The winter season is hitting its peak. Near perfect conditions for winter sports have blanketed the slopes for a month now. All ski runs are in tip-top condition, covered by a thick layer of snow, and most ski lifts are in operation.
Zakopane, Szklarska Poręba, Zieleniec and Szczyrk have for years been the most important ski resorts in Poland. But more and more centers aspire to join the leading group, for example Wierchomla.

The Tatra Mountains and Podhale region
Poland's highest mountain with facilities for skiers, Kasprowy Wierch, is in the Tatra Mountains. Zakopane, Białka and Bukowina Tatrzańska do not have such a well-developed ski infrastructure as the Beskidy and Karkonosze Mountains, but a proximity to summits over 2,000 meters high gives them the competitive edge.
■ Zakopane (Kasprowy Wierch)
Location: Kasprowy Wierch summit 1,987 m, cable car station in Kuźnice
Elevation: 1040-1980m
Total length of ski runs: around 18 km
Selected ski runs:
Goryczkowa run, FIS, 2,100 m
Gąsienicowa run, FIS, 1,550 m
Hala Goryczkowa-Kuźnice run, 2,300 m
Ski lifts:
1 two-person chair lift (Hala Goryczkowa), 730 people/h
1 four-person chair lift (Gąsienicowa Valley), 2,400 people/h
1 gondola cable car (Kuźnice-Kasprowy Wierch), shuttle service, 180 people/h
1-day ski pass: zl.80 (Goryczkowa + Gąsienicowa), zl.90 including cable car transport to Kasprowy Wierch; zl.97 on weekends
■ Białka Tatrzańska (Kotelnica Białczańska Ski Center)
Location: highlanders' village, slopes of Kaniówka, Bania and Kotelnica mountains
Elevation: 680-910 m
Total length of ski runs: 6 km
Number of ski runs: 20
Kotelnica run: 1,400 m long, difference in elevation 230 m
Ski lifts:
2 chair lifts
18 T-bar lifts
Total throughput: 6,000 people/h
Artificial snow and lighting: yes
1-day ski pass: zl.70 and zl.60 (reduced rate)
Information:
www.pkl.pl
www.bialkatatrzanska.com

The Karkonosze Mountains
This is a perfect destination for those who like long and picturesque ski runs as well as cross-country skiers. The longest ski run in Poland, Lolobrygida, and one of the longest cross-country trails in Europe, Bieg Piastów, are located in the vicinity of Szklarska Poręba. Karpacz, with its Kopa complex, is the second largest center.
■ Szklarska Poręba (Ski Arena)
Location: Szrenica, 1,362 m
Elevation: 700-1,360 m
Total length of ski runs: 14.5 km
Selected ski runs:
Lolobrygida, 4,400 m
FIS run, 2,000 m, demanding
Puchatek, 1,500 m, for beginners
Hala Łabskiego Szczytu, 1,000 m, slalom
Ski lifts:
1 two-person chair lift to Szrenica, 1,436 people/h
6 T-bar lifts
Artificial snow and lighting: yes
1-day ski pass: zl.40 (children), zl.53 (young people), zl.67 adults
Other: cross-country skiing in Polana Jakuszycka, Bieg Piastów trail
(100 km, FIS)
Information:
www.sudetylift.com.pl
www.sudety.it
www.kopa.com.pl

Kłodzka Valley
Kłodzka Valley is an ideal place for beginners and intermediate skiers. On its western side, in the Orlickie Mountains, is Zieleniec-20 ski lifts, over 6.5 km of ski runs and a Snow Park for snowboarders. On the eastern side of the valley, in the Śnieżnik mountain range, is Czarna Góra with over 8 km of ski runs.
■ Zieleniec
Location: slopes of the Orlickie Mountains
Elevation: 900-1,084 m
Total length of ski runs: over 6 km
Selected ski runs:
Piątka Winterpol, 736 m, difference in elevation 178 m
Dwójka, 530 m, difference in elevation
115 m
Ski lifts: 20 T-bar lifts
Total throughput: 11,000 people/h
Artificial snow: yes
1-day ski pass: Winterpol zl.40 (children), zl.60 (adults)
Other: Snow Park for snowboarders
Information:
www.zieleniec.pl
www.czarnagora.com.pl
www.duszniki.pl

