Ďumbier (2,046 m) and Chopok (2,024 m) – The Highest Peaks of the Low Tatras

Did you know that the Tatras are not the only Slovak mountain range where you can find peaks exceeding 2,000 meters? Just to the south, on the other side of the vast Liptov Basin, stretches the massive ridge of the Low Tatras. Its highest peaks – Ďumbier and Chopok – reach 2,046 m a.s.l. and 2,024 m a.s.l., respectively. The latter is more widely known due to the largest ski resort in the entire Carpathians being situated on its slopes. In this post, I will describe a trip from the village of Demänovská Dolina to both of these summits. You are cordially invited!

Table of Contents

• Starting from Demänovská Dolina
• Ascent to Krúpove sedlo (1,890 m a.s.l.)
• Ďumbier (2,046 m a.s.l.) – The Summit
• Ridge Hike from Ďumbier to Chopok
• Chopok (2,024 m a.s.l.) – The Summit
• Descending from Chopok
• Trip Map

Starting from Demänovská Dolina

Shortly after 10:00 AM, we arrive in four cars at the P4 Lúčky parking lot in Demänovská Dolina (approx. 940 m a.s.l.). In the winter season, this large area is almost always packed to the brim with cars. Today, however, it is quite empty, and no parking fee is even collected. Our large group of 14 people sets off on the green trail. The route runs through Suchá Dolina along the Demänovka river. For the first two kilometers, we walk along a wide dirt road, gaining about 200 meters of elevation. The vegetation around the trail is relatively sparse, which allows us to enjoy the idyllic panoramas of the highest parts of the Low Tatras from the very first minutes of the hike. Ahead of us, we see the main ridge, and to the left, a branch ridge with peaks such as Tanečnica (1,681 m a.s.l.) or Prašivá (1,667 m a.s.l.). The trail markings are somewhat average, which I find out when I manage to get slightly lost after staying “on the side” for a moment.

After two kilometers, the trail narrows, and the Demänovka river becomes a mere stream at best. A few minutes later, we enter a dense spruce forest, starting a more ambitious gain of elevation. We emerge from the trees only at a level of approx. 1,420 m a.s.l. The landscape around us now consists of the last spruces, the first patches of dwarf pine, and grassy slopes. At this moment, it hits me with full force how extraordinary the place I have the pleasure of visiting is. Suchá Dolina makes a huge impression on me – surrounded by majestic ridges and beautifully decorated with autumn colors. Ah… and those vast spaces…

By the way, the Low Tatras are considered wild, hard-to-reach mountains, only slightly touched by the destructive hand of man. The vast majority of the range is protected under the Low Tatras National Park (NAPANT), the second-largest national park in Slovakia (covering 728 km², only 10 km² smaller than TANAP – the Slovak Tatra National Park). We will only feel the wildness of these mountains to a limited extent today – Ďumbier and Chopok are, after all, very popular peaks.

Ascent to Krúpove sedlo (1,890 m a.s.l.)

After leaving the forest, we begin the most physically demanding part of today’s trek: we cover as much as 500 meters of elevation gain over a distance of two kilometers. At first, the trail follows a narrow, dirt path. After a dozen minutes of marching, our path turns into a solid stone walkway. In this way, with numerous zig-zags, we laboriously climb up the slope. With every meter of altitude, the vast space of Suchá Dolina becomes even more impressive. At an altitude of approx. 1,820 m a.s.l., our route is crossed by the yellow trail, which runs along a branch ridge leading north from the summit of Krúpová hoľa. When visiting these areas, it is worth knowing that due to nature conservation, this trail is seasonally closed from October 1st to June 30th.

At 12:30 PM, we reach the main ridge of the Low Tatras, specifically the Krúpove sedlo pass (1,890 m a.s.l.), which separates the nearby Krúpová hoľa (1,922 m a.s.l.) from Ďumbier. We can see our destination for today very clearly from here. The summit of Ďumbier is quite characteristic: gentle from the south and cut by a steep rocky cliff from the north. By the way, this arrangement of the summit dome will always remind me of the Norwegian Glittertind for some reason. Until now, we were walking almost in solitude, but at the pass, the tourist traffic increases significantly. This is hardly surprising: the weather is good, and besides our trail, the ridge trail from Chopok and the route from the General Milan Rastislav Štefánik Hut (very popular among those climbing Ďumbier from the southern side) also converge at Krúpove sedlo. Furthermore, the ascent from the pass is the only trail-based (and thus legal) way to reach the highest peak of the Low Tatras.

