
The real challenge
I dreamed of a nonstop journey across the High Tatras. And so the story of the record time began.
Vlado Tatarka, climber, ski mountaineer, and one of the most remarkable figures of the High Tatras.
From April 26 to 28, 1986, he created a masterpiece — a route through remote valleys and uncommon saddles, traversing couloirs with slopes of 40° and steeper.
He spent his entire life in the Tatras, waiting for the perfect conditions for several years. The traverse took him 3 days.

Gipsy's traverse
High Tatras, Slovensko
16 hours 25 minutes
fastest known time
50 km, 6 000m D+, 16 saddles, 23 valleys
ski-mountaineering
Vlado “Gipsy” Tatarka Traverse is an iconic crossing of the High Tatras. Matěj Bernát completed this challenging and beautiful route nonstop and even set a new record time. This remarkable “masterpiece” from one of the most influential figures in the High Tatras has breathtaking stats: 55 km and over 6,000 vertical meters. Remote valleys, little-known saddles, climbing sections, and skiing couloirs with slopes over 40°. Solo. Without support or pre-staged supplies along the route.
Basic Info and Facts:
- 55 km, 6,000 vertical meters of ascent, 23 saddles, 16 valleys, steep couloirs over 40° (the difficulty of Gipsy’s Traverse lies less in the stats and more in the technical demands)
- Start: March 25, 2022 - 11:03 PM, Téryho Hut
- Finish: March 26, 2022 - 3:27 PM, Téryho Hut
- Total time: 16 hrs 25 min
- Record time improved by 3 hrs and 45 min
Author : Matěj Bernát
Date : 4. 4. 2022
"The real challenge would be to do it nonstop!"
Let the idea of the Gipsy's traverse consume me!
I started to live the dream of nonstop wandering through the High Tatras. Absolutely reconfigured thinking! Finally acknowledged the importance of the present moment.
The whole essence of Zen consists in walking along the razor's edge of Now - to be so utterly, so completely present that no problem, no suffering, nothing that is not who you are in your essence, can survive in you. Eckart Tolle
Beings are caught in the strands of desire and attachment; they are caught like spiders in their own webs. The wise cut through these bonds and … slip out of all their suffering, without a backward look. Buddha
Worries both human and earthly have been the driving force for change for me.
Previous successful repetitions of Gipsy’s traverse:
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In my mind, Gipsy was leading me in the right direction. It’s 11:03 PM, and I’m setting off from Téry's Hut.
With Viktor Beránek's words on my lips, "The mountains are halfway to paradise," and starlight above… Heading into the night in the beloved Tatras.
I traverse from the hut and begin the ascent to Žlutá Lávka. A few “zigzags” on skis, then crampons, ice axe, and on foot from halfway up. The track is well-trodden, making for an easy climb. Even here, a song starts playing in my head. Nothing profound, yet for that very reason, it will be with me the whole way…
With your feet in the air and your head on the ground Try this trick and spin it, yeah Your head will collapse But there's nothing in it And you'll ask yourself Where is my mind?
From Žlutá Lávka, I continue with a short traverse into the couloir from Drobna Veža. A descent, a slight climb, and then downwards toward Zbojnícka Hut.
I’m starting to understand why Gabo was mindful of the moonlight. During my attempt, the valley is pitch black, and the moon only rises around four in the morning. Without moonlight, I can’t gauge the elevation gain accurately, nor can I descend at a faster pace. My orientation in the valley is poor. Here, I climb more than necessary… I descend to Sivé Plesá, traverse under the Javorové štíty, put on my skins, and navigate through Velká Studená Dolina. The lack of light makes it tough…
Reaching Studené sedlo is a battle—I’m sinking up to my knees in places, and there’s no conserving energy. If the snow conditions in all the couloirs are the same, I might as well head down to Popradské for breakfast!
The wind is fierce at the saddle. I quickly put on my skis and start descending. I’m not sure if so much snow has melted since last week or if I’m missing the ideal line. Probably both. At one point, I have to cross a scree field on foot. I continue the descent under Gerlachovský štít.
I put my skins on again. The conditions here are excellent; my skis hold, and I quickly gain elevation. I believe I’m headed for the right couloir. Crampons on, and I push towards the Gerlachovské Lávky. I walked this section for the first time just last week; until then, I couldn’t imagine tackling it at night. Everything changes; the mind evolves…
The conditions in the couloir are better than in Smutné sedlo. I’m sinking less.
I descend through the Komarnické rokliny with ice axes and crampons. It’s quick. Soon, I’m at Východné Batizovské seadlo. There’s barely enough snow here for skiing… I scramble a few meters down, put on my skis, and head towards Pasternákova priehyba.
Next, I aim for the saddle below Drúk.
There’s a track up to the saddle! YES! I’m flying upwards!
At one point, I turn and see two headlamps in Batizovská Próba. It’s 2 a.m., not the usual time for a descent from Gerlachovský štít! I wonder what story is unfolding up there… But they’re moving, so I stay calm. I keep pushing towards the saddle. The song in my head is one of the few certainties in the dark night, following Gipsy’s trail.
Where is my mind?
I’ve been moving through darkness for over three hours now. It’s getting harder and harder to maintain 100% focus. I put my skis on at the top of the saddle, where there’s plenty of snow. I immediately launch into jump turns, letting my thoughts wander a bit… Then I hit a frozen chunk with the inside edge of my ski, spinning me backward into the valley.
I manage to stay upright, but I have no idea how… Was it luck, or is someone above watching over me? I stop. I catch my breath. I need to steady myself.
After a moment, I continue the descent, fully concentrating on the present moment. It’s the only way to minimize risks.
I traverse under Východná Železná brána. Memories flood in of how my father and I did our first major ski traverse here. Thanks, Dad, for the love of the mountains, for everything. I climb to Strážné sedlo. I know Gabo had a hard time here. Today, I’m lucky with perfect conditions.
The descent into Rumanova Dolinka is like concrete—fast. I traverse to Dra čia Dolinka and start the climb to Dračí sedlo. It’s a bit past 3 a.m., and I can see the lights of the towns in the valley below, so close yet so far.
So far from the presence I feel here and the reality down there.
I ascend Dračí sedlo on skins; conditions are good.
Now, a descent under Dračí Branka. Still absolute darkness. I see some tracks. I take off my skis, put on my crampons. Perfect! A track up to Dračí Branka. After a few meters, I think to myself: Isn’t this couloir a bit wider than I remember?

