Gorge in winter

Hi,

It's morning. It is snowing heavily, cars move slowly on the road. It is quite slippery on some sections. A colleague who was supposed to go with us today calls me in the morning with a question. Do you see what's going on outside? It's snowing, was my reply. He was afraid of the conditions with fresh snow on the hike, so he canceled his participation. However, I wasn't even planning to give up without a fight. Fortunately, my colleague, who was also supposed to go with us, had the same opinion, so we set off as a pair.

The journey by car took about thirty minutes. After the journey, the clouds disappeared and the sun began to peek out. We arrive at Podlesok, where our hike is to begin. Not a trace of fresh snow. We remembered our colleague then. It's a shame that he canceled his participation.

Determined to cross the Suchá Bela gorge in winter conditions, we continue forward. Shortly after entering the gorge, we put on our hiking boots. There is ice on the rocks and trees. Cats will help us overcome it without the slightest problem. When I have them on my shoes, I immediately feel safer. My step is more sure and we advance through the ravine much faster.

To my surprise, the stream in the gorge is not frozen. I expected more ice here in February. Apparently, the frost didn't get here with such force. After all, the gorge maintains more stable conditions than the surrounding hills.

Suchá Bela Gorge is located in the Slovak Paradise National Park in Slovakia. It is the most visited gorge in the National Park. Although I wouldn't say that about her in winter. In the summer, queues form in front of the ladders, which must not be missing in the gorge. We haven't met anyone here now. Perfect conditions for me. Silence, peace, beautiful nature and gently babbling brook everywhere.

The gorge is 3.7 kilometers long with an elevation of 420 meters above sea level.

However, the frozen gorge is so beautiful that I don't feel the rise in my legs at all yet. Although it's true that I haven't been on a hike in a while and I've gained some weight. From time to time I will stop by and take a picture.

My daughter really wanted to go with us, but she is only four years old and would definitely not be able to do the hike. So I promised her that I would photograph everything and tell her about it at home.

We come to the first waterfalls in the gorge, Misova waterfalls. In my opinion, it is the most beautiful part of the Suchá Bela gorge. The water from the stream here passes through a gap that it cut through the stone wall in the distant past. But what am I going to tell you about it, look how it looks here in winter.

First we go up the ladder, we get to a narrow crevice full of ice. The ice hangs here from every side. If I look to the right, to the left, below me, there is ice everywhere.

The bowl waterfalls are finished with the last ladder, thanks to which we reach a slightly wider part of the gorge.

After a short continuation through the gorge, we come to another waterfall. As I look at Okienkový vodopád, I have to admit that its height is really admirable. And the ladder leaning next to it inspires respect.

Even before I start my way up, I come to the wooden stairs. I was attracted by the number of icicles that formed on it. I'll tell you what. I like such details and little things.

On the way, we pass by various formations. Most of them are ice formations. Exactly as nature designed them. There are also several caves in the gorge, or holes that the water carved into these massive rocks. They are perfect in combination with ice icicles.

We come out of the gorge. We still have to climb the snowy forest. Fortunately, we have a well-trodden path along which we are doing quite well. I mean, because it's cold.

I have to admit that this conclusion is the hardest for me. My legs are heavier and I would like to be on top. It is probably also because one no longer walks along the gorge and can no longer admire the beauty in the gorges. However, there is a nice snowy forest here and that makes me happy.

We come to a clearing. A shelter has been built here for tourists so that they can rest, eat and gain strength for the next hike.

Anyone who wants to can go to Kláštorisko, where they can see the ruins of a medieval monastery, or just take a walk through the forests of the Slovak Paradise. Those who have had enough of hiking can go back down to Podlesok.

After some time, we see a National Park Service car approaching us. One of the administrators comes out and asks us where we are going from. We told him that we were going from the Suchá Bela gorge, so he asked us how it looked there. He wondered if there were any freshly fallen trees in the gorge and if the gorge was easily passable. We told him that yes, the trees are not there, but when I look back at the photos of 🙂...

Enough of resting. We're moving on, for another adventure, but more on that next time... I've already kind of written about.

Thank you