Mięguszowiecki Szczyt Czarny/Východný Mengusovský štít

Mięguszowiecki Szczyt Czarny (Polish)     Východný Mengusovský štit (Slovak)

Keleti-Menguszfalvi-csúcs (Hungarian)    Östliche Mengsdorfer Spitze (German)

is the most easily accessible summit in the Mięguszowieckie/Mengusovske Peaks group and for this reason it is frequently visited, more often by hikers than rock climbers. According to the most recent measurements the elevation of the summit is 2404m. Older Slovak sources claimed it was 2398m, whereas old Polish sources asserted that it was 2410m. The summit is within reach of the hiker, the normal route requires YDS Class 3 scrambling, but it does not mean an ascent of the peak cannot be dangerous. The southern slopes are unstable, prone to rock avalanches and rockfalls. On 28 August 2016, under perfect weather conditions, a lone hiker was killed by a rock avalanche. Please see this chapter too. Guides from Zakopane first led tourists to the summit of Mięguszowiecki Szczyt Czarny/Východný Mengusovský štít in the 19th century. The first winter ascent was made by Mieczysław Lerski and Jerzy Maślanka in 1910.

Mięguszowieckie/Mengusovske Peaks were named after the southern valley whose headwall they form, and in turn the name of the valley comes from the Slovak village of Mengusovce, whose inhabitants owned the valley and grazed their livestock in it before the Tatras became a national park. The Polish adjective 'czarny' translates as 'black'. This part of the name of the peak derives from the tarn at its north foot, i.e. Czarny Staw (Black Tarn), whose surface is dark most of the day as it is shadowed by the peaks that surround it. The Slovak adjective 'východný' means 'eastern'.

The peak lies on the main ridge of the High Tatras, on the Polish-Slovak border. It is the easternmost peak in the Mięguszowieckie Peaks group. It is separated from Mięguszowiecki Szczyt Pośredni/Prostredný Mengusovský štit by Mięguszowiecka Przełęcz pod Chłopkiem/Mengusovské sedlo, and from Hińczowa Turnia/Hincova veža (the westernmost peak of Wołowy Grzbiet/Volí chrbát) by Czarnostawiańska Przełęcz/Východné Mengusovské sedlo. From a climber's perspective, Mięguszowiecki Szczyt Czarny has a few important walls. The north, the east and the southwest walls reach the crest of the mountain. But the revered one lies a few hundred metres northeast of the summit: To the northeast the mountain puts out a short spur with a buttress called Kazalnica Mięguszowiecka (Mięguszowiecki's Pulpit), whose 500-metre-high wall, which drops into Czarny Staw (Black Tarn), boasts some of the most difficult trad routes in all of the Tatras. 

The summit offers spectacular panoramic views, especially of nearby Mięguszowiecki Szczyt Wielki/Veľký Mengusovský štít, Rysy and Wysoka/Vysoká.

From Poland

From Morskie Oko take the red stripe trail (the eastern variant is a bit shorter) to Czarny Staw (Black Tarn), from where the green marks will lead you to Mięguszowiecka Przełęcz pod Chłopkiem (literally Pass under the Little Bloke) or Mengusovské sedlo (the Slovak name): Please see this page. From the pass, in theory you can only continue with a licensed Tatra guide (see the Red Tape chapter). At the pass turn east and follow a distinct path traversing the south side of the mountain (photo above) and (year 2023) marked with plenty of cairns, for about ten minutes. This path, generally horizontal, dips slightly at first and after a while more sharply but only for a dozen vertical metres until it gets to a rib beyond which there is a large, outstanding chute. 

Climb up the rib to the crest. (If you run into a tricky step, there should be a convenient detour nearby - just have a closer look around.) Follow the crest and in a couple of minutes you will stand at the very summit.

Route statistics

Time up: Morskie Oko Hut to Przełęcz pod Chłopkiem/Mengusovské sedlo: 3-3.5hrs; Przełęcz pod Chłopkiem to the summit: 30min

Back the same way: 2.5-3hrs

Net elevation gain: 1,000m Total elevation gain: approx. 1,020m

Rock difficulty: Polish grade 0+ / YDS class 3 

From Slovakia

The mountain is less often climbed from the Slovak side. There used to be a waymarked trail (its green marks still show on the rocks there) that led from the southeastern shore of Veľké Hincovo pleso to Mengusovské sedlo, but it was closed years ago due to a serious rockfall hazard. The route is marked with red dots here on www.sprievodca.ta3.szm.com/

Route statistics

Time up: Popradské Pleso Hotel to Mengusovské sedlo/Przełęcz pod Chłopkiem: 3.5hrs Mengusovské sedlo to the summit: 20-30min

Back the same way: over 3hrs

Net elevation gain: 916m Total elevation gain: almost the same

Rock difficulty: Polish grade 0+ / YDS class 3-4

Another relatively easy route (YDS class 3 or 4 depending on the variant), also threatened by falling rocks, branches off the once waymarked trail so as to climb the chute descending from Czarnostawiańska Przełęcz/Východné Mengusovské sedlo. From the saddle you can either follow the ridge to the summit or traverse the southern side of the mountain until you get to the normal route from Mięguszowiecka Przełęcz pod Chłopkiem/Mengusovské sedlo.

