Snezka is unparalleled in our country. It is the highest, the only one close to the mountains, shaped by glaciers into a triangular needle. The noble queen of the Krkonose Mountains reigns over the inhospitable dominion of the Arctic-Alpine tundra. We all want to conquer her territory. At least once. But every queen deserves admiration, respect and humility. An audience with her is an honour, not a commonplace, and sometimes we forget that.
Alexander Huber, German mountain climber
In the spirit of this quote, go see Snezka from the Krkonose trails. Pay tribute to it from the opposite hill, where it is much more beautiful than from the cable car. See it from different angles, admire it. You'll be on top of it one day. Feeling that you've earned it, that you're on it for the reward.
Length: 17.1 km
The full-day route is one of the best the Krkonose Mountains have to offer, but you'll have to earn it. The hike through the challenging terrain promises sparkling mountain water, breathtaking views of Snezka and wandering through the tundra, which is the most precious treasure of the Krkonoše National Park. If you want to enjoy it all in peace and be caressed by a palette of warm colours, autumn will be ideal for your trip. At the end of September, the Krkonose Mountains are the best retreat.
Length: 17,5 km
On this iconic route, you'll have Snezka by your side for most of your journey. As a silent companion, she will oversee your steps from the Zlate navrsi to Snezne jamy. You will see places that every hiker knows from photos. But no photographer can capture the monumentality of the karsts that glaciers have carved into the Krkonose landscape. The contrast of the mountains on the horizon and the depths below will captivate you. Maples, heather and junipers will be interspersed with lichen-covered stone seas. And the Labe and Pancava rivers adorn all this beauty like decorative glittering threads, especially when the sharp edge of the Labe pits shatters them into waterfalls.
Length: 10,5 km
Come on a trip to a place where peace reigns. Mala Upa retains the authentic face and atmosphere of a remote mountain village. Cottages and chalets sit on lush flowering meadows grazed by cattle. Don't expect big attractions in Mala Upa, you come and go here for the pure nature and to move with respect for it. From here you will see Snezka from the other side than on previous trips.
Length: 14, 4 km
One of the most beautiful views of Snezka, the deep Obri Dul and the steep slopes of Studnicni hora opens on the meadow enclave of Lucina below Cerna hora. Imagine the force the glacier must have exerted on the landscape to create such a breathtaking panorama. But this is not the only wonder of the Krkonose Mountains that you will see on the route. You will pass by a peat bog that has been formed without human intervention for six thousand years and is therefore a true wilderness.
Length: 15,1 km
Indulge in the experience of pure nature. Take a hike along trails where the silence is broken only by the sound of the forest. Take a peek into the rainforest, soak up the sun in a flowering meadow, and enjoy views with no queues. Beech trees, spruce trees, gentian trees, thimbleberries and orchids will be your companions.
The top of Snezka may look like a piece of rock, but it is actually a valuable environment sculpted in the ice ages. Even the stone rubble is an important heritage that should be left to natural processes. Alpine grasslands are home to species characteristic of the northern tundra, some of which are found nowhere else in the world. To name but a few, there is the poor man's rush and the Krkonose dandelion. On the ground on the rocks nest the pied wagtail or the mountain linnet. From a naturalist's point of view, the environment on Snezka is irreplaceable.
The highest mountain is one of the most extreme places in the country. The annual average temperature on Snezka is about 0.2 degrees Celsius, and it also receives a high amount of rain and snowfall. The cold climate means a three times shorter growing season, a time when nature on Snezka can grow, reproduce and recover from human intervention. Even every peel thrown away will take three times longer to decompose.
The overcrowded Snezka would not be such a problem if everyone stayed on the road. That's what the nets that surround it say every summer. It's difficult to imagine that even twelve thousand people take turns at its peak, an area half the size of a football field, on a holiday day. Everybody wants a nice view, a nice photo and a nice experience, and everybody runs for the net or the chain. Even if it's only a percentage of the daily visitors, that's 120 steps off the path. Such actions may mean that in some time Snezka will really be just a piece of rock.
For more information:
Alena Cejnarová, Marketing for Destination Krkonose, e-mail: acejnarova@krkonose.eu, tel.: +420 775 231 136
