Kriváň and Chopok are not the only iconic Liptov peaks. If you look from the Liptov basin towards the west, you will certainly not miss the dominant peak – Veľký Choč (1,611 m above sea level). Thanks to its height, this mountain offers amazing panoramic views of Liptov as such, but also of the Veľká Fatra range and the Orava region. This highest point of the Choč Mountains can be reached by several routes and is accessible even in winter.
You can start from Valaská Dubová, the municipalities of Lúčky, Lisková or Likavka, or from Vyšný Kubín or Jasenová in Orava.
The hike to Veľký Choč from Valaská Dubová is one of the most popular. You can park in the municipality near the fire station or at the Jánošíkova krčma restaurant (you can also stop here for refreshments after your hike). Follow the blue trail from the municipality past some rocky cliffs. Along the way, you will also come across some small wells that offer pleasant refreshment. The blue trail will lead you to Stredná Poľana, from where you can follow the green trail, which is only passable during the summer. In the winter, continue along the blue and then red trails, which feature chains to help you.
The route to Veľký Choč from the municipality of Likavka near Ružomberok is interesting in that it leads past Likava Castle. The route is rugged, leading along mountain paths and meadows, and will take you to the above-mentioned Stredná poľana crossroads, where there is also a hostel. Towards the end of the route along the green trail, there is a more difficult climb, at the end of which you will be rewarded with the view from the very top of Veľký Choč.
You can also get to Veľký Choč from the municipality of Lúčky, where the famous Kúpele Lúčky spa is located, where they treat many patients, both male and female 😉. AQUA-VITAL Park is open to the public here, featuring thermal water and a wellness centre, and offering the chance to relax after a challenging hike. Alternatively, go to see the unique Lúčanský vodopád waterfall. Follow the red trail, which is also educational, then turn left off the main trail at the ‘Jastrabia dolina, odkalište‘ signpost. You will enter the forest and, along a constant ascent, will get through the Jastraba dolina valley to Žimerová. The terrain is steeper and quite difficult in places here. Along the way, you can refresh yourself, for example, by stopping at the numerous forest wells, or take a seat in the Žimerová shelter. From the Vráca saddle, you will have a very nice view of the entire Liptov basin before your last climb, which will lead you to the top of the majestic Veľký Choč.
If you want to conquer Veľký Choč in the winter, you have to use the winter hiking trail from Valaská Dubová. Walk through the municipality to reach a forest section on a field road, which tends to be icy and slippery. The forest will give you some protection from strong winds, but when you leave it and emerge onto the Poľana meadows, you will feel their full force. There is also usually more snow after Poľana. A less safe place in the rocky terrain below the peak of Veľký Choč features chains for safety. We recommend packing crampons (climbing irons or shoe chains) for this ascent. The route is very busy and the trail almost always passable. At the end of the route, watch out for snow drifts on the edges of the rocky peak.
The route to Veľký Choč is of medium difficulty and features a large elevation gain. This elevation gain differs depending on where you start from. If you go from the municipality of Lúčky, the elevation gain is 970 m and the hike takes over two hours. If you set out from Valaská Dubová, the route will take a little longer – over three hours – but the elevation gain is only 945 m. From the municipality of Likavka, the route is one of the longest at 10 km, can take up to five hours and has an elevation gain of 1,249 m.
Group ascents of Veľký Choč are also regularly organised. For example, there are large group ascents on New Year’s Eve. These ascents are organised by the Orava Club of Slovak Tourists in Dolný Kubín. The history of the traditional tourist ascent of Choč on the last day of the year dates back to 1972, when several mountain enthusiasts from Dolný Kubín climbed it. It acquired a nationwide character about five years later. On New Year’s Eve in the revolutionary year of 1989, a Slovak flag that one of the tourists had hidden at home for many years was raised at the peak of Choč. Participants in the New Year’s Eve ascents of Choč, 1,611 m above sea level, take home a commemorative calendar and a badge showing the silhouette of the peak.
