Szpiglasowy Ząb is a small but striking rock tower on the main ridge of the High Tatras, rising to 2120 m above sea level. It sits within the Szpiglasowa Grań ridge, forming a single slab formation together with the nearby, slightly higher Szpiglasowa Turniczka, split by a diagonal crack.

This is a wild, rugged corner of the Tatras - the ridge here follows the exact Polish-Slovak border, with the Polish valley of Dolinka za Mnichem on one side and the Slovak Dolina Ciemnosmreczyńska on the other. The slab wall dropping toward Dolinka za Mnichem is about 40 m high, giving a genuine sense of high-mountain exposure. This is terrain for experienced alpine climbers, not casual hikers.

How to reach the summit

• Crossing Szpiglasowy Ząb has traditionally only been possible as part of traversing the entire Szpiglasowa Grań ridge, suited to experienced climbers - difficulty grade II, with sections of III on the Tatra scale

Practical information

• Szpiglasowa Grań and its walls are currently completely closed to hiking and climbing
• In recent years there have been 3 fatal accidents on this section, one of them occurring right below Szpiglasowy Ząb and Szpiglasowa Turniczka
• A cross carved into the rock marks the accident site

The first traverse across Szpiglasowy Ząb was made by Janusz Mączka on 27 July 1966, during a complete crossing of the entire Szpiglasowa Grań ridge.