Charakterystyka warunków śniegowych dla uprawiania narciarstwa na Pogórzu Wielickim

Celem pracy jest ocena warunków śniegowych na potrzeby uprawiania narciarstwa w Gaiku-Brzezowej (Pogórze Wielickie). Podstawę opracowania stanowią codzienne pomiary grubości pokrywy śnieżnej w okresie 1988–2011. Rozpatrzono okres występowania, liczbę dni i grubość pokrywy śnieżnej. Klasyfikację śniegu narciarskiego przyjęto za Łobożewiczem (1979): >10 cm dla narciarstwa biegowego i >20 cm dla narciarstwa zjazdowego. Stwierdzono, że warunki te na Pogórzu Wielickim są niezbyt korzystne, ale umożliwiają uprawianie narciarstwa.

The author