Kasina Ski

Pistes

Kasina has four pistes totalling about 2.9 kilometres: three on the main slope and a separate training area. A big plus is the range of difficulty. There is a long, pleasant run for leisure skiers as well as steeper sections that call for good technique.

The longest is blue piste no. 1, at 1,450 metres. It starts at the top station of the chairlift and runs through the forest in wide bends towards the valley station. Over its full length it drops almost 300 metres. It suits skiers who have mastered the basics and enjoy longer runs with room for wide turns.

Red piste no. 2 is 1,000 metres long. It takes a more direct line down the slope, and its gradient allows dynamic, sporty skiing. It is well complemented by black piste no. 3, 350 metres long and intended for advanced skiers. This is the most demanding part of the ski area in Kasina, particularly appealing to those who like steep slopes and short turns.

All the pistes have snowmaking and floodlighting, so they can also be skied after dark. The resort grooms the slopes regularly, and the break between day and evening sessions allows the snow to be smoothed again. Evening skiing in Kasina has a particular charm, as the floodlit pistes run through the dark forest.

A modern chairlift

The resort's main lift is a detachable six-seater chairlift by Doppelmayr, opened when the resort was modernised in 2016. The lift is about 1,100 metres long and has a capacity of 3,000 people per hour. The chairs have orange bubbles that protect riders from wind and snow. The ride to the top station takes just under four minutes.

The lift climbs almost 300 metres. The top station is at about 900 m, and from around it there is a panorama of the Beskid Wyspowy. In good visibility the nearby peaks look particularly impressive, including Ćwilin, Lubogoszcz and Luboń Wielki.

Polana Pingwina: learning to ski

For children and beginners there is a separate training slope with green piste no. 4, 90 metres long. It is served by a 100-metre SunKid magic carpet. Its gentle gradient makes it a good place to learn basic turns, stopping and moving safely on skis.

The training area lets you learn away from the traffic on the main slope. Ski and snowboard schools, an equipment rental shop and a ski service operate at the resort, so in Kasina you can start learning as well as polish your technique with an instructor.

Food and facilities

At the valley station there are car parks, ticket offices, a rental shop, a ski service and places to eat. You can rest between runs, have a hot meal or stop for coffee. The complex also has an inn (karczma) serving regional dishes.

A distinctive feature right next to the valley station is the railway line from Chabówka to Nowy Sącz, one of the most scenic historic railway lines in Małopolska. Nearby stands the old building of Kasina Wielka station, at about 570 m. It is also known to fans of heritage railways and of architecture from the days of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy.

Bike Park Kasina: riding from spring to autumn

Once winter is over, Kasina becomes one of Poland's leading gravity cycling centres. Bike Park Kasina has four main trails totalling about 11 kilometres, running through the forests on the slopes of Śnieżnica. The trails vary in character and difficulty, so they attract riders working on their technique as well as experienced enduro and downhill racers.

The easiest is the blue Blue Cooler, about 4.5 kilometres long, laid out in flowing turns with shaped berms and small features. It is a good choice for riders with basic off-road experience who want to get to know flow trails.

For more advanced riders there are the red Red Anakonda and Red Dzika trails, with more technical sections, faster corners and obstacles that demand better bike control. The hardest is the black Black DH Cup, about 1,740 metres long. It is a natural downhill trail with roots, rocks, steep sections, jumps and drops. Riding it takes good technique and experience.

The resort also has a training zone with a pump track and skills park, where you can practise riding berms, jumps and other features found on downhill trails. For younger riders there is the Arena Młodego Rowerzysty (Young Riders' Arena).

Riders use the same six-seater chairlift that carries skiers in winter. Special carriers take bikes up to the top station, so there is no need to ride up to the summit yourself. There is a rental shop for bikes and protective gear on site, and coaching sessions are run here too.

Kasina in Grupa Pingwina

Kasina Ski & Bike Park belongs to Grupa Pingwina (the Penguin Group), which brings together five Polish ski and year-round resorts. Besides Kasina, they are Czarny Groń in Rzyki, Słotwiny Arena in Krynica-Zdrój, Skolnity in Wisła and Kurza Góra in Kurzętnik.

Skiers can use the shared Pingwin PASS season pass, valid at the group's resorts under the terms of the chosen product. There are also options that combine winter skiing with the bike parks in the cycling season.

Kasina particularly appeals to those who value well-groomed, varied pistes and the chance to ski a slope with a vertical drop of almost 300 metres. In winter it draws skiers from southern Małopolska and Kraków, while in the warmer months it becomes one of the key places on the map of Polish gravity cycling.