Úplaz (1,450 m a.s.l.) is a rewarding off-the-beaten-path summit in the Kriváň part of the Malá Fatra mountains, tucked away from the main ridge and blissfully free of crowds. Covered in dwarf pine scrub and sitting within a strictly protected nature reserve, it offers a genuine taste of wild Slovak mountain scenery.
The peak lies in the central section of Kriváň Fatra, inside the Malá Fatra National Park and the Šútovská dolina National Nature Reserve. Because it sits off the main ridge, the higher summits of Chleb (1,646 m) and Hromové (1,636 m) frame the western and northern skyline, while the summit itself opens up beautifully to the south and east. From the top you can take in the broad Turiec Basin, the Veľká Fatra range, and the Choč Hills. On a clear day the Western Tatras, Low Tatras, Vtáčnik, Strážov Hills, and even the Orava Magura to the northeast come into view — a panorama that rewards every step of the approach.
How to reach the summitThe whole massif drains directly into the Váh river via the tributaries of Šútovský potok — one of Slovakia's most iconic waterways flowing through the valleys below.