Králický Sněžník
1,423 m
Poland, Czechia
Also known as Glatzer Schneeberg, კრალიცკი-სნეჟნიკი, +3Also known as
Glatzer Schneeberg · კრალიცკი-სნეჟნიკი · Králický Sněžník / Śnieżnik · Śnieżnik · Кралицки-Снежник
- Elevation
- 1,423 m
- Prominence
- 665 m
- Difficulty
- 2/10
- Hike
- Best Season
- Jun–Sep
- Routes
- 2
Routes
2The most popular ascent, from the Polish side: the red Main Sudeten Trail from the car park below the ski jump in Międzygórze (about 700 m) through forest to the PTTK hut on Hala pod Śnieżnikiem (1,218 m), then the green trail over open grass to the summit and its viewing tower. About 6 km and 700 m of ascent; 2½–3½ hours up.
Elevation Profile
approximate line- Distance
- 6.9 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +751 m
- start → summit
- High Point
- 1,423 m
- Time Up
- 3h 26m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 2h 33m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
Start at the car parks below the ski jump (Parkingi pod skocznią) at the upper end of Międzygórze. The red trail, part of the Main Sudeten Trail, first follows a broad, level track along the Wilczka stream, then climbs the steepest section of the route, about 400 m of steady ascent through spruce forest, before traversing the flank of Średniak past several rock outcrops. Near the hut the gravel track narrows to an uneven path along the slope below Kozie Skały. Allow about 2½–3 hours to the Schronisko PTTK Na Śnieżniku (1,218 m) on the Hala pod Śnieżnikiem meadow. From the hut the green trail climbs open, grassy slopes above the tree line to the broad summit dome in 30–45 minutes (about 200 m of ascent). The summit is on the Polish–Czech border and carries a 34 m steel viewing tower opened in 2022 (free, open at all times). A few minutes south-east on the Czech side are the source of the Morava and the stone elephant statue. Descend the same way in about 2 hours, or via the yellow trail to Kletno and the Bear Cave. In winter the path above 1,000 m is often icy, and the open summit dome is exposed to wind and fog.
Start
Parkingi pod skocznią709 m
- Buses from Kłodzko and Bystrzyca Kłodzka to Międzygórze.
- Parking at the trailhead
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Parkingi pod skocznią → Králický Sněžník | 6.9 | 751 | 38 | 3h 26m |
Waypoints
- Parking: Parkingi pod skocznią709 m
- Feature: Średniak1,208 m
Red trail traverses its flank
- Hut: Schronisko PTTK Na Śnieżniku1,215 m
- Summit: Králický Sněžník1,423 m
Key Passages
- Steep forest climb above the Wilczka valley
- Narrow path below Kozie Skały before the hut
- Open summit dome above Hala pod Śnieżnikiem
Equipment
0/5 packedDownloads
Route confidence 75%Overview
A broad, grassy dome (1,423 m) on the Polish–Czech border, the highest point of the Eastern Sudetes' Śnieżnik massif, with the source of the Morava just below the top and a 34 m viewing tower opened in 2022. Easy marked trails from both countries, with a staffed hut 200 m below the summit on the Polish side.
Králický Sněžník (Polish Śnieżnik, German Glatzer Schneeberg) is the highest summit of the Králický Sněžník (Śnieżnik) massif, which runs for about 16 km along the Czech–Polish border between Králíky and the Kłodzko pass. The summit dome sits on the main European watershed: the Morava rises about 325 m south-east of the top and flows to the Black Sea, while streams on the Polish side drain to the Baltic. The name comes from the long snow season; snow can lie on the summit for up to eight months.
Above about 1,350 m the mountain is bare, with subalpine grassland and frost-shattered rocks; lower down are spruce forests. A snow-avalanche track below the Morava spring keeps a tongue of open ground deep into the forest. The whole Czech side lies in the Králický Sněžník National Nature Reserve, and the Polish side in the Śnieżnik Kłodzki reserve and Śnieżnik Landscape Park.
It is a walker's mountain: marked trails come up from Międzygórze, Kletno and Stronie Śląskie in Poland and from Dolní Morava, Stříbrnice and the Kladské sedlo in the Czech Republic, all without technical difficulty. It counts towards the Crown of Polish Mountains, and on fine weekends the summit and the tower are busy. The views take in the Krkonoše, the Jeseníky with Praděd and, in very clear conditions, distant Alpine peaks.
Climbing Notes
In summer this is an easy day walk of 5–7 hours return on well-marked paths with 700–750 m of ascent; normal hiking boots and rain gear are enough. The Polish approach from Międzygórze is the most popular and passes the staffed PTTK hut, which makes a good lunch stop or overnight. The Czech approaches from Dolní Morava are quieter and can be combined into a loop over the boggy Stříbrnice–Sušina ridge.
In winter the mountain is a popular snowshoe and ski-touring objective. Paths above 1,000 m are often icy (microspikes help), and the open summit dome is exposed to strong wind and fog, which make route-finding hard. Avalanches run below the Morava spring; keep to the marked trails, which is also required in the nature reserves.
History
Walkers were visiting the summit by the late 18th century. A stone, bastion-shaped viewing tower was built on the Silesian side in 1895–1899, and the Liechtenstein hut a few hundred metres below the summit in 1912; both were demolished in the early 1970s, leaving only ruins and foundations. The PTTK hut on Hala pod Śnieżnikiem goes back to a building funded in 1871 by Princess Marianne of Orange; it was renovated in the 1980s by its long-time keeper Zbigniew Fastnacht, after whom it is named. The granite elephant statue near the Liechtenstein hut ruins was set up in 1932 by the Jescher art society. A new 34 m steel viewing tower, funded by the town of Stronie Śląskie with EU support, was built between 2020 and September 2022.
Season
Best Jun–Sep- January: Possible
- February: Possible
- March: Possible
- April: Possible
- May: Good
- June: Best (best window)
- July: Best (best window)
- August: Best (best window)
- September: Best (best window)
- October: Good
- November: Possible
- December: Possible
- Jan
- Snowshoe or ski ascent; icy paths, strong wind on the summit
- Feb
- Winter conditions
- Mar
- Deep snow still common on the summit
- Apr
- Thawing snow and mud
- May
- Snow patches near the summit early in the month
- Jul
- Busy at weekends; thunderstorms possible
- Sep
- Often clear, quieter
- Oct
- Early snow possible; boggy ridges
- Nov
- Often foggy; first lasting snow
- Dec
- Winter conditions
Access & Permits
- Hut Booking
- Schronisko PTTK Na Śnieżniku (48 beds, open all year including holidays) takes reservations by phone, preferably by text message (+48 501 631 134); bookings via Facebook are not accepted. Book ahead for weekends.
- Fees
- Some car parks in Międzygórze and Kletno charge in season
- Rules
- Králický Sněžník National Nature Reserve (Czech side): keep to marked trails
- Śnieżnik Kłodzki nature reserve (Polish side): keep to marked trails
- Getting There
Międzygórze and Stronie Śląskie (Poland); Dolní Morava and Králíky (Czech Republic)
Wrocław (WRO)
- Poland: bus from Kłodzko or Bystrzyca Kłodzka to Międzygórze; car parks below the ski jump at the top of the village
- Czech Republic: train to Králíky or Hanušovice, then bus to Dolní Morava (terminus); large car parks at the Dolní Morava resort
- Kletno (Bear Cave) gives the shortest walk to the PTTK hut, about 1 hour
Hazards
- Weather
- Avalanche
Huts & Shelters
1- 1,218 m
Schronisko PTTK Na ŚnieżnikuHutStaffedBooking required
48 beds · All year