"Łysa Góra" in Dziwiszów near Jelenia Góra was discovered for the skiing by the indefatigable propagator of this sport and recreation - Mr Stanisław Rażniewski the graduate of the first age group of graduates of our Academy in 1949. More than 30 years ago in this region a ski School and Sport Club Aesculap was established so as to train the children and youth (not only from doctor's families as the name could indicate) in the skiing. In course of looking for a convenient place for schooling the attention was once drawn to a mountain situated northwards from Jelenia Góra, on the road towards the cities of Świerzawa, Złotoryja and Legnica.

This choice was hitting the jackpot. A large northern slope of Łysa Góra mountain having the height of 700 m above sea level with a beautiful view of the Karkonosze mountains (from Śnieżka peak to Szrenica) was managed. The renowned winter resorts such as Karpacz or Szklarska Poręba are overcrowded in the winter season and frighten with the necessity of waiting in long queues and with quite high ski ticket prices, not To mention the lack of parking places, badly serviced roads and many other shortcomings, which many of us experienced ourselves. A certain counterbalance for them is the winter sport resort on Łysa Góra mountain.

Its value is firstly the access without bigger problems you can nearly always reach this place on a dry road from Jelenia Góra or Legnica. Secondly - the vast, always good prepared and safe parking for cars and buses. You can fasten your skis right on the parking and from there - reach the lifts. And thirdly, most important, are the skiing conditions. There are four lifts, two 900 meters long: a ?T-bar and a ?plate-stick lift, the third one is a plate-stick lift 700 meters long, and the fourth is a 300 meters long plate-stick lift for the children beginning their ski course and the last one is a 100 meters long lift for the smallest children. So, there is somewhere to ski for the advanced adults and for the beginners, as well as for the kids.
At disposal are there three over kilometer long ski routes, well prepared by the ratrak working all the time. The routes are safeguarded with colored netting, and the lift pillars are covered with protection mattresses. The capacity of the lifts is so big, that in working days you can ski without a break. In the weekends the place attracts so many skiers, that you can have a rest in quickly moving queues. The skiing time is from 9 am to 10 pm, thanks to illumination of the slopes. The evening skiing, however a little more expensive, has its unique value and atmosphere. The lift personnel is fully qualified, kind, looks stylish in their elegant ski-suits. If need be (better not), there is a professional medical assistance, also ski instructor's advice does not cost too much.
It turns out, that not only German, Austrian or Frenchman but also Pole is able to carefully organize and efficiently manage the ski center. In large degree it is the work of Mrs Teresa Rażniewska, the president, who manages this winter complex with firm hand. This picture of ski center, friendly for the skiers and all willing to spend time in fresh air, in beautiful place, is completed with the catering places, and ski-service with ski rentals professional workshop enabling the repair, sharpening, smearing the skis, etc. Also the standard of toilettes (not high throughout Poland) deserves to be appraised. Taking all this into account, it's worth while to visit this center on Łysa Góra mountain, both for the fans of mountain skiing and running skiing, as besides the downhill ski routes there are also running routes for the fans of wandering the hills and valleys. All this at quite moderate prices, affordable for student and pensioner.

So we invite you to Łysa Góra. You'll not regret! You'll see there a special kind of "Sabbath of witches" ( this time on the skis). These fabulously colored silhouettes of girls smartly moving on the slope. Eh! How their hips wave in the rhythm of slalom turns. When you get fatigued, you ground on ski sticks and look at their charming evolutions with genuine pleasure.
I've been there many times, have had much skiing, and what I've seen and survived, I am telling You now. Let me add that there are hotel places in Dziwiszów in agro-tourist w farms. I've seen elegant prepared places, with free access to well equipped kitchen with gas, and hot water in the bathroom just like in Europe". All this at quite moderate prices 25 złoty for one.
However this information is a little late in this ski season, but the fans of pedestrian or bicycle wanderings, and all fans of spending time in the nature will succumb the temptation to visit those beautiful areas in the spring summer or fall. Besides, the next winter is ahead and of course many others.

Author: Ryszard Jezierski

Translation from Polish: Mirosław Ludorowski