Kolový štít (2,418 m) in the High Tatras – An Off-Trail Ascent via Kolové sedlo

Kolový štít (Kolový štít, 2,418 m) is a peak located in the Slovak part of the High Tatras with a distinctive pyramidal shape. The mountain’s name comes from the nearby Kolové pleso lake, and the first confirmed ascent was made by the famous Polish geologist, Stanisław Staszic (in 1804 together with two hunters from Jurgów). Like most high mountains in our southern neighbor’s territory, there is no marked tourist trail leading to the summit. The most popular and easiest route to the peak leads directly from the Zelené pleso lake (with difficulties reaching 0+ on the UIAA scale). Despite its off-trail location, the path is well-maintained and equipped with artificial aids. In this post, this variant will be described as the descent route. We will reach the summit, however, using the more difficult variant, leading from the side of Kolové sedlo (with difficulties reaching I/II on the UIAA scale). Join me for the report!

Table of Contents

• Approach to Kolové sedlo (2,118 m)
• From Kolové sedlo towards Belasá veža
• The Demanding Section Between Belasá veža and Zmrzlá veža
• Kolová štrbina (approx. 2,300 m)
• The Final Ascent to Kolový štít
• Descent from Kolový štít [Variant 0+]
• From Malá Zmrzlá dolina to Dolina Zeleného plesa
• Path to Tatranská Javorina
• Trip Map

Approach to Kolové sedlo (2,118 m)

It is 1:15 PM when, along with Martyna, Jaromir, and Ada, I stand at Kolové sedlo (2,118 m). We just descended from Jahňací štít, which we climbed via an off-trail variant through the Koperszadzká graň (a route with difficulties reaching I on the UIAA scale). Most often, however, people reach Kolové sedlo via the yellow trail running directly from the Chata pri Zelenom plese mountain hut (1,551 m). The route is about 2 kilometers long and requires overcoming 550 meters of elevation gain (if starting directly from the parking lot – 10 km, approx. 1,200 meters of elevation gain). The beginning of the hike from the mountain hut is a comfortable path that quickly leads the tourist into dense mountain pine. After about a half-hour hike, the trail reaches a large rock threshold. The entrance requires a bit of climbing, and the place has been secured with a series of chains.

After overcoming the rock threshold, the trail leads through the rocky Dolina Jahňacia, an upper branch of the Dolina Zeleného plesa. On the left, the hiker is accompanied by a view of the Jastrabia veža massif, and on the right, of Kozia kopa. At an altitude of about 1,800 m, the path leads along the shore of a small Červené pleso. The approach seems a bit arduous now, but the trail is comfortable and clearly visible throughout its length.

Just before Kolové sedlo, at an altitude of about 2,070 m, there is a second climbing section on the yellow trail, also secured by a series of chains. Just after overcoming it, the path leads the tourist to Kolové sedlo, located on the main ridge of the Tatras. The marked trail turns right – towards the nearby Jahňací štít. The off-trail path to Kolový štít, however, goes to the left.

From Kolové sedlo towards Belasá veža

A narrow path from Kolové sedlo traverses the ridge from the western side. The route is only obvious at the beginning – the further you go, the less clear the trail becomes. After just a few minutes, we lose the path, straying slightly too far to the right. When we realize the situation, we turn left and start climbing over large granite boulders. This way, after a moment, we find the beaten path again. Happiness does not last long, because after just three minutes, we reach a large scree slope. We climb through the loose terrain, being careful not to knock anything down on each other. After another few minutes, we emerge from the rubble onto more solid, rock-grass ground. Then, we find ourselves among large blocks of granite again.

In this way, about 35 minutes after leaving Kolové sedlo, we reach the foot of Belasá veža (2,284 m). I rate the first stage of our off-trail trip to Kolový štít as quite demanding. At this moment, the problem was not so much the technical difficulties, but rather correct navigation in the rocky, confusing terrain. The Strava record shows that we kept close to the path marked on the map for most of the time, but still slightly to the right of it.

