Poland 3: Tatra Mountains

The High Tatras, viewed from Kasprowy Wierch

Thurs 26 April 2018: Day 1
After a hearty breakfast, we abandoned our car in the hotel car park and began our 2-day hike into the Tatras. It had been hard to get good advice on the best route: several of the high passes don’t open until the end of May - and the tourist office had been a bit vague... but had at least recommended a Lodge to stay in.

We walked up the road to Kuznice - where the cable car runs from (there are 3 ski slopes). Then we took the ‘yellow’ route up Dolina Jaworzynka; a beautiful walk in with spring flowers and huts.                  
 

Then the forecast rain arrived!

We reached the Murowaneic hut at midday - for hot chocolate and cake.  Photo below was taken the following day in sunshine! Vast lodge, with accommodation for up to 100 people and a big restaurant.

The rain continued - so we had our picnic lunch, and then headed out at 2pm as the rain eased.
We made our way up increasingly snowy paths to the lake “Crazny Staw Gasienicowy” at approximately 1750m

Lake - still partially frozen!

We made our way cautiously around the eastern side of the lake to see how far we could go towards the Zawat pass - which crosses the main ridge at 2,158m. No go: the path around the lake didn’t look good, and to go higher we would have required ice axes and crampons! Back to the Lodge.

Path around lake (on left) not good!

Jess sensibly headed into the warmth, whilst I decided to see if I could make it up to Kasprowy Wierch (1987m) before supper.  Jess called to say kitchen shuts at 6pm so the challenge was on! I made it up the snowy slopes, and back down in a minor snow storm!

Kasprowy Wierch 1987m

After a hearty supper (more black pudding & sauerkraut) - there was a glorious sunset to conclude a fab day

Murowaniec Lodge can just be seen in amongst the trees

Path leading towards the Lodge

Fri 27 April: Day 2
Quick breakfast of hot millet with apple, then back up the snowy track to Kasprowy Wierch. We had chatted to a lunatic skier fom Gdańsk last night (we actually met him walking down yesterday with his skis having sought out snowy couloirs!) and reckoned the ridge route to Kota Kondracka would be doable with the clear forecast for the day.

A glorious morning! 

Slightly odd to be walking up a slope whilst a couple of late season Poles made their way down on skis!!

Kasprowy Wierch - again! 

Luckily two other people had set off ahead of us, so we followed their tracks in the snow and set off west along the ridge. We never actually saw them, but without the tracks we probably wouldn’t have been brave enough to take this route.  The other unknown was would we be able to safely come off the ridge, but this proved to be fine - with quite a few walkers coming up at the other end. But for the first couple of hours we had the mountains almost to ourselves.

Setting off along the ridge... (and the bottom of the valley to the left is Slovakia!) 

Kopa Kondracka (2004m)

The “yellow” route down  - towards Giewont

We made it safely down for a cup of coffee in the small hut below Giewont - and were back at the car by 4.30pm. Probably the best day’s walking we have ever had: 16km total, with snow, sunshine and a breath-takingly beautiful ridge. Since leaving the Lodge this morning, we climbed 726m and descended 1,447m