Winter Hazards in the Karkonosze Mountains
The Sudety mountains appear friendly, but in fact have many features that make them dangerous in certain conditions. The most spectacular and demanding mountain range in the Sudety Mountains are the Karkonosze Mountains, both on the Polish and the Czech side. Visitors to resorts in this range should be aware of avalanche hazard and cornices. In Poland the five-level European Avalanche Hazard Scale is applied; the Karkonosze Mountain Rescue Service also proposes that the Karkonosze National Park Director close some tourist trails in the event of an avalanche risk.
Never IgnoreAvalanche Signs
The Karkonosze Mountain Rescue Service proposes that the Karkonosze National Park Director close the following tourists trails in winter:
Tourist
trail
colour |
Destination |
Remarks |
red |
Karpacz - the Nad Łomniczką Hut (in Polish -
Schronisko "Nad Łomniczką") - the Łomniczka
Cirque (in Polish - Kocioł Łomniczki) - and the
Śląski Dom Refuge (in Polish - Schronisko Dom
Śląski") - Mt. Snieżka. |
Łomniczka Cirque (Kocioł
Łomniczki) is avalanche prone
area |
blue |
the Dom Śląski Refuge (in Polish - Schronisko
"Dom Śląski") - Mt. Śnieżka |
Icy slopes, crampons
recommended. |
blue |
the Goat Bridge (in Polish - Kozi Mostek) -
Samotnia Refuge |
Avalanche prone area |
green |
trail "Ścieżka pod Reglami" - the Snowy Cirques (in
Polish - Śnieżne Kotły) |
Avalanche-prone and icy area |
green |
trail "Ścieżka pod Reglami" - upper station of the
chair lift on Mt. Szrenica. |
Avalanche-prone and icy area |
yellow |
the White Ravine (in Polish - Biały Jar) - the
Strzecha Akademicka Refuge. In the White Ravine
(Biały Jar) a yellow trail meets a black trail, the socalled
"Śląska Droga", leading tourists from the
upper chair lift station on Mt. Kopa. |
Nineteen avalanche deaths in
March 1968. |
yellow |
Pod Łabskim Szczytem Refuge (in Polish -
Schronisko pod Łabskim Szczytem) - the edges of
the Snowy Cirques (in Polish - Śnieżne Kotły). |
Enormous cornices overhang
the Snowy Cirques;
avalanche-prone and icy area |
black |
Karpacz - Biały Jar bus stop - White Ravine (in
Polish - Biały Jar) - upper chair lift station on Mt.
Kopa (also known as "Śląska Droga") |
Nineteen avalanche deaths in
March 1968. |