Western Tatras

Updated on Dec 02, 2023

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Peak Bystrá State/Province Žilina Lesser Poland Elevation 2,248 m Country Slovakia		Countries Slovakia and Poland Borders on Eastern Tatras Highest point Baníkov Parent range Carpathian Mountains

Mountains Kasprowy Wierch, Baníkov, Volovec, Giewont, Brestová Similar Tatra Mountains, High Tatras, Bystrá, Kasprowy Wierch, Low Tatras

Western tatras ridge

The Western Tatras (Slovak: Západné Tatry; Polish: Tatry Zachodnie) are mountains in the Tatras, part of the Carpathian Mountains, located on the Polish-Slovak borders. The mountains border the High Tatras in the east, Podtatranská kotlina in the south, Choč Mountains in the west and Rów Podtatrzański (Slovak: Podtatranská brázda) in the north. The main ridge is 37 kilometers long and the mountain range contains 31 two-thousanders.

Map of Western Tatras, 033 01 Jamn%C3%ADk, Slovakia

Western Tatras are the second highest mountain range both in Poland and Slovakia; its highest peak is Bystrá at 2,248 meters. Other notable mountains include Jakubiná (2,194 m), Baranec (2,184 m), Baníkov (2,178 m), Tri kopy (2,136.3 m), Plačlivé (2,125.1 m), Ostrý Roháč (2,087.5 m), Volovec (Polish: Wołowiec; 2,064 m), Kasprowy Wierch (Slovak: Kasprov vrch; 1,987 m) and Giewont (1,894 m). In Slovakia, they are partially located in the traditional regions of Liptov and Orava. The highest point in Poland is Starorobociański Wierch (2,176 m).

All visitors to the Western Tatras area in Slovakia are obliged since July 1, 2006 to cover all costs of their rescue by the Mountain Rescue Service. Visitors are prohibited from leaving the marked tourist routes, sleeping in the mountains or setting fire are strictly prohibited.

Freeride western tatras

Division

The Western Tatras are subdivided into 6 regions on the Slovak side and 4 on the Polish side.

Slovak Western Tatras:

Osobitá (highest point: Osobitá, 1 687 m)

Sivý vrch (highest point: Sivý vrch, 1 805 m)

Liptovské Tatry (highest point: Bystrá, 2 248 m)

Roháče (highest point: Baníkov, 2 178 m)

Červené vrchy (highest point: Kresanica / Krzesanica, 2 122 m)

Liptovské kopy (highest point: Veľká kopa, 2 122 m)

Polish Western Tatras:

Grześ

Kasprowy Wierch

Czerwone Wierchy (corresponds to Červené vrchy, highest point: Kresanica / Krzesanica, 2 122 m)

Ornak

Geology and ecology

The Western Tatras are protected by Tatranský národný park in Slovakia and Tatrzański Park Narodowy in Poland.

Peaks

The following is a list of the highest 10 of the 31 two-thousanders in Western Tatras:

Saddles (cols)

Pálenica (1 570 m)

Parichvost (1 870 m)

Baníkovské sedlo (2 045 m)

Smutné sedlo (1 965 m)

Žiarske sedlo (1 917,1 m)

Jamnícke sedlo (1 908 m)

Račkovo sedlo (1 958 m)

Gáborovo sedlo (1 890 m)

Bystré sedlo (1 960 m)

Pyšné sedlo (1 791,6 m)

Tomanovské sedlo (1 685,9 m)

Ľaliové sedlo (1 951,8 m)

Tarns

There are approximately 20 to 32 tarns (Slovak: pleso) in Western Tatras. The exact number is difficult to obtain because of lack of an exact definition and because it is sometimes hard to prove what is a tarn and what is not. The following is a list of 15 largest tarns in Western Tatras:

Caves

Jaskinia Wielka Śnieżna, the largest and deepest cave in Poland

Brestovská cave, uniquely features an underground river (not accessible to the public)

Tourism

There are four tourist centers inside the Western Tatras area: Zverovka, Brestová and Ťatliakova chata in the northern region and Žiarska chata in the southern region. All other tourist centers lie at the outside borders of the mountains, including: Oravice, Zuberec, Bobrovecká vápenica, Žiar, Konská, Jakubovany-Studená dolina, Pribylina, Podbanské.

References

Western Tatras Wikipedia

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