Description of area
Orographic unit Mala Fatra spreads in the northwestern part of Slovakia. It belongs to province of Carpathian mountains and among them to Western Carpathians. It is separated by river Vah. First part, Lucanska Fatra, is smaller and it spreads in the Sothwest. Highest peak is Velka Luka (1475,5 metres AMSL). Second part, Krivanska Fatra, spreads in the Northeast.
NP Mala Fatra from the North
The highest peak is Velky Fatransky Krivan (1708,7 metres AMSL). Surface of the mountain is significantly broken with lot of deep gorges and rocky systems. This is characteristic especially for northern hillsides. The most noticeable gorges are Dolné, Horné a Nové Diery, situated in area of Rozsutecs. Next are gorges of the same name Tiesňavy, which create amazing scenery of the entering gate of the Vratna valley. Essentialy smaller and nearly unknown gorges are situated in end of several smaller valleys of the mountain. Canyons like that are among other valleys also situated in Kurska, Belska and southern Šútovská valley. In Šútovská valley is such gorge characteristicly named „Tesnô“. Side ridges in northern part of the mountain are steeply increasing with lots of bigger or smaller rocky complexes. Example of this scene is area of northern slopes of Malý Kriváň (1670,9 metres AMSL) sloping to the end of Belská valley. Sothern slopes are more modest. Central ridge is relativly narrow. It has burly character only in the area of bigger saddlebacks. Everage height above sea level of the ridge is 1500 metres. The seddlebacks are Snilovské sedlo (1524 metres AMSL ), Bublen (1510 metres AMSL) and Priehyb (1462,1 metres AMSL). Large everage hight is one of the reasons why the ridge has nonforest character. Lenght of ridge is 26 km. The ridge is not compact.
The part of NP Malé Fatra named Oravské in area of Zázrivská valley.
On the east side is separated unit Hrčovská Kečka (1226 metres AMSL) and Lysice (1214,3 metres AMSL). It is separated from the cetral part by stream Zázrivka. Krivanska Malá Fatra is not widespread area, width is cca 12 km. Minimal height is 358 metres AMSL on confluence of creek Hradský with the river Váh. Maximum height is 1708,7 metres AMSL- highest point of Veľký Fatranský Kriváň. Its the fourth highest mountain of Slovakia. It is densly inwrought with system of creeks and streams. Their springs are often about 1000 metres AMSL or even more. This streams create good conditions for diverse species of fauna and flora. They also join in shaping of land in large scale. It can be observed in localities such as Diery, Tiesňavy and meandring Varínka. Whole river system belongs to basin of Váh. Váh is also the biggest river in surround. Smaller is river Orava, which is reclaiming eastern part of mountaine. It is still one of the cleanest rivers in Slovakia. Occurrence of valuable animals is pointing out to its cleanness. Bigger and relativly clean are also submountain rivers Zázrivka and Varínka. Varínka is the bigger one. It starts in area of Vrátna dolina. The stream Strohový, which runs trough the village Štefanová, flows into it there. All streams of northern foothills join into the river Varínka. And Varínka flows into Váh near town Varín. Zázrivka runs on the west side of area trough relativly deep valley Zázrivská. It joins with river Orava near town Párnica.