The ascent on Gerlach, Apr 9th 2007
And another event like a bolt from the blue.
A week ago, we´d prearranged a go to Tatras. That was called off, so our craving for shooting off helped us to ferret out something else.
A friend of us Korky (thanks Maťo) put his two friends on the map who´d intended to climb Gerlach. Guess! for how long did we perpend it?... right! ...for no time.
And so, we were waiting for a Paťo in the centre the next day who we finally waited to see (it began well). Hello..., hi..., hi... and so we went to collect a Miňo.
In several moments, we were getting out in Tatranská Polianka, and we start a warming up stroll for Sliezsky dom (chalet). The snow began to be abundant.
No later we´d opened that chalet´s door we resorted to the restaurant. "Who´s that dial?" "yeah...an actor!?" - said Paťo. (later on we identified him to be a significant figure of our political stage - Ľ. Kaník, and thereto the owner of that known Tatras´ hut)
"Let´s go to sign in" - some of us said. There we passed through another shock. 690 crowns - the hotel clerk said. "What, please!!!" "I was thinking if I´d heard correctly." "690 SKK?...together?" "No, per man, per night." "Wooow"
That´s the way things are at Sliezsky dom. No matter what they ask, but for a slammer?
OK. We "cooled down" a bit, got to beds, and when waking up it seemed like this:"GET UUUUUUUUP!" "hmmmmmm..." "Fuck! boys!" - hissed Paťo at us. "...the time?" "4:30" "Oh, god!" "Damn it....I´m so..." And in that way we came round and at about 5:30 we were standing at the Velické Tarn.
A brisk wind was blowing and some of us still didn´t know what hit us. But one was clear, we were at the foot of Gerlach, so... what else had been left for us.
From the east, or it may be north-east, we climbed up the Krčmárov gully. The sun was rising gradually. Behind us, Lomničák flaunted itself. The snow is okay.
After about an hour we were just below the Kettle of Gerlach, where some down-running crests and steep slopes with frozen snow had awaited us. Here it was, Miňo was about to shrink back, but at the time he didn´t even guess that the greates philosopher is
by him (all the better he didn´t perish). So all of us went on the way. We moved above the Kettle to the west and then slightly to the north-west.
There we scrambled several avalanche steeps up and down alternately. It could be 3rd - 4th grade of avalanche danger on N and NW slopes. I wonder a bit as well as thank my happy steps we didn´t trigger any snowslide. It was a pure paranoia in some places. After the traverse above the Kettle we reached the Batizovský gully. There, in winter, you conquer a 70° steep with 20m elevation and you´ve got it! Just few steps to see the cross.
It was a game down the gully on heels. We knew that there was 50 - 70m deep sheer declivity with chains yanked out. We had to cope with some sporadic metal rungs. I personally had the hardest time right above that declivity.
There is about 15m long sheer slope covered with almost ice in the winter and below that wall.
Keep cave! Here you can go through some tough situations as well (from our experience).
Regards from Paťo The Leader, Miňo The Pioneer, Ivka The Spirited and me, Miro The Writing.