Kezmarsky Stit : Climbing, Hiking & Mountaineering : SummitPost

Overview

Kežmarský Štit is the one of the highest summit in High Tatra and the one of the easiest available Tatra’ “gigants”. Already in XVII century it was visited by tourists and it was known till three routes leading on the top! Today it is visited in great numbers, too. Especially because of a nearby distance from a marked trail and an easy access.

tytuł
Kežmarský Štit from Vel'ká Vidlová Veža

Kežmarský Štit lies in a long lateral ridge, which detaches from the main ridge of Tatra Mountains on Vyšná Barania Stražnicá / Wyżni Barani Zwornik and include such fames summits like Lomnický Štit, Pyšný Štit and Baranié Rohy. Kežmarský Štit ascends over Skalnatá / Łomnicka Valley in the south direction, Huncovská / Huncowska Valley in the east and Vel’ká Zmrzlá / Dzika Valley in the west (more exactly its south branch – Medená Kotlina / Miedziana Kotlina). It is separated from Vidlový Hrebeň / Grań Wideł by Kežmarská Štrbina / Kieżmarska Przełęcz (in south-west direction), from Malý Kežmarský Štit by Vyšná Kežmarská Štrbina / Wyżnia Kieżmarska Przełęcz (north) and from Huncovský Štit / Huncowski Szczyt by Huncovské Sedlo / Huncowska Przełęcz.

A view from the top in the west direction is limited because of a near neighbourhood of such summits like Lomnický Štit, Pyšný Štit, Baranié Rohy, but it is the best point for panorama on a surroundings of Vel’ká Zmrzlá Valley. In the north direction you can admire whole Belanske Tatry. At the foot in the east the Spiš arranges – very interesting historical province of Slovak Republic.

The Slovak and Polish name of this summit comes from Bielej Vody Kežmarskej / Kieżmarska Valley and this from the one of Spiš’ towns, which was an owner of this area.

First ascend

Kežmarský Štit was visited by tourists already in XVII century. In this time it was known till three routes leading on the top! David Frölich, a student from Kežmarok and later a fames mathematician, was the first known by name tourist which reached the summit with his two school warkmates (1615) and a guide. He described this trip in his book Medulla geographie practice in 1639 year. But probably hunters from Spiš were the first concquerors of this summit.

In 1654 year there were cans with parchment sheets on the summit to sign in tourist which reached the top. This tradition is continued till today by Horska Zachranna Sluzba which leaves notebooks on tops to sign in.

In XVIII century Kežmarský Štit was forgotten and visited seldom. Just in second half of XIX century tourist started to ascend on this summit again. But till today nearby Lomnický Štit is a big competition, especially since the day they open a cable-car leading on this top :).
In winter Guenter Dyhrenfurth and Alfred Martin reached the summit as the first in 1906.

Getting There

FROM SLOVAKIAN SIDE:

The major city in this area is Poprad, where you can get by bus or train. From Poprad there is a lot of buses and trains to Stary Smokovec (13km) at the foot of Tatra:
train time table
bus time table
train time table from Poprad to Stary Smokovec Tatranská elektrická železnica

Maps of Stary Smokovec and Tatranska Lomnica

FROM POLISH SIDE:

The best point to stars the journey is Zakopane – the biggest town on Polish side of Tatra Mountains. You can get there from Kraków by bus (most recommended), car or train:
By bus: there are a lot of buses from Kraków to Zakopane - time table of PKS and private lines Frey and Szwagropol.
By train: the road is much longer and dearer than by bus - time table from Kraków 0.00-11.59 a.m., 12.00-11.59 p.m. and from Zakopane.
By car: from Kraków take a road number 7 to Chyżne and follow it to Rabka. Here this road turn right to Chyżne, but you follow still straight a head in south direction by road number 95. In Poronin 5 km before Zakopane turn left (east) to border crossing point in Łysa Polana.

From Zakopane take a bus to Polana Palenica (time table of PKS, in high season there are a lot of private buses, too – a station is opposite to PKS) and get off in Lysa Polana. Cross the polish-slovak border . Bus station on Slovak side is about 100m after border crossing point on the right. Take bus to Poprad, which goes through Bela Voda, Tatranska Lomnica and Stary Smokovec (time table) and get off in Bela Voda.

IN MOUNTAIN:

Approach to Chata pri Zelenom Plese:
Take a bus from Stary Smokovec to Lysa Pol’ana and get off in Bela Voda. There is only a little parking-place among a forest and beginning of yellow marked trail, leading to Chata pri Zelenom Plese (about 2 h 45 min).

Approach to Skalnata Chata:
Take a green-marked trail from Tatranska Lomnica to Skalnata Chata (about 2 h 15 min) or take a cable-car (time table and price) – 12 min.

