Skiing on Praděd Mountain

Just as the Krkonoše are ruled by the legendary giant Krakonoš, the lord and good spirit of the Jeseníky Mountains is Praděd. Legend has it that his home is located in the mountain of the same name, where you can ski at the highest-altitude ski resort in the Czech Republic.

The highest pistes in the Czech Republic!

At the summit of Praděd, at 1,492 m the highest peak in the Hrubý Jeseník range, and Moravia as a whole, is a TV transmitter with a restaurant and lookout tower. Marked routes for hikers and cyclists lead in all directions from this spot, with the famous ski resort open in the winter.

The ski tows and pistes can be found on the north face of Petrovy kameny peak (1,438 m) above Ovčárna chalet. The skiing areas start at altitude c. 1,300 m, ensuring the best possible conditions for skiing in the resort. Here, the season often starts as early as the end of October, and the snow usually stays until the beginning of May. The pistes are suitable for all proficiency levels, from beginner to advanced. You can also try out the snow park and evening skiing, and there is also a skiing school, children’s skiing and equipment rental.

Skiing in protected areas

However, as the resort is located on the territory of the Jeseník Mountains Protected Landscape Area, all operations, including the ski tows, are subject to environmental protection laws, the key to which is depth of snow coverage. That’s why you should make the most of not just the pistes themselves, but also the uncommon views, as Petrovy kameny and the surrounding meadows are otherwise only accessible in the winter!

The large parking areas from which ski buses take you to the Praděd ski complex are located at the Hvězda crossroads and in the nearby spa town of Karlova Studánka. Karlova Studánka is a must-see: with the cleanest air in Central Europe, The New York Times ranked it and the Jeseníky Mountains amongst the most interesting hiking locations in the world!

Summer at Praděd: take a look around!

Apart from the marked cycling and hiking trails leading in all directions from Praděd, another must-see is the famous lookout tower, reminiscent of a spaceship at take-off. A lift takes visitors to the circle-shaped viewing platform, 73 m up. Under ideal conditions, visitors can see a large part of Central Europe, from the Krkonoše to the High Tatras and Malá and Velká Fatra ranges in Slovakia. The Beskids, including Mount Radhošť and Lysá hora, the Dlouhé Stráně Water Reservoir, Bruntál and Rejvíz can also be seen under these conditions.

A small mathematical joke

Praděd competes with Mount Sněžka in several respects: both where the legendary lord of the mountains resides, but also about the highest point in the Czech Republic. The joke is that Praděd’s natural height of 1,492 m is extended by nearly 150 m by its TV tower. The highest accessible altitude in the Czech Republic is therefore located on top of Sněžka in the Krkonoše, but here, on the tower at the top of Praděd.