Poland 

Polana Palenica, where you will most likely be entering the national park, lies east of Zakopane, 12km away as the crow flies and nearly 25km away by road. Zakopane sits at the foot of the Tatra Mountains about 100km south of Kraków, where there's an international airport. (BTW The city of Kraków certainly boasts one of the most interesting old towns in East Central Europe.) It should take you less than two hours to drive from Kraków to Zakopane, but at the weekend or in high season, it often takes more than 3.5hrs, which is how long a journey by train lasts. As for the buses, check out this website. (The station adjoins the central railway station 'Kraków Główny'.)

In Zakopane, minibuses to Polana Palenica (car park and bus/minibus terminus) leave from in front of the entrance to the railway station. Polana Palenica sits in the valley of River Białka, at about 985m. If you go by car, the only possible way to pay for parking is online.

From Polana Palenica you walk up the valley along the same tarmac road (later with several shortcuts marked with red stripes) for about 1hr 45min (nearly 9km), making an ascent of 410m, until you get to the hut that sits by Morskie Oko. (About 25min before Morskie Oko is Polana Włosienica, where you can also get by horse-drawn wagon. A few hundred metres past the place is a restaurant with decent toilets next to it.)

Slovakia 

From a resort called Štrbské Pleso, built at the namesake lake (1346m), or the train (tram) stop Popradské Pleso (1245m) you will be walking north for about 1hr 15min (5 or 4km) along a waymarked trail until you get to the hut by a tarn called Popradské pleso, which sits at 1494m. The trail from Štrbské Pleso, marked with red stripes, is just a tad longer but it is very scenic.

Poland

• Schronisko przy Morskim Oku at 1410m. It has two buildings: the 'new' one (built over a hundred years ago), which resembles a mountain hotel, and the 'old' one - in fact the oldest existing mountain hut in the Polish Tatras, which has an unforgettable ambience
• Roztoka Hut at 1031m - a truly atmospheric place, one of the very best mountain huts in Poland, located 1.5hrs walk from Morskie Oko, 15min off the road connecting Polana Palenica with Morskie Oko
• Szałasiska campsite for rock climbers at about 1350m, just above Polana Włosienica - a rudimentary campsite that offers places in tents in summer

Morskie Oko Hut

Roztoka Hut

Popradské Pleso Hotel

Slovakia

• Horský Hotel Popradské Pleso at 1494m; unlike all the above facilities, it sits to the south of the main ridge of the Tatras

In high season expect all the huts (and the campsite) to be fully booked. You must book a bed online. In the good old days the huts normally offered a place on the floor but this isn't the case any longer.

As for the analog maps, there are plenty of options. I would recommend the plastic 1:25,000 map of the Polish and Slovak Tatras by WiT. It has a large scale, is waterproof, durable and cheap.

Hiking

Poland

You must keep to the waymarked trails. After dark you are supposed to leave the national park unless you are staying in a mountain hut.

Slovakia

The same as in Poland plus that the trails above the mountain huts are closed to hikers from 1 November to 31 May.

Climbing Off Marked Trail

Poland

You do not need to be a member of a climbing club. Just before your climb, you should write it into the register kept in a nearby mountain hut. You can also register your climb online. (Make sure you sign out on return!) During the approach you must stick to the traditional routes described in climber's guides. You can only climb during the day. Bivouacking on the wall is only allowed in an emergency.

Slovakia (important changes as of 2024!)

• for routes at UIAA grade I or II you must have proof of completing a relevant course in climbing/mountaineering skills (unless you have hired a licensed guide)
• you can use only the traditional routes described in climber's guides
• you must be a member of an association affiliated with the UIAA
• you must be able to produce proof of identity
• you must be carrying/wearing appropriate climbing gear
• before your climb you must register it online (via the national park page)
• you are supposed to have knowledge of the route
• you can climb only during the day
• bivouacking is not permitted
• climbing is not allowed from 16 April to May 31 and in some places also from 1 November to 14 December. Some areas (mainly nature reserves) are permanently closed to any human visitors.

• The peak can be climbed all year round. Summer and early autumn often offer favourable conditions. In high season as well as at weekends expect huge crowds on both the Polish and the Slovak approach trails described in chapter 4
• Current weather conditions and live webcam views
• Forecast for Zakopane
• Avalanches?
• Conditions on the trails in Polish 
• Warning: In Slovakia - unlike in Poland - those who do not have commercial insurance have to pay for any rescue services rendered by Mountain Rescue Service (HZS). Membership of the Austrian Alpine Club (Österreichischer Alpenverein) sorts the problem out. For Polish mountain rescue (TOPR) call 601 100 300, for HZS call 18 300