Three days after returning from Jordan, at the end of March 2022, we headed to southern Poland, to the Sudetes. The plan was ambitious: to walk part of the Main Sudetes Trail (Główny Szlak Sudecki) – from Świeradów-Zdrój through the Izera Mountains and the Giant Mountains (Karkonosze) all the way to Karpacz, i.e. about 65 km in three days, with Wysoka Kopa and Śnieżka on the way. There were four of us – Patrycja, Wiktor, Karol and me. Just before we left, the weather turned: instead of sunshine and temperatures above 10 °C, the forecasts showed frost and snowfall. In the end the weather had the final say – instead of 65 km we walked about 47, and Śnieżka will have to wait.
Table of contents
- Getting there: Jelenia Góra and Świeradów-Zdrój
- Day 1: across the Izera Mountains to Szklarska Poręba (27 km)
- Day 2: the Kamieńczyk Waterfall and a snowstorm below Szrenica (9 km)
- Day 3: Końskie Łby, Łabski Szczyt and back to Szklarska Poręba (10 km)
- The Crown of Polish Mountains and summary
- Practical information
Getting there: Jelenia Góra and Świeradów-Zdrój
On Wednesday 30 March in the morning we travelled from Wrocław to Jelenia Góra. We had three hours until our bus to Świeradów-Zdrój, so there was time for a brunch in a Georgian restaurant and a walk around the old town. Three hours later the rest of the group joined us at our apartment in Świeradów-Zdrój. The first day was all about organisation – after a nice evening we got ready (mentally too) for three days of hiking.
Świeradów-Zdrój is the town where the Main Sudetes Trail begins – a red-marked trail about 440 km long, running through the whole of the Polish Sudetes as far as Prudnik. We intended to walk its first part: through the Izera Mountains and the Giant Mountains to Karpacz.
Day 1: across the Izera Mountains to Szklarska Poręba (27 km)
On Thursday 31 March visibility was poor from the morning. We started at 468 m above sea level, and the higher we went, the worse it got – so much for the viewpoints. After a while the temperature dropped below zero, and we regularly sank into snow above our knees. We passed only a few people on the trail, so the path wasn’t trodden down and walking was harder.
The first point was Stóg Izerski with the upper station of the gondola lift from Świeradów. The mountain hut on Stóg Izerski was closed, though, as was the hut on Wysoki Kamień later on – there was no chance of a hot meal along the way.
From there the trail follows the ridge through the Polana Izerska clearing and the Młaki viewpoint, from which all we could see that day was fog.
The most important summit of the day was Wysoka Kopa (1126 m above sea level) – the highest peak of the Izera Mountains and part of the Crown of Polish Mountains. Further on we passed the Zwalisko rocks beyond the former “Stanisław” quartz mine and climbed Wysoki Kamień (1058 m above sea level).
After about 27 km we reached Szklarska Poręba – tired and with soaked boots.
Day 2: the Kamieńczyk Waterfall and a snowstorm below Szrenica (9 km)
On the second day (1 April) we planned to reach the “Odrodzenie” mountain hut on the Karkonosze Pass – about 18 km. From Szklarska Poręba we entered Karkonosze National Park (entry about €1.70) and on the way made a detour to the Kamieńczyk Waterfall (about €2.20 extra). You approach the waterfall itself through a narrow rocky gorge, wearing a helmet – in winter, covered in ice and snow, it looked spectacular.
All the way to the hut on Hala Szrenicka conditions were bearable and the path was trodden down. On the hut’s menu, “Russian” pierogi (pierogi ruskie, a classic Polish dish) had been renamed “Ukrainian” – a sign of the times, a few weeks after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine.
The problems started around Szrenica (1362 m above sea level). We still had plenty of time, so after a short break at the “Szrenica” hut we carried on towards our goal. But worsening visibility and a snowstorm with strong winds meant that roughly at Twarożnik, after talking it over together, we decided to turn back and spend the night at the Szrenica hut. There we also worked out an alternative plan – without Śnieżka.
That day we walked only 9 km, and the lowest temperature we experienced was −7/−8 °C – the wind chill made it feel twice as cold. For me it was my first night in a mountain hut. In the evening the fog lifted a little, and at the hut we could try lots of regional beers – including a beer called “Szrenica”.
Day 3: Końskie Łby, Łabski Szczyt and back to Szklarska Poręba (10 km)
On the third day (2 April) we first went down to the Końskie Łby rocks – unfortunately in the fog they were completely invisible – and returned to the Szrenica hut.
Then we followed the red trail, part of which runs on the Czech side of the border. Beyond the Mokra Przełęcz pass we turned onto the green trail to the hut below Łabski Szczyt.
Only from the hut did visibility start to improve – for the first time on the whole route it was good enough to see anything at all.
We descended to Szklarska Poręba on the yellow trail, past the Kukułcze Skały rocks – about 10 km that day.
We went on to Karpacz only because we had accommodation booked there. The next day, Sunday 3 April, the sun finally came out – but we were already heading home.
The Crown of Polish Mountains and summary
We are all members of the Crown of Polish Mountains club (Korona Gór Polski) – the idea is to climb the highest (sometimes the most representative) peaks of all 28 mountain ranges in Poland. For Patrycja and me, Wysoka Kopa was the second official stamp in our booklet, after Rysy. If I had always had the booklet, it would also include Śnieżka and Tarnica – still not many, but we have time.
It’s a pity we didn’t reach our goal, but common sense won – in the end we walked about 47 km. It was a completely new experience for us, because we had never hiked in such conditions before. We’re not giving up – next time we’ll climb Śnieżka, and even more.
Practical information
- Route: the Main Sudetes Trail (red, about 440 km) starts in Świeradów-Zdrój. Our plan: Świeradów-Zdrój – Szklarska Poręba – Karkonosze Pass – Karpacz, about 65 km in 3 days. We walked about 47 km: 27 km on the first day, 9 km on the second and 10 km on the third.
- Getting there: we reached Świeradów-Zdrój by bus from Jelenia Góra.
- Fees (2022): Karkonosze National Park entry – about €1.70, Kamieńczyk Waterfall – about €2.20.
- Mountain huts: at the end of March 2022 the huts on Stóg Izerski and Wysoki Kamień were closed; open ones included the hut on Hala Szrenicka and “Szrenica”, where we spent the night. Before a winter trip it’s worth checking which huts are open.
- Winter conditions: at the end of March it can still be full winter in the Sudetes – frost, snow above the knees, poor visibility and strong wind on the ridges. Waterproof boots (ours got soaked on the first day) and a willingness to change plans come in handy.
Photo gallery
