The Western Tatras (Slovak: Západné Tatry; Polish: Tatry Zachodnie) are mountains in the Tatras, part of the Carpathian Mountains, located on the Polish-Slovak borders. The mountains border the High Tatras in the east, Podtatranská kotlina in the south, Choč Mountains in the west and Rów Podtatrzański (Slovak: Podtatranská brázda) in the north. The main ridge is 37 kilometers long and the mountain range contains 31 two-thousanders.

Western Tatras
Western Tatras in winter
Highest point
PeakBystrá
Elevation2,248.4 m (7,377 ft)
Geography
Western Tatras is located in Central Europe
Western Tatras
CountriesSlovakia and Poland
RegionŽilina
Lesser Poland
Range coordinates49°12′N 19°45′E / 49.200°N 19.750°E / 49.200; 19.750
Parent rangeTatra Mountains
Borders onEastern Tatras
Ostrý Roháč
Ostrý Roháč and Plačlivé
Plačlivé
Goryczkowa Czuba
Druhé Roháčske pleso
Chochołowska valley, Mnichy Chochołowskie
Giewont and Czerwony Grzbiet
Giewont from the East
Polana Stoły
Polana Jamy

Western Tatras are the second highest mountain range both in Poland and Slovakia; its highest peak is Bystrá at 2,248 meters. Other notable mountains include Jakubiná (2,194 m), Baranec (2,184 m), Baníkov (2,178 m), Tri kopy (2,136.3 m), Plačlivé (2,125.1 m), Ostrý Roháč (2,087.5 m), Volovec (Polish: Wołowiec; 2,064 m), Kasprowy Wierch (Slovak: Kasprov vrch; 1,987 m) and Giewont (1,894 m). In Slovakia, they are partially located in the traditional regions of Liptov and Orava. The highest point in Poland is Starorobociański Wierch (2,176 m).

Division edit

The Western Tatras are subdivided into 6 regions on the Slovak side and 4 on the Polish side.

Slovak Western Tatras:

  • Osobitá (highest point: Osobitá, 1 687 m)
  • Sivý vrch (highest point: Sivý vrch, 1 805 m)
  • Liptovské Tatry (highest point: Bystrá, 2 248 m)
  • Roháče (highest point: Baníkov, 2 178 m)
  • Červené vrchy (highest point: Kresanica / Krzesanica, 2 122 m)
  • Liptovské kopy (highest point: Veľká kopa, 2 052 m)

Polish Western Tatras:

  • Grześ
  • Kasprowy Wierch
  • Czerwone Wierchy (corresponds to Červené vrchy, highest point: Kresanica / Krzesanica, 2 122 m)
  • Ornak

Geology and ecology edit

The Western Tatras are protected by Tatranský národný park in Slovakia and Tatrzański Park Narodowy in Poland.

Peaks edit

The following is a list of the highest 10 of the 31 two-thousanders in Western Tatras:

Image Slovak name Polish name Height Location & Notes
 
Bystrá Bystra 2,248.4 m
7,377 ft
Liptovské Tatry, the highest peak in Slovak Western Tatras
 
Jakubiná Raczkowa Czuba 2,193.7 m
7,197 ft
 
Baranec Baraniec 2,184.6 m
7,167 ft
 
Baníkov Banówka 2,178 m
7,146 ft
Highest point on the main ridge
 
Klin Starorobociański Wierch 2,176 m
7,139 ft
Main ridge, the highest peak in Polish Western Tatras
 
Pachoľa Pachola 2,167 m
7,110 ft
Main ridge
 
Hrubá kopa Hruba Kopa 2,166 m
7,106 ft
Main ridge
 
Blyšť Błyszcz 2,159 m
7,083 ft
Bystrá ridge
 
Príslop Jałowiecki Przysłop 2,142 m
7,028 ft
 
Hrubý vrch Jarząbczy Wierch 2,137 m
7,011 ft

Saddles (cols) edit

  • Pálenica (1 570 m)
  • Parichvost (1 870 m)
  • Baníkovské sedlo (2 045 m)
  • Smutné sedlo (1 965 m)
  • Žiarske sedlo (1 917,1 m)
  • Jamnícke sedlo (1 908 m)
  • Račkovo sedlo (1 958 m)
  • Gáborovo sedlo (1 890 m)
  • Bystré sedlo (1 960 m)
  • Pyšné sedlo (1 791,6 m)
  • Tomanovské sedlo (1 685,9 m)
  • Ľaliové sedlo (1 951,8 m)

Tarns edit

There are approximately 20 to 32 tarns (Slovak: pleso) in Western Tatras. The exact number is difficult to obtain because of lack of an exact definition and because it is sometimes hard to prove what is a tarn and what is not. The following is a list of 15 largest tarns in Western Tatras:

Image Slovak name Polish name Height (m) Area (ha) Depth (m)
 
Dolné Roháčske pleso Niżni Staw Rohacki 1563 2.22 6.3
 
Horné Roháčske pleso Wyżni Staw Rohacki 1718 1.45 8.1
 
Dolné Jamnícke pleso Niżni Jamnicki Staw 1728 1.13 4.0
 
Horné Bystré pleso Wielki Staw Bystry 1875 0.86 12.5
 
Horné Račkovo pleso Zadni Staw Raczkowy 1717 0.74 10.0
 
Tretie Roháčske pleso Pośredni Rohacki Staw 1653 0.61 3.7
 
Horné Jamnícke pleso Wyżni Jamnicki Staw 1834 0.41 8.0
 
Spodné Bystré pleso Niżni Staw Bystry 1837 0.34 4.0
 
Pleso pod Zverovkou Stawek pod Zwierówką 983 0.31 1.2
 
Ťatliakovo pleso Czarna Młaka 1370 0.28 1.2
 
Druhé Roháčske pleso Mały Rohacki Staw 1650 0.28 1.3
Horné Tomanovo pleso Wyżni Tomanowy Stawek 1592 0.19 1.0
 
Žiarske pleso 1860 0.11 0.8
 
Kobylie pleso Kobyli Stawek 1742 0.10 1.5
 
Biele Bobrovecké pleso Biały Stawek Bobrowiecki 1502 0.10 1.5

Caves edit

Waterfalls edit

Tourism edit

There are four tourist centers inside the Western Tatras area: Zverovka, Brestová and Ťatliakova chata in the northern region and Žiarska chata in the southern region. All other tourist centers lie at the outside borders of the mountains, including: Oravice, Zuberec, Bobrovecká vápenica, Žiar, Konská, Jakubovany-Studená dolina, Pribylina, Podbanské.

See also edit

References edit

  • Touristic map 1:25000 Západné Tatry - Podbanské - Zverovka, VKÚ a.s. Harmanec, 2008

External links edit

  Media related to Western Tatras at Wikimedia Commons