Take on the challenge: with 400 other runners, on an almost 50-kilometre mountain course, face your own limits in winter conditions.
We invite you to the thirteenth edition of the Winter Karkonosze Ultramarathon.
The race takes place on 27 February 2027. The course is about 47.5 km long and runs along the entire Karkonosze ridge. It’s your chance to see these mountains at their most beautiful, in winter.
In extreme winter conditions, runners will climb Szrenica, cross Śnieżne Kotły and Przełęcz Karkonoska and run up to the summit of Śnieżka, then carry on towards the Okraj Pass. The finish is on the promenade in Karpacz.
Because real winter weather is possible, the time limit for the whole course is 10.5 hours. Cut-offs for individual sections are in the race rules. There are four feed stations, roughly every 10–15 km. Cut-offs may be shortened or extended before the race depending on the weather — runners will be informed in race announcements on the website and on Facebook. By deciding to start you already take the first risk: winter in the Karkonosze is completely unpredictable, and there’s no telling how hard the course will be in February.
A race in memory of Tomek Kowalski
The Winter Karkonosze Ultramarathon is held in memory of Tomek Kowalski, himself an ultrarunner, a passionate athlete and a mountaineer. He is inseparable from the mountains. He trained in them, climbed in them, and stayed there forever.
We want Tomek never to be forgotten. His effort and determination in pursuing his dreams can show others that anything is possible. You just have to want it badly enough.
Tomek loved challenges — they drove his life and let him do exceptional things. We organise a race that is hard and demanding, like the goals he set himself. After every feat Tomek used to say:
“We did a great, unbelievable job that nobody needed”
— and that’s what we wish you at the finish!
Not for everyone
This is an exceptional challenge, and not everyone will be able to take it on. Winter in the mountains knows no compromise. Because of the time of year, the Winter Karkonosze Ultramarathon is no ordinary long-distance race — and not a race for every runner. It is open only to those who already have experience in long mountain races and know what moving through the mountains in winter involves. Every runner should know their body very well, be sure of their skills and be ready to battle tough conditions.
It’s hard to predict the weather we’ll find in the Karkonosze — winter can be truly unpredictable, and conditions on the course may turn out to be very harsh. Imagine low temperatures, snowfall, wind and fog — just some of what you might face. Prepare for a long struggle with discomfort and the cold. You may have to move through deep snow or fight wind that lashes your face and cuts visibility. Those are just some of the “pleasures” you may meet. In such conditions, beyond great fitness and the right gear, you need the will to fight like nowhere else.
We’ve set up feed and checkpoints roughly every 10 km. That’s a fairly short distance, so anyone who runs out of strength can stop at one of them. We advise against stopping between checkpoints — even a stop of a dozen minutes on the course without shelter can mean rapid chilling and losing the will to race.
If none of this has put you off — if anything, it gave you a thrill — you’re in the right place.