The Demanding Section Between Belasá veža and Zmrzlá veža

At Belasá veža, we encounter the following choice: we can either walk along the ridge, reaching the highest point of the prominence, or take a clear path that bypasses the summit from the right. We choose the second of the available options because at first glance it seems much safer. The problem is that the path bypasses the summit of Belasá veža and… ends.

I won’t hide it – at this moment we make a significant mistake. Looking back in hindsight, we should have turned back now and, if possible, continued the trip directly along the ridge. Instead, we start a death-defying traverse of the eastern face of Belasá veža. We are now climbing in difficult, alert terrain. The moves might not be the most demanding, but the exposure here definitely makes the heart beat faster. Below us, a steep slope drops down into the upper branch of the Dolina Kolová with the charming name Bździochowe Korycisko (Kotlinka pod Kolovým sedlom). The awareness arises in the mind that in such a place every mistake can be extremely costly… We rise to the heights of focus, concentrating on every loose stone and every deceptive tuft of grass. Regarding the difficulty, according to the Czech website goat.cz, the variant to Kolový štít from Kolové sedlo is rated at I/II on the UIAA scale. However, I have a feeling that the author meant the ridge section, not the traverse we chose. In my assessment, the section consists of real climbing – perhaps not ultra-difficult, but incredibly exposed.

At 2:05 PM, about 15 minutes after the path disappeared, we emerge onto a small saddle between Belasá veža and Zmrzlá veža (approx. 2,260 m). While staying on the eastern (from our perspective – right) side of the ridge, we lose about 20 meters of elevation. Then we climb up to the low-prominence dome of Zmrzlá veža (2,312 m). At this spot on the ridge, the path materializes again, and I… feel relief. Yeaah, simply relief, I guess. At the same time, I am glad that I can keep a cool head in such situations and get out of rocky troubles through the power of calmness.

Kolová štrbina (approx. 2,300 m)

Is that the end of the rocky impressions? No way! From Zmrzlá veža, we descend to Kolová štrbina (approx. 2,300 m). It will probably surprise no one that this fragment is also very steep and highly exposed. Fortunately, in the critical place, we find a piece of cord left by someone, which makes our safe descent much easier. Kolová štrbina is above all extremely narrow – two people can barely fit there. On both sides of the notch, dangerous chasms yawn – on the east, the slopes fall into the Dolina Kolová, on the west – into the Dolina Jahňacia.

The Final Ascent to Kolový štít

From Kolová štrbina, we continue our trip to Kolový štít. The climbing continues to be grade one (and in fragments, perhaps even grade two), but stable granite blocks make the section quite pleasant. The most memorable elements of the current fragment are the need to force two rock chimneys. The route is quite obvious at this moment, so we reach the summit without any major navigation problems. We reach Kolový štít (2,418 m) at 2:50 PM, so a little over an hour and a half from leaving Kolové sedlo.

At the summit, I can feel the adrenaline still buzzing – I have no doubt that I have just overcome the most difficult section in the history of my Tatra escapades. And although it was not always easy, progress always requires at least a partial exit from your comfort zone. When my breath finally calms down, I focus on the view stretching out from Kolový štít. And there is plenty to see! To the north, the neighboring Čierny štít looms, and behind it a whole mass of Tatra giants: from the right, among others, Ľadový štít, Baranie rohy, Pyšný štít, Lomnický štít, and Kežmarský štít. To the east is the mighty Dolina Javorová, to the west – the Dolina Zeleného plesa. Looking south, we see Jahňací štít and the highest peaks of the Belianske Tatry. A beautiful thing…

Descent from Kolový štít [Variant 0+]

We will descend from Kolový using the classic variant, i.e., an off-trail route with difficulties reaching 0+, running directly from the Chata pri Zelenom plese. A characteristic feature of this route is that its most difficult sections are located on the valley thresholds, not in the summit parts. The entire route is about 2.5 kilometers long and requires overcoming 870 meters of elevation difference.

