Zadni Upłaz is a long, peaceful ridge in the Polish High Tatras that charms visitors not with dramatic steepness but with the gentle beauty of dwarf pine slopes. It forms the middle section of the northern ridge of Żółta Turnia - a place for hikers seeking quiet and open space rather than technical climbing.

The ridge stretches at an elevation of roughly 1600-1900 meters, dividing the valley into two parts - the Żółty Żleb gully (also called Pańszczycki) to the west and the Pańszczyca meadow to the east. The western slopes are gentle, mostly covered with dwarf pine, with patches of scree formed from erosion-resistant quartzite sandstone. The slopes descending toward Pańszczyca are steeper and rockier. In summer the area is lush and green with views of surrounding peaks, while in winter it becomes a quiet, snow-covered expanse favored by hikers looking for calmer routes.

How to reach the summit

• Dolina Gąsienicowa — yellow trail, about 2:45 h up, 2:05 h down, moderate difficulty
• The trail runs along both slopes of Zadni Upłaz toward the Krzyżne pass, crossing the ridge at around 1650 meters

Practical information

• The name Zadni Upłaz has folk origins - this area was once used as pastoral grazing land
• The yellow trail connects Dolina Gąsienicowa with the Krzyżne pass, passing directly over the ridge

This is a place where the spirit of the old shepherding life in the Tatras still lingers - sheep once grazed these gentle slopes, and today a popular trail toward Krzyżne leads right through them.