The Veľký Rozsutec peak in the Malá Fatra mountain range. (source: Matúš Beňo)
"One of the most beautiful, if not the most beautiful peak in Slovakia."
Find out more about region of folklore, national parks and modern attractions in our Žilina Region Travel Guide. (source: Spectacular Slovakia)
Search social media for the Veľký Rozsutec mountain and you'll find these words somewhere pretty much on every post about it. To be honest, it's hard to argue with the description.
Legend has it that Jánošík, the legendary Slovak "Robin Hood", hid the treasures he stole from wealthy aristocrats in the surrounding rocks and ravines.
You're unlikely to find any of the gold if you go there, but what you will definitely end up with is a treasure trove of experiences and magnificent vistas. And if you are like me, probably around 200 pictures as well.
Veľký Rozsutec is definitely worth visiting in every season of the year, but in winter it is something entirely different.
Pack up your winter hiking gear as you're going to need every bit of it.
What to expect
Veľký Rozsutec is located in the Malá Fatra mountain range near the village of Terchová, Žilina Region. Unless you live in the vicinity, the best bet is to travel to Žilina by train and then change to bus. For example, on Saturday, January 20, I hopped on the 05:27 express train from Bratislava, got out at Žilina two hours later, walked to the main bus Station, waited on platform 10 for the 08:00 bus to the village of Štefanová where I arrived about an hour later.
The journey wasn't a short one, but I was able to get some sleep on train. A word to the wise - don't drink leftover black tea that didn't fit into a thermos before going to bed, even though you usually have no problem falling asleep after you have a cup. You're bound to have trouble sleeping when you have to wake up early.
