Spring is coming

The first day of spring 2014....
It's high time to arrange the first spring ski touring this weekend !
What to choose? I'm going to think about...

...and I'll give you a feedback soon

How to be happy in the Sad Valley

2 weeks ago I had really nice and unforgettable ski touring day. I chose my favourite place in Slovakian mountais - the West Tatras (Zapadne Tatry, Tatry Zachodnie). Our goal for that day - the Sad Pass (Smutne Sedlo) in the Sad Valley (Smutna Dolina).
The weather and snow conditions was like one million dollars - sunshine, no wind, no clouds, snow enough to have a nice touring and pleasant descent. We started in Zverovka from the car park in Rohacska Valley close to Spalena - Zverovka Ski Resorts. 

Our backpacs were really heavy with snow shovel, probe, sandwiches, some clothes inside and skis, boots, cramopons, ice axe, helmet attached to them. 15 kilos on my back compared with my weight of 55 kilos I felt long after a touring day ;)

Unfortunately lack of snow in valley made us to trek in normal boots instead on ski touring almost till reaching Tatliakova Chata at the end of Rohacska Valley. Before getting a plesaure from our trip we had to do really hard work. 

                                                                      

After 1,5 hours of trekking we finally reached the Tatliakova Chata where we could start our skitouring. 

On skis under feet we entered to forbidden zone - Sad Valley. Why forbidden? Because in Slovakia all trails above the mountain hostels in the Tatras are temporary closed from 1 November to 15 June, even for ski alpinists :( 

That's why there are only a few toutists and ski alpinists taking a risk of trekking in this period.

We were ascending almost 2 hours to the bootom of Sad Culuoir leading to Sad pass. 

Unfortunately I was so tired of trekking with my heavy backpack that I gave up of climbing steep culuoir. I had to settled for a long descending in soft snow to the line of snow in the Rohacska Valley and I did so. Despite the fact we weren't able to execute the plan in 100 % I was satisfied. 

After this touring I accelerated my decision about buying AT boots (lighter than my racing ones and prepared to walk) and lighter pair of skis instead of my heavy K2 Missbehaved.