The Big Owl mountain is only 1,015m above sea level (3,330feet) but it is fairly nearby and it has a cool lighthouse looking observation tower built in 1906 atop of it. Whenever we feel like getting out of the house to do some moderate snow hiking, the Big Owl is our go-to destination. The views are quite nice, the trail itself is fairly easy even with snow everywhere, and it just has that winter wonderland splendor while maintaining the feeling of safety.

Safety, because for some reason Polish folk tend to be prone to stupid decisions involving winter months and mountains. Basically throughout the entire winter, not a week goes by without a news alert that once again some people had to be rescued from the mountain range after getting lost on the snow-covered trails and almost freezing to death. This year around I’ve heard no less than ten such reports and it amazes me how people could be this careless.

Naturally, I’m not about to become a statistic, especially since news of a dude with a wife and a chocolate labrador getting rescued from a mountaintop would most likely quickly pinpoint straight to me within my social circles 🙂

But Big Owl is easy pickins. We stay on trail, have fun with the pooch, get home safe. All in a good day’s hike.

One photo disclaimer: the photo of a snow covered tower is not mine. It belongs to Ania’s sister in law Agnieszka. Agnieszka took that photo just two weeks prior to our trip, but you can see what two weeks due temperature-wise yourself. Not an inch of snow on the tower during our trip.

Here are a lot of “me” photos from that trip.