TREKKING IN THE KARKONOSZE MOUNTAINS TO THE BELOW OF ŚNIEŻNE KOTŁY (Alternatively through Poland)
Śnieżne Kotły, or two post-glacial boilers with well-preserved glacial forms, is one of the most beautiful places in the Karkonosze Mountains. Thanks to eight periodic outflow-free lakes, they create a truly spectacular (and romantic!) landscape, both from the above and below view. To Śnieżne Kotły leads a popular route (the so-called yellow trail) from Szklarska Poręba. Ascending the summit to the vantage point, the so-called Devil's Pulpit, with a closed television station takes over three hours to reach and sometimes requires more effort.
But don't worry, at the end you will be rewarded with some stunning views. From this perspective, however, one cannot see the characteristically jagged, steep slope, giving these post-glacial boilers an alpine feel. Rocky, vertical walls can be observed from the red trail, leading along the ridge along the summit of Śnieżne Kotły, which is a continuation of the yellow trail; or from the green trail called "Ścieżka nad reglami", which due to avalanche danger is closed in the winter. And it is the latter, considered one of the most interesting in the Karkonosze Mountains, I intend to describe below.
TRAIL DESCRIPTION
MICHAŁOWICE -> "ŚCIEŻKA NAD REGLAMI" -> "POD ŁABSKIM SZCZYTEM" MOUNTAIN SHELTER
1. We leave the small car park located just at the entrance to the Karkonosze National Park. The car park is located between Michałowice and Jagniątkowo, on the connection between Sudecka and Michałowicka streets. There are not many parking places there, so it's better to arrive early in the morning to be sure to find some. In the autumn there are locals collecting mushrooms in the nearby forest.
2. We start from the black trail leading through the forest on a wide, gently sloping path. We pass Trzy Jawory, next to which there are picnic benches.
3. We reach the Wysoki Most point, where immediately after the bridge we turn right into the narrow forest path, the starting point of the blue trail.
4. The trail leads quite steeply uphill on large stones. The distance of 2.25 km has an elevation of 405 m. A stream can flow through it, so be careful not to slip. It can be overgrown and sometimes it is difficult to find markings. In the spring and summer it looks very spectacular, it resembles a landscape like from "The Lord of the Rings".
5. Continue along the blue trail until you reach Rozdroże pod Wielkim Szyszakiem, where several routes meet, including the "Ścieżka nad reglami", which is the green trail that you shall follow, turning right.
6. From this point on, more people may appear on the trail, because "Ścieżka nad reglami" is quite popular. At the beginning the path goes through a dead forest. After less than a kilometer it goes above the tree line. This is where the most beautiful views of the Śnieżne Kotły cliffs begin.
7. We descend to the bottom of the Wielki Kocioł, from where we can admire the 200-meter cliff with a TV station on its top. The trail leads directly past Śnieżne Stawki, from which we could only admire two, because the rest had dried. The route next to the little ponds is difficult, it requires walking and climbing over large boulders, often with the help of hands, therefore gloves may come useful here.
8. Afterwards "Ścieżka nad reglami" leads over boulders, and then through wooden footbridges among dwarf mountain pines, from where there is a wonderful view of the Karkonosze Foothills.
9. Continue for another two kilometers until you reach Mokre Rozdroża (from where you can already see the mountain shelter), where we turn right onto the yellow trail, which leads directly to the shelter Pod Łabskim Szczytem, and the other way to leads the top of Śnieżne Kotły.
10. It's worth to make a longer stop in the shelter. You can use the toilet there for free, eat and drink something warm. Unfortunately, the prices are high, tea costs PLN 5, you have to pay about PLN 15 for a bowl of soup, and about PLN 25 for a plate of sweet pancakes. We had our sandwiches, so we didn't eat anything there, so I don't know if the food is good or not ;)
11. The way back is easy but quite monotonous and begins with the red trail coming out of the shelter.
12. We follow the red trail for about a kilometer to the crossroads at Pod Borówczanymi Skałami, from where we continue along the black trail to Wysoki Most.
13. We return from the Wysoki Most along the same route as we began our journey.
The above trail is 15 kilometers long and takes about 5 hours to walk. The sum of the approaches is 751 meters, while the descent is 805 meters. The highest point on the route is 1298 m a.s.l. The green trail is closed in winter due to avalanche danger and from 01.04. until 31.05. due to nature protection.
