Małołączniak

Małołączniak (Slovak Malolúčniak) is a 2,096 m summit of the Western Tatras on the main Tatra ridge along the Polish–Slovak border. It is one of the four peaks of the Czerwone Wierchy massif: Kopa Kondracka (2,005 m) lies to the east beyond Małołącka Pass (1,924 m), and Krzesanica (2,122 m) to the west beyond Litworowa Pass (2,037 m). The summit rises above three major valleys — the Slovak Tichá dolina and the Polish Mała Łąka and Kościeliska valleys. It was once called Czerwony Wierch and gave its name to the whole group; the present name comes from the former Hala Mała Łąka pasture below its northern slopes. A small part of the summit can be seen from some places in Zakopane, south-east of Giewont.

To the north-west runs the long, gentle Czerwony Grzbiet ridge, which separates the Mała Łąka and Litworowa valleys. On its eastern side it is undercut by the steep cliffs of Wielka Turnia, and below Kobylarzowe Siodełko the ridge breaks off in several crags — Pośrednia and Skrajna Małołącka Turnia, Zagonna Turnia and Kobylarzowa Turnia.

How to get there / routes

All marked trails to the summit run on the Polish side through Tatra National Park:

• the red ridge trail along the Czerwone Wierchy from the Kościeliska valley via Ciemniak and Krzesanica, continuing east via Kopa Kondracka to Kasprowy Wierch and Świnica. According to Polish Wikipedia, Ciemniak to Małołączniak takes about 40 min and the summit to Kopa Kondracka about 25 min;
• the blue trail from Przysłop Miętusi through the Miętusia valley, Kobylarzowy Żleb and Czerwony Grzbiet — about 4 hours up and 3 hours down. In the lower part of Kobylarzowy Żleb it is secured with three chains (minor technical difficulty). At Przysłop you can turn off to Kiry or Nędzówka.

A cable car runs from Zakopane (Kuźnice) to Kasprowy Wierch, from where you can walk along the ridge to Małołączniak. The ascent itself has no technical difficulties — local people have long climbed it, and today it is one of the most visited summits in the Tatras.

What you can see from the summit

The rocky, grassy top gives an all-round view: many peaks of the Western and High Tatras with their valleys, and in good conditions much of the Low Tatras and the northern horizon from the Kriváň Fatra and Orava Beskids to Spišská Magura. Kriváň and the Liptov Kopy are also well seen from Małołączniak.

Nature and history

The massif is built of limestones and dolomites, with a cap of crystalline rocks above about 1,840 m. Karst is strongly developed in the limestone: the northern slopes hold the deepest caves of the Tatras — Wielka Śnieżna (the longest and deepest cave in Poland) and Śnieżna Studnia — as well as the relatively recently discovered Siwy Kocioł cave. Thanks to the mix of granite and limestone the flora is very rich: granite-loving grasses grow on the summit, lime-loving communities lower down, and near Małołącka Pass the large flowers of the rare Transylvanian globeflower bloom in July.

The slopes used to be grazed right up to the summit, and overgrazing eroded the thin soil. After the mountain was included in Tatra National Park grazing stopped and the slopes recovered, but heavy foot traffic has caused severe erosion of the trails — especially the blue one on Czerwony Grzbiet.

Safety, season and rules

Entry to Tatra National Park is paid: a ticket is required whichever trail you take and can be bought at the entry points or online. Walking is allowed only on marked trails. The Czerwone Wierchy ridge is exposed to wind; dense fog can roll in suddenly, making it easy to get lost on the broad slopes, and summer thunderstorms are dangerous. In winter the slopes are avalanche-prone and the blue trail through Kobylarzowy Żleb ices over. On the Polish side help comes from TOPR: 985 or +48 601 100 300; the general emergency number is 112. The Slovak side lies in TANAP, served by the HZS rescue service: 18 300.

Interesting facts

• Besides the usual height of 2,096 m, other figures appear too — 2,104–2,105 m.
• 15% of Tatra National Park ticket revenue supports the TOPR rescue service.
• The Czerwony Grzbiet ridge, a long spur to the north-west, takes its name from the mountain's old name, Czerwony Wierch.

Photos: Opioła Jerzy, CC BY 2.5; Jerzy Opioła, CC BY-SA 4.0; Cybularny, CC0; Adrian Tync, CC BY-SA 4.0; Cybularny, CC0; Gorofil, CC BY-SA 4.0; MOs810, CC BY-SA 4.0 — Wikimedia Commons.