Śnieżka

Śnieżka is the highest peak of the Karkonosze, the Sudetes and Silesia, and also the highest mountain in the whole of Czechia. It lies exactly on the Polish-Czech border and towers over the Jelenia Góra Basin.

Height and location

The official absolute height of Śnieżka is 1,603.30 metres above sea level, measured from the mean level of the Baltic Sea. The peak rises above the Jelenia Góra Basin with a relative elevation of about 1,200 metres, and stands about 200 metres above the Równia pod Śnieżką plateau. On the Polish side it lies within the administrative boundaries of Karpacz and within the Karkonosze National Park, and on the Czech side within the Krkonoše National Park.

The first to reach the summit

The first confirmed group ascent of the peak was recorded on 7 August 1577, when twelve townsmen from the Czech town of Trutnov reached it. The first Polish tourists appeared on Śnieżka in 1677. Over time the peak attracted visitors from across Europe, including the first recorded Russian in 1792 and a Spaniard in 1795. In 1800 it was also climbed by John Quincy Adams, the future president of the United States.

Buildings on the summit

On the Polish side stands the Chapel of St Lawrence, erected in 1665 and consecrated on 10 August 1681. There is also a Meteorological Observatory with a restaurant, opened in 1974. The former tourist shelter on the summit was demolished in the 1960s. On the Czech side there is a cable car, put into service on 22 February 2014, and a post office point opened on 1 August 2008, the highest located in the whole of Czechia.

Trails to the summit

Four marked trails lead across the summit: a red one towards the Okraj Pass and the Równia pod Śnieżką plateau, known as the Friendship Trail, a black one leading to Karpacz, a blue one via Skalny Stół, and a yellow one from the Czech town of Velká Úpa.

Views from the summit

In favourable weather conditions, visibility from the summit of Śnieżka exceeds 200 kilometres, making it one of the most far-reaching viewpoints in this part of Europe.

Nearby

Close to the summit, just over a kilometre away, lies Kopa, another high peak of the Karkonosze. Heading towards Karpacz, it is also worth planning a stop at the Dziki Wodospad waterfall and the gravitational anomaly. On the way to the town you can also see Wang Temple, a Norwegian wooden building moved to Karpacz.

Practical information

• Starting point on the Polish side: Karpacz, Jelenia Góra County
• Four marked hiking trails lead to the summit; the area lies within the Karkonosze National Park, so the protected area's nature conservation rules apply
• From the summit, in good visibility, the view reaches over 200 kilometres
• Wheelchair access is not possible due to the nature of the mountain trail