Jaworzyna Krynicka

The situation changed dramatically with the construction of a gondola to the summit in 1997 (not without controversy over a rather loose approach to nature protection rules). From then on Jaworzyna came to be seen as a good place for downhill skiers, and gradual expansion has made it one of the best ski resorts in Poland (and some consider it the best). Jaworzyna is not only laid out in a modern and inventive way, it is also a place of exceptional scenic value and, on top of that, one of the most versatile ski areas in the country: you will find pistes of every difficulty, modern chairlifts, places to eat and stay right by the lifts, all in a mountain setting where on a clear day you can see the Tatras on one side and, on the other, the white streaks of the Bieszczady high pastures... The main axis of the ski resort is a six-seater gondola, the most modern in Poland when it was built. Its valley station is designed as a mid-station: plans for a second section of the lift, running straight from the centre of Krynica, have existed for many years, but so far this ambitious project has not been realised. What has been achieved is a number of pistes running down the eastern slopes of Jaworzyna, which form an exceptionally interesting ski complex (by Polish standards). The gondola goes right to the summit of Jaworzyna, where the longest piste begins, more than 2.6 km long and one of the longest floodlit slopes in Poland (as a single piste it is the longest floodlit one, although in neighbouring Dwie Doliny you can combine two pistes into a single floodlit run of more than 3 km). The main piste follows an S-shaped course: fairly easy in its upper part, it becomes much steeper and more demanding lower down. Branching off to the left is the black, steep FIS piste (average gradient 32%), served by a T-bar, and a little lower a red piste along the four-seater chairlift, which runs parallel to the lower section of the gondola, easing the load somewhat and cutting the wait to get up, which on winter weekends can be more than 15 minutes. To the right of the main piste, meanwhile, a blue teaching piste branches off along a short T-bar, turning lower down into a red run served by a T-bar and a four-seater chairlift. The layout is completed by one more wide piste (good for carving) linking the main piste with the valley station of that chairlift. The whole is very functional and logical, and skiing here, with views of the mountains ahead, is a real pleasure. In total the resort has 11 lifts (the gondola, two four-seater chairlifts and 8 T-bars) serving more than 8 km of pistes of every difficulty. A distinctive feature of Jaworzyna is that the easier pistes are in the upper part of the resort (two button lifts for children), so you have to ride the gondola down at the end of the day. The total lift capacity (more than 13 thousand people per hour) seems sufficient for the existing pistes, although during the Polish winter school holidays (ferie) queues build up, especially at the valley station of the gondola. The rest of the infrastructure is very good: rental shops, ski services, a sports shop, restaurants, bars, inns, a luxury hotel and a mountain hut at the top all ensure a high standard. Against all this, the paid car park looks rather grotesque... Aiming for the top five Polish ski resorts, Jaworzyna seems the most complete and balanced of the leading group. On the other hand, under current regulations and with the Beskid Sądecki included in the Natura 2000 programme, there are few prospects for further development: the only sensible solution that is possible in a relatively short time is to link its ski area with Słotwiny or the centre of Krynica, separated from it by a low mountain ridge that could be developed. Time will tell how far the ideas in the "7 Dolin" (Seven Valleys) project, which aims to link Roztoki with Słotwiny and Jaworzyna all the way to Wierchomla to create the largest ski circuit in Poland, can be realised, even in part.