Winter Karkonosze Ultramarathon
Szklarska Poręba – Karpacz, Karkonosze
~48 km across the entire Karkonosze ridge. In winter. 400 places — everyone else stays in the valley.
Event websiteThe Winter Karkonosze Ultramarathon, run in memory of Tomek Kowalski, is one of Poland’s hardest winter mountain races — and one of very few ~50 km winter ultras of its kind in this part of Europe. Point to point, across the whole Karkonosze ridge, over the summit of Śnieżka, through snow, wind and fog. There are 400 places. Every year, far more people want them.
The race starts in Szklarska Poręba and follows the main ridge — past Hala Szrenicka, the Śnieżne Kotły, the Karkonosze Pass, over the summit of Śnieżka, then along the Black and Kowary ridges to the finish on the promenade in Karpacz. No loops, no doubling back: a single line across the entire range, in full winter conditions. It isn’t a race for everyone — it demands experience in long mountain runs, winter equipment, and resilience to conditions that can stop you.
While the field is still mostly Polish, runners from more than 20 countries have stood on ZUK’s start line — and it’s the international ultra community we’re opening the race to more and more. A winter ultra across the Karkonosze ridge is a rarity on the European calendar. After the pandemic break, demand returned stronger than before and hit a record in 2026. This isn’t an event holding its ground — it’s an event gathering speed.
400. No more.
That's how many places there are on the entire Karkonosze ridge — every year, unchanged for a decade. Everyone else, up to 1,427 in a single season, is left at the gate. ZUK doesn't grow wider: demand grows, the cap doesn't. Across the decade ~9,900 entries from ~5,000 runners chased those places.
The route
Point to point from Szklarska Poręba to Karpacz — along the entire Karkonosze ridge, over the summit of Śnieżka. No loops, no doubling back. Five feed stations on course.
Download GPX track
Part of the event
- Point to point across the entire Karkonosze ridge — no loops, no doubling back
- Over the summit of Śnieżka, the range's highest point
- Full winter conditions — snow, wind, frost, fog
- Real-time GPS tracking of every runner
- Mandatory winter gear check before the start and on course
- Hot meals at 2 of the 5 feed stations
- Run in memory of alpinist Tomek Kowalski
On route
Who was Tomek?
The Winter Karkonosze Ultramarathon is a memorial to Tomek Kowalski — an ultrarunner, alpinist and traveller who did not return from a winter expedition to Broad Peak in March 2013.
In a short life, Tomek visited more than 30 countries across 6 continents and made an 18-month journey around the world. He raced Poland’s toughest trails — the Rzeźnik Run, the 7 Valleys Run — and abroad, from Canada to Borneo. He became the first Pole to climb South America’s three highest peaks in a single expedition, traversed the Denali massif in Alaska, and in 24 days summited four of the five 7,000-metre peaks of the Snow Leopard challenge.
His greatest dream came true in the winter of 2013: he became one of the first people in the world to stand on the 8,000-metre Broad Peak in winter. He never came back from that expedition. ZUK was created so his story — and his conviction that nothing is impossible — would keep running, every year, across the Karkonosze ridge.
Frequently asked
What's the time limit?+
10.5 hours to cover roughly 47.5 km across the entire Karkonosze ridge.
Is experience required?+
Yes. The race demands real long-distance mountain running experience and proper winter equipment — a mandatory gear check takes place before the start.
How do I get to the start?+
The organiser provides transport from Karpacz (finish) to the start in Szklarska Poręba. Showers and baggage storage are available at the finish.
How many places are there, and how does entry work?+
There's a cap of 400 places. Registration usually opens in late October / early November and closes within a few days — every year far more people apply than there are places. The next edition takes place in February 2027 (exact date to be announced).
Are there feed stations?+
Yes, five: Hala Szrenicka, Schronisko Odrodzenie, Śląski Dom (hot meal), Przełęcz Okraj, and the finish in Karpacz (hot meal).
Documents
With us on the route
