Veľký Choč

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Veľký Choč

After surviving the crowds on Rysy the previous day, Zosia Zgolak and I enjoyed a much more relaxed ascent of Veľký Choč (pronounced VEL-kee hodge) on 13 August 2023. Located within Slovakia's Národná prírodná rezervácia Choč (Choč Nature Reserve) just north of the town of Ružomberok, this prominent mountain stands out from the surrounding landscape and is easily ascended via a number of local trails. Probably the shortest and most popular route starts from Valaská Dubová, a village just north of Ružomberok.

Zosia and I started the day by stopping in a bakery in Ružomberok to purchase some freshly-baked treats before driving to Valaská Dubová. Public parking is limited to a pay lot in the southwest corner of the village near Jánošíkova Krčma, the local restaurant and guesthouse. After paying the parking fee (3€ or ~$4.41 CAD), we walked northeast through the village following convenient route markers (blue horizontal stripe on a white background) and signs. We soon exited the village and began climbing steadily up a lengthy forested drainage. We encountered a handful of other hikers during our ascent, but one of them was surprisingly from Prince George, British Columbia. Paul Kajan had fled to Canada in the late 1960s when the Warsaw Pact invaded Czechoslovakia, but he was now back for a visit to his home country and was hiking Veľký Choč with his native brother, Peter. We had a nice chat with both of them before continuing up the trail to Stredná Poľana, a large glade with a rustic shelter nearby. Here, we ran into Paul's daughter and grandson from Kelowna, British Columbia who were waiting patiently for Peter and Paul to catch up to them. In the glade, the trail splits, and we had a choice of taking either the Letná trasa (summer route) or the Zimná trasa (winter route). Uncertain about the difference, we stuck with the Letná trasa and completed the remainder of the ascent without difficulty. The top of the mountain was busy, but people were considerate enough to avoid parking themselves right beside the summit marker and register. After snapping our requisite photographs, Zosia and I retreated to the shade of some cliffs just below the summit for a nice break.

Before leaving the top of Veľký Choč, Zosia and I visited a viewpoint further to the northwest where we once again ran into Peter and Paul. We had another lengthy chat with them before commencing our descent. For something different, we chose to descend the Zimná trasa which has a few steep sections with chains but is otherwise just as straightforward as the Letná trasa and perhaps even a little more scenic. Upon returning to Stredná Poľana, we made a short detour to inspect the nearby shelter before descending the same trail we came up. When we eventually got back to our car in Valaská Dubová, we dumped our packs and went inside Jánošíkova Krčma for some refreshments and delicious food. According to legend, Juraj Jánošík, a famous Slovak highwayman akin to Robin Hood, was supposedly captured in this very pub when he slipped on some spilled peas while trying to escape the local authorities. Jánošík was subsequently tried and executed.

	Veľký Choč rises prominently in the distance in this view from the highway to the east. Photo courtesy of Zosia Zgolak
	Zosia and Sonny pick up some freshly baked goods in the town of Ružomberok.
	Jánošíkova Krčma is the local restaurant and guesthouse in the village of Valaská Dubová. The writing on its exterior roughly translates, "In this pub was captured in the year 1713 Juraj Jánošík, betrayed by an old woman taverner with her daughter Zofa for 200 ducats." Juraj Jánošík was an infamous Slovak highwayman akin to Robin Hood who, after his capture, was tried and executed. Photo courtesy of Zosia Zgolak
	Zosia meets one of the locals in the village.
	Zosia exits the village and continues along this gravel road which leads to Veľký Choč.
	This snail shell is about the size of a golf ball.
	Near the entrance to the nature reserve is a display case of presumably some of the garbage that have been left behind by inconsiderate hikers in the past.
	Most of the trail follows a rocky drainage.
	This glade, known as Stredná Poľana, provides a glimpse of the top of Veľký Choč.
	Some honey bees keep busy on a thistle flower.
	Zosia takes the letná trasa (summer route) to the top.
	Zosia and Sonny display the Polish flag on the summit of Veľký Choč (1616 metres).
	The summit marker is useful for identifying distant peaks.

Not too shabby, eh?

Standing on a rock outcrop just northwest of the summit, Zosia enjoys views of the Tatra Mountains and the man-made reservoir, Liptovská Mara.

	Posing at a viewpoint northwest of the summit are (L to R) Paul Kazan, his brother Peter, Zosia and Sonny.
	Descending from the top, Zosia tugs at some chains along the zimná trasa (winter route). In the distance are the Malá (Lesser) Fatra mountains with the highest one, Veľký Kriváň, visible on the left horizon.
	Zosia investigates a rustic shelter located at Stredná Poľana.
	A sawyer beetle hitches a ride on Sonny's backpack. According to wikipedia, antennae of females are roughly the same length as their bodies while that of males are twice as long. Photo courtesy of Zosia Zgolak
	A wood carving inside Jánošíkova Krčma depicts the capture and arrest of Juraj Jánošík. Photo courtesy of Zosia Zgolak
	Zosia enjoys an après-hike beer and pizza (with spinach substituting for bacon). The dish at the bottom is domáce furmanské halušky (homemade Furman gnocchi) which includes sheep cheese, bacon bits and chorizo.
	Total Distance: 10.4 kilometres Round-Trip Time: 6 hours 33 minutes Cumulative Elevation Gain: 944 metres GPX Data