Rysy with a guide - what the day looks like from Morskie Oko

The first part of the day is easier than you think

The walk up to Morskie Oko takes us 1.5 to 2 hours and runs mostly along a tarmac road through Dolina Białki and Dolina Rybiego Potoku. We stop for first breakfast at the mountain hut. Even here we watch the pace: on easy tarmac it is easy to walk too fast and spend energy you will want higher up. It is also the part of the day when you can talk easily and look around.

From there it is another 40-60 minutes up to Czarny Staw pod Rysami. At the lake there is a moment for photos and a drink of water, and that is practically the last point where the route still feels like a walk.

We put the gear on earlier than you expect

You get your own set of gear from us at the start, at Palenica Białczańska: a helmet, a climbing harness and a lanyard with a shock absorber. You do not need to bring anything or rent it separately with a deposit and a return the next day.

We put helmets on just above Czarny Staw, before the ground gets really steep. The reason is simple: above that point stones can come down from above, and sometimes so can things other people drop - a water bottle or a flask can fall several hundred metres. A helmet put on at the right moment is worth far more than a helmet in your backpack.

On the way we stop at a well known boulder with a view of Czarny Staw and Morskie Oko at the same time. This is usually the first point where you really feel the height and the space, and it is where everybody pauses.

The last long stop is at Bula pod Rysami (2054 m). That is where we eat and where we go through the gear: how to fit the harness, how to use the lanyard with a shock absorber, how to move in it. We do this on calm, flat ground, and not when the difficulty is already in front of your nose.

The biggest danger on Rysy is other people

This is the sentence I repeat to every group:

The biggest danger when climbing Rysy is other people.

Rysy is the highest peak in Poland, so the trail gets busy, and the climb is narrow and steep. People are going up and coming down at the same time, in places where passing takes care. Part of our job is managing traffic on the trail - we decide where and when we pass others, so that nobody from outside the group creates a risk for us. On top of that there is the real danger of falling stones.

You cannot buy this separately, and you cannot make up for it with good fitness. Walking alone, you simply have nobody managing it.

The final climb: the ridge and the chains

Higher up we come out onto the ridge near Turnia nad Grzędą (2472 m) and from there cross to Przełączka pod Rysami (2469 m). This is the exciting part: steep and secured with chains. The final climb to the summit itself also follows chains.

The top of Rysy is usually crowded. There are a lot of people, and you sometimes have to wait a moment for a summit photo. If we have the time and the energy, we also go up to the Slovak summit, which is quieter and, strictly speaking, higher at 2503 m.

The descent is harder than the climb

This surprises most people. We go down the same way, but the descent usually causes more trouble than the climb: you cannot see the steps as well, you are already tired, and your legs start to hurt. Your attention has to stay with you right to the end, even though the summit is already behind you.

There is another side to the same section: from up there the views really are stunning. Morskie Oko and Czarny Staw seen from that height are the reason people come back.

We usually finish the descent from Rysy around 17:00-18:00, and then there is the calm walk back past Morskie Oko to Palenica.

We talk along the way

Climbing Rysy is not a whole day in silence. We talk about the history of these places, the topography, the wildlife, the old mining and metalworking below the Tatras, the first ascents of the surrounding peaks and what to do in a storm. Mostly we talk about whatever you ask us, and there is rarely a shortage of questions.

We turn back when we have to, and that is part of the service

We do turn back from Rysy sometimes, and we treat it as a normal part of the job rather than a failure. The reasons vary: an approaching storm, fitness that will not carry someone further, exposure that turned out to be too much psychologically, a pace that is too slow, or rain and getting cold.

It is a decision almost nobody makes in time when walking alone, because the summit is close, because the day would be wasted, because it will probably be fine. A guide makes that call earlier, and with a cool head.

Who Rysy is for

It is for you if: you are fit and walk in the mountains regularly; exposure does not freeze you; you accept a 5:00 start and a long day.

It is not for you if: this would be your first trip in the High Tatras; you have a strong fear of heights; you have knee problems, because the descent is long and hard on them; you could not accept a change of plan if the forecast is bad. The guide always makes the decision to turn back.

If you already have Rysy behind you and want something harder technically, the next step is stage I of Orla Perć.

What is included

• A helmet, harness and lanyard with a shock absorber - collected at Palenica Białczańska.
• Teaching on the ground: how to fit the gear, how to protect yourself, how to move along chains.
• Managing traffic on the trail in the busiest places.
• A group of up to 5 people plus the guide.
• Guiding in Polish or English.

Frequently asked questions

How long does the climb to Rysy from Palenica Białczańska take?

It is a full day. We start at about 5:00 and usually finish the descent from Rysy around 17:00-18:00. It is 1.5-2 hours up to Morskie Oko, and another 40-60 minutes from there to Czarny Staw.

Do I need gear for Rysy?

On the secured sections we use a helmet, a harness and a lanyard with a shock absorber. With us you get the full set at the start, included in the price.

Is Rysy difficult?

Technically it is a trail secured with chains, with no climbing involved. The difficulty comes from the length of the day, the steepness and the crowds - and from the descent, which tires you more than the climb.

Do we go up the Slovak summit?

If there is time and energy, yes. It is quieter than the Polish summit and, strictly speaking, it is the higher one at 2503 m.

How many people are in the group?

Up to 5 plus the guide.