Kralicky Sneznik

Kralicky Sneznik reaches 1424 metres on the Czech-Polish border and is the hub where three mountain ranges and two major river basins meet - the Morava rises on its southern flank at about 1380 metres and runs to the Danube and the Black Sea, while streams on the other side feed the Elbe and the Oder. The summit is a bare stony dome above the treeline with arctic-alpine vegetation and a marked spring for the Morava below it. The landmark is the stone elephant, a sculpture placed on the top in 1932, whose trunk was broken off and taken repeatedly by visitors until it was left trunkless; a replacement was installed in the 2010s. There was a stone tower here until 1973 when it was demolished as unsafe, and its rebuilding has been discussed for decades. The Dolni Morava resort below has a looping steel skywalk and a ski area.

What you actually see

• A three-range hub - where two major river basins divide at 1424 metres.
• The Morava source - marked at about 1380 metres on the southern flank.
• The stone elephant - a 1932 sculpture whose trunk kept being stolen.
• A bare stony summit - above the treeline with alpine vegetation.

When to go

June to September. A day.

Honest expectations

It is a long climb from any side and the summit is exposed with fast-changing weather. There is no tower and no shelter on top. Winter needs proper equipment. The Dolni Morava resort below is busy and commercial.

Nearby

Dolni Morava and its skywalk are below; the Jeseniky are east.