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Lat/Lon: | 49.39227°N / 20.10575°E |
Object Type: | construction site |
Skalny Stół (Polish) Tabule (Czech) Tafelstein (German)
The Polish name of the summit, which literally means Rock Table, is a weird translation of the German toponym, which seems to translate as Slabby/Plate Stone. The summit is the highpoint of the section of the main ridge of the Giant Mountains known as Kowarski Grzbiet (Kowary’s Ridge) in Poland and Lesní hřeben (Woody Ridge) or Střecha (Roof) in Czechia, which lies a few kilometres west of Śnieżka stretching between Sowia Przełęcz/Soví sedlo (Owl Pass, 1164m) in the west and Okraj pass (1046m) in the east. The summit, located at the west end of Kowarski Grzbiet, features a schist outcrop which must have given the mountain its name and offers a picturesque view of Śnieżka and its surroundings. This view is the main reason hikers come here. Personally, I also like the ascent up the north side of the mountain.
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* train station/bus stop at the centre In Poland, at the north foot of the Giant Mountains, the trailheads are in either Karpacz or Kowary. The trail from Kowary is much less frequented and has an interesting stretch along Malina brook. The trails meet at about 900m at a place called Budniki, which was once the hamlet of Forstlangwasser: Over 5km northeast of Śnieżka, in a valley at about 900m on the north slope of the Kowarski Ridge, there used to be a tiny settlement whose last extant buildings fell into ruin in the 1950s. The original name of the hamlet, founded by people hiding from the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648), was Forstbauden (Forest Huts), which was later changed to Forstlangwasser. Today's Polish name of the place is a reference to its original name. Budniki was quite a unique site for a village, since – due to its location on the slopes of a deep valley – sunrays do not reach it for 113 days, from the last days of November to the middle of March. Thanks to a group of lovers of this place there is now an interpretive trail around it. From Budniki the yellow marks climb the relatively steep north side of Kowarski Grzbiet to reach its crest at the very summit of Skalny Stół. Ascents via the main ridge are more mundane and more popular with hikers. The shortest routes, taking roughly one hour, start at Okraj pass.
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Czechia
Poland
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The area is part of a national park (or rather two parks: Karkonoski Park Narodowy in Poland and Krkonošský národní park in the Czech Republic. You are not allowed to camp/bivouac or stray from the waymarked trails. In Poland there is an entrance fee - an equivalent of approx. €2.00 for a day pass in 2024. In spring the trail between the summit and Okraj pass gets closed in order to protect the black grouse.
HikingYou must keep to the waymarked trails. Bivouacking is not permitted. You are not supposed to hike during the night. The trails above huts are closed for hikers from 1 November to 15 June. ClimbingYou must be a member of a rock climbing club. Just before your climb, you should write it into the register kept in a nearby mountain hut/your hotel. (Make sure you sign it on return too!) During the approach you must stick to the traditionally used routes described in rock climbing guidebooks. Bivouacking on the wall is only allowed in an emergency. Except for winter, you must not do a route that is easier than UIAA grade III (approx. YDS grade 5.3) unless on the descent. The funny thing is that the last rule does not apply to those hiking/scrambling with a licensed guide whom they have paid €200-300 for looking after them. |
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