Ostrý Roháč

NW face

Seen from N (centre)

NE face & Jamnicky Tarn

        For the hiker/scrambler, the tastiest bit is the uppermost part of Ostrý Roháč. The top crag is split in half by a distinct cleft called pretty simply Rohacka Szczerbina (Notch). This place can be more dangerous than the locally famous "Rohacki Koń" (koń = horse: some have straddled it, usually in winter, while moving along; it's the most exposed bit of the marked trail of all in the Western Tatras. It sits on the other side of the NE summit of Ostry Rohacz (which is a couple of metres lower than the main, SW summit). Its southern flank just below its edge is very steep but not vertical, however, several metres down there is a sheer drop so those who have no head for heights are out of play, without a shadow of a doubt. Although the holds are good and firm, so that in good summer weather conditions an experienced scrambler does not have to touch the metal chain which secures the passage here, if you lose your grip, whether on the chain or on the rock, you will have no chance of surviving the fall. This is one of the few places between Rohacze and Baníkov where you usually have to wait several minutes till people coming from the other side have passed this little arete, about a dozen metres long. People usually take good care here so I guess more have lost their lives having fallen down from the Notch. There is no chain at the bottom of the Notch, and if you are in a rush, proceeding very fast, you may trip or slip easily and be gone forever.

SW face

S face

E face

Surely it does not make much sense to return along the same route. While studying the map, you will see there is always a better option. To my mind, it is more fun to climb the crest of Ostrý Roháč from north-east to south-west, that is to say from Jamnické sedlo at 1,908m towards the summit of Plačlivé. Several minutes' walk up from the saddle, and you will lose sight of the summit till you pass the secondary, NE summit of Ostrý Roháč. You will not see the "horse" either until it stretches just before you, however, you will sense its tangible presence as soon as you can see the first piece of metal chain. Remember not to start "jogging" after traversing the "horse" and the northeastern summit, as there is the seemingly innocent Notch several metres away. From the Notch, a little scramble (another few metres of chain) will take you to the very top of Ostrý Roháč. Don't be surprised if you see a group of friendly Czech hikers, sipping lager from a can. You'd better not join in, just smile and say "Ahoj" (Czech and Slovak for "Hi"), enjoy a superb panorama, then start to return or carry on heading for Plačlivé, along an easier path (picture below; and above, left: "SW face"), one more short piece of chain you may find helpul, and you get to Roháčske sedlo (1,955m).