Mala Fatra

Slovakia
 19-21 November, 2009

Me and Sara hiked for two days in the area around Stefanova. On the third day we met up with Mathias.



Day 1: Stefanova - Stefanova
 

Penzion Sagan in Stefanova

We walked the wrong green trail by accident,
and came to Huty instead of Medziholie...
 

The path was muddy and very slippery,
except for when it was covered by roots.

From Huty the yellow trail took us to the blue trail just
above Horne Diery. We walked down the canyon and up again.
 

Horne Diery canyon
 
 
 
 
 

We walked the blue trail to sedlo Medzirozsutce.
Maly Rozsutec was covered by fog so we decided not to climb it.
Also Velky Rozsutec was covered, so we walked around it.
 
 
 
 

Thick fog near Biele Skaly.
 
 

A bear had walked on the meadows in front of us...
 
 

Bear footprints followed the path
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

On Medziholie we made lunch, hoping that the weather would clear up, so that we could climb Velky Rozsutec peak. But it didn't, so we decided to climb the peak the next morning instead and walked the green trail down to Stefanova. We left our backpacks in the penzion and walked to Podziar, to explore the lower Diery canyons.
 
 

Vallachian hut at Podziar
 
 

A stream near the hut
 
 

Nove Diery
 
 
 
 
 

Biely potok canyon near Ostvrne
 
 

Back at Stefanova the weather had cleared up and we
could finally see the top of Velky Rozsutec (to the right).
 

Day 2: Stefanova - Chata pod Chlebom

We started by walking the green trail to Medziholie.

 

Today the weather was perfect for climbing Velky Rozsutec.
 
 

On the way up to Velky Rozsutec.
 
 

The village in the shadow was still covered by frost.
 
 

We made it to the top
 
 

View of the ridge towards Stoh and Velky Krivan.
 
 

We walked the same way back down to Medziholie.
 
 

 

We then continued on the red trail over Stoh towards Chleb.
 

View from the ridge of Velky Rozsutec and Stoh.
 
 

At sunset we reached the hut Chata pod Chlebom.

 

Day 3: Chata pod Chlebom - Terchova
 

Chata pod Chlebom. Accomodation cost 6 Euro.
 
 
 

We started this day by climbing Velky Krivan, which is the highest peak of Mala Fatra (1709 m)
 

View from Velky Krivan to the south.
 

From sedlo Bublen we walked south to sedlo za Kraviarskym, where we met up with Mattias.
 
 

Walking on the side ridge was pleasant and weather was very sunny and warm.
The decent to sedlo Prislop was very slippery and surprisingly long.
 

Sedlo Prislop (photo by Mattias Friberg www.freewalker.se)
 

We then followed the yellow trail up the beech forest.
Walking on the ridge was really nice, with the path winding and twisting among occasional rocks.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
We reached the bottom of the valley at Tiesnavy, and then walked on the road to Terchova where we had some beer and a nice pizza, before heading to Zilina and home.