Złoty Groń is a modest but much-loved peak above Istebna, transforming into a lively ski resort in winter while offering peaceful views over the Olza valley in summer. It's a perfect destination for families and for anyone looking for an easy day out in the Silesian Beskids.

The summit crowns a short ridge branching off the main Carpathian watershed toward the Olza valley. Once forested like the rest of the Beskids, it was largely cleared by the first settlers of Istebna who built their homesteads on its southern slopes. Today it's covered mostly with fields and pastures, with only small patches of woodland surviving on the northern slopes. This open terrain means wide views over the surrounding hills, and in winter the slopes turn into a thick blanket of snow that draws skiers from across the region.

How to reach the summit

• Istebna, Olza valley — chairlifts and ski tows, a few to several dozen minutes, easy route
• On foot from the southern slopes through fields and pastures — easy route

Practical information

• The summit can be reached by a 6-person chairlift built in 2012
• In winter, the Złoty Groń Ski Resort in Istebna operates here
• A few hundred metres to the west lies another ski resort, Zagroń Istebna, with a 4-person chairlift
• About 700 m west of the summit stands a 28-metre mast of the Istebna – Złoty Groń relay station

It's one of the few peaks in the Beskids where you can ride a chairlift right to the very top, making it a great choice for a family outing in any season.