You can stand on Rysy and miss Poland's highest point

The detail nobody leads with:

• Middle summit: 2,503 m (some sources say 2,501 m). The highest of the three. Entirely in Slovakia.

• North-western summit: 2,499 m. On the border. This is the highest point in Poland.

• South-eastern summit: 2,473 m. Also Slovak.

The two main tops are about 45 metres apart. It's genuinely common for people to climb the obvious highest one, photograph the view, and later realise they stood on the Slovak summit rather than the Polish high point.

Do both. It takes a couple of minutes.

There's also a live argument about the number itself. The long-standing figure is 2,499.2 m, but a newer Tatra map revised Polish Rysy to 2,500 m. Both are in circulation. 2,499 m is still the figure most sources use.

One more thing worth knowing: Rysy is the highest peak in the Tatras you can reach on a marked trail without a guide. That's why it's so busy, and it's the whole reason the next peak on this trip didn't happen.

The Slovak route, and why it's the easier one

From Štrbské Pleso (1,346 m), via Popradské Pleso, the Mengusovská valley, the Žabie lakes, a section of chains and ladders, then Chata pod Rysmi and the Váha pass to the summit.

Roughly 9.6 km each way, 20 km return, about 1,345 m of ascent, 7 to 10 hours. It's graded as hiking with easy scrambling. Not technical, but the upper section is steep and the chains would be genuinely unpleasant in rain.

From the Polish side, the route runs from Morskie Oko (1,410 m) past Czarny Staw pod Rysami and up the west wall. It's steeper and harder than the Slovak approach, and far busier, because it's the only way for Poles to reach their own high point without crossing a border.

The Slovak route is seasonal. It's closed through winter and spring, typically open somewhere around mid-June to the end of October. Sources give slightly different dates, so confirm with the Slovak national park before you plan around it.

Getting to the start is easy: the Tatra electric railway from the Vysoké Tatry resorts to Štrbské Pleso takes around 40 minutes and cost about €4. Take the first train of the day.

Chata pod Rysmi, and the packs at the trailhead

Chata pod Rysmi, at 2,250 m, is the highest mountain hut in the Tatras. It sits roughly 250 vertical metres below the summit and has food, water and the highest outhouse in the range. It's cash only, in euros.

At the bottom of the trail you'll see a stand with barrels and bagged loads. Those are supplies for the hut, and they get carried up by hand. If you take one, typically 5 to 10 kg, you get free tea or coffee at the top.

I walked straight past them without knowing what they were and only found out at the end of the day, when a local translated the sign. The stand was full in the morning and empty by the time we came down.

Racing weather in the Tatras

Thunderstorms in the High Tatras are frequent, fast and genuinely dangerous on exposed ridges and chained sections.

Our storm was forecast for 11am and arrived almost exactly then. We started at dawn, pushed the pace the whole way, summited, ate quickly and ran the descent. It began raining and thundering as we reached the bottom. People were still starting their ascent as we came off.

What I'd take from that:

• Start at the first train. On a day with a storm forecast, every hour before noon is worth two after it.

• Check the forecast on the way up, not just the night before. There's phone signal on much of the route.

• The chains are the deciding factor. You do not want to be on that section wet. Set your turnaround point by where the chains are, not by distance to the summit.

• Poles help a lot on the descent if you're carrying any knee or neck trouble.

Bears are present in the Tatras, mostly on the Slovak side.

Why I didn't climb Gerlachovský štít

The plan was Poland and Slovakia on the same trip. Only one happened.

Gerlachovský štít, 2,655 m, is the highest point in Slovakia and the highest in the entire Carpathian range. There is no marked public trail to it, and you are legally required to go with a licensed mountain guide.

I tried for weeks to book one and couldn't. As it turned out, the storm hit that mountain later the same day anyway.

If you're planning Slovakia's high point: book the guide first, then book everything else around it. It's not a peak you can improvise.

Practical notes for the Tatras

• Slovakia uses the euro, and a lot of places are cash only, including the mountain huts.

• Public toilets at bus stations can close early. Ours shut at 4:30pm, which was a surprise.

• Bus stations are not always clearly signed. Allow extra time to find your departure bay.

• Trains and buses connect the Slovak Tatra resorts well and cheaply.

Frequently asked questions

What is the highest point in Poland?

The north-western summit of Rysy, at 2,499 m, in the High Tatras on the border with Slovakia.

Is Rysy the highest mountain in Poland and Slovakia?

It's Poland's highest point, but not Slovakia's. Slovakia's high point is Gerlachovský štít at 2,655 m, which is also the highest peak in the Carpathians.

Which summit of Rysy is the highest point in Poland?

The north-western one, at 2,499 m. The middle summit is higher at around 2,503 m but lies entirely in Slovakia, about 45 metres away.

Is Polish Rysy 2,499 m or 2,500 m?

Both figures are in use. 2,499.2 m is the long-standing measurement; a newer Tatra map gives 2,500 m.

How hard is it to climb Rysy?

Strenuous but not technical. Around 20 km return and 1,345 m of ascent from the Slovak side, with chains and ladders near the top. Typically 7 to 10 hours.

Which side is easier, Poland or Slovakia?

Slovakia. The route from Štrbské Pleso is less steep than the Polish route from Morskie Oko.

Do you need a guide for Rysy?

No. It's the highest peak in the Tatras reachable on a marked trail without one.

When is the Slovak route to Rysy open?

Roughly mid-June to the end of October. It and the hut are closed through winter and spring. Confirm current dates with the national park.

Is there a hut on Rysy?

Chata pod Rysmi at 2,250 m, the highest mountain hut in the Tatras, about 250 m below the summit. Cash only, in euros.

What are the packs at the Slovak trailhead?

Supplies for Chata pod Rysmi, carried up by hand. Take one of 5 to 10 kg and the hut gives you free tea or coffee.

Can you climb Poland's highest point without entering Poland?

Almost. The Slovak route reaches the border summit, so you barely set foot in Poland.

Do you need a guide for Gerlachovský štít?

Yes. There's no marked public route and a licensed guide is legally required. Book well ahead.

Are there bears in the Tatras?

Yes, particularly on the Slovak side.

Peak 26 of The Peak Project: climbing the highest point in every country in Europe.