Zamarła Turnia (2,179 m a.s.l.) is one of the most legendary peaks in the Polish High Tatras — a twin-summited rocky tower whose southern face was long considered utterly unclimbable. Whether you are a rock climber drawn by its storied walls or a hiker traversing the famous Orla Perć ridge trail, this peak will leave a lasting impression.
The summit sits in the eastern ridge of Świnica, wedged between Zmarzła Pass and Kozia Pass. Its two tops — the eastern (2,179 m) and western (2,178 m) — stand just a few metres apart, separated by a shallow notch. To the north the crag drops into the Dolinka Kozia valley; to the south, smooth near-vertical slabs plunge some 140 metres toward Dolinka Pusta in the Valley of Five Polish Lakes. The contrast between the gentle alpine meadows below and the sheer rock faces above is simply stunning in every season.
How to reach the summitIn the summer of 1927, a complete newcomer named Jerzy Leporowski casually announced in the Valley of Five Polish Lakes hut that he had soloed the notorious southern face three days earlier — and when nobody believed him, he climbed it again on the spot, astonishing everyone present.