HOW TO GET DRESSED TO THE MOUNTAINS?
In Śnieżne Kotły snow can lie down to mid-summer, so you must always have warm clothes and a windproof jacket with you. In the Karkonosze Mountains the winds blow strongly and often, which causes large weather fluctuations. Always check the weather before heading to the mountains!
In mid-September the weather was beautiful, there was not a single cloud in the sky, but still the mountain winds blew strongly. I needed a hat and gloves, although people in the city wore shorts. It is best to layer-dress to the mountains!
My standard mountain outfit is:
- breathable long-sleeve (I have a gymnastic one, but also thermal underwear will work well),
- leggings (they are perfect if it doesn't rain or it's not very cold) - my leggings are quite thin, quick-drying and breathable; if it's cold I put on extra tights underneath,
- trekking boots - it is worth investing in good quality boots, because you will not go far in uncomfortable pair; if you plan to buy them online, I recommend to go to the store, try on a few models and ask the service for advice, because comfortable shoes are an absolute must!
- sweatshirt: a warm sweatshirt can be beneficial when it gets chilly, so always have it with you,
- waterproof jacket: the best ones will also protect against the wind - this is another piece of clothing that is worth investing in; thanks to a good quality jacket, we can survive even the worst weather,
- hat and gloves - they can be useful even in the summer, although when it is very warm, it's better to take a cap that will protect you from the sun,
- tubular - the most popular ones are made by the Buff company, they are multi-tasking, can be used as a scarf or headband,
- sunglasses - those with filters and polarization are necessary, even in the winter, when the light reflects off the snow.
WHAT GEAR TO TAKE TO THE MOUNTAINS?
As a rule, I take with me what seems necessary to me and a few things that may or may not be useful. If I have to carry everything on my back, I prefer to take as little as possible with me. The basis is of course a trekking backpack. Choosing the right model took me some time, but in the end I decided on Osprey Kyte 46, which I've had for a year now and it accompanies me on short and long expeditions (it served me as a travel bag for a week's trip to Ireland - how I packed into it you can read HERE).
I usually take to the mountains:
- backpack - I recommend investing in something permanent if you plan frequent trips to the mountains, especially if you plan to sleep in the tent or mountain shelters,
- backpack waterproof cover - in case it rains,
- map - always take a physical map with you; they are not expensive, and they can you the way when you get lost and lose mobile signal for example,
ourist maps on your phone - a very useful application with which you can easily plan a route, and when the range is not affected, you can check where you are on the phone map faster and easier, just remember to charge the mobile before your trip!
powerbank - in the event of low battery,
emergency numbers - write them down on a piece of paper, on your hand, pin them to your phone or memorize them. In Poland they are: 112, 985, or 601-100-300,
trekking poles - some consider them to be embarrassing, but they help with climbing, and don't burden knees when going down; when you don't need them, you can easily attach them to the backpack,
water - water supply is more important than food, if you have a filtering water bottle, you can fill it up on the trail, e.g. in a shelter,
a thermos with tea or coffee - a warm drink is a perfect excuse for a break on the trail, it tastes delicious even in the summer,
sandwiches and / or energy bars - it's worth having something to eat, even if you are planning a short route, you never know if you will want to go further ...;)
first aid kit and NRC foil,
headlamp / torch - in case you have to walk after dark,
strand with carabiners - this is the thing that you never know in which situation it can be useful!
For more great gear tips, visit: The Skateboarder!
When we go to the mountains in two, we share the luggage, so usually my backpack is half empty. In case it is warm, I can always put clothes that I don't need anymore into the backpack. Mountains can be very unpredictable, so you have to be prepared for various circumstances. It happens that really easy routes become impossible to pass in difficult weather conditions, such as storms and downpours. Remember to always tell someone where you are going and when they can expect any contact with you more or less.
Nevetheless Śnieżne Kotły are worth overcoming any difficulty, the route itself is a wonderful experience, and the connection with nature is pure pleasure in such moments. The route that I described above is not very difficult and mostly includes less frequented routes, so you can enjoy a peaceful hike. Please let me know in the comments, have you ever been to Śnieżne Kotły or Karkonosze Mountains? I admit that it was my first trek to these beautiful post-glacial formations and to this day I can not stop being delighted with them :)