19.7
PDI
7.9 mi
DISTANCE
3,010 ft
GAINED
7.2 %
AVG. GRADE
FULL CLIMB STATS
Page Contributor(s): Bryant Robbins and Jill Aho, Palmer, AK, USA; Ard Oostra, Montreux, Switzerland
INTRO
Sliezsky Dom climbs 12.7 km (7.9 mi) from Gerlachov, in the Poprad basin below the High Tatras, to the mountain hotel of the same name on the shore of Velické pleso. It gains 917 m (3,010 ft) at a 7.2% average, from 753 m (2,469 ft) to 1,670 m (5,479 ft). The hotel is billed as the highest in Slovakia and sits directly beneath Gerlach, the country's highest peak.
The route is really two climbs. The first 5.6 km (3.5 mi) are an approach at about 4%, through the villages below the mountains to Tatranská Polianka at roughly 1,000 m. From there the real climb is 7.1 km (4.4 mi) at 9.5% on the asphalt road up the Velická valley, a former service road for the hotel that is closed to ordinary car traffic and is listed by the Tatra National Park as a designated cycling route.
Once the road enters the forest it holds between 8% and 11% almost to the top, with the steepest kilometer averaging 11.2%. The trees thin out only near the end, where the lake and the walls of the Velická valley open up.
PLAN YOUR ROUTE
We've partnered with Sherpa-Map.com to bring you the best route planning tool. With a PRO Membership you can use this climb as a reference when creating your route. Sliezsky Dom is 12.7 km (7.9 mi) long and gains 917 m (3,010 ft) at a 7.2% average. The profile has a clear split between a gentle approach and a sustained mountain road.
Km 0-5.6 (0-3.5 mi): 4.3% on the approach to Tatranská Polianka, with the first two kilometers at only about 2%.
Km 5.6-8 (3.5-5.0 mi): 10.3% as the forest road begins, including a 10.7% kilometer.
Km 8-11 (5.0-6.8 mi): 8.2%, the easiest part of the mountain road.
Km 11-12.7 (6.8-7.9 mi): 10.8% to the hotel.
Km 5.6-8 (3.5-5.0 mi): 10.3% as the forest road begins, including a 10.7% kilometer.
Km 8-11 (5.0-6.8 mi): 8.2%, the easiest part of the mountain road.
Km 11-12.7 (6.8-7.9 mi): 10.8% to the hotel.
The steepest 500 m average 11.4%, the steepest 1 km 11.2%, the steepest 2 km 10.5%, the steepest 5 km 9.2% and the steepest 10 km 8.5%. There are no sharp walls - it is a long, steady grind.
Roadway: The whole route is paved. Above Tatranská Polianka the road is a narrow asphalt former service road for the hotel and mountain rescue. A landslide damaged part of it in autumn 2023, and the Tatra National Park administration (TANAP) repaired the section above Velický most in 2024, laying new asphalt where it had broken up and adding a new railing. TANAP reported the road renovated and open again in November 2024, and it is not subject to a seasonal closure. Expect some rough patches and drainage channels across the road on the way down.
Traffic: Motor traffic is minimal, since the road is closed to regular cars and used mainly by the hotel's guests and supply vehicles. The real traffic is people: hikers with dogs, children and strollers spread across the road, especially on summer weekends, so take extra care on the descent.
Parking: Tatranská Polianka has an unguarded paid car park for hikers, plus parking along the main road, and it fills in peak season. The turnoff is easy to miss, and a narrow side road climbs past a sanatorium to a larger hiking car park. If you only want the mountain road, start from Polianka; the full route here begins lower in Gerlachov.
Gear: A compact crankset with a 30-34 tooth rear cog is the minimum for 7 km of 8-11%, and an easier gear is welcome if you don't climb often. Slightly wider tires are more forgiving on patched asphalt, and you will use your brakes a lot on the way down. Pack a warm layer - the hotel is at 1,670 m, and the valley is cold in the shade.
Provisions: There is nothing along the road, so fill your bottles before you leave Tatranská Polianka. The hotel at the top has a restaurant.
Before heading out on any cycling adventure check out our Things to Bring on a Cycling Trip and use our interactive check list to ensure you don't forget anything.
Sliezsky dom is more than a finish line. The hotel sits beside Velické pleso, at about 1,665 m, in the Velická valley beneath Gerlach, and a short path circles the lake. It is also a base for climbs on Gerlachovský štít. Pope John Paul II visited in 1995 and blessed a climbing rope, an ice axe and a wooden cross that still stands at the hotel.
The road to the hotel stays open through winter and is used by ski mountaineers, but the marked hiking trail beyond the lake is closed from 1 November to 15 June. Poprad, the district town, is the practical base for lodging, and the Tatranská magistrála hiking trail links Sliezsky dom with Popradské pleso, the subject of our Popradske Pleso climb. Weather in the Tatras can change quickly - check conditions with our Weather tool before you commit.
ROUTE MAP
MEMBER RATING
CURRENT WEATHER
PJAMM TRIPS ADVENTURE STARTER BUNDLES
Check out PJAMM Adventure's prepackaged (self-guided) cycling trips. They will help you plan, document and conquer your next adventure.
NEARBY CLIMBS (0) RADIAL PROXIMITY
FROM No Climbs Found
MEMBER REVIEWS & COMMENTS
Let us know what you thought of this climb. Signup for our FREE membership to write a review or post a comment.
Already have an account?
LOG IN HERE
