Veľký Rozsutec

Veľký Rozsutec (Polish Wielki Rozsutec) is a 1,609.8 m summit in the Malá Fatra, the most striking mountain of its Krivánska part and, according to Slovak sources, one of the most beautiful mountains in Slovakia. It stands on the main ridge about 5 km east of Terchová, on the border of Žilina and Dolný Kubín districts in the Žilina Region; its slopes reach the cadastres of Terchová, Párnica and Zázrivá. Rozsutec has become the symbol of the range – its outline is in the logo of the Malá Fatra National Park. It looks most impressive from the hamlet of Štefanová 3 km to the west, the usual starting point for the ascent. A GNSS survey in 2017 refined the height to 1,609.78 m.

The summit forms a three-armed knot. The southern ridge drops steeply to the broad treeless Medziholie saddle (1,185 m), beyond which rises the only slightly lower Stoh (1,607 m); the northern ridge falls to the Medzirozsutce saddle (1,200 m) and Malý Rozsutec (1,343 m). The western ridge ends in a labyrinth of huge rock towers, the so-called Rock Town above Štefanová. The mountain is built of limestones and dolomites of the Choč nappe thrust over the softer rocks of the Krížna nappe – hence the sheer walls (the western one is 160 m high), towers, gorges and scree cones at its foot.

How to get there / routes

The red main-ridge trail crosses the summit from the Medziholie saddle to the Medzirozsutce saddle; this section also carries the European E3 and the Eisenach–Budapest friendship trail. The upper part is protected with chains, and below the top the path climbs rock steps.

• From Štefanová via Medziholie – the easiest and shortest approach (green trail); sources give about 2.5 h for the whole way.
• From Štefanová via Jánošíkove diery – the path climbs through forest to the Lower and then the more spectacular Upper Diery: a stream in a deep gorge, footbridges, ladders and railings; then the Tesná Rizňa gorge and the meadows of Medzirozsutce. Loop: Štefanová – Medzirozsutce (2¼ h) – Veľký Rozsutec (1¼ h) – Medziholie (1 h) – Štefanová (1¼ h).
• From the saddles: Medziholie – summit 1 h 15 min (down 40 min), Medzirozsutce – summit 1 h 20 min (down 45 min).
• Along the ridge from Poludňový grúň (1,460 m) via Stoh – red trail, about 3 h.
• Also from Párnica via Medziholie, from Zázrivá via Medzirozsutce, and the least used yellow trail from the Lučivná ski area.

What you can see from the summit

The rocky top is a superb viewpoint: the view is open in all directions except the south-west, where the higher main ridge of the Malá Fatra stands. In good weather you can see Vtáčnik, the Veľká Fatra, the Low and High Tatras as far as Kriváň, the Choč and Skorušina hills, the Orava Magura, the Orava, Kysuce and Moravian-Silesian Beskids, the Javorníky, the Súľov hills and, to the north, Skrzyczne in the Polish Silesian Beskids.

Nature and history

The whole mountain lies in the Malá Fatra National Park, and most of the massif is taken by the Rozsutec National Nature Reserve, established in 1967 (about 842 ha), with the highest, 5th degree of protection. It is one of the richest botanical sites in Slovakia, with several Slovak endemics. Lower down grow beech forests with spruce, fir and sycamore, higher up rowan, and near the top dwarf pine. On the northern slopes at about 1,450 m the natural upper tree line has survived – the highest in the Malá Fatra. Animals include marmot, chamois and lynx.

The mountain became widely known in 1862, when the physician Karol Brančík published an article about it in a Viennese journal. Old tales spoke of gold around the summit and of Jánošík's hidden treasure. The Chata pod Rozsutcom hut with a ski tow once stood on the Medziholie saddle; it burned down after a technical fault on 17 January 1985 and was never rebuilt – only remains of the foundations are visible.

Safety, season and rules

The red section Medziholie – Veľký Rozsutec – Medzirozsutce is closed every year from 1 March to 15 June for nature protection (the spring closure of the Malá Fatra National Park administration). The ascent requires sure-footed walking on rocky terrain, good fitness and boots with stiff soles; the chained sections are slippery after rain. Stay on the marked trail in the reserve. Mountain Rescue Service HZS: 18 300 (+421 18 300) or 112.

Interesting facts

• The rock towns around Rozsutec are the largest of their kind in Slovakia.
• Some older Polish sources called the mountain Rozsudziec.

Photos: Palickap, CC BY-SA 4.0; maczopikczu, CC BY 3.0; Michal Klajban, CC BY-SA 3.0; Palickap, CC BY-SA 4.0; Punteador, CC BY-SA 4.0 — Wikimedia Commons.