The Best Czech Ski Mountaineering Trails

Naturally, you need to have all the proper safety equipment as a proper ski mountaineer. Winter mountains are treacherous, and accidents do not only happen on the mountain peaks, but also in the valleys. Lacking equipment? There is nothing easier than renting it in one of the many rental shops and off you go, to the mountains, on the skin skis! If you are an avid skier and love beautiful snowy countryside, you will be thrilled. Just put on the mountaineering skis and embark on an adventure!

Šumava – Trails through Untamed Nature

The Šumava Mountains can be found in South and West Bohemia. It is the largest mountain range in the Czech Republic, with wild and almost untouched nature. The ski mountaineering trails can mostly be found around Špičák. At present, there are seven trails with various lengths and difficulty levels in the Železná Ruda area. The total length of the trails is 48 km and three of them go straight to the peak of Mount Špičák. The trails are marked with special round yellow symbols with an image of a skier. The easiest trails include the climb from Železná Ruda to the dam of Lake Čertovo along a marked hiking trail and then along the yellow trail to the Špičák sports area. On the other hand, the most difficult trail leads below the chairlift to Špičák and through the steepest ski slope in the entire country. In short, every ski mountaineer will find something to their liking.

And where to recharge your batteries after a challenging trail? One place you could reward yourself is on Špičák - by the downhill slope there's the new U Lanovky mountain restaurant, or try the Bohemia hotel restaurant.  You can also freshen up in a stylish après ski bar!

Krkonoše – Ski Mountaineering with Views

The ski mountaineering trails in the Krkonoše Mountains in the north of Bohemia are suitable both for beginners and those who simply want to experience something free and easy. These trails can be combined with other marked hiking trails, forest roads and non-forest areas outside the quiet zones of the national park. You will not find any adventure downhills or exciting slaloms among trees there, but trails where you can learn the principles of ski mountaineering, carving powder snow, and where you can enjoy tips with beautiful views of the countryside. The popular trails are around Špindlerův Mlýn, Pec pod Sněžkou or Rokytnice nad Jizerou.

On any real ski mountaineering trip you have to stop to replenish your energy along the way. You certainly can’t go wrong if you’re in Malá Úpa and call in at the Trautenberk Brewery or Luční bouda, a traditional mountain chalet that has been going for almost 100 years, and which is also home to a wellness centre and a local brewery.

The Beskids – Popular Trails through the Moravian Mountains

The Beskids is a mountain range in Moravia, near the Slovak border. There you will find a combination of wilderness and traditional folklore, which you can explore in the Open-air Wallachian Museum. There is a total of five ski mountaineering trails in the Beskids. You can conquer Mount Lysá, the highest peak, from Zlatník, starting at an old ski lift. The trail from Komorní Lhotka to the Ropička cottage or the Řeka ski area is also interesting. If interested, you can try the special trail along the longest and steepest ski slope in the Beskids! The demanding, but beautiful ascent to the peak of Javorový starts at the chair lift in Třinec-Oldřichovice.

Dolní Morava – A Modern Centre Full of Entertainment

The ski mountaineering trails in Dolní Morava – between the Jeseníky and Orlické Mountains – follow forest access roads near the ski slopes, some of them run in parallel with the cross-country ski tracks and marked tourist trails. There are three marked trails for ascent and two for descent. The longest is Trail A, offering an elevation gain of 570 metres along 7 kilometres. Trail B can be found near the Sky Walk and Trail C is designed for sprinters. It is only 2 km long, but with an elevation gain of 540 m! It is a trail for those who want to train and do some cardio.

The Jizera Mountains – ski mountaineering just outside Prague

Although you can’t see the peak of Ještěd or the Jizera Mountains from Prague, they’re still just a stone’s throw away, as it were. The excellent transport links mean that the journey from Prague to the foot of Ještěd only takes around an hour. The ski mountaineering trails in the Jizera Mountains run mainly around Ještěd. You could try the challenging route for skilled ski mountaineers, which runs from Horní Hanychov along the slopes of Ještěd to its summit, where you simply must stop in at the authentic restaurant in the 1960’s transmitter; the route continues on past the Ještěd mountain chalet, then runs down to slopes 4 and 1, from where you return to the car park in Hanychov.

The authentic and undiscovered Ore Mountains

The Ore Mountains on the border between Czechia and Germany are a wonderful place for a trip, with their clean, fresh air, breathtaking views from the top routes, and open countryside where you have plenty of chance to enjoy some time alone. Where to go ski mountaineering? Try the special routes on the hillsides of Bouřňák and Pramenáč on the north-eastern edge of the Ore Mountains. This is a large ski mountaineering resort where the trails are well marked and always well prepared before the start of the season. The great thing is that they were built by local enthusiasts! Another option is to try the popular trails around Klínovec and Boží Dar. They’re perfect for some great ski trips, not to mention that there are lots of places to eat and drink. There are several après ski bars, especially around Klínovec!

The Jeseníky Mountains – ski mountaineering above the clouds

Enjoy a beautiful trip through the winter countryside of the Jeseníky Mountains in Moravia, where you’ll have the mountains all to yourself and might as well not meet any other skiers! One very popular route is the circular ski mountaineering trail that runs from Kouty nad Desnou to Praděd, the Červenohorské sedlo, Trojmezí and Vozek. Leading from Praděd there is a hiking arterial route following the red markers to the Švýcárna, an authentic Jeseníky mountain chalet, which is well worth calling in at. From there, there are groomed trails running down to Červenohorské sedlo. When the conditions are right, at the Velký Jezerník saddle you can turn off the arterial route onto the alternative red ridge trail, where you probably really will find yourself all alone.