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Ascent of Veľký Kriváň and Chleb

Difficult physically demanding Easy technical
05:45
Walking time
13 km
Distance
1200 m
Elevation gain
Loop
Difficult physically demanding Easy technical

Hike description

A popular hike to Veľký Kriváň, the highest peak in the Malá Fatra. Following the cable car line, you climb to the ridge and take in the views from Kriváň and neighboring Chleb. With Veľký Rozsutec in front of you, continue along the ridge to Poludňový grúň, then descend via Chata na Grúni back to Vrátna.


Snilovské Saddle

Set off on the green trail from the Chata Vrátna (750 m) trail junction, pass the cable car building on the left, and begin climbing the clearing beneath the cable car. Soon you will join a wider path leading across the slope into the forest on the right. A series of switchbacks takes you to a point where the path passes under the cable car again; here, turn right onto a footpath. It runs more or less parallel to the cable car and brings you to its upper station, from where it is only a short walk to Snilovské Saddle (1,524 m).

Ascent of Veľký Kriváň

At the saddle, turn right onto the red trail and climb gradually to the junction at the ridge of Veľký Kriváň (1,650 m), where you turn left and gain the remaining elevation to Veľký Kriváň (1,709 m). From the summit, the views are immense: Malý Kriváň, Chleb and Chata pod Chlebom to its right, Stoh, Malý Rozsutec, Veľký Rozsutec, Vrátna Valley, and in good weather also Babia hora, Pilsko, Veľký Choč, Veľká Fatra, Western Tatras, Low Tatras, and more.

Ascent of Chleb

Descend the same way back to Snilovské Saddle and continue on the red trail, climbing gently through dwarf pine, with a steep slope on your left near the top, until you reach Chleb (1,646 m), another summit with excellent views.

After a short descent, you climb to Hromové (1,636 m) and cross the saddle beyond Hromové (1,600 m). Beyond it, the ridge bends left and a gentle descent follows across Steny, as this section of the ridge is known for the steep, high slopes dropping away on both sides. With only one short climb, you continue descending gradually to Poludňový Grúň (1,460 m), a summit so inconspicuous that without the sign you might not even realize you are standing on one.

Chata na Grúni

This is where the ridge section of the hike ends, followed by a steep descent left on the yellow trail to Chata na Grúni (973 m), first down a broad clearing between the trees and later along a ski slope, passing a small patch of forest on the left. At the hut, take the first path on the left, still marked yellow. After a few dozen meters, you pass a spring and shortly afterward enter the forest. The path then descends gently back to the lower cable car station.

Useful info

From Žilina, take a direct bus via Terchová to Vrátna Valley, to the lower cable car station (stop “Terchová,,Vrátna výťah”).

Search connections

By car from Žilina on road 583 to Terchová, then through Tiesňavy to Vrátna Valley and the parking area by the lower cable car station.

Chata Vrátna Chleb cable car, upper station (2:00) Snilovské Saddle (2:05) Ridge of Veľký Kriváň (2:25) Veľký Kriváň (2:35) Ridge of Veľký Kriváň (2:45) Snilovské Saddle (2:55) Chleb (3:20) saddle beyond Hromové (3:35) Poludňový Grúň (4:20) Chata na Grúni (5:10) Chata Vrátna (5:45)

upper cable car station, Chata na Grúni, spring near Chata na Grúni

  • You can save time and energy by taking the cable car to Snilovské Saddle. If you do the hike in reverse, the cable car can also save your knees on the descent.
  • From Snilovské Saddle, it is only a short walk to Chata pod Chlebom (0:25). You can then return to the ridge on the yellow trail to the saddle beyond Hromové (1:10).
  • If you still have plenty of energy, you can extend the hike to Stoh (1:45) and descend via Medziholie Saddle (2:30) to Štefanová (3:15). From there, you can take a bus (stop “Terchová,,Vrátna Štefanová”) back to the lower cable car station, to Terchová, or to Žilina. Search connections

Hikes in Malá Fatra

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