Backpacking Through Poland's Tatra and Pieniny Mountains
The pure pleasure of perfect perogies in Poland!
Little did I know that this unassuming food item would become the anthem of my travels through Southern Poland.
I ate them literally every day, by thedozen. A perogy is like a potato-pasta conch shell stuffed with potatoes,cheese, spinach, onions, and meat. And no matter how often I put one of thetenderly folded dough shells in my mouth, the result was pure delight.
Travel to new places often unearths some of the simplest pleasures. While everything is foreign and different, something as simple as a new food item can provide memories for years to come.
Bite-sized surprises and BIG surprises...
My travels through Poland provided moresurprises than just the excellent and economical food. I had no idea Poland hadmountains! Proper mountains. In my mind, I envisioned Poland as a beautiful,green countryside with delightful rolling hills. And to be sure, Poland is that– and more.
At the southern end of Poland, where I foundmyself after arriving in Kraków and heading south to Zakopane, the rollinghills turn violent and vertical. Here is where the Tatra Mountains stand,spectacular and glorious.
Rain, rain, go away...
The Epic Trails team and I arrivedin Kraków just ahead of a massive storm front. The outlook was not promisingfor the first few days, and we feared it would persist during our whole time inPoland. Our plan was to set out from Zakopane, a mountain town at the base ofthe Tatra Mountains, and trek from lodge to lodge through the Polish Tatras. So,we tried.
We hiked from Zakopane in a deluge of rain.Joanna, our guide, in an attempt to help, hiked while singing a Polish folksong pleading for the rain to go away. But as we ascended to the top of KasprowyWierch, one of the high points, we found ourselves amidst a mix of rain andsnow. There was still several feet of lingering winter snow here, even in latespring. Visibility was nil, but our spirits, like the altitude, were high. Thisis what adventure is all about. Even if the conditions are less than pleasant, withtrust in our guide, we set forth to meet whatever may come.
The mountain lodges in Poland areremarkable. And after having to cross a flooding stream barefoot, the sight ofthe lodge was sweet relief. Warm and dry inside, with a kitchen pumping outperogies, we had the first of many merry evenings in the mountains.
The next day, the rain had not abated atall. It seemed to be even more intense (maybe Joanna had gotten the wordswrong?). We set out from the lodge, trekking miles over ridges and passes,crossing creeks surging with snowmelt and rainfall, and seeing very little ofthe surrounding mountains.
An updated weather report showed that wemight have a weather window the following day. So we made our plans to takeadvantage and ascend one of the peaks we had our eyes on, Mnich Mountain (themonk), a pinnacle in the Tatras that is so alluring and beautiful itpractically begs to be climbed.
Let the sunshine in...
Hallelujah! The next morning we awoke to blue skies. And for the first time, I could see the mountains we had been trekking through. And what a spectacular set of mountains they were.
We met our mountaineering guide, set outfrom Lake Morskie Oko, and began our ascent as a few puffy clouds drifted overhead. It was a perfect day for mountaineering and the break in the storm meantthat everything looked a little extra beautiful. We trudged through snowfields, filling water bottles in pristine mountain lakes along the way. Slowlywe made it to the technical portion of the climb. Most of the climb is a steadyhike up steep terrain but the last one hundred feet of vertical requires ropes,anchors, and full on climbing skills.
Voitek, aka Rope Gun, climbed the pitcheswith ease, setting the ropes for me to follow safely behind. As I climbed,jamming my hands in the crack of perfect granite, I looked around me at thevast snow basins, angry peaks, waterfalls, and mountain lakes, and was astoundedby the beauty of it all. This was far more incredible than I imagined. Theexcitement in the crew was palpable.
Finally, standing atop the tiny pedestal that is the summit of Mnich, I couldn’t help but feel a supreme satisfaction at the adventure.
Mountains that really 'pack a lunch'
We left the Tatra Mountains behind and setoff for the Pieniny Mountains, a nearby range that is much smaller, but no lessinteresting and beautiful than the Tatras. A micro-mountain range, the Pieniniesare an up thrust of limestone, fashioning beautiful features such as the ThreeCrowns. At about 15 square miles, the Pieninies make one of the world’ssmallest national parks.
The Pieninies really pack a punch (or asour guide kept thinking we were saying, “they really pack a lunch.”) Small instature but vertical, hiking and exploring here is no simple stroll and goodpayoffs are frequent. Many of the peaks, or crowns, provide stunning andvertigo-inducing views.
Perhaps the best, most fascinating parts of my travels through Poland, were the cultural experiences of this rich land. While the beauty of the landscape is undeniable, it’s the moments of connection with the people, the traditions, and the food that make such a lasting impact.
We had an opportunity to meet up with someHighlander shepherds who were famous for cheese making. Living the traditionallifestyle, these shepherds tend their flock here in the mountains during the warmmonths. Life for them consists of spending five or six months at a time withthe sheep and goats, milking the sheep at three am and three pm every day. Themilk then gets turned into award-winning cheese, even being awarded honors byMichelin.
It was the best cheese I’ve ever eaten. In.My. Life. And to get to spend time with the people who labored over it withpassion, was truly special. Sitting around with the men after they had finishedtheir arduous milking session, eating cheese and smoked ham, while warmingourselves by the fire, trying to communicate and laughing all the way, willalways be one of my fondest memories of Poland.
