A mountain shelter in Poland’s Tatra Mountains is isolated due to hazardous conditions, with around fifteen tourists and staff safely inside.
Problems in the Valley of Five Lakes
The shelter’s caretaker, Marta Krzeptowska, reported that all those present are safe and have sufficient supplies.
Guests will remain at the shelter until avalanche conditions improve and trails reopen.
Similar Situation to 2019
Krzeptowska noted that this situation is not unexpected, as similar occurrences have happened before.
In 2019, some tourists were evacuated by TOPR (Mountain Volunteer Search and Rescue) rescuers via helicopter after several days of worsening conditions.
Difficult Conditions in the Tatras
The Tatra Mountains have experienced very difficult weather conditions for several days, with heavy snowfall increasing the avalanche risk to a high fourth level.
Tatra National Park (TPN) closed all hiking trails on Tuesday due to the danger, compounded by trees and branches breaking under the weight of snow.
Positive Temperatures Expected
Forester Grzegorz Bryniarski, from the Morskie Oko protection district, indicated that positive temperatures are expected in the mountains.
He warned that the snow will become heavy, increasing the risk of spontaneous avalanches and falling branches and trees, with the possibility of ground avalanches in the coming days.
Limited Access in the Tatras
TOPR rescuer Mieczysław Ziach explained that accessing higher parts of the Tatras is virtually impossible due to the deep snow.
Currently, only the ski lift from Kasprowy Wierch to Hala Gąsienicowa is operational, but skiers cannot descend to Kuźnice via the ski slope; they must return by cable car.
Fourth Level Avalanche Danger
A fourth-level avalanche warning means that avalanches – including large ones – can descend spontaneously and reach the bottom of valleys.
Ziach emphasized that rescue operations would be extremely difficult in the current conditions, stating that reaching someone in need of help would be nearly impossible.