Koruna Turca – day 1
Koruna Turca is a route over 200 km long with more than 11000 meters of elevation gain. The loop runs through the Malá Fatra, Veľká Fatra, Žiar and Kremnické vrchy mountain ranges.
We’d had this hike on our radar for a few months, but the right time to actually do it only came now. The next 10 days are forecast beautiful sunny weather, with temperatures on the hills up to 10°C and below freezing at night. I’d never done a crossing in conditions this cold before, so we’ll see if I can pull it off. I pack more warm clothes, adjust our daily kilometers to the length of daylight, and count on a fairly good network of huts and shelters. On Thursday evening I lay everything out on the bed so I don’t forget anything, since I’m packing for Jozef too. Before we leave I go buy three days’ worth of supplies and head to Žarnovica, where Jozef’s waiting for me. We start our loop in Krahule, mainly because there’s a good parking spot there that lets us start hiking right away. On the parking lot we pack the food and Jozef repacks his backpack too.
Krahule – Cabanka
Friday, 18.10.2024
→ 9,5 km ↑ 487 m ↓ 283 m
We set off at 4pm. Today’s destination is Cabanka, 9 km away. First we climb through the Ski Krahule area and then continue on a forest road to Skalka.
For now we’re walking in just a hoodie, but when the wind gusts it’s genuinely cold. The trees all around are already beautifully colored.
At Skalka we add a windproof layer and keep up a brisk pace. We pass through some insignificant little tunnel and then continue along the ridge, up and down.
It’s a preview of tomorrow’s stretch to Štúrec pass, which we both remember as the worst part of the SNP Trail. The sun sets fairly fast and it’s already pretty dim in the dense forest.
We try to move fast and tap our poles to make our presence known. At 6pm we join a cycling route, and it’s just a short way to the hut from there. It’s already fairly cold.
At the shelter we hear a dog barking, there’s a man there heading the opposite direction. We check whether the upstairs floor is fine for sleeping. It’s really nice up here, with mattresses. Jozef goes straight to cook mashed potatoes with tuna and olives. Then we have chocolate, a magnesium drink, and go brush our teeth. I wash the mess tin right away too, so it doesn’t dry on till morning, and in that one minute in ice-cold water my hands go numb. We lay out our sleeping bags on the mattresses. Reluctantly, in 7°C, we change into pajamas and more layers, and by 7:30pm we’re lying in our sleeping bags. Half an hour later I blow up the sleeping pads, since a draft was coming up from underneath, then it’s fine, and I fall asleep nice and warm.
