Ďurková

Ďurková is a broad, treeless summit 1750 m high on the main ridge of the Low Tatras, in the western part of the Ďumbier Tatras, Slovakia. It lies between Chabenec (1955 m) to the east and Zámostská hoľa (1612 m) to the west, above the hamlet of Magurka (about 2.4 km to the north-west) and the village of Jasenie, roughly 19 km north-west of the town of Brezno. The border between the Žilina and Banská Bystrica regions runs over the top, and the slopes belong to the cadastral areas of Partizánska Ľupča and Jasenie. The whole massif lies within the Low Tatras National Park (NAPANT). The mountain itself is not striking, but for ridge walkers it is an important landmark: one of the few shelters on this long section stands just below it.

Getting there / routes

The main red ridge trail of the Low Tatras, the SNP Heroes’ Trail (Cesta hrdinov SNP), crosses the summit; here it is also part of the European long-distance path E8.

• Red from the west: from Hiadeľské sedlo via Veľká Chochuľa and Zámostská hoľa; the section from Sedlo pod Skalkou via Veľká hoľa and Latiborská hoľa to Sedlo Ďurkovej takes about 4 h 30 min.
• Red from the east: from Chopok via Kotliská and Chabenec (Chopok to Chabenec about 2 h 25 min).
• Green: from Magurka to the junction above Sedlo Ďurkovej (1700 m), with a short branch to the shelter.
• Blue: from Jasenie up the Jasenská valley past the shelter, or from the north out of Ľupčianska dolina via Magurka.
• Yellow: from the west from Liptovská Lúžna via Sedlo pod Skalkou.

The shortest approach is from Magurka, reached by road from Partizánska Ľupča. On the south-eastern slopes, above the dwarf-pine belt, stands the Ďurková shelter (Útulňa Ďurková), a simple overnight hut for people walking the ridge over several days.

What you can see from the summit

The ridge and the summit carry only low grassy vegetation, so the view is all-round. In clear weather you can see the other peaks of the Low Tatras as well as the Western Tatras, the Choč Mountains, Orava Magura and the Beskids, the Lesser and Greater Fatra, the Štiavnica Mountains, Javorie, Poľana and the Vepor Mountains.

Nature and history

Ďurková is built of granite, which breaks the surface as large boulders only in the northern and western parts of the summit massif. A side ridge runs south from the top via the Struhárske saddle (about 1350 m) to the bulky Struhár (1471 m). The northern slopes are fairly steep; the Ľupčianka stream rises below Ďurková and drains to the Váh, while the southern slopes drain through tributaries of the Jasenský stream to the Hron. The summit is covered by alpine grassland, and dwarf mountain pine climbs high up the northern slopes.

Safety, season and rules

The ridge above the tree line is fully exposed: strong wind is common, summer brings thunderstorms, and fog can hide the path quickly. In winter the ridge has deep snow, blizzards and avalanche danger, so a crossing then is only for experienced, well-equipped walkers. Stay on the marked trails of the national park, take your litter home and check NAPANT notices and avalanche information before you set out. Slovak Mountain Rescue Service (HZS): 18 300 (+421 18 300), general emergency number 112.

Interesting facts

• The shelter below Ďurková is one of the few places to sleep on the western part of the Low Tatras ridge trail.
• Water from the northern and southern slopes flows into two different basins, the Váh and the Hron.

Photos: Michal Klajban, CC BY-SA 3.0; Michal Klajban, CC BY-SA 3.0; Michal Klajban, CC BY-SA 3.0; Jerzy Opioła, CC BY-SA 4.0; Jerzy Opioła, CC BY-SA 4.0; Daniel Baránek, CC BY-SA 3.0; Daniel Baránek, CC BY-SA 3.0 — Wikimedia Commons.