Winter hike to Poledník from Prášily

Winter ascent to Poledník in Šumava

Starting point

The village of Prášily, where we also had accommodation. Another option is the parking lot Poledník Slunečná (paid 100 CZK per day), which is on the access road to Prášily.
 

Description of the hike

In the morning we were quite skeptical because of the weather. It rained heavily all night and morning. Fortunately, the weather calmed down a bit, the rain stopped and we were able to go. From the village of Prášili, we followed the road to the turn-off at Jezerní Brook. Here we continued along a wide road towards the mountains. We rejected the red route directly to Prášili Lake because of the bad snow conditions in the forest. So we continued on the yellow trail to the turn-off to Prášil Lake. Here we decided to take a look at it after all. So we followed the red trail through the forest to the lake. In the end it was quite difficult to walk through the wet snow.

After a short rest, we returned to the Fox Hole turn-off and continued our climb up the mountain ridge. This part of the trail was quite boring, it is a long climb, a bit steeper at the end. It must be full of cyclists in the summer. Eventually we ascended to the upper parts of the mountains where the landscape is already quite different, the forest here is destroyed from the Kyril storm and the bark beetle. The snow conditions were terrible, in places there was a yellow river of melted snow instead of a path. Eventually we successfully reached the top of Polednik mountain in a massive gale.

The lookout tower and refreshments are closed in winter, but we didn't mind. We rested in the shelter, which protected us well against the storm. Then we started our return journey. After all, since the clouds had cleared a bit and there were some views, we decided to extend our trip. From the Předěl signpost, we followed the green trail that bypasses Jezerní Ridge. At least partially, the views of the surrounding area were opening up. Eventually we followed the blue and yellow trail back to Prášil.
 

Difficulty

In good conditions it would be a pleasant winter trek. However, the quality of the snow was very poor due to the rain and we were struggling a lot in places. It is necessary to climb some elevation, so a good condition is useful. Otherwise, most of the route is on wide paths. Only the ascent to Prášil Lake is on a trail.
 

Water availability

In winter, there is nowhere to get water. Therefore, it is necessary to have at least 1.5 litres of water with you. In summer there is refreshment directly on the Poledník lookout tower.
 

Sleeping options

We had accommodation in the village of Prášily, where there are more possibilities to stay overnight. In the summer there is an emergency accommodation for trekkers directly on Poledník. Otherwise it is forbidden to sleep in the forest in the national park.
 

Mountain peaks

The peak Poledník 1 315 m above sea level offers great views in good weather thanks to a massive lookout tower. You can see a large part of Šumava and, with a bit of luck, the Alps.
 

Danger

Winter mountains are always more challenging and dangerous than in summer. We had to deal with a blizzard in the upper parts of the mountains. Good clothing is therefore a must. But an even bigger problem was the poor quality of the snow cover. After rain and high temperatures, the snow melted quickly. On the surface it looked normal, but about 10 centimeters below the top layer of snow it was just slush, a kind of small swamp. There was therefore a danger of falling into this trap. Which unfortunately happened to one member of the expedition and he fell into the water up to his thighs. Fortunately, he had spare socks and after being rescued from this trap, he changed his clothes and was able to continue.
 

Food

There are no refreshment facilities on the route in winter. In summer there is a possibility of a small meal directly at the meridian in the refreshment area.