Piotr's stones, or skis with witches

The cleanest air in Central Europe, snow from November to May and an intriguing past. The Czech ski resort of Pradziad attracts winter sports enthusiasts as well as adventurers.

In the distant past, this area was notoriously known as a place of witch sabbaths. Today, its upper regions are a nature reserve where you can only walk on marked trails, while below, in the winter season, skiing enthusiasts go crazy on the slopes. Here you can find some of the best snow conditions in Moravia. In addition, the area is advertised as the place with the cleanest air in Central Europe , so we have a guaranteed healthy rest (regardless of whether it is active or passive).

Moravian glacier - Praděd

This mysterious place is the highest mountain in the High Jesenik, as well as in Moravia and Czech Silesia - the famous peak called Praděd (1492 m above sea level). Thanks to the TV transmitter standing on its top, it is the highest point in the whole Czech Republic. In the observation tower located at the top, we will not only eat a warming meal, but also see the Polish plains, the Karkonosze and the High Tatras, if the weather is favorable.

Because it must be said that Pradziad is famous as one of the most misty mountains in Europe . The snow cover, which lasts until May, brings her popularity and interest of tourists. It is the thickest in the Sudetes, but despite the fact that it hugs the slopes for an exceptionally long time, after April 30 it cannot be enjoyed anymore. The reason is very prosaic - the center is located in the National Park. The entire area is part of it, so the functioning of the resort and its lifts is subject to strict regulations on nature protection.

In the winter season, fans of skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiers and simply mountain lovers come here from different countries. Enthusiasts of active recreation are tempted by the excellent conditions enabling skiing on the slopes from November to April, while the rest of the tourists - beautiful, breathtaking views.

Skiing in Moravia

At Pradziadem, on the northern slopes of Stones of Peter (Petrovy kameny), there are modern, highest-situated ski lifts in the Czech Republic, as well as well-prepared ski slopes. The local routes are very diverse. Both beginners and experienced skiers who want to test their skills on more ambitious routes will feel good on them. The youngest fans of winter sports have a playground for themselves. Visitors can also use a snow park, ski school and equipment rental.

The Pradziad ski resort cares about its guests. Motorized tourists have large parking lots at their disposal, from which the routes can be reached by a ski bus. You can leave your car in the Karol's Well or in the Hvezda parking lot, and then take the bus to Owczarnia, where there is a ski station.

Several very well-kept cross-country ski runs lead from Pradziad, and the skiers themselves may appear on them at the end of October. There are 6 T-bar lifts waiting for skiing enthusiasts, and the length of the ski runs exceeds 4.5 km. Most of them are blue (including Velký Václavák and Malý Václavák), but there were also black ones. Sjezdovka A is 850 meters high and the height difference is almost 200 meters.

Ski pass prices in the season 2013/2014

The excellent location of the center allows tourists to get acquainted with the offer of other stations. These include, for example, the Malá Morávka - Karlov resort with 13 lifts and several attractive routes for cross-country skiing enthusiasts, Červenohorské sedlo, one of the most famous resorts in the region, or SKIPARK Filipovice , located in the heart of a protected landscape park in the foothills of the Jeseníky Mountains. The offer is all the more tempting because most of the lifts and routes can be used after purchasing one pass.

However, if you are mainly interested in the routes of the Ovčárna Praděd resort , you will pay CZK 500 for a day of skiing. A 1-day pass for a child aged 5-12 costs CZK 35. If we plan to spend more days on the slopes, for example six, the ski pass for this length will be CZK 2,000 for an adult and CZK 1,300 for a child. The prices of other passes, which allow you to combine skiing on the routes of several resorts, can be found on the websites of the stations we are interested in.

Attractions of the Jeseníky Mountains

Tourists visiting Jeseníky can expect attractive resorts with perfectly organized infrastructure, including the Karlova Studánka climatic sanatorium (Karol's Well) and the Ovčárna (Owczarnia) climatic sanatorium. We can easily find accommodation, whether in a hotel, guesthouse or at a campsite. One of them is Autocamping "Dolina" , located in Vrbno pod Pradědem. One day of stay costs CZK 45, and we will pay CZK 50 a day for a berth for the vehicle.

It is worth considering a winter vacation in the Praděd region. Mainly because of the beauty of the local landscapes, but also because both the Peter's Stones and the surrounding meadows are accessible only in winter. Although it cannot be denied that the area has something to tempt with all year round - in winter for sports lovers, and in summer for hiking enthusiasts. Lovers of nature are invited by one of the most beautiful reserves of the Jeseníky Mountains, Velká kotlina, and the numerous surrounding waterfalls deserve attention and admiration. The area is exceptionally beautiful, so the growing number of vacationers comes as no surprise.