Journey to Turbacz

Trip Plan:

We’ve chosen Turbacz as the destination for our winter expedition. We plan to spend the night at the shelter located at the summit, taking advantage of a 2-day time window. We’ll start from Cracow, traveling by car, which we’ll leave in the parking lot. Our route will begin and end at the same place, allowing us for full-day hikes instead of short walks. The first day’s goal is to reach the shelter, where after a full day’s hike, we’ll rest, have dinner, and spend the night. On the second day, we’ll choose an easier route back to the car.

Preparations:

Considering the winter conditions we’ll face, such as snow and temperatures reaching -7 degrees Celsius, our equipment will be key. Here is a list of essential items we will take:

• Trekking poles – for better support and balance on the snow.
• Crampons – will provide better grip on icy paths.
• Headlamps – invaluable when dusk catches us off guard.
• Thermos – to enjoy a hot drink during the hike.
• Chocolate – a quick source of energy.
• Power bank – to ensure our electronic devices do not run out of energy.
• Map – indispensable when electronics fail or in areas with poor signal.

Additionally, we decided on our own provisions, which is part of our adventure. Thanks to a vacuum sealer, we prepared:

• Spicy bean goulash – vacuum-packed.
• Cracked eggs – also vacuum-packed, next to bacon and sausages.

This self-prepared food adds a personal touch to our adventure, despite the availability of food at the shelter.

Keeping all these elements in mind, our expedition to Turbacz is sure to be an unforgettable experience, full of adventure and beautiful views.

Route

The route has been adjusted to allow for a longer hike than just 2-3 hours. The final plan is to start our adventure from the parking lot in Koninki. Then, we’ll choose the red trail leading north to the Borek Pass, where our path will cross with the yellow trail. This path will take us to the shelter. After a short rest, we’ll head to the summit, and we’ve planned our return to the car via the blue trail. Although the route seems straightforward on the map, in the field, it may bring many surprises.

Day 1

In the morning, as it happens, we were in no rush, so after about two hours of driving from Krakow, we arrived at the parking lot near the Tobołów Cable Car and ski slope (https://maps.app.goo.gl/Krqica8dsy5QPSRx5). Although the parking was almost full, finding a spot didn’t pose a major problem. The parking fee for one day is 25 PLN, so we immediately settled the fee for two days.

Start of the Route

We began our hike from the blue trail, right next to the parking lot’s exit, where the Ticket Sales Point for the Gorce National Park is located. The ticket prices are as follows:

• Standard 1-day ticket: 8.00 PLN
• Reduced 1-day ticket: 4.00 PLN
• Standard 3-day ticket: 16.00 PLN
• Reduced 3-day ticket: 8.00 PLN
• Standard 7-day ticket: 40.00 PLN
• Reduced 7-day ticket: 20.00 PLN
• Standard 3-month ticket (nominative, valid for 90 days from purchase): 160.00 PLN
• Reduced 3-month ticket (nominative, valid for 90 days from purchase): 80.00 PLN

Personally, I didn’t have to purchase a ticket, thanks to having the Large Family Card. 🙂

The route led us to the first signpost, where we connected with the green and red trails. At the next signpost, we turned sharply left, continuing our march on the red trail. Although the trail is quite easy, the freshly fallen snow required extra attention from us. Initially, there was no need to put on crampons. The weather was beautiful and windless, with a temperature of around -3 degrees Celsius. Along the way, we could admire the frost-covered trees and the stream flowing nearby. Traditionally, we stopped for a moment to drink some warm tea and eat a few sandwiches. From the Polana Potasznia clearing, the route began to ascend again, causing a bit of breathlessness.

Borek Pass

After 4.5 hours, we reached the Borek Pass, where for the first time on the trail, we encountered other people. Many of them were skiing down, which seemed to be quite a challenge. We switched to the yellow trail, leading through a narrower, more demanding path.

Hala Turbacz

Another hour of walking took us out of the forest to Hala Turbacz. The wind had significantly picked up, and the twilight and dense fog greatly limited visibility, making it impossible to see signs or other hikers. We reached an iced-over signpost, reminiscent of scenes from movies. We joined the green and blue trails, following snow-covered tracks in places where the trail was invisible.

PTTK Turbacz shelter

Just a few minutes later, we are once again surrounded by dense trees, which effectively shield us from the wind, making the journey much more pleasant. The wind, which had been our constant companion on our hike, now weakens, and the path under our feet becomes gentler. Opposite us, amidst the winter scenery, cross-country skiers glide down gracefully with their headlamps on, as it has become dark. Another 45 minutes of our hike pass when we finally reach our goal for today – the shelter. Although darkness surrounds us, we find a way to greet our families. We wave to them through a web camera that transmits the image from the shelter’s vicinity, signaling that we have safely arrived at our destination. The view from it can be watched online at https://turbacz-gorce.webcamera.pl/. This is a reminder of how modern technologies can connect people, even when they are separated by kilometers of mountain paths.

