Malý Rozsutec

Malý Rozsutec is a craggy limestone summit 1343 m high in the Malá Fatra (Lesser Fatra), Slovakia, in its Krivánska part. It stands on the northern edge of the range, about 5 km east of Terchová and some 1.6 km north of its higher neighbour, Veľký Rozsutec (1610 m). A shallow saddle, sedlo Zákres (about 1225 m), separates it from the main watershed ridge. Its jagged rock crest and steep limestone walls, rising almost 750 m above the Biely potok valley, together with Veľký Rozsutec form the unmistakable skyline of the northern Malá Fatra. The summit lies in the municipality of Terchová in the Žilina District, while its eastern foot belongs to Zázrivá.

Getting there / routes

Although Malý Rozsutec is lower than Veľký Rozsutec, it is slightly harder to reach: both marked approaches include sections protected with metal rungs and chains.

• Green (KST 5661): from the Biely Potok part of Terchová via the hamlet of Podrozsutec and the west shoulder to the summit — about 2 h 30 min (down 1 h 45 min).
• From the Medzirozsutce saddle (1203 m) — a short but steep climb on chains up the east wall, about 20 min (down 15 min). This side is better suited for descent.
• Through the gorges: from Biely Potok via Dolné diery, Horné diery and Tesná rizňa — a system of three canyons with footbridges, ladders and chains — to Medzirozsutce and on to the summit, about 2 h 30 min.

Czech sources warn plainly that the climb is not for anyone afraid of heights, as a fall of several tens of metres is possible in places. The most comfortable option is to go up from Medzirozsutce and descend on the other side, where the terrain is gentler.

What you can see from the summit

Because it is lower, the view is somewhat narrower than from the surrounding peaks, but Malý Rozsutec gives a fine look at Veľký Rozsutec, the northern slopes of the eastern massif and many peaks of the main Krivánska Fatra ridge. In good conditions the Tatras, the Choč Mountains and the Orava, Kysuce and Moravian-Silesian Beskids are visible too.

Nature and history

Like neighbouring Veľký Rozsutec, the summit is carved from limestone and dolomite of the so-called Choč nappe. There are many karst features, notably the Crystal Cave (Kryštálová jaskyňa), which is closed to visitors. Apart from part of the eastern slope the massif is forested, and the summit is covered with dwarf pine. The north-west of the massif drains into the Biely potok, the south-west into the Hlboký potok, both tributaries of the Varínka.

The summit is part of the Rozsutec national nature reserve, declared in 1967 with an area of 842 ha inside Malá Fatra National Park. The area is one of the richest botanical sites in Slovakia, with rare lime-loving plants. In 2017 the summit height was refined by GNSS satellite survey to 1343.43 m.

Safety, season and rules

In Malá Fatra National Park you may walk only on marked trails; in summer (16 April to 31 October) between 6:00 and 21:00, in winter between 7:00 and 18:00. The spring closure from 1 March to 15 June applies to the red Medziholie – Veľký Rozsutec – Medzirozsutce trail, not to Malý Rozsutec, but bear it in mind when planning a loop. The chained sections are slippery when wet and dangerous in winter. Slovak Mountain Rescue Service (HZS): 18 300 (+421 18 300), general emergency number 112.

Photos: Palickap, CC BY-SA 4.0; Michal Jakubský, CC BY 3.0; Palickap, CC BY-SA 4.0; Palickap, CC BY-SA 4.0; maczopikczu, CC BY 3.0; Ximonic (Simo Räsänen), CC BY-SA 4.0; Palickap, CC BY-SA 4.0; Jerzy Opioła, CC BY-SA 4.0 — Wikimedia Commons.