Tlstá

Tlstá (Slovak for “fat”) is a prominent summit 1373 m high on the western edge of the central Greater Fatra (Veľká Fatra), Slovakia, in the Bralná Fatra part. It rises above the village of Blatnica, about 15 km south of Martin, climbing steeply almost 1000 m above the floor of the Turiec basin. Together with neighbouring Ostrá (1263 m), Tlstá forms the well-known landmark of upper Turiec, visible from most of the basin. The Gader valley wraps around the massif on the north and west. The mountain lies in the Veľká Fatra National Park, and the whole massif forms the Tlstá national nature reserve with the highest, fifth degree of protection.

Getting there / routes

Both climbs from the Gader valley are steep and fairly tiring. Together they make up the blue Janko Bojmír Trail loop, one of the most attractive walks in the Greater Fatra.

• Blue: from the lower junction in the Gader valley via Konský dol and Muráň — 5.2 km, 863 m of ascent, about 3 h 20 min (back 2 h 25 min).
• Blue: from the upper junction via Vápenná dolina past the Mažarná cave — 4 km, 846 m of ascent, about 2 h 55 min (back 2 h).
• Green: from Blatnica via Ostrá, Zadná Ostrá and Lubená; Tlstá to Ostrá is 3.4 km, about 1 h.

What you can see from the summit

The tree line runs below the summit, so the top is meadow with scattered crags, a former shepherds’ pasture. Thanks to its position on the edge of the range the view is excellent; only to the east does neighbouring Lubená (1414 m) block part of the horizon. You see the Greater Fatra and Kremnica peaks, the whole Turiec basin, the Lesser Fatra and Žiar, and in good conditions Vtáčnik, the Strážov Mountains, occasionally even the Low and High Tatras.

Nature and history

The massif is built of thick, nearly horizontal layers of Triassic limestone and dolomite. The slopes, especially higher up, therefore form a series of terraces and rock ledges separated by steep steps, while numerous rock towers have weathered out of the harder limestone. The mountain owes its name to its broad, spreading outline with a flat top — a remnant of an ancient planation surface — in contrast to rocky Ostrá to the south.

The slopes of Tlstá hold many caves: besides the well-known and much-visited Mažarná, where traces of ancient human settlement were found, there are Biela, Havranova, Stĺpová, Textorisová and others, plus the 14 m deep Nezábudka abyss. The reserve, declared in 1981 on 30.66 km², protects well-preserved forests, rare plants and rock vegetation.

Safety, season and rules

The trails in the reserve are steep, with stony sections that are slippery when wet; on the terraces below the summit stay on the route. In the national park and reserve walk only on marked trails, do not enter caves except where permitted, and check current park notices. Slovak Mountain Rescue Service (HZS): 18 300 (+421 18 300), general emergency number 112.

Photos: Patrik Kunec, CC BY-SA 4.0; Caroig, CC BY-SA 3.0; Patrik Kunec, CC BY-SA 4.0; Caroig, CC BY-SA 2.5; Jerzy Opioła, CC BY-SA 4.0; Jerzy Opioła, CC BY-SA 4.0; Pe3kZA, CC BY-SA 3.0 — Wikimedia Commons.