High Tatras
High Tatras or High Tatra (Slovak and Czech: Vysoké Tatry, Polish: Tatry Wysokie) are a mountain range on the borders between Slovakia and Poland. They are a part of the Eastern Tatras Mountains.
Description
The High Tatras, with their 11 peaks over 2500 m AMSL, are, together with the Southern Carpathians, the only mountain ranges with an alpine character in the whole 1200 km length of the Carpathian Mountains.
The major part and all the highest peaks of the mountains are situated in Slovakia. The highest peak is Gerlachovský štít at 2,655 m. Many rare and endemic animals and plant species are native to the High Tatras. Large predators, such as the bear, Eurasian lynx, marten, wolf and fox live there.
The area is well known for winter sports. Ski resorts include Štrbské pleso, Starý Smokovec and Tatranská Lomnica in Slovakia and Zakopane in Poland. The town of Poprad is the gateway to the Slovak Tatra resorts.
The first European cross-border national park was founded here - Tatra National Park - Tatranský národný park in Slovakia in 1948 and Tatrzański Park Narodowy in Poland in 1954.
Peaks
Highest peaks
The 15 highest peaks of the High Tatras - all located in Slovakia - are:[1]
| Peak | Elevation (m|ft) | |
|---|---|---|
| Gerlachovský štít | 2,655 | 8,711 |
| Gerlachovská veža | 2,642 | 8,668 |
| Lomnický štít | 2,633 | 8,638 |
| Ľadový štít | 2,627 | 8,619 |
| Pyšný štít | 2,623 | 8,605 |
| Zadný Gerlach | 2,616 | 8,583 |
| Lavínový štít | 2,606 | 8,550 |
| Malý Ľadový štít | 2,602 | 8,537 |
| Kotlový štít | 2,601 | 8,533 |
| Lavínová veža | 2,600 | 8,530 |
| Malý pyšný štít | 2,591 | 8,501 |
| Veľká Litvorová veža | 2,581 | 8 468 |
| Strapatá veža | 2,565 | 8,415 |
| Kežmarský štít | 2,556 | 8,386 |
| Vysoká | 2,547 | 8,356 |
Notable peaks
Mountain lakes
Major lakes
- Morskie Oko - 1,395 m, 51 m deep.
- Czarny Staw pod Rysami - 1,583 m, 76 m deep.
- Wielki Staw Polski - 1,664 m, 79 m deep.
- Štrbské pleso - 1,347 m, 20 m deep.
- Veľké Hincovo pleso - 1,945 m, 54 m deep.
Other lakes
- Zmrzlé pleso
- Ťažké pleso
- Ľadové pleso
- Batizovské pleso
- Veľké Spišské pleso - 2,019 m, 10 m deep.
- Veľké Žabie pleso (Mengusovské) - 1,921 m, 7 m deep
- Vysne Bielovoeske Zabie pleso - 1,699 m, 25 m deep.
- Nizne Bielovodske Zabie pleso - 1,675 m, 21 m deep.
- Czarny Staw Gąsienic - 1,624 m, 51 m deep.
Notable people
Ludwig Greiner identified Gerlachovský Peak as the summit of the Tatras, Carpathians.
See also
References
- ^ "Najvyššie pohoria Slovenska (Highest mountain ranges in Slovakia)" (in Slovak). Matej Lednár. 2003. Retrieved June 2.
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- The Tatras: High, Western, Bela's (1:50,000 hiking map) BBKart/Marco Polo 2005.
External links
- Official site of the town of High Tatras
- Tatry Open Directory
- Tatra Cable Railways
- High Tatras at Summitpost.org
Images: