Do you want to climb Gerlach with a mountain guide?

In this article you will learn:

• When is the climbing season in the High Tatras?
• How do you buy a climb to Gerlach with a UIAGM mountain guide?
• How to prepare for climbing Gerlach?
• What do you need to take with you?
• What happens if the weather is not suitable for climbing?
• How is the ascent to Gerlach normal?
• What will happen after the ascent?

Season in the High Tatras.

The summer season in the Tatras starts on 1.6. and ends on 31.10. The winter season starts on 15.12. and ends on 15.4. The vast majority of clients are interested in the summer climb to Gerlach. They don’t want to go in winter, they don’t want cats and they are afraid of avalanches. In every season the climb is unique. In summer, if the weather is nice, it is a beautiful hike on dry rock with amazing views. In winter, it’s the snow-capped Tatra Mountains and surrounding peaks. In spring, the couloirs are usually full of snow and the ascent is with crampons.

How do I buy an outlet?

You can buy the Gerlach climb online on my website at https://www.robertvrlak.com/product/vystup-na-gerlach/. Of course, you can also use the services of another guide, but you have to do a bit of googling. In the online purchase process you choose the ascent route and the number of people. The ascent to Gerlachovský štít starts in Tatranská Polianka with a minibus to Sliezsky dom. For beginners I recommend ascending by the normal route and therefore by the Velická próbá up to the top of Gerlachovský štít and by the Batizovská próbá descending to the Batizovská valley and returning by the main route back to the Sliezský dom. The number of people is essential, especially if there is snow. Guides can only lead three people if it is dry without snow, i.e. the whole route is doable without the use of crampons and ice picks. Also, three clients can only be guided by a guide on normal snow. Snow must be taken into account especially at the beginning and end of the season. If you are planning to climb in a trio, I therefore recommend booking well in advance in the months of July to September. After selecting the parameters of the ascent, online payment is required. After payment you will receive an electronic PDF voucher with a unique code. You can print the voucher in high resolution and gift it to someone. It is also possible to enter a dedication in the voucher. You can do everything online.

Once you have purchased the voucher, you choose a free date from my calendar. There is a lot of interest in the exits and the dates are going fast. Therefore, I recommend that you choose your dates at least 3 months in advance. Send the selected date along with the voucher code to info@robertvrlak.com and I will confirm the date. The voucher is valid for 1 year from the date of purchase. Extension of validity is possible by paying the price difference to the current price. Please read the full terms and conditions.

How do you prepare for the climb to Gerlach?

People who have health problems such as severe dizziness, movement limitations, serious cardiovascular problems, epilepsy, etc. cannot participate in the climb. If you have any health problems a consultation with a doctor is required before purchasing the hike.

Preparation for the climb should be primarily fitness. Your fitness must be such that you can walk continuously on the Tatra trails for 8 hours with short breaks. An indicator of good fitness is if you can climb the freely accessible Tatra peaks (Kriváň, Kôprovský štít, Rysy, Východná Vysoká, Jahňací štít) down from the valley to the summit in a better time than indicated on the signposts and maps. It is ideal if you have passed all these freely accessible peaks before ascending Gerlach. If you can’t handle the times on the signposts, or if you have problems coordinating your walking on the trails and steep terrain, climbing Gerlach is not for you.

Alternatively, you can consider ascending Lomnicky Peak by the normal route, which is basically half the height of the ascent to Gerlach with an elevation gain of 460m. In distance it is one third as far as the ascent to Gerlach.

What do you need to take with you when you go out?

The most important thing when climbing is the shoes. They have to be shoes suitable for alpine terrain with good soles such as Vibram, Pomoca, etc. Ankle boots are ideal to prevent ankle sprains on the ascent. Sneakers, city boots, sandals and the like are not suitable.

The trousers should be abrasion resistant and ideally waterproofed. They should be suitable for movement in mountainous terrain. As a rule, I do not recommend short trousers because of the possibility of chafing the knees and shins.

Next, a thermo shirt or a shirt that absorbs sweat well is important. It is ideal to have a spare dry t-shirt in your backpack. The middle layer should be a technical fleece sweatshirt, softshell jacket or polartec. The top layer should be a single layer waterproof jacket with a hood. To be on the safe side, I recommend packing one insulation layer in your backpack. Some sort of thermal layer like a primaloft jacket, ultralight down jacket, etc. Clothes should be adapted to the current temperatures at the top of Gerlach Peak.

Thin gloves are an integral part. In summer they can be fingerless (cycling). Next is a hat, buff, sunglasses and sunscreen with a factor.

Pack it all into a backpack suitable for alpine hiking. The ideal size is around 30l. In winter you need to have a backpack with an axe attachment. The backpack should not cut you on the shoulders and should be comfortable to wear. Small school bags and other urban backpacks are definitely not suitable.

