Eagle Perć in the Tatras - a dangerous trail and this famous ladder
Follow this story by emailEagle Perć in the Tatras - a dangerous trail and this famous ladder
Orla Perć is one of the most recognizable tourist routes in the Tatras. It is a dream of many mountain maniacs. It is also, according to opinion, the most difficult and dangerous route in the Polish mountains. There are many people willing to hike, because who wouldn't want to spend a dozen or so hours in the rocky world and admire the beauty of the Tatra peaks from under the Goat Hill?
What is Orla Perć?
Orla Perć is a mountain trail entirely located on the Polish side of the Tatras. The pass in the High Tatras - Zawrat - is the beginning of Orla Perć. It is located at an altitude of 2159 meters above sea level. The entrance to Zawrat is accessible from two valleys - Valley of Five Polish Lakes and Gąsienicowa Valley and directly from Świnica - peak of the High Tatras.
Further on, the route leads along the Wallachian ridge, through numerous mountain slopes, playing, passes and peaks up to the pass at the end of the Orla Perci - Krzyżne.
During this four-kilometre-long route you pass through such points as:
Goat's Pass - a narrow pass located 2126 meters above sea level,
Kozi Wierzch - the highest peak of the Tatra Mountains, located entirely on the Polish side, rising 2291 meters above sea level,
Grenades - a three-faceted mountain massif with a height of 2240, 2234 and 2225 metres above sea level respectively,
Żleb Honoratka - also known as Żydowski Żleb.
How to prepare for the Eagle Perci crossing?
First and foremost, the Orla Perci trail is a high mountain trail. It is located over 2 thousand meters above sea level. So before you climb the mountain, you have to take into account that the temperature there will be much lower than in Zakopane, even in summer.
If we take into account that the city is located at an altitude of about 900 meters above sea level, it gives about 1100 meters difference. Knowing the unpredictable weather of the mountains, we can have a situation where the difference between what's down there and what's in the mountains will be similar to what's between summer and winter.
You have to prepare yourself for this and take at least one raincoat, warm trousers and a sweatshirt, suitable shoes to walk in the mountains and something to eat on the road.
Orla Perć also requires the right equipment such as ropes, a climbing helmet, a good map, GPS, a compass, a torch and a cell phone with a charged battery and a powerbank just in case. You never know when you will need to call the Tatra Volunteer Mountain Rescue Service (TOPR) at 985.
How to get to the beginning of Eagle Perci?
You can get to the beginning of Orla Perci from Kasprowy Wierch and Świnica - a difficult red trail along the ridge. Currently closed from 2018 until further notice.
From the Gąsienicowa Valley from the Muranowiec hostel to Zawrat the blue trail - a difficult route with the facilitation of chains,
From the Valley of Five Polish Lakes from the shelter to Zawrat blue trail - a route not requiring special technical skills.
Time of the Orla Perci passage and a map of the entire route from Zawrat to Krzyżne
Crossing the Orla Perci takes about 6 to 9 hours, and some may even 13. Therefore, although it is less than 4.1 km, it is worth dividing it into smaller sections even for two days, between which we will go down the access trail to the hostel in the Valley of Five Lakes and rest. Such a division of the route will help to get better acquainted with the nature and views of the whole route. Below is a map of Orla Perci.
Record of the Orla Perci passage and a film from the route
There are, however, people who want to cross the route one day and as soon as possible. And it's not about crossing the whole route in 6 hours, but about going through in less than one hour and five minutes. This seems impossible, but as it turned out it is.
Such a record of the Orla Perci route from Zawrat to Krzyżne was set on 6 September 2018 by Filip Babicz. With this feat he beat Piotr Łobodziński's earlier record by over 12 minutes.
But for all the daredevils who would like to repeat this feat ? two cautions. First of all, we still have to remember that Orla Perć is the most difficult alpine route in Poland. Since its establishment in 1906, about 140 people have died on it. This even led to questions about closing the route. Secondly, one should have respect for the mountains, especially as one false step is enough. See below for the film from the Orla Perci crossing.
The most popular ladder on the Orleans Perci
This headline may seem optimistic in some way. The most popular one is rather well associated with us. Well, not this time. We're talking about a ladder over the Goat Pass. It's an eight-metre long ladder with 26 rungs. Officially, the Tatra National Park and the Tatra Volunteer Rescue Service do not see any need to replace this ladder. They describe it as strong and stable, completely fulfilling its role.
However, many people on this ladder experience a real test of character. There are many blockages on this ladder.
But many people on this ladder experience a real test of character. There are many blockages on this ladder, as a result of panicky tourist fears. One can say that this is one of the most difficult moments on the whole route. Although with all the people we talked to, they said that the ladder on the Eagle Perci is nothing terrible.
The most difficult section on the Orla Perci - from Zawrat to Kozi Wierch
The most difficult section of the whole Orla Perci, according to many tourists, as well as the Tatra Volunteer Rescue Service, is the section from Zawrat to Kozi Wierch. And so, it is on this section that the most famous ladder of the Orla Perci mentioned earlier is located.
However, apart from it, the route contains chasms, which require really good equipment preparation and experience. Especially since entering this section, we have no turning back. In order to make the crossing relatively passable and smooth, a one-way route was established here. This means that when entering it, we have to cross it. Turning back to the starting point is only possible by passing this section and going down the exit route to the starting point.
When is the best time to decide to cross this trail?
Orla Perć is available all year round. But is it worth to decide on it in winter? It mainly depends on our level of preparation, condition, weather conditions and experience. If we feel very confident on high mountain trails, have a lot of experience, have no fear of heights and feel no discomfort before winter walking in the mountains, we can try to go to Orla Perć, but it is better to choose a lighter trail than the most difficult one.
In summer walking on the Orla Perć is easier, but it does not turn into the easiest mountain trail. Rather, we can be more sure of more favorable weather conditions and more tourists are all that. However, summer hikes to Orla Perć are easier and can be a test for people who are a little bit of a sitting, in good shape and want to see if they can try more demanding routes. However, it is recommended to choose the easier routes first, to see if this level is achievable for us and if we can think of the five higher.
Orla Perć was founded for people with a lot of experience. During more than 100 years of trail tradition it has gained in popularity that less experienced people also want to try their hand at it, not counting the difficulty of the trail. Despite the fact that safety devices in the form of ladders and chains have been introduced, Orla Perć continues to be a difficult route and should not be underestimated.