Beskid Śląski and Beskid Żywiecki Mountains
A region regarded by some as the most important ski area in Poland. The Beskidy offer a large number of ski lifts and runs of varied difficulty. The largest centers are situated in Szczyrk, on Skrzyczne mountain, in Wisła at the foot of Barania Góra, and in Zawoja in the Babia Góra massif.
■ Szczyrk (Skrzyczne)
Location: slopes of Skrzyczne (1,257 m)
Elevation: 460-1,257 m
Total length of ski runs: over 40 km
Selected ski runs:
FIS, Skrzyczne, 2,800 km, Alpine events
Ondraszek, Skrzyczne, 5,200 km, easy
Kaskada, Skrzyczne-Jaworzyna,
3,100 m, difficult
Ski lifts:
1 chair lift to Skrzyczne, 1,200 people/h
around 20 T-bar lifts, 8,800 people/h
Artificial snow and lighting: yes
Information:
www.szczyrk.com.pl
www.cos.szczyrk.pl
www.gat.pl/65.php
www.mosornygron.pl
www.wisla.pl
www.wbeskidy.pl

The Beskid Sądecki Mountains
The Beskid Sądecki owes its attractiveness to a large number of health resorts famous for their medicinal waters in Krynica and Szczawnica. The Beskid Sądecki is also the "bulwark" of the Tatra Mountains, offering a splendid panorama from the summit of Jaworzyna. The latest addition to this area, Wierchomla center, which has operated for only a few years, offers the longest four-person chair lift in Poland. There are plans to build a Seven Valleys complex in the vicinity of Krynica, the largest ski area in Central Europe.
■ Krynica (Jaworzyna Krynicka)
Location: slopes of Jaworzyna Krynicka, 1,114 m
Elevation: 648-1,114 m
Total length of ski runs: 8.5 km
Ski runs: 6
including No. 1, red, FIS, 2,600 m
Ski lifts: 7
1 gondola cable car (most modern in Poland), for 6 people, speed 5 m/s,
1,600 people/h
T-bar lifts, 6,500 people/h
Artificial snow and lighting: yes
1-day ski pass: prices range depending on the time of day and range from zl.55-75
Other: springs in town
■ Wierchomla
Location: Popradzki Scenic Park valley
Difference in elevation: 585-1,002 m
Total length of ski runs: over 4 km
Ski runs: 4
including the longest-1,900 m
Ski lifts:
1 four-person chair lift, 1,600 m,
2,000 people/h
4 T-bar ski lifts
Artificial snow and lighting: yes
2-day ski pass: zl.119
Other: one of the best artificial-snow systems in Poland
Information:
www.jaworzynakrynicka.pl
www.wierchomla.com.pl

For up-to-date information about weather conditions, ski facilities, up-coming events, accommodation and food outlets see:
www.narty.wp.pl
www.narty.onet.pl and the websites of individual centers.


Calendar of ski events
World Cup Ski Jumping-Jan. 28, 29, Zakopane
SkiCross Cup-March 3, Zakopane; March 10, Wierchomla; March 17, Białka Tatrzańska
Polish Carving Cup-March 12, Wierchomla; March 18, Białka Tatrzańska
Rental service in ski centers (average prices):
1 day
snowboard zl.35-50
skis zl.20-40
carving skis zl.40-60
cross-country skis zl.15-25
boots zl.15-30
poles zl.8-15
carving equipment zl.40-60
standard equipment zl.30-50
snowboard equipment zl.35-60
Ski equipment fair in Warsaw
1 Inspektowa St., Stegny Skating Rink
Sat.-Sun. 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
New and used equipment-prices around half of those in stores