We made our stay reservation through the official shelter website (https://turbacz.net/noclegi), which proved to be a quick and convenient process. The shelter, at the reservation stage, collects 50% of the deposit value, which is standard practice. We settled the remaining part of the fee directly on site.

We chose a studio room, which meant we had a private bathroom and a kitchenette at our disposal. The bathroom was clean, however, we had to deal with the inconvenience of cold water, making the thought of taking a shower less enticing. On the other hand, the kitchenette was excellently equipped – it included a refrigerator, a heating plate, glasses, plates, and a sink, enabling us to easily prepare meals. The beds were comfortable, and the bedding was impeccably clean. However, it’s worth remembering to bring your own towels, as these are not available in the room.

The reception is conveniently located opposite the main entrance, across the spacious hall. On the ground floor, there is also a cozy room where guests can boil water. The shelter’s restaurant, located on the first floor, enjoyed a lot of interest that day, noticeable both by the number of guests and the atmosphere of the place. The staff, though extremely nice, were very busy, serving both the bar and the reception, which required significant organizational skill from them when the shelter was full. Our late check-in seemed to be somewhat of a relief for the staff 🙂

The restaurant’s menu was intriguing, though the prices, for the location at an altitude of 1283 meters above sea level, were slightly higher. Opting for a light meal, we ordered sour rye soup and, of course, a few beers. The restaurant was open until about 21:00, but after that hour, it was still possible to stay, taking the opportunity to play games. We noticed that many guests brought along additional “enhancers,” which speaks to the shelter’s liberal approach to spending time within its walls.

Day 2

After an intense and eventful day, the well-deserved rest turned out to be incredibly rejuvenating. We went to sleep quite early, which allowed us to gather strength for the next challenges. The morning greeted us with freshness and energy to act. In the kitchen, we prepared a nutritious breakfast – scrambled eggs on crispy bacon. It was the perfect feast to start a day full of new adventures.

An indispensable companion on our culinary journey turned out to be the vacuum sealer. Thanks to it, we were able to take exactly as many ingredients as we needed, minimizing the amount of waste and unnecessary packaging. This simple yet ingenious solution allows for ecological and practical management of provisions during mountain escapades.

The checkout procedure from the shelter, set for 10:00 AM, posed no challenge for us. With energy and enthusiasm, already dressed and ready to go, we set off towards the Turbacz summit.

Turbacz – Elevation: 1,310 meters above sea level.

Turbacz, rising to an elevation of 1320 meters above sea level, greeted us that day with a rather windy aura and temperatures hovering around -7 degrees Celsius. We decided to seize this opportunity to test our newly purchased crampons, bought for 45 PLN at Decathlon – one of the more affordably priced options. The journey to the summit turned out to be a fantastic experience, especially since the tracks on the trail indicated that most tourists had chosen this destination the day before, leaving the path almost virginally covered in snow.

However, going against the grain, we decided to conquer the summit in the morning aura. The views surrounding us were like something out of a fairy tale – snow covering the trees created a fantastic, almost mythical landscape. The march from the shelter to the summit took us about 20 minutes, but every moment of this hike was worth the effort. At the very top of Turbacz, as befits a mountain peak, the wind blew decidedly stronger, and the snowdrifts were so high that even a bench was buried under the white fluff.

Despite the unfavorable conditions, we met a few other hikers with whom we collectively celebrated our small victory – reaching the summit. There was plenty of opportunity to take photos, which will serve as a memento of this achievement. Then, we decided to return the same way through the shelter, all the way to the picturesque Hala Turbacz.

Descent

Upon reaching Hala Turbacz, we decided to change our route compared to the one we chose on the first day. The reason was simple – after the kilometers we had covered, the prospect of another 17 km march no longer appealed to us. This time, we chose the blue trail leading to the parking lot. Although it might have seemed at first glance that the descent would be easier, reality quickly adjusted our expectations. Perhaps it was due to fatigue from previous hikes, but this route proved to be challenging. The trail led through dense forests, which provided protection from the wind and offered some relief. However, in our group, there were daredevils for whom ordinary descending seemed too monotonous. They decided to add an extra spirit of adventure to the march by sliding down on their backsides wherever possible. As the saying goes – youth has its rights, and this day will surely remain in our memory for a long time as full of light madness and joyful exhaustion.