Východná Vysoká

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From Tatranská Polianka (1,005 m), follow the green trail, which briefly runs along an asphalt road. Right in front of you, you will have the majestic massif of Gerlach Peak. Before long, the trail leaves the road and turns onto a path through young forest, which is gradually replacing the original woodland destroyed by windstorm damage. The path crosses the road several times, meeting it for the last time in the forest at the junction Na Velickom moste (1,301 m). Still following the green trail, you climb along the Velický stream into the dwarf pine zone to the junction Velická polana (1,562 m), from where it is only a short distance to Sliezsky dom (1,670 m).

Sliezsky dom

Sliezsky dom is a mountain hotel standing on the shore of Velické pleso, with views of the cascades of the 15-metre-high Velický Waterfall. You can stop here for refreshments at the hiker buffet or stay overnight.

The tarn is passed on the right, and immediately beyond it a short but steeper climb awaits over a rock step several dozen metres high, stretching across the whole valley. First you pass beneath an overhanging rock wall from which water constantly trickles, and sometimes it literally rains down—hence the name Večný dážď (“Eternal Rain”). Right after that, you climb briefly alongside the upper cascades of the waterfall. Once you overcome the step, you enter a beautiful grassy and almost flat part of the valley known as Kvetnica, where the stream winds through the mountain meadow in broad, shallow channels on its way to the Velický Waterfall.

Chains and Polský hrebeň

This is followed by another steeper ascent to Dlhé pleso (1,939 m), which is skirted on the right through a boulder field. Beyond the tarn, the trail climbs steeply into scree terrain and, after several switchbacks, brings you to a rocky section fitted with chains. A few metal steps also help with the ascent. The section is not particularly difficult, and most hikers should have no trouble getting through it.

Immediately after the chains, you reach the saddle called Polský hrebeň (2,200 m), recognizable by its distinctive signpost in the form of a dead tree. Reaching the saddle opens up previously hidden views of Zamrznuté pleso and part of the Bielovodská Valley.

Východná Vysoká: ascent and chains

At the saddle, turn right onto the yellow trail, which leads you up the remaining roughly 230 vertical metres to the summit of Východná Vysoká. The climb is fairly rocky at first, and one section is even equipped with a chain. Even here, however, the terrain is not especially difficult. Higher up, there is more scree and fewer rocky sections.

Východná Vysoká (2,428 m) is a perfect viewpoint summit thanks to its position and elevation. In addition to Gerlach Peak, beneath whose walls you passed in the Velická Valley, you will also see Rysy, Vysoká, Ladový, Pyšný, and Lomnický Peak, as well as Bradavica, Slavkovský Peak, and the Belianske Tatras. Directly below your feet lies the Veľká Studená Valley with its many tarns and Zbojnická Chalet.

Descent

The shortest descent follows the same route back to Tatranská Polianka, or by a slightly longer option to Starý Smokovec. If you do not want to return the same way, you can descend from Polský hrebeň into the Bielovodská Valley and continue to Lysá Poľana on the northern side of the High Tatras. A more demanding option for fit hikers with enough time is a traverse via Prielom Saddle into the Veľká Studená Valley and then down to Hrebienok and onward to Starý Smokovec.

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