What if you cycled up "Gerlach" instead of hiking it?
One biking challenge, "Gerlaching", is taking off.
Cycling in the High Tatras is gaining popularity as new bike paths pop up in the popular Slovak mountains, and a “Gerlaching” challenge appears to be drawing more and more people to the region.
The rule is simple: climb the height of Slovakia’s highest peak, Gerlach, 2,655 m, by running or cycling up a single hill several times before you reach 2,655 m of climbing. There is no time limit to complete the challenge. However, no sleep is allowed during its course.
“It’s not about racing, it’s an activity for fans of sports and movement,” said Lenka Potočná of the High Tatras Tourism Organisation.
Does this challenge ring any bell? Gerlaching is indeed a less demanding version of the global “Everesting” challenge named after the Earth’s highest mountain, which is more than three times higher than Gerlach.
Still, Gerlaching will test anyone’s fitness and allow them to also discover the beautiful Tatra Mountains. Boris Suchánek, an avid cyclist who comes from the area, has already tried the challenge. He chose the path between Tatranská Polianka, a neighbourhood in the Tatras, and Sliezsky dom, a well-known mountain hut.
“You need to complete the track four times within 24 hours,” he said. Suchánek recommended starting early and packing sufficient food, water and dry clothes. He also added, “The important thing is the right distribution of forces.”
The High Tatras is not the only place cyclists can try the challenge. In fact, there are many hills to choose from across Slovakia.
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