Ďumbier (2,046 m a.s.l.) – The Summit

At the pass, we take the red trail, which follows a part of the main ridge of the Low Tatras. The section from Krúpove sedlo to the summit of Ďumbier is only one kilometer long, requires overcoming about 120 meters of elevation, and follows a comfortable stone walkway the entire way. We cover this section quite efficiently, already thirsty for beautiful views and good food at the summit. Interestingly, some of the tourists we pass are hiking with their pets. They do this completely legally – the regulations of the Low Tatras National Park are quite liberal and allow dogs on the trails provided they are on a leash and wearing a muzzle.

We reach the summit of Ďumbier (2,046 m a.s.l.) a few minutes before 1:00 PM, less than three hours after leaving the P4 Lúčky parking lot. I reach the highest point of the Low Tatras together with Martyna, Jaromir, Jagoda, and Zosia. The rest of our group goes directly from Krúpove sedlo to Chopok.

There are many people at the summit, but fortunately, we manage to find some free space on a rock. At the top stands a characteristic double Lorraine cross, one of the symbols of Slovakia, also present in the country’s coat of arms. Crosses of this type supposedly arrived here with Cyril and Methodius during the Christianization of Great Moravia in the 9th century. Regarding the views, Ďumbier is definitely a solid 10/10. The most impressive is the panorama to the north: the intimidatingly clear line of the Tatras, with the massive Liptov Basin below. In the foreground, we have the rocky cliff dropping sharply towards three glacial cirques. From this height, the size of the local valleys, stretching for almost 20 kilometers, is also very impressive!

To the left of the Tatras, we see the Choč Mountains in all their glory with the protruding Veľký Choč, and behind them – the Orava Magura and the Malá Fatra. To the west, in the foreground, we notice the further course of the main ridge of the Low Tatras (with Chopok at the lead), and in the distance – the Veľká Fatra, which we had the opportunity to explore yesterday. Finally, to the east looms Štiavnica (2,025 m a.s.l.), which some consider a side peak of Ďumbier, while others see it as a separate summit, the second-highest in the Low Tatras. There is no marked tourist trail to Štiavnica, but it can be reached via a trodden path. Looking further in this direction, we see the peaks of the eastern part of the Low Tatras – the so-called Kráľovohoľské Tatras. To the south, the view is slightly less impressive, looking over ranges within the Slovak Ore Mountains (including Poľana and the Vepor Mountains). And who knows? Maybe on the very horizon looms the Hungarian Kékes?

Ridge Hike from Ďumbier to Chopok

We spend nearly 40 minutes on the summit of Ďumbier, taking in the views and emptying our backpacks. Then, we continue the march along the main ridge towards our next goal, Chopok. We return to Krúpove sedlo and then descend to the quite deep Demänovské sedlo pass (1,756 m a.s.l.), which separates Krúpová hoľa from the peak of Konské (1,875 m a.s.l.). We are now walking along a red-marked section of the most important Slovak long-distance trail – the Trail of the Heroes of the Slovak National Uprising (Cesta hrdinov SNP). The path is wide and comfortable, making our ridge walk a truly pleasant experience. Along the entire trail, we are surrounded by fantastic views and charmingly open spaces.

From Demänovské sedlo, we begin a moderately demanding ascent to Konské. However, the trail does not lead to the very summit of the mountain but instead traverses it from the southern side. In this way, we emerge onto a small saddle separating Konské from Chopok. At this stage, our trail turns into a comfortable stone walkway. Ahead of us are the last 170 meters of elevation gain, condensed into one kilometer of walking.

