Skiing in the Bieszczady Mountains

Skiing in the Bieszczady Mountains? These mountains — once considered among the best skiing areas in Poland before World War II — are now gradually regaining their former glory.

Before World War II, the ski slopes of the Eastern Bieszczady Mountains were considered among the best in Poland — thanks to their long-lasting snow cover, wide open slopes, and ideal inclines. It’s worth remembering that before the war, many of the hillsides now covered with forests were vast pastures used for grazing cattle and sheep — hence their remarkable width, perfect for skiing.

The dynamic development of skiing in the region was supported by tourist organizations such as the Ski Promotion Society (Towarzystwo Krzewienia Narciarstwa) and the Polish Ski Association (Polskie Towarzystwo Narciarskie). The military also played an active role, organizing ski training and competitions aimed at preparing soldiers for winter mountain warfare.

Over time, various skiing initiatives emerged — some more successful than others — including a few truly pioneering projects. One such example was the Railway Ski Tour, a unique idea of ski excursions by train. Let’s quote a passage from the pre-war brochure Winter in Poland (original spelling preserved):

“A completely unique form of exploring the winter Carpathians is the Railway Ski Tour organized by the Ski Promotion Society (...) The train, composed of comfortable sleeping cars or regular ones converted into sleepers, along with bath, restaurant, dance, and workshop cars, covers the entire Subcarpathian region in 10 days — stopping each day in a new town and moving overnight to the next. For a small fee, which includes the entire journey with full board, participants have the opportunity to discover all the main ski resorts of the Carpathians, living throughout in this unique hotel on wheels and enjoying the guidance, attractions, and events prepared by the organizers. In addition to the purely skiing and tourist aspects, great emphasis is placed on acquainting participants with the folklore and landscapes of the Carpathians.”

This fascinating chapter in the history of Bieszczady skiing perfectly illustrates how vibrant and creative the winter tourism culture once was — and how the region’s charm continues to inspire visitors to this day.

Skiing in the Carpathians and the Bieszczady Mountains was widely promoted by publications from the Ski Promotion Society (Towarzystwo Krzewienia Narciarstwa), the Orbis travel company, and many others. A great example of this are the multilingual brochures and guidebooks titled “Winter in Poland”.

These publications showcased the diversity of the skiing offer and the abundance of ski resorts available in the Carpathians at the time — something we can easily imagine today by looking at pre-war maps of the region.

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