I’m in the wrong couloir!
I scramble down and traverse under Dračí branka.
The rope leading into Dračí branka is completely buried under the snow, so I don’t have to worry about its quality or whether to use it. Live simply.
I make it there without major issues, descending on crampons. I continue down to the chains leading to the hut below Rysy and beyond, knowing there’s usually little snow in this spot. Below the chains, I put on my skis and traverse.
It’s still dark, and I’ve only been to Volovcové sedlo once, in summer. I’m choosing my route blindly. Light would be a blessing.
I reach the saddle just before five in the morning. Dawn finally begins here. The beauty and joy of something so ordinary… Horizons expand from the narrow beam of my headlamp to infinity. I manage to ski down to Hincové plesa.
The climb up to Temnosmrečinské sedlo is smooth. Conditions are good, but a question lingers in my mind: what awaits me on the other side, down into Piargova dolina? I have a 50-meter rope in my pack, but I plan to downclimb.

Dawn at Temnosmrečinské Saddle. A view of Chalubinského vrata, the direction of my next steps.
At the saddle, I immediately look over the edge. I can downclimb this without rappelling! I set my mind to it, familiar with situations like this from Alpine four-thousanders, where I often don’t have a rope and there’s no other option. Memories of traverse comes to mind Obergabelhorn – Zinalrothorn. A state of absolute concentration, an awareness of oneself in space, and confidence in each decision. A state of presence.
The hardest upper section is behind me; I continue down through a system of ledges. The snow is… well, let’s just say it’s not supportive, and the ice axes aren’t holding.

A look back at the descent from Temnosmrečinské Saddle.
Finally, I reach a spot where I can put my skis on. Relief, joy. I let myself go down the slope into Piargova Valley! Safe terrain. Rock'n'Roll! I enjoy the descent, easing up on my concentration…
About 50 meters of tumbling rotations down the slope quickly bring me back to reality.
With your feet in the air and your head on the ground Try this trick and spin it, yeah Your head will collapse And there's nothing in it And you'll ask yourself Where is my mind?
From there to Chalubinského vrata, everything goes smoothly. From Temnosmrečinské sedlo in just 37 minutes. The descent to Morskie Oko is pure hell — chopped up and frozen. Or maybe it’s just my legs weakening…
Above the lake, I take a breakfast break. Cheese, nuts, more cheese, and at 6:20, I set off towards Černý Stav below Rysy. I cross the frozen lake without paying much attention to what’s under my skis, focusing intently on the ascent to Vyšná Kamzíčia Štrbina.
The key point of the entire traverse, and you’ve never been here before! Well, all right then…

