Through Batizovska Proba

Approach

The most popular base for climbing in Gerlach area stays Sliezsky Dom mountain hotel (hotel prices...) situated upon shores of Velicke Pleso lake
in Velicka Valley just under the massif .
It is easily accessible by many marked routes leading there from Stary Smokovec or Tatranska Polianka (about 2 h of nice walk-up through forests) .
After buying special permit You can even get to the hotel by car using an asphalt road reaching Velicka Valley from Tatranska Polianka .

By summertime (long day) You can obvoiusly think of climbing Gerlach Peak staying accomodated somewhere lower ...Smokovec ,Strbske Pleso ,
Nova Lesna ,Poprad or anywhere in the area .
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Sliezsky Dom Chalet(1667) - Batizovske Pleso lake(1879)

Magistrala Trail, red marks, 3.5 km, 1h
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Altitude difference : 1000 m

Duration : 4 1/2 h

Trail length : 5.5 km

Trailhead : Batizovske Pleso lake(1879)

Officially Gerlach peak is "legally" accessible by tourist routes (to UIAA II)only with service of licensed Tatra guide ...

Gerlach Tatra Guides

Route Description

From the SE shore of Batizovske Pleso lake by its eastern shore on huge boulder rocks to its northern shore .
From this point by the bottom of Batizovska Valley first among huge rocks then by a long ,narrow ,almost horizontal ,grassy perch till slopes
of Vysne Batizovske Spady (crossing little stream) - partly rocky ,steep threshold of the right branch of Batizovska Valley .
The path climbs it over onto screes of wide terrace (ca.2150) situated between characteristic crag of Kostolik (left) and Gerlach massif (right)
just next to the characteristically white rocks of Biela Stena (White Wall) and Batizovska Proba situated higher above the place .
Clear seen and marked with stone heaps path led us easily to this point of the way .
From the terrace our trail goes right (east) up by screes or (very often) snowfields to the bottom of white rocks of so called White Wall mentioned above
(15 min. ,2187 m asl).
As far as the orientation in the first ,valley part of the route is concerned it is the key point to continue the trip to the summit .
In good conditions climbing the rocks of Biela Stena is not very demanding using solid rock stairs and small ledges into zigzaks (brackets and chains) .
Then traversing left into a narrow, rocky gutter .
Climbing the gutter, after its fork further by the left branch higher and higher slightly to the left (chains) till the foothill of well seen on the right 6 m high
vertical wall of Batizovska Proba(ca.2250) which we climb in exposition with help of steel brackets . It is the most technically demanding point of the route .
Above Proba several metres of walk-up to the left by a little scree couloir and through a low rib to the edge of Batizovsky Couloir a bit above its lower cliff
(30 min.) .Now following clear path shortly walking up by the right side of the couloir and then crossing the couloir to its left side .
Climbing longer time higher and higher along the couloir closely to its bottom by grass-rocky terrain till it's accessible .
Next crossing the couloir to the right and climbing further by crumbly, rocky perch (little rocky gutters) and taking the couloir's right shore just below cliffy
rocks till the place where Batizovsky Couloir expands itself into a little pot-hole nearby SE Gerlach ridge .
From this point one can climb straight to the ridge (the highest section of the couloir) to a little pass from where by huge rocks of the ridge left to the main summit or the second possibility is to walk-up just several metres by the couloir and then to its opposite side and climbing quite steep but well formed
rocky gutter chowing into southern summit wall to the main Gerlach summit (2655) (15 min.) .

Guided groups usually climb the peak from Velicka Valley (through Velicka Proba) ,using the route described here as a descent way .

Essential Gear

In summer conditions (dry rock ,no steep snowfields) : solid hiking/trekking boots ,waterproofs ...

In winter : ice axe ,crampons ...full alpine equipment

High mountain experience absolutely essential !

Miscellaneous Info

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