Chocholowska Glade -Trzydniowianski Wierch – Konczysty Wierch
Difficulty Level: *
Walking Time: 3h 40′ (6,8 km)
916m (3005ft)
86m (282ft)
Climbing Features – NO
Highest Point: Konczysty Wierch – 2002m (6568ft) a. s. l
From the Polana Chochołowska (Chocholowska Glade), take the red trail which can be reached within 10 minutes of leaving the shelter or almost 1.5 hours from Siwa Polana (Gray Glade). We then go through the Jarząbczy Potok (Jarzabczy Brook) and venture into the forest. The route ahead is quite time consuming, but extremely light (almost flat), called “The Pontifical Trail” as in 1983, Pope John Paul II took that exact route.
The road can be very muddy in wet weather. Soon we reach the Wyżnia Polana Jarzabcza (Upper Jarzabcza Glade), where one can easily see the Lopata and Wolowiec peaks. 25 minutes later, we reach another clearing – Jarzabcze Szalasiska, where the Pontifical Trail ends. You will see a memorial plaque. We can also see the Jarzabczy Peak in full glory. Soon after, we enter the forest again and begin to wander along a gentle slope.
The trees slowly begin to disappear and we enter a layer of dwarf pine. At this stage, the trail winds around several times. We walk along a comfortable, stony path and can gaze at the beautiful view of the main ridge of the Western Tatras.
From the perch of Posrednia Kopa the route is relatively steep. Fortunately, at tops, fifteen minutes later we’re on Trzydniowianski Wierch. Trzydniowianski Wierch offers a magnificent panorama of the Western Tatras in all directions (Ornak, Kominiarski Wierch, Starorobocianski Wierch, Jarzabczy Wierch, Wolowiec, Grzes and many other peaks). From here you can do a loop, going down to the Polana Trzydniówka (Trzydniowka Glade).
The journey continues along the green trail, through the northern ridge of Konczysty Wierch with the path initially very wide, then narrowing down considerably. We’re ascending slightly through Czubik after which there is a small descent. Twenty minutes later, we reach the Dudowe Stawki (Dudowe Lakes) which are visible on the left and begin the approach to Konczysty Wierch, which can prove quite demanding physically but is not technically difficult. Walking time from Trzydniowianski Wierch: less than 45 minutes. Views from Konczysty Wierch are similar to that of Trzydniowianski Wierch but with the addition of the Slovak part of the Western Tatras. We can either go back down the same route, or down Krowi Żleb (Cow Gully) to Trzydniowka Glade. It is, however, worthwhile to treck along the ridge to Wolowiec or make a beeline for Starorobocianski Wierch, from which we descend via Ornak to Iwaniacka Przełęcz (Iwaniacka Pass).
