In January, they tested their ability to conduct operations in the specific combat environment of the Śnieżnik Massif. At the beginning of February, the reconnaissance soldiers set out for the Tatras to train under instructors from the Polish Mountaineering Association on a winter high-mountain tourism course in the Hala Gąsienicowa area. Their latest achievement, meanwhile, was conducting training in winter operations in a high-mountain environment. The training focused on improving techniques for moving on snowshoes and navigating difficult terrain with deep snow cover and steep slopes.
The soldiers’ endurance in harsh weather conditions and the subunit’s marching fitness were also tested. The area of operations was the Kościeliska Valley and the surrounding elevations. During the training, the scouts climbed Polana Stoły at an elevation of 1,417 metres above sea level, which was intended to be only a modest introduction to a much more serious task. That day, the soldiers traversed Smocza Jama cave, located in the Kraków Gorge, which was exceptionally difficult at this time of year because of its steep sections and ice. The task produced plenty of adrenaline, given that to enter the cave the soldiers had to climb a metal ladder and then ascend vertically over ice-covered rocks. They used chains and ice axes for this purpose.
They then crossed a several-dozen-metre-long rock tunnel and emerged on the other side via another steep, almost vertical ascent. The next challenge that day was traversing Mylna Cave. The approach itself proved very demanding because it was extremely icy. The cave was a considerable challenge in its own right, as it is 300 metres long. Most sections were negotiated by squeezing through small openings with their own lighting, carrying—or at times sliding—their backpacks in front of them. In many places it was so narrow that the scouts had to move on their knees, and in more than one place they encountered water up to 15 centimetres deep. This entirely new experience for the soldiers resulted in numerous observations, mainly concerning the possibility of using caves as shelter and as an improvised natural base while conducting combat operations.
The following day, the reconnaissance company’s soldiers faced their main task and test: climbing the highest peak of the Western Tatras, Starobociański Wierch (2,176 metres above sea level). They set out early in the morning from the Hala Ornak mountain hut with one goal: to make the summit push and reach the top before 2:30 p.m. so that they could return safely. If this proved impossible, abandoning the expedition was reluctantly considered.
The first stage of the ascent—the Iwaniacka Pass—proved demanding right from the start. Over a distance of nearly 2 kilometres, the soldiers managed to climb 400 metres above the starting point through very steep terrain shrouded in dense fog. They then headed toward the Ornak massif (1,824 metres above sea level). It was only this section that revealed how difficult the route to the goal would be. It consisted of a poorly marked trail, a very steep incline and limited visibility. After several hundred metres, as if by magic, the beautiful, snow-covered peaks of the Tatras emerged from the fog. In the distance, the expedition’s goal could be seen, slowly approaching as the scouts advanced step by step. As it turned out, reaching Siwy Zwornik (1,959 metres above sea level) presented considerable difficulties, as the route led along a very narrow ridge with an approximately 500-metre precipice on both the left and right. Once this obstacle had been overcome, only the summit push remained. They climbed slowly up a very steep, icy slope, accompanied throughout by extremely strong winds. After a tremendous effort, at approximately 12:30 p.m., the summit was reached, and all the fatigue was repaid by the joy of achieving the intended goal and the extraordinary views.
The final stage was the return journey, which proved a considerable challenge in their state of exhaustion. Ultimately, at approximately 5:30 p.m., the entire group returned to the mountain hut, proud of their achievement and enchanted by the beauty of the Tatras.
During the training, they covered approximately 50 kilometres of trails in difficult high-mountain terrain and demanding weather and ground conditions. An interesting aspect of the training was the scouts’ first-ever traversal of caves. Seventeen people took part in the training, which confirmed their readiness to conduct operations in an extreme, subalpine high-mountain environment. The experience gained will certainly produce tangible benefits during future training of this type.