Rumanowy Szczyt (2428 m a.s.l.) is one of those High Tatra peaks that likes to keep its secrets. From the Zlomisková Valley it looks almost modest — but once you see the massive north-eastern face dropping down toward Kačia Valley, you quickly understand why generations of climbers dreamed of conquering it.
The peak sits in the main ridge of the Slovak High Tatras, flanked by Ganek and Žlobivá, forming a trio of prominent summits between the Zlomisková and Kačia valleys. Rumanowy Szczyt actually has three sub-summits separated by small notches — only the highest western summit has been precisely measured. In summer the ridge offers a rugged, true high-mountain experience; in winter the north-eastern wall — rising between 550 and 690 metres of sheer rock — commands deep respect even from seasoned alpinists.
How to reach the summitThe peak's name, along with the nearby passes and the Rumanové plesá lakes in Zlomisková Valley, honours the Tatra mountain guide Ján Ruman Driečny. The first summer ascent was made by Janusz Chmielowski, Klemens Bachleda and Jan Bachleda Tajber on 27 September 1902, while the legendary north-eastern face was not climbed directly until 30 August 1932.