Just a single day trip to Kasprowy Wierch in Zakopane. 

On Friday (2005-03-11) Patryk convinced me to go to Pilsko, do some carving on early morning corduroy. And then Goska said that she and couple of her mates would be skiing on Kasprowy. Well, I decided to go to Pilsko for the morning carving session and in the afternoon hike up and do a couple of powder runs.

I called Patryk on Saturday morning - and he said that Agata has a bit of flu and he's feeling weak himself. So we scraped the morning carving. Well, more powder for me, I thought to myself. So I gave Goska a call - turned out that she and her friends were up until 3am, so they will snooze a bit longer and meet me on Kasprowy.... 

I drove down - the road was crap with snow drifts and ice - it took me over 2 hours to get to Zakopane.

When I got there, it turned out that the cable car was not running, cause it was cold as hell, and very windy. I gave Goska another call - and found out that they only got up now, and there are heading to Koninki... so I was by myself. Quickly fitted the skins on my Prior and set off. It took me 2 hours 45 minutes to get to the peak (over 900m height difference). Here are some pics from the way up, taken with a cell phone (too cold to play with real camera).

Chairlift from Goryczkowa was not running.... more hiking to do - masses of snow everywhere

Half way up I met some dude on touring skis. We hiked up together.

This is Goryczkowa bowl - we were the only people there. This is VERY RARE. Usually this place is crowded like hell.

We had a bit of sun coming out from behind the clouds. Spectacular views... somehow the cell phone camera doesn't do the trick here...

Almost at the top

It is I. And the view into Goryczkowa bowl.... completely empty of people and full of snow

Right at the top. Had a bit of a break there...

It turned out that Gasienicowa bowl was open and the chairlift running. Because the cable car was not, the place was virtually empty !!

I had two brilliant runs in the powder on the Gasienicowa chair - no pictures of riding, cause there was no one to take them... but there are few of surroundings:

Virtually empty Gasienicowa. Masses of powder - in some places even 1,5 meters

2 of these tracks are mine :)

Then I got a text from Goska that they feel really bad about leaving me on Kasprowy by myself and so they invite me for a dinner. So went across to Goryczkowa and blasted down the slope.... did massive powder and some trees - check it out:

These are mine

View down the mountain

Some trees

some more trees

Oh, baby, I am gonna rip this powder... (as a matter of fact I DID rip through this powder)

And then managed to meet up with Gośka, Dobra, Igor and Milena ... boy, are they happy to see me, or what ?

Well, to summarize - a solo mission, but highly successful one.