Chopok, Mountain peak in Low Tatra range, Slovakia.
Chopok is the third-highest summit of the Low Tatras in Slovakia, reaching 2,024 meters (6,640 ft). The northern slope drops steeply toward the Demänovská valley, while the southern side is more gradual, and gondola lines connect both faces of the mountain.
For a long time Chopok was mainly reached from the northern side, until 2012 when a gondola system linked the northern and southern faces of the mountain. That connection turned it into a year-round destination for both hikers and winter sports visitors.
Chopok sits along one of the most walked ridge routes in Slovakia, connecting two valleys on either side of the mountain. In summer, hikers on long crossings share the path with day visitors who take the gondola up and then continue on foot.
The summit can be reached from both sides by gondola or on foot, and hiking routes vary from a few hours to most of a day depending on the starting point. A mountain hut near the top offers shelter if the weather turns, which can happen quickly at this elevation.
The summit hosts Slovakia's highest weather station, which records temperatures ranging from 18 to minus 27 degrees Celsius throughout the year. This means the mountain can feel like a warm summer ridge in July and a deep-winter environment just months later.
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