THROUGH the TWO PASSES

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THROUGH

THE

TWO PASSES

These two passes located in 'High Tatra Mountains' are called:

- 'Zawory' ('Zavory') pass,

- 'Smooth Pass' ('Gładka Przełęcz', 'Hladke Sedlo').

They are lying very close to each other (10 min. infrantry).

Views from both are partially different, partially complement each other.

The excursion to the both passes isn't too difficult but it takes a long time. In practice we need whole day if we are starting from Polish side.

Officially both passes are available from the Slovakia side.

Unofficially it is also possible directly from the Polish side. I did it once. I remember this day from another reason than exploration of new terrain only.
I tell you about that shortly.

When I was about 25, I reached 'Smooth pass' starting from the shelter located in the 'Valley of five Polish lakes' ('Dolina pięciu Stawów Polskich'), then going through the 'Szpiglasowa' pass ('Szpiglasowa przełęcz'), along the two ridges (being simultaneously border of Slovakia and Poland) called 'Liptowskie walls' ('Liptowskie mury') and 'Kotelnica', finally to the 'Smooth pass'.

When I went down from the pass I noticed two soldiers standing a few hundred meters from me. Just on 'my' path. I remember a very tall grasses growing along the path. Because of that I was thinking: do they see me or not? I stopped for a short time: to eat something, to make a photo (with my camera with rangefinder Kiev 4, based on Contax), but in fact I stopped to have a time for thinking and looking what are they doing. They were doing nothing. I mean, they waited. Waited for me. I decided to go ahead. The meeting with soldiers was no bad however I was seriously afraid of it. They asked me: do I know that I passed through the border without permission? I suppose that I answered more or less logically. For example: actually yes but ... Than they asked me about my documents. Probably my explanations looked credibly and/or I was really looking as a true and not dangerous tourist and/or I was looking as a friendly and honest guy, so they let me go free.

I treated this situation as the next adventure of this day.

Thus, for your decision for the future.

Along the 'Koprowa valley'

View from the 'Zawory' pass

In the foreground the 'Zawory' pass. Above the 'Smooth Pass'

The 'Zawory' pass from the 'Smooth Pass'

View from the 'Smooth' pass: The 'Kozi Wierch' (wierch=peak) (2291m) and the 'Valley of five Polish Lakes'. Visible are also three lakes: the 'Black Polish Lake', the 'High Polish Lake' and farthest - the 'Front Polish Lake'.

The 'Świnica' peak (2301m) (at the left side). About the middle of the ridge famous and popular 'Zawrat' pass. The lake is called: 'Hind Polish Lake'.

The 'West Tatras'. View from the 'Smooth pass'

In the middle the 'Szpiglasowy Wierch' (wierch=peak)

The 'Niżny Ciemnosmreczyński Staw' (niżny = bottom, staw = lake) and 'Szpiglasowy Wierch'. There is another lake behind the first, now invisible: 'Wyżni Ciemnosmreczyński Staw' (wyżni=top, staw=lake). Inaccessible for everybody because there is the strict reserve over there.