Routes overview

NORMAL ROUTS:

From Skalnata Chata - the shortest and the easiest route on the summit.
From Chata pri Zelenom Plese - a longer but interesting route, by the way you visit Maly Kezmarsky Stit, too.

CLIMBING ROUTS:

South wall (general TOPO 1 and TOPO 2):
1. Pravým pilierom steny (III) 3h
2. Pochylého platne (VI/A4 RP:8-) 9h.(3h.) TOPO
3. Žlté strechy (VI/A4 RP:8) 21h.(4h.) TOPO
4. Ľavým vhĺbením - Puškáš (IV) 3-4h.
5. Variant v platni (IV)
6. In memoriam Čondl - Rose (V/A2 RP:7) 6h. TOPO
7. Obrovský kút (VI/A4, RP:6-) 8h. (kút 3h.) TOPO
8. Birkenmajerova cesta (IV) 4h. TOPO
9. Kriššákove platne (V+/A2 RP:6-) 6h. TOPO
10. Lipka -Swiecicki (V) 5h. TOPO
11. Pravým vhĺbením - Puškáš (V) 3h.
12. Pravým pilierom steny (IV) 4h.
13. Martiš - Špánik (V/A0) 7h. TOPO
14. Blche na pamiatku (V+) TOPO
15. Total free jazz (VIII) 3-4h. TOPO
16. Tulák po hviezdach (VIII-) 3h TOPO
17. Pravým okrajom obrovského kúta (V+/A3) 10h. TOPO
18. Vyhliadková cesta (V+/A2) 5h. TOPO
19. Fialov kút (VI-) 3h. TOPO
20. Jašterica (V+) 3h. TOPO
21. Čertova svadba (IX-) TOPO
22. Cesta do hôr (VIII-) ?h TOPO

Maps

Map of Kežmarský Štit' area

Tatry Wysokie, in scale 1:25 000, description in 6 languages, ISBN 83-87873-26-8, available in all shops in Zakopane. Here you can look at net version.
A high quality maps in scales 1:25 000 and 1:50 000 are produced VKU Harmanec, too. They are available at all chalets and shops in cities under Vysoke Tatry.

When To Climb

The best time is a summer and early autumn (july-september). But Kežmarský Štit is available all the year.

Red Tape

The “High Tatra” is a National park, UN Bioheritage area and a European BioHeritage - if you are not a member of any climbing club you can move only on marked trails - so you can visit Kežmarský Štit only with Tatra guide.

In winter time (from November the 1st – June the 15th) The Tatra Mountains in slovakian part are closed for normal tourists.

For more informations look at High Tatra/Vysoke Tatry GROUP page .
For climbing regulations look at Gerlachovsky Stit page.

Accommodation

There are two chalets near by Kežmarský Štit:

Chata pri Zelenom Plese (“Brincalka”) situated in Bielej Vody Kezmarskej (Kiezmarska) Valley on the eastern bank of the Green Mountain-Lake („Zelene Pleso”). Chalet is opened all the year for hiking, climbing and ski mountaineering.
Access from:
· Tatranske Matliare, blue marked path (3 h 30 min)
· Bela Voda, yellow marked trail (2 h 45 min)
· Skalnate Pleso, red marked trail (2 h 15 min)
· Tatranska Kotlina through Chata Plesnivec, green/red trail (3 h 30 min)
· Tatranska Javorina through Kopske Sedlo, blue/red marked trail (4 h)
Contact:
Telephone: ++421-52-4467420
mobile: ++421-903-467420
Email: jgantner@stonline.sk

Skalnata Chata situated in Lomnicka Valley on the eastern shore of Skalnate Pleso. Chalet is opened all the year for hiking, climbing and ski mountaineering.
Access from:
· TatranskLomnica, green-marked trail (2 h)
· Chata pri Zelenom Plese, red-marked trail (2 h)
· Hrebienok, red-marked trail (2 h)
Contact:
Telephone: ++421-52-4467075

Absolutely no camping is permitted in the nature park. The nearest camping is in Stara Lesna and Tatranska Lomnica.

There are plenty of cheap hotels and pensions in the area of Stary Smokovec and Tatranska Javorina.
accomodation

Mountain Conditions

Web forecast:
situation at this moment and forecast

Information of avalanche danger:
TOPR (in English) and HZS

Rescue:
On Slovakian side acts HZS (Horska Zachranna Sluzba)
Starý Smokovec 23, 059 60 Vysoké Tatry
phon.: 052/4422820, fax: 052/4422855,
mobil: 0903624869
e-mail: vtatry@hzs.sk
www.hzs.sk

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