Szklarska Poręba, powiat karkonoski

Śnieżne Kotły: the Ridge Day

Distance21.1 km

Elevation gain1048 m

DifficultyHard

Estimated time5 h 58 min

Chains: NoTechnical: NoAbove the treeline: 7.1 km

Overview

Two glacial cirques on the Karkonosze ridge, 250 to 300 m deep, and the path runs the rim so you look straight into both. A 27 m waterfall in three drops sits on the climb out of town.

The first hours are a steep forest pull to Szrenica. After that you are above the trees for seven kilometres, with no hut until the descent.

A hard full day. Start in the morning. It suits a fit walker who will turn around at Szrenica if the ridge weather is wrong.

Points of interest

Schronisko Kamieńczyk — Hut at the top of the waterfall gorge. Last stop before the steep climb.
Wodospad Kamieńczyka — Highest waterfall in the Polish Sudetes: 27 m in three drops. The gorge below is optional; the path continues.
Schronisko PTTK na Hali Szrenickiej — Hut where the valley climb meets the ridge. Last shelter before the open kilometres.
Szrenica — 1362 m, with a mountain hut on the peak. The open ridge starts here.
Śnieżne Kotły — Two glacial cirques, 250 and 300 m deep. The path runs the rim.
Wielki Szyszak / Vysoké kolo — Optional, +45 min. Highest summit on the walk, 1509 m, just off the ridge path.
Schronisko pod Łabskim Szczytem — Hut on the descent — the first shelter after the ridge.

Trail alerts

Seven kilometres after Szrenica are exposed above the trees, with no shelter until the hut on the descent. Check the ridge forecast, and turn around at Szrenica if it is wrong.
Visiting the Kamieńczyk gorge charges a fee and opens only at set hours. The path continues without it; check times before you set out.
The path runs an exposed rim above a 250 to 300 m drop. Keep to the path.

Trail character

Almost half is forest track, and most of the rest is gravel or laid stone.
Almost half the walk is steeper than one in ten, and most of the climbing is done before you reach the ridge.
The climb to Szrenica is the hard start; after it the ridge is open. Not a first mountain day.

Access & rules

Getting there: Szklarska Poręba; the loop starts at the car park.
Parking: at the start of the loop.
Tickets and fees: admission to Karkonoski Park Narodowy applies, and the waterfall section is separately ticketed at an office on the path.
Rules: the park sets its own rules on staying on marked paths, dogs and camping — check its own page below before setting out, since we have not read their terms and nothing here restates them.
Facilities: four huts serve food in season — Schronisko Kamieńczyk at 2.2 km, Schronisko PTTK na Hali Szrenickiej at 4.5, Schronisko Szrenica at 6.2 (a chairlift runs from here if you turn back) and Schronisko pod Łabskim Szczytem at 16.6 — but none is a reason to set out without water for six hours, since there are ten kilometres of open ridge between Szrenica and the last of them.

Tickets & opening hours

Park tickets and Kamieńczyk gorge hours, before you travel.

kpn.gov.pl

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