The path is clear, so choosing the right direction for the descent does not cause us major difficulties. We now stick to the main ridge of the Tatras, traversing it from the eastern side. After a few hundred meters from leaving Kolový štít, the path suddenly turns left, directing us straight to the rocky and severe Dolina Jastrabia (Malá Zmrzlá dolina). From a geographical point of view, it is a hanging glacial valley, forming a side branch of the Dolina Zeleného plesa and falling into it with a steep threshold. The valley is closed by: from the west – the main ridge of the Tatras, from the north – Jastrabia graň (branching from Belasá veža and separating the valley from Dolina Jahňacia) and from the south – Čierny chrbát (branching from Čierny štít and separating the valley from Dolina Dziká). The descent here is quite loose, but thanks to a clearly visible path, it does not pose any major difficulties for us. After about 20 minutes of scree walking, at an altitude of about 2,000 m, we check into grassy terrain again.

From Malá Zmrzlá dolina to Dolina Zeleného plesa

We descend towards a large rock threshold separating the Malá Zmrzlá dolina from the Dolina Zeleného plesa. We find the first more steeply inclined accents at an altitude of about 1,950 m. After overcoming them, for a while, we walk through a grassy and slightly damp flattening. About an hour after leaving Kolový štít, we encounter the first section secured with a chain. Yes, you read that right… Although no tourist trail officially leads this way, the road has been secured with artificial aids. At an altitude of about 1,850 m, the path traverses the slope, leading from the threshold of Malá Zmrzlá dolina to the threshold of Dolina Dziká (Veľká Zmrzlá dolina) – another branch of the Dolina Zeleného plesa. Further ahead, a steep, rocky descent awaits us, densely secured with chains. Due to the proximity of water, the ground here is wet and slippery, which is why the iron aids turn out to be really helpful.

The path from Chata pri Zelenom plese to Kolový štít is appreciated by Tatra enthusiasts not only for the technical difficulties on the valley threshold but also for its undoubted natural values. And indeed, the route leads through a beautiful, extremely idyllic area. The most impressive is the panorama of the Dziké vodopády, i.e., the two waterfalls that fall with a roar from the threshold of Dolina Dziká. We check into the Chata pri Zelenom plese (1,551 m) around 5 PM, so less than two hours from starting the descent from Kolový štít. To be honest, we expected to cover this section much faster. Numerous rocky accents, however, did not allow for efficient loss of altitude, all the time requiring caution and increased concentration.

Path to Tatranská Javorina

At Chata pri Zelenom plese, we take a short break to replenish lost calories. At the buffet, we order a buchta – a huge yeast bun with chocolate inside. The pastry turns out to be delicious ;-). The most popular route from the mountain hut “down” is marked in yellow and leads along the bottom of the Dolina Kežmarská. We, however, choose the red trail, a fragment of the Tatra Magistrala. For the next two kilometers, we follow a rocky-dirt path, surrounded by high mountain pine and other lush vegetation. After a half-hour hike, we report at Veľké Biele pleso (1,612 m). The lake is quite charming but exceptionally shallow – its average depth is just 44 centimeters (and the maximum – less than a meter).

Beyond the lake, we choose the blue trail, starting a quite intensive ascent through Dolina Bielych plies. Twenty minutes of hiking the green road and we report at Predné Kopské sedlo (1,778 m), separating Jahňací štít from Spišská Magura area. This means we are now in a special place on the main ridge of the Tatras – exactly where the limestone of the Belianske Tatry ends and the granite of the High Tatras begins. On the pass, an off-trail path to Jahňací štít via the Koperszadzká graň begins.

From Predné Kopské sedlo, we descend to Kopské sedlo (1,749 m). We finish the trekking with a several-kilometer descent via the blue trail through Dolina Javorová. I described this section at greater length in my post about the Belianske Tatry. I will not go into details, but I will assure you that in the light of the afternoon sun, walking this section was truly magical.

In this way, filled with gratitude and full of mountain satisfaction, we reach the car standing in Tatranská Javorina in the evening. On the way back, we stop by a legendary KFC in Nowy Targ, and then head back to Krakow. It was a really good weekend.

Trip date: July 13, 2025

Trip statistics: approx. 16 km; approx. 800 meters of elevation gain [described fragment]

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Trip Map

The Strava snapshot covers the entire trip, along with the first stage, including the climb to Jahňací štít. I decided to include it because of the visible exact course of the variant we chose from Kolové sedlo to Kolový štít.