High Tatras
The High Tatras or High Tatra Mountains, are a mountain range along the border of northern Slovakia in the Prešov Region, and southern Poland in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship. They are a range of the Tatra Mountains chain.
Description
The mountain range borders the Belianske Tatras to the east, the Podtatranská kotlina to the south, and the Western Tatras to the west. Most of the range, and all the highest peaks, are in Slovakia. The highest peak is Gerlachovský štít, at.Biogeography
The High Tatras, having 29 peaks over AMSL are, with the Southern Carpathians, the only mountain ranges with an alpine character and habitats in the entire length of the Carpathian Mountains system.The first European cross-border national park, Tatra National Park, was founded here with Tatra National Park in Slovakia in 1948, and Tatra National Park in Poland in 1954. The contiguous parks protect UNESCO's trans-border Tatra biosphere reserve.
;Fauna
Many rare and endemic animals and plant species are native to the High Tatras. They include the Tatras' endemic goat-antelope and critically endangered species, the Tatra chamois. Predators include Eurasian brown bear, Eurasian lynx, marten, wolf and fox. The Alpine marmot is common in the range.
;Flora
Flora of the High Tatras includes: the endemic Tatra scurvy-grass, yellow mountain saxifrage, ground covering net-leaved willow, Norway spruce, Swiss pine, and European larch.
Peaks
Highest peaks
The 15 highest peaks of the High Tatras—all located in Slovakia—are:Other notable peaks
- Kriváň, 2494 meters, also called Slovakia's "most beautiful mountain"
- Rysy, the popular Polish−Slovak summit border crossing. Rysy has three peaks: the middle at 2,503 meters; the north-western at 2,499 meters; and the south-eastern at 2,473 meters. The north-western peak is the highest point of Poland.
- Slavkovský štít, 2452 meters tall, within the Tatra National Park, Slovakia
Mountain lakes
Major lakes
- Slovak lakes
- * Štrbské pleso - 1,347 m, 20 m deep.
- * Popradské pleso - 1,494 m, 17 m deep.
- * Veľké Hincovo pleso - 1,945 m, 54 m deep.
- Polish lakes
- * Morskie Oko - 1,395 m, 51 m deep.
- * Czarny Staw pod Rysami - 1,583 m, 76 m deep.
- * Wielki Staw Polski - 1,664 m, 79 m deep.
Other lakes
- Slovak lakes
- * Zmrzlé pleso
- * Ťažké pleso
- * Ľadové pleso
- * Batizovské pleso
- * Veľké Spišské pleso - 2,019 m, 10 m deep.
- * Veľké Žabie pleso - 1,921 m, 7 m deep.
- * Vyšné Bielovodské Žabie pleso - 1,699 m, 25 m deep.
- * Nižné Bielovodské Žabie pleso - 1,675 m, 21 m deep.
- Polish lakes
- * Kurtkowiec Lake - 1,686 m, 5 m deep.
- * Czarny Staw Gąsienicowy - 1,624 m, 51 m deep.
- * Zielony Staw Gąsienicowy - 1,672 m, 15 m deep.
Transport
- By TEŽ
- * Line : from: Štrbské Pleso - to: Poprad-Tatry
- * Line : from: Starý Smokovec - to: Tatranská Lomnica
- By OŽ
- * Line : from: Štrbské Pleso - to: Štrba
- By ŽSR
- * Line : from: Tatranská Lomnica - to: Studený Potok or from: Poprad-Tatry - to: Plaveč
- By PKP
- * Line 99 from: Chabówka to Zakopane
Culture
;People
The Górale people, a group of indigenous people with a distinctive traditional culture, are of the High Tatras and other mountain ranges and valleys in the Tatra Mountains region.
Ludwig Greiner identified Gerlachovský štít as the highest summit of the Tatra Mountains, and the entire Carpathian Mountains system. It is also the highest point of Slovakia.
;Places and services
- Vysoké Tatry
- Orla Perć — notable tourist mountain path/trail
- Siklawa Falls — highest waterfall in Poland
- Mickiewicz Falls
- Black Lake Falls
- Tatra Volunteer Search and Rescue
- Mountain Rescue Service
Images
- — after the 2004 storm calamity.
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Tatras, High
Tatras, High
Tatras, High
Tatras, High
Tatras, High
Tatras, High
Category:Tatra Mountains