snowball is the highest peak of the Karkonosze (1602 m above sea level) located in the Sudetes, which is also the highest peak of the Czech Republic. It beautifully overlooks Karpacz and the whole area. It is a border peak, called by the Germans Schneekoppeand by the Czechs - Sněžka. The mountain is made of granite rocks, and the slopes are covered with rock rubble.
The current name of the peak comes from the 19th century from the word snowy, meaning covered with snow. once upon a time Snow White it was also called "Giant Mountain". Its symbol is the building of the Meteorological Observatory at the top, which resembles a space saucer. Interestingly, observations on Śnieżka have been going on since 1880. The first professional meteorological station was built here in 1900. It was the most expensive investment in Europe at that time. The oldest building on Śnieżka is the chapel of St. Lawrence from 1665.
Śnieżka – a place with an unusual atmosphere
A characteristic feature of Śnieżka is also the frequently changing weather conditions, with the predominance of extremely harsh ones, such as frequent and heavy rain and snowfall, gusty hurricane-like wind and low temperatures. The unusual climate of Śnieżka can be compared to that of the Arctic Circle. Snow lies here continuously from October to May, and the average annual temperature is 0.4 degrees.
In beautiful weather from the top Snowballs you can admire the panorama of the area, and the visibility can reach up to 200 km. So you can see Wrocław and Prague from it. At the foot of the mountain on Równia pod Śnieżką, there is the Dom Śląski shelter, a very nice place.
How to get to the top of Śnieżka?
Several hiking trails lead to Śnieżka, both on the Polish and Czech side. A trail with a length of 27.7 km, called the Road of Polish-Czech Friendship, marked in red, runs through the peak.
The good news for many tourists is that you can also get to Śnieżka by cable car. We can get to the top from the Czech Pec, from Karpacz we can get to the nearby Kopa, the remaining section should be covered on foot.