When a person searches for your name on the Internet, they will find a lot of information. Somewhere, you are described as a sherpa; elsewhere, I read that you are a mountain guide or volunteer rescuer. So, please tell me - who is Štefan Bačkor?

I am from Poprad; I was born and grew up there. The first thing one sees is the hills, so my profession naturally follows the environment around me. My mother used to climb; at that time, it was not very common for a woman to be in a climbing group. I probably inherited my love for mountains from her. She led us to exercise and hike with my brother. We spent almost every weekend in the Tatras, in nature, regardless of the weather. I started hill climbing in high school, and as for being a sherpa, my brother got me into it. Once, he and a friend decided to try bringing goods instead of climbing because the weather was terrible. That was also my first contact with the world of mountain carriers.

 

Do you deliver to the mountain chalets daily, or does it depend on the weather?

Each hut has its own system, but it doesn't matter how the weather is during the season. If the hut is busy non-stop, it must also be supplied non-stop. An experienced hut owner "prepares" the sherpas even before the main, i.e., the summer season. In addition to the hut staff, each hut also has a community of external sherpas, often former staff and others who do it as a hobby alongside their actual jobs. Being a carrying sherpa is a rarity in the world. It doesn't even exist in the Alps anymore; most huts abroad are supplied by helicopters.

 

How is it possible that this job still exists in our country?

It is a combination of several factors. One is that most of the huts are located in national parks, so it is a nature preserve. If the conditions are not suitable, the helicopter cannot fly there. For example, we had a temperature inversion for a month, sunbathing at the top, but the helicopter could not take off since there was fog below and poor visibility. It is mainly flown before the summer season; it is necessary to pre-stock the huts before the valleys' opening and before the winter season to supply the huts with heating material. Even so, there are more flights than in the past, but the weather is minimal. The sherpas can go in almost any weather.

 

Sherpas are also an attraction—tourists in the Tatras can try to carry the canopy to one of the huts. Which route do you recommend to take in the summer?

As a starting point, I recommend Zamkovského Hut - it is the shortest route, and the elevation gain is also not too high. Here, you can check your condition. I make individual deliveries for those interested mainly here. The hut is ideally located for this activity; one can try it safely together with a professional sherpa. Of course, I want the tourist-sherpa to enjoy it as well. Carrying goods is not only about physical strength but also about mental strength. One will find out how he reacts in a difficult situation. Sometimes, I would like to, but my body can no longer do it, so I must assess the situation correctly and stop if I see that one is physically unable to do it anymore. We currently have a 20% discount on Sherpa adventure for members of the MYAPLEND loyalty system. This is an experiential trip to the Zamkovského hut with a professional sherpa and, if interested, a lecture on the high-altitude sherpa experience combined with a tour of our sherpa mini-museum in the Švajčiarsky dom.

 

What does such a delivery of sherpa look like? Does each of you carry your load?

No, I'm there to "coach" and assist and, if necessary, to take delivery. It starts with the preparation for delivery and its packaging. In those places where we can rest, we call them „stands“, a person sits down, I hold the load so that it does not fall. In a difficult place, I will advise you on how to make a step, where to step and how to help yourself. If I was also carrying the load, I couldn't focus on the client. I will step in if one cannot continue because we have to get the load to the hut. There is no other option.

 

Now, let's get to the guiding itself. There is a tourist guide, a mountain guide and a mountain leading guide. What is the difference between them?

The tourist guide should only guide along the tourist-marked trails. The mountain guide can leave this trail without snow cover; he can go to the first level of mountaineering difficulty according to the classification scale of the International Union of Mountaineering Associations (UIAA). Therefore, it guides people in mountainous and high-altitude environments without mountaineering equipment outside marked tourist paths and routes. Then, the mountain-leading guide can also take clients on climbing tours. Of course, and it applies to everyone, that they cannot go there as long as a particular area is closed all year round. These are the rules that each of them should follow.

 

What are the benefits of a mountain guide, when and why should I order this type of service?

If you want to walk, you can also go without a guide, but the advantage of a mountain guide is that you get an explanation of the terrain, surroundings, history and some interesting things as a bonus. The theory shows that when going to nature, I should study the visiting regulations, defining what I can visit as a tourist in the summer and what in the winter. A professional mountain guide also guarantees this. However, some tourists are not prepared and may face issues. They don't study the route; they don't check the weather. When you book a mountain guide for a hike, as a tourist, you should not have to worry about anything anymore. After consultation with the client, the guide knows what time suits a hike and can also recommend where to go based on their physical condition.

 

Which trail do you recommend to follow with a mountain guide in the summer?

My favorite one is Končistá because we are right next to Gerlachovský peak; we can wave with the people on Gerlach – the visibility is that great. It is high-altitude hiking with comparable aspects to Gerlach's ascent; we are in open terrain, and we have several options of routes to climb to the top and descend. I always try to take a different route up and down, so it is also an experience for the client. The total time of the hike depends on which route we choose and the group of people.

 

Can you share some practical tips on how to prepare for the hike, what to bring?

It is necessary to prepare for any weather - take personal belongings, suitable shoes and clothes. Those who are used to it can take hiking sticks. For example, I wear thin gloves and a hat in the summer; we are in the mountains, where it can snow even in August. I advise hikers to take the best mountain hiking clothes they have: something for the rain, something to change into, something for cold weather, and mountain travel insurance should be a must for everybody.

 

This article was created in cooperation with the tourist portalCezhory.sk

Author: Viera Legerská