Possible changes in the Tatra Mountains. Discussion about the dangerous route and the cross on Giewont.

The Tatra Mountains are an increasingly popular tourist destination, which poses various challenges for the management of the Tatra National Park. In an interview with "Gazeta Wyborcza," TPN Director Szymon Ziobrowski revealed,

This includes the Orla Perć trail, considered the most difficult and dangerous in the High Tatras. Some time ago, the Tatra Volunteer Search and Rescue (TOPR) requested that the Tatra National Park authorities bypass the section of the trail near Granaty . Fatal accidents have been reported on this steep mountain range for years.

The director of the Tatra National Park (TPN) admitted that "this is definitely a place where the route of the trail needs to be reconsidered." "The terrain is very exposed, and any trip poses a risk of a fall, which unfortunately will likely be fatal," he said. He added that staff are discussing the possibility of relocating the trail to the Gąsienicowa Valley side, and TOPR and TPN employees have conducted a site visit. It is currently unclear if and when a change can be expected.

Illumination of the cross on Giewont

In April of this year, there was also a publicity stunt for two men who carried battery-powered lamps up Giewont and illuminated the cross there to commemorate John Paul II. Although the tradition began in 2005, on the day of the Pope's funeral, it is illegal. The reason is the ban on walking in the park after dark, from March 1st to November 30th.

Szymon Ziobrowski explained that the tourists were not punished for lighting the cross, but for moving around the park after dark.

"After this case, a proposal was made for the Tatra National Park to symbolically illuminate the cross on Giewont on the anniversary of John Paul II's death. We see that this topic stirs a lot of emotion and controversy. Therefore, we have initiated an internal discussion on the extent to which the Tatra National Park could actually get involved in this, so that the cross is illuminated once a year, exclusively on this particular anniversary," he said.

The director of the Tatra National Park added that the custom of lighting the cross would be difficult to stop, so the park is looking for a solution that will not generate tensions.

Read also: This is how navigation in the Tatra Mountains plays tricks. Tourists were warned in time. Read also: Tourist stranded in the mountains for 9 hours. 23 rescuers participated in the rescue.