During the ascent, our attention is drawn to two tourists: a father and son. The son seems to be in terrible condition: staggering, unable to speak, suffering from cramps. His father is clearly trying to “drag” him to the summit, but it looks quite precarious. We stop and try to communicate. Though the languages are similar, communication with the Slovak is difficult. We decide to speed up so as to inform the rescuers at the summit as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, at this time, there are no medics at Chopok. So we return to the unfortunate hikers – fortunately, they are already a bit higher. Despite earlier resistance, the father calls for rescuers. Ultimately, both men reach the summit of Chopok and head for the cable car. Though it was already closed, it was restarted in emergency mode, and the tourists were safely brought down. Why am I writing this at all? As a warning that mountains should never be underestimated! The tourists we met were clearly not physically prepared for the route they chose. It ended only with a scare, but it could have been much worse…

Chopok (2,024 m a.s.l.) – The Summit

Chopok (2,024 m a.s.l.), on the other hand, is a very developed mountain: it features the upper station of the gondola lifts of the Jasná ski resort (Rotunda Chopok), a telecommunications mast, a weather station, and the Kamenná chata pod Chopkom mountain hut. The gondolas operate even outside the winter season, allowing less sporty tourists to quickly reach the main ridge of the Low Tatras. By the way, I can wholeheartedly recommend the ski resort here. I skied here for three days in February 2022. I remember that trip as undoubtedly the best skiing of my life, undeniably more attractive than popular Polish resorts. It cost a fortune, but I didn’t regret a single cent spent. A huge choice of slopes on both sides of Chopok, excellent preparation, phenomenal views. Seriously, it’s worth it!

Upon arriving at the summit of Chopok, we enter the hut, where we meet up with the rest of our group. The building was constructed in 1996, initially serving as a dormitory for workers employed in the construction of the cable car. Over time, it was turned into an elegant hut with an observation deck. Since I am starving, I order my favorite Slovak dish – fried cheese with fries. It might be simple, but it’s so delicious and filling…

Shortly before 4:00 PM, our whole pack spills out of the hut and climbs onto the summit dome of Chopok. Just a dozen more meters of rocky ascent and we are on the second-highest peak of the Low Tatras. The view from Chopok does not differ significantly from the one we had the chance to admire from Ďumbier. The Slovak flag proudly flutters at the summit, and to the north, the entire line of the Tatras looms clearly. And us? Once again, we watch with wonder as the sun steadily disappears behind the horizon in a golden glow. I think to myself that these kinds of views will never get old…

Descending from Chopok

At 4:15 PM, we begin the descent from Chopok. It is getting darker, and we steadily lose elevation following the blue trail. We walk under the gondola lift, along the slopes where ski runs lead in winter. The trail here follows a carefully laid stone walkway, so the descent is very comfortable. At the Von Roll Luková building, we turn right onto the red trail. Walking now in complete darkness, we reach the upper station of the Rovná Hoľa chairlift. There are four of us now – along with Martyna, Jagoda, and Zosia, we went ahead, wanting to minimize the time spent trekking in the dark.

According to the maps, there is a path under the lift that leads in a straight line to the Záhradky settlement. Well… As it turned out later, this is where the most difficult part of today’s trek begins. The path is steep, poorly visible, and overgrown. In truly adventurous conditions, by the light of our flashlights, we lose the last meters of elevation. And to boost our spirits and scare off any potential bears… we loudly sing well-known patriotic songs. After all, it is the independence weekend! For the record, the rest of the group had a better idea for descending the last meters. They went down the ski run – a bit longer, but with fewer bushes to fight through.

From the Záhradky settlement, we cover one more kilometer of gentle descent on an asphalt road and thus arrive once again where we started – at the P4 Lúčky parking lot. This concluded the first trek in the Low Tatras of my mountain career. I feel a mixture of satisfaction and agency. I have many times observed the highest parts of the Low Tatras from the Tatras, wanting to set foot on them as well. I’m glad it finally happened and in such beautiful, even magical circumstances. On the other hand, I am aware that I haven’t discovered the “wild” side of these mountains today. But don’t worry, the right time for that will certainly come :D.

Date of the trip: November 10, 2024

Trip statistics: 19 km; 1,500 meters of elevation gain

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Trip Map