WINTER MOUNTAINEERING IN TATRA MOUNTAINS, POLAND

Winter mountaineering course will teach you all the necessary skills for advanced trekking or scrambling in winter and alpine conditions. You will use crampons and an ice axe and rope when required. Teaching you about avalanche awareness and rescue techniques is our top priority. You will be challenged by the terrain and weather and have excellent fun while training and sharpening your skills.

Winter mountaineering advanced course program:

What’s included?: 6+ hours of mountaineering every day, winter mountaineering instructions and workshops, avalanche set, all climbing equipment, harness, crampons, ice axes, helmet, full support of the local qualified guides, lectures and workshops.

Where: Tatra Mountains, Poland

The Tatra Mountains are the highest range in the Carpathian Mountains and Poland’s alpine-type mountains. They form a natural border between Poland and Slovakia. The highest summits are Gerlach (2655 m, Slovakia) and Rysy (2499 m, Poland). Thanks to the relatively small area of the Tatras compared to the Alps, there’s a cosy atmosphere, but you can also feel like you’re in really high mountains. The landscape of the High Tatras is very interesting and is dominated by alpine-type ridges, towering walls and rocky peaks, which is a testament to the strong action of glaciers.

“The Tatra Mountains are quickly becoming a super popular destination for climbing and must-see places amongst all mountaineers!!! “

Our base will be the “Morskie Oko” hut situated at Morskie Oko Lake, in the Rybi Potok Valley. It is located at an altitude of 1410 m above sea level on the bank of glacial moraine. It was built in 1908 and has 78 beds mostly in bunk-style dormitories. It’s only 2 hours away on foot from the main car park and therefore, is a good and very popular place for trekkers as well as an excellent base to reach the best climbing routes in the Tatra Mountains.

Important information about the winter course:

• Mountain hut: We are happy to assist you in booking a friendly mountain hut “Morskie Oko”. You will pay directly for the hut after your stay. The average price is €15 for a night (bedding, towel and local green tax included). You can buy breakfast (€8), dinner (€15) and snacks at the hut. Since this is a bunk bed-style hut, you will share the room with others.
• Flights and transport: You are responsible for booking your own flight to the place where we run our course. Flights to Poland are at the average price of €120 return (check budget airlines Wizzair and Ryanair). Please book your flight to Kraków airport. Why not combine this course with a visit to this historic city? I strongly recommend staying in Kraków few days! From Kraków, you can take a regular bus to Zakopane. To maximize your time and have stress-free travel I strongly recommend flying back the day after the course.  Zakopane is a busy resort and traffic jams occur very often despite very good transport.
• Experience needed: To be able to take part in this course you should have summer walking experience, outdoor climbing experience, ability to belay and tie knots would be desirable. A good fitness level is required.
• The course is run by a very experienced English-speaking Guide and Instructor of Alpinism (read about guides more). Instructor-to-student ratio: 1:6.
• Required personal clothes for winter mountaineering course: mountaineering boots suitable for C1 or C2 (semi-automatic) crampons, gaiters, waterproof jacket and trousers, softshell trousers, insulated jacket, base layers, warm fleece, warm socks, warm external gloves, thin inner gloves, hat or balaclava, head torch, flask, good backpack (this is an absolute minimum).