Sněžka

1,603 m

Czechia, Poland

Also known as Снежка, Schneekoppe, +5

Снежка · Schneekoppe · Σνιέζκα · Sniejka · Śnieżka / Sněžka · Sněžka/Śnieżka · Śnieżka

Elevation: 1,603 m
Prominence: 1,197 m
Difficulty: 2/10; Hike
Best Season: Jun–Sep
Routes: 2

RegulationReported 1 Apr 2025
Karkonosze National Park raised its one-day entry ticket to 11 PLN (reduced 5.50 PLN) from 1 April 2025.
kpn.gov.pl

Routes

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SACT2HikeNormal route

The gentlest walk to the Czech high point: from Pec pod Sněžkou (about 830 m) up through forest to Bouda Růžohorky, then over the open shoulder of Růžová hora and up the south-east flank to the summit. About 6 km and 760–800 m of ascent; the cable car follows the same line and can replace either half.

Elevation Profile

approximate line

Distance: 6.9 km; one way
Ascent: +817 m; start → summit
High Point: 1,603 m
Time Up: 3h 41m; DIN 33466
Time Down: 2h 40m; DIN 33466 · same way back

Start in Pec pod Sněžkou near the valley station of the Sněžka cable car (paid car parks in the village). Marked paths climb through spruce forest, roughly beneath the first section of the cable car, to the mountain chalet Bouda Růžohorky (about 1,280 m), around 3 km from Pec. Above the tree line the path continues to the broad shoulder of Růžová hora (1,390 m), where the cable car has its middle station, and then rises on a wide, stony path across the south-east flank of Sněžka to the summit plateau with the Czech post office, the Chapel of St Lawrence and the disc-shaped Polish observatory. The official Špindlerův Mlýn route card gives 5.9 km, 764 m of ascent and 3 h 15 min one way; other sources give 2½–3 hours. There are no technical difficulties, but the ridge is fully exposed to wind and fog, and the summit plateau is featureless in poor visibility: follow the marker poles. Descend the same way, or take the cable car down (it runs to the summit only when the wind allows). The classic alternative ascent from Pec goes up the glacial valley of Obří důl (Giant's Valley), past the Chapel of the Madonna and Child and the old Kovárna mine, then up a steep headwall to Obří sedlo (about 1,395 m) by the Polish hut Dom Śląski and along the ridge to the summit: about 6–7 km and 3 hours. It is steeper and more scenic, and the headwall is often icy in winter; the national park describes some sections as better suited to ascent than descent. A popular loop goes up Obří důl and down via Růžohorky (about 12.6 km, 840 m, 5½–6 hours).

Start

Pec pod Sněžkou831 m

Sněžka cable car Pec pod Sněžkou – Růžová hora – Sněžka (four-person cabins, two sections; upper section often stopped by wind)
Buses run to Pec pod Sněžkou from Trutnov and Vrchlabí; the Sněžka cable car starts in the village.
Parking at the trailhead

Stages

Day	Stage	km	m ascent	m descent	Time
1	Pec pod Sněžkou → Sněžka	6.9	817	48	3h 41m

Waypoints

Lift:
Pec pod Sněžkou831 m
Hut:
Bouda Růžohorky1,256 m
Shoulder:
Růžová hora1,393 m
Shoulder with the cable car middle station just south-east of the top
Summit:
Sněžka1,603 m

Key Passages

Forest climb to Bouda Růžohorky
Open shoulder of Růžová hora
Stony south-east flank to the summit plateau

Equipment

0/5 packed

Technical

Microspikes or crampons and poleswinter and spring, when the upper paths are icyRequired

Footwear

Hiking boots or sturdy trail shoesRequired

Clothing

Windproof and waterproof jacket and warm layerthe summit is windy and often in fog; mean annual temperature on top is about 1.4 °CRequired
Hat and glovesRecommended

Navigation

Map or GPS appsummit ridge is featureless in fogRecommended

Downloads

Route confidence 75%

Download GPX Download KML

Overview

The highest point of Czechia and the Sudetes (1,603 m), a bare, rounded cone on the Czech–Polish border in the Giant Mountains. Marked paths from Pec pod Sněžkou and Karpacz reach it in 2–3 hours, and a cable car and a chairlift shorten the climb further.

Sněžka (Polish Śnieżka, German Schneekoppe) rises above the main ridge of the Krkonoše/Karkonosze at the eastern end of the range, with the glacial valley of Obří důl cut deep into its south-west side and the Łomniczka cirque to the north. The summit is a broad, stony plateau shared by the two countries: on the Czech side a post office and the top station of the cable car, on the Polish side the Chapel of St Lawrence and the disc-shaped meteorological observatory of 1974.

