click here. Always remember the mountain rescue phone number: 18300.
While most of the path is relatively easy, with only a slight elevation, the same cannot be said about the final stretch leading up two very, very steep slopes which make you feel like you're walking up an impossibly long flight of stairs. Located at the far end of the Malá Studená Dolina (Small Cold Valley) at an altitude of 2,015 metres, it will take you about six to seven hours if you start in Starý Smokovec. As with the hike to the Zbojnícka Chata mountain hut, you can shorten the trip by taking the funicular to Hrebienok.
Crampons and micro-spikes are highly recommended, but be aware that the latter may not stop your boots from slipping if the snow is fresh and powdery. In addition, an ice axe may come in handy if you fall on the two steep slopes.
As is the case in the hike to Zbojnička, the trail is easy to navigate, and for the most part the winter route follows the summer one, with poles marking the later stages, and the path leading straight up the slopes at the end instead of twisting and turning.
As always, do not forget to wear good boots and warm clothes, and take a spare base layer in your backpack.
From sunny to snowing in an instant
The first part of the hike to the Téryho Chata hut is pretty much the same as the one to Zbojnícka Chata. You can learn more about it by reading the first part of this travel guide, but here is a brief summary.
You can start in Starý Smokovec either by following the green markers from the funicular building or by hopping on the funicular itself to get directly to the resort at Hrebienok. From there, you can continue by following the green markers and visit the nearby Vodopády Studeného Potoka waterfalls, then continue to the Reinerova Chata hut and on to the Rázcestie pod Húpačkami signpost. There is normally a shorter, red-marked trail leading directly to the signpost, but it is currently closed following a landslide.
When I woke up on the Tuesday morning I was rather pleasantly surprised to see sunlight peeking through the curtains. Even though the weather forecast said it would be cloudy, it was mostly sunny. In fact, it was warm enough for me to take off both my wind-breaker and fleece jacket while walking from Starý Smokovec to Hrebienok. Unfortunately, this changed once I got to the waterfalls. In a matter of moments, clouds covered the sky above the High Tatras.