A view of the ascent to Vyšná Kamzíčia Štrbina.
I reach the base, put on my crampons, excited to get going! The snow on the lower ledge sinks up to my waist. I’m not sure anymore why I was excited…
I escape into some grassy patches. But they end quickly, and I have to face the fact that this is going to be hard work.
I arrive at Vyšná Kamzíčia Štrbina “as shattered as a gypsy’s toy.” But hey, I didn’t come to the Tatras to sunbathe, did I?
A look back at the ascent to Vyšná Kamzíčia Štrbina and the descent into Spádová dolina.
The descent into Spádová Dolinka is pure luxury; I’m here at 8:15. Spring firn and a firm base, a few short turns from the saddle, then long, sweeping turns down the valley. Life is beautiful. I weave through the icefall without the slightest trouble.
I’m thrilled again! Memories of Elko, Simon with Karel, and Gabo, who all had quite the struggle here, flash through my mind. And here I am, enjoying the best skiing of the day right here in Spádová! The key, of course, is the conditions and, more importantly, timing. Coming through here three hours later would likely have me clenching tightly.
The descent from Ťažké pleso is indeed “ťažký” (heavy)! :) I weave through the forest into Bielovodská dolina, passing the climbers' camp and TANAP cabin. I continue ascending toward the saddle above Zelené. Last week, I went up the slope on the right side, but now I see the “playing field” has changed drastically.
Where there was snow seven days ago, there’s now green. Kosovo scrub everywhere. I hope I can make it through the couloir. By the creek, I top off my water supply and drink my fill! A liter and a half of fluids just barely lasted me from Téryho Hut.
A quick break, snack on a *horalka*, and I’m off up the couloir before the snow softens under the midday sun. In the lower section, a waterfall already bursts through the snow crust. I step carefully, like a pyrotechnician.
Where is my mind? Way out in the water See it swimmin’
Above the lower threshold, the conditions are quite decent. I can hear water running underneath, but I don’t worry too much. A mild apathy from fatigue plays in my favor.
The descent from the saddle into Zelená Javorová dolina isn’t as good as last week. Still powder, but with a thin crust on top.
Down by the creek, I refill my water again and take a ten-minute break with my feet up. The longest break of the day.
I continue toward Čierna Javorová. There’s a track here, and not just a ski one... Clearly, the bears are no longer hibernating. After 12 hours, my brain’s feeling like a bit of a salad, so I’m not sure how I’d explain to a bear that I’m going for a record time and it should get out of my way…

Bear „traces” in traverse to Čierné Javorové doliny
I tackle the Hang from the left, with three ski mountaineers ascending on the right. Great, I’ll have a fresh track waiting for me above. But only if they don’t stop for a break. The snow in the afternoon sun is turning to mush. The upper part of the climb to the saddle is snowless.
The descent from Čierne sedlo to the rappel point above Brnčála is probably fine, but after more than 5,000 vertical meters, I can’t quite appreciate it.
I hit the rappel point smoothly, put on my crampons, and make my way to the anchor. For the first time, I pull out the rope (read: 50 meters of five-millimeter prusik cord), which is incredibly tangled, but eventually, we come to an understanding. I rappel through the couloir using a munter hitch. Water is roaring from all sides. I want to get out of here as quickly as possible! I try to pull the rope down, but it jams at the end.
For ten minutes, I naively try various maneuvers. I give up and leave the rope behind. It had to happen eventually.
I ski down to Brnčála (Hut at Zelené pleso) and traverse under Flaška. The wind is starting to pick up. But compared to the forecast, which predicted cloud cover by now, it’s still manageable.
I’ve saved enough energy for the climb to Bachledova Štrbina. First, because of last week’s experience, where I struggled here knee-deep in powder, and second, because I didn’t expect to get here so early and thought I’d encounter a weather change during the ascent. I’m prepared for this possibility, both in gear and mindset—ready for a storm, snow, darkness, and knee-deep drifts.
Instead, it’s clear skies, nightfall is far off, and when I spot a track in Medená Kotlina, I’m overjoyed! I push to the limit; there’s no point in saving anything now! My thighs are burning, calves on fire…!
In the final 100 meters, there are three short icy steps. The wind picks up slightly, tugging at my tired body. I won’t give in. Around 3:00 PM, I reach Bachledova Štrbina. No more climbing. Now it’s “just the descent back to Téryho hut.”

Bachledova štrbina. Last descent!
During the descent, I release small snow sluffs, so I stop and let them slide ahead, my thighs burning! I exit the couloir. Traversing towards the hut. The last fifty meters.
I reach the hut… Stop the recording on my watch.
Time: 16 hours 25 minutes! I can hardly believe it myself. The dream has come true. The circle is complete. Everything is the same as when I started, yet different.
The mountains are somewhere halfway to paradise…
Dedicated to Simon Kolaja and Václav Tichavský. For watching over me from above…
Many thanks:
To my family and friends for their unwavering support!
To Elko, Martin, Majo, and Štefko from Téryho Hut for the excellent base for preparation and the fantastic welcome. To Viktor Kořízek for everything he taught me in the mountains. To Tomáš at Sunsport and Dynafit for the support.