As a walk it is straightforward: wide, well-marked paths, no exposure and 750–850 m of ascent from either country. What makes it serious is the weather. The summit sits above the tree line in a maritime-subarctic climate, with snow cover for about 186 days a year, frequent fog, strong winds and a mean annual temperature of about 1.4 °C. In clear weather the views reach across Bohemia and Silesia.

It is one of the most visited summits in Central Europe, busiest on summer weekends and holidays. Both sides lie in national parks (Krkonoše National Park, KRNAP, in Czechia; Karkonosze National Park, KPN, in Poland). It is counted among the national high points of Europe and the Crown of Polish Mountains.

Climbing Notes

Any reasonably fit walker can reach the summit in summer: allow 2–3 hours up and a little less down, plus time on top. The main skill is judging the weather: carry a windproof shell, warm layer, hat and gloves even on a warm day in the valley, and turn back in storms or poor visibility on the open ridge. In winter the paths are icy and the ridge exposed to wind; microspikes or crampons and poles are needed, and the Łomniczka route from Karpacz and the steep upper Obří důl are avalanche-prone.

Typical day trips: from Pec pod Sněžkou up via Růžohorky (gentlest) or Obří důl (steeper, more scenic) and back by the other; from Karpacz up the black trail via Dom Śląski, perhaps using the Kopa chairlift one way. Starting early avoids the summer crowds. No overnight stay is needed, though Dom Śląski on the Polish side and several chalets on the Czech side offer food and beds.

History

The first recorded ascent was in 1456 by an unnamed Venetian merchant prospecting for precious stones; copper, iron and arsenic mining followed on its slopes. The Schaffgotsch family built the Chapel of St Lawrence on the summit around 1665–1681, for a time also used as an inn. A Prussian hut (1850) and a Bohemian hut (1868) once stood on the summit; they were demolished in 1967 and 2004. The Polish observatory dates from 1974 and was restored after storm damage in March 2009. The current Czech post office and viewing platform opened in 2004, and a new two-section cable car from Pec pod Sněžkou replaced the old chairlift in February 2014.

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: Winter conditions: ice, wind, short days; crampons or microspikes and poles needed
Feb: Winter conditions; avalanche risk in Obří důl and the Łomniczka valley
Mar: Deepest snow cover of the year; cable car on reduced service during spring maintenance
Apr: Snow and ice persist on the upper paths; cable car usually on weekend-only service
May: Snow patches possible early in the month
Jul: Busiest month; thunderstorms possible
Aug: Busy; thunderstorms possible
Sep: Often the clearest weather and fewer people
Oct: First snow and ice possible
Nov: Early winter; cable car usually on weekend-only service during autumn maintenance
Dec: Winter conditions

Access & Permits

Permits

Karkonosze National Park (KPN) entry ticketRequired
Required on the Polish side. One-day individual ticket 11 PLN (reduced 5.50 PLN) since 1 April 2025; children under 7 free; included in the Kopa chairlift ticket. Free entry on 16 January, 24 May and 10 August.
kpn.gov.pl

Hut Booking

No hut is needed for a day ascent. Dom Śląski (Polish side, 1,400 m) and chalets such as Bouda Růžohorky and Luční bouda on the Czech side offer food and overnight stays; book directly.

Fees

KPN entry 11 PLN (reduced 5.50 PLN) on the Polish side; no entry fee on the Czech side
Sněžka cable car: adult return Pec–Sněžka 750 CZK in peak season (1 May – 31 October), 570 CZK off-peak (2026)
Kopa chairlift (2026 high season): 85 PLN up, 95 PLN return, 65 PLN down, park entry included
Paid parking in Pec pod Sněžkou and at Biały Jar in Karpacz

Rules

Both sides are national parks (KRNAP and KPN): stay on marked paths, no camping or fires
The Zakosy (zigzag path) from Dom Śląski to the summit is uphill only; descend by the Jubilee Road (except in winter, when the Jubilee Road is closed)
In winter the red trail between the Nad Łomniczką hut and Dom Śląski is closed for avalanche risk
The cable car's upper section (Růžová hora – Sněžka) stops in strong wind

Getting There

Pec pod Sněžkou (Czechia); Karpacz (Poland)

Wrocław Airport (WRO) or Prague Václav Havel Airport (PRG)

Czech side: bus to Pec pod Sněžkou via Trutnov or Vrchlabí; paid car parks in the village; cable car from the village to the summit
Polish side: train or bus to Jelenia Góra, then bus to Karpacz; chairlift and car park at Biały Jar

Hazards

Weather
Avalanche

Huts & Shelters

Bouda RůžohorkyHutStaffed
1,280 m
Dom ŚląskiHutStaffed
Website of Dom Śląski
1,400 m