Drinking water needs to be adapted to the temperatures. In principle, a maximum of 1.5 litres of water is sufficient. It is advisable to add minerals to the water, e.g. in the form of an effervescent tablet. In cold weather, tea in a thermos is suitable. You can also pack magnesium or a lump of salt against cramps.

A very important thing is mountain insurance for the day of the climb. Insurance can be taken out online with most insurance companies.

The full list of mandatory equipment can be found at this link.

I don’t recommend taking walking sticks, heavy cameras like SLR, glass bottles, backpacks bigger than 40l, alcohol.

What happens if the weather is not suitable for climbing?

I always contact my clients by phone a few days before an exit. I tell them about the ascent process and the mandatory equipment. I also tell them the meeting place and time. The most important thing is the weather. If the forecast does not look good and I decide that the climb cannot take place I will tell the clients. The clients will be given a new date to choose. The voucher is not forfeited only the date of the climb is changed.

Each voucher has its own validity. Extension of validity is possible by paying the difference in price to the current price of the output.

How is the ascent to Gerlach normal?

The ascent starts in Tatranská Polianka with the export by minibus to Sliezsky dom. In advance, I will inform the clients when the export is arranged and the meeting is always 5 minutes before the departure of the export in Tatranská Polianka next to Poliankov.

Meeting address and GPS:
GPS 49.123265, 20.185492
Tatranská Polianka, 062 01 Vysoké Tatry

The export is paid directly to the driver according to the applicable tariff (in 2023 the price is 20 EUR / person both ways).

The whole ascent and descent takes approx. 8 hours, overcoming 1100 meters of altitude and a distance of about 12 kilometers.

Upon arrival at Silesian House, a short briefing will take place. I will hand out helmets, saddles and in winter conditions crampons and ice axes to the clients. If crampons are needed for the ascent, we will set them on the boot already at the Silesian House.

From the Silesian House we will go along the hiking trail around Velicky pleso. Follow the Velicý rain and Velický waterfall to the place where we cross the stream and continue along the unmarked trail below Velickú próba. Below Velicka próba we will take a short break and put on our helmets and harnesses. Then the ascent continues with a rope tie-in.

The Velická próba itself is several crampons in a steep wall along with fixed belay points. After passing this part we get to an easier passage.

The ascent continues along the path between the rocks. In some places it is necessary to use your hands to overcome sections of rocks. The trail goes in the right part of the Velický trough and heads to the Slot above the cauldron at 2430m. Below the crevasse there is a short resting place on the upper Kienast footbridge.

After a short rest the ascent to Štrbiny nad kotlom continues. Through it we get above the Gerlachovský kotol. Then the ascent continues with a traverse above the Gerlachovský kotol up to the Avalanche Footbridge and to the Slot below the Kotlový štít. There follows another rest break.

Behind the Štrbina under the Kotlovský štítom the ascent is traversed by a system of ribs and troughs. Orientation is quite difficult here. Several times it is necessary to climb down and then climb up. The traverse leads under the Boiler Peak and Gerlach Tower. Then it enters the Batizovský trough and its right part and the summit ridge to the top of Gerlachovský štít.

At the top we will take a few photos by the cross itself. There is a 15-minute break to take photos, eat, drink and enjoy the views.

After a break we start descending down the Batizov trough into the Batizov valley. The descent is done by climbing face forward. This is an easy terrain where climbing face first is an advantage because you can see under your feet. I belay clients on the rope all the time.

We descend in reverse order to the ascent so that I can belay effectively at the top end of the group. At the bottom of the Batizov Gully is the Batizov Probe, which is again several crampons and stepping stones in steeper terrain. These need to be climbed face to face with the rock. After overcoming them we get to the bottom of the próba. After passing the last stepping stones and the last traverse we are below the wall, where we untie from the rope.

Next, we descend the trail to the “collection rock” which is a legendary place where old guides in past centuries collected money for leading the climb. At the rock we take a short break again. We put our helmets and saddles back in our backpacks and after a short refreshment we continue our descent through the Batizov valley to the Batizov Ball.

At the Batizovské pleso we connect to the Tatra Highway and continue back to Sliezsky dom. At Sliezský dom the ascent is finished. We shake hands and toast the climb. Non-alcoholic of course 🙂

The same car that took us out in the morning will take us down again to Tatranská Polianka, where we will say goodbye for good.

What will happen after the ascent?

I believe that after the climb will remain unforgettable experiences. To remind you of the climb at any time, I will send you a link to a gallery of all the photos I took during the climb. Feel free to share the photos.

If you like the climb to Gerlachovský štít and would like to do something else, I will be happy to advise you what would be suitable for you. We’ll choose the next climb together and head off to the next adventure in the mountains 🙂