Hi,

My husband and I are planning on visiting High Tatras 17 - 25 September.

Could someone advise some must-does there, please? We are not intending to climb UIAA routes. We intend to hike around and climb paths II- III UIAA at most if needed to summit some peaks. We are UIAA members.

Good luck. It's been unseasonably cold lately, and the snowline is down to 1600-1700 metres. Axe and crampons are near-necessary to summit anything which doesn't involve riding the cable car up...

I was just there last weekend, and on 2K there was 20 cm snow, at 2600 almost a metre.
Keep a close eye on the weather forecasts, (I can advise http://www.meteo.pl and choose the UM model - it only works for 48 hours in advance, but with 4 km resolution, it's very accurate)

And drop by for a beer when you're in Kraków

how long do you stay ? do you plan to hike a long route, or make day hikes from one point ?

visentin wrote:how long do you stay ? do you plan to hike a long route, or make day hikes from one point ?

We have 6-7 days for hiking. Having in mind that we'll come by a car, most probably we are looking for a place to leave the car and use it as a main point for hikes. Then move to another point and again hike around. We don't know the region and we are not sure what long hikes we can make and catch a bus back to the car.

Thanks, Proterra, for the info.

It's rather useful. We would not have thought of taking the crampons and ice-axes in September, but we'll definitely do.

May I advise then to stay here and buy a map
http://www.summitpost.org/logistical-ce ... -diar.html
Pleinty of trailheads not far nearby to some of the most gorgeous parts of the Tatras :
- Trail to Zelene Pleso
- Trail to Kopské Sedlo via the Tatry Belianské
- Javorova Dolina
- Bielovodska Dolina (Tatra's best !)
- Dolina Pieciu Stawow (avoid Morskie Oko)
- Rusinowa Polana...
And many more...
a fine map here :
http://www.mapytatr.net/PRODUKTY/MAPY_T ... wys_ii.htm

Thanks!

Weekend is coming within the predictable term...

Saturday afternoon:

Freezing level at around 2,500, 7C at 850 Hpa (roughly 1490 metres)

Probably snow/ice free up until 2000-2100.




Sunday early morning:

Freezing level at around 2,300, 4C at 850 Hpa (1490m)




Sunday afternoon:

Freezing level at around 2,700, 5C at 850 Hpa (1510m) - 1200 metres between the 5C and the freezing level gives us a lapse rate of around 4C/km. model also shows shit moving in from the north. This is how a "closing window" looks like... if you ask me...




This is the 12Z run of GFS. This run was posted at 17CET on September 13th, and will be valid until 23CET on Spetember 13th, 2010. Afterwards, images will reload with the next run, and may not show data consistent with my explanation anymore!

I see that you also use Westwind Proteterra !

This is how the weather was like last weekend.

Thanks for explanations, pictures and the story.

We are really reconsidering if and where to go in the High Tatras because of the snow conditions.

bubuto wrote:Thanks for explanations, pictures and the story.

We are really reconsidering if and where to go in the High Tatras because of the snow conditions.

May I advise to go the the western Tatras, or possibly the low Tatras, more accessible in case of snowy conditions

Tatra weather forecast, by Clint, Friday 17.09.2010

Saturday will be a beautiful day, a bit windy in the afternoon, but overall great conditions.

High temperature: 2500m: 2C, 1900m: 6C, 1200m: 12C.

Possibly some afternoon cloud formation above 2300 metres, as the temperature will intersect the dewpoint here, but if the morning clouds clear earlier, or the air turns out to be only a little bit drier, there is a chance for cloud-free summits.

Saturday night: Under a clear sky, with little wind and above a snow cover it will cool down rapidly in the Tatry. Towards Sunday morning more moisture will make it's way in, and this will be more pronounced on Sunday: not enough for a wasted day, but certainly enough to keep the summits in the clouds above 2200 metres, as the day progresses this will decrease to roughly 1700-1800 metres. 1 to 2 centimetres of fresh snow is not ruled out above 2000 metres. from Sunday late afternoon on.

Sunday: Low temperature (will likely be reached around 4am): 2500m: -9C, 1900m: -5C, 1200m: 0C. In corries above roughly 1800 metres temperatures might dip down below -12C due to displacement of warmer air by cold air sliding down the mountains.

High temperatures Sunday afternoon: 2500m: 1C, 1900m: 4C, 1200m: 8C

Thanks to all for the input.
We finally decided and went to Turkey hearing the news in this forum. We climbed Demirkazik and Ercyes.
Hopefully we can go to the Tatras next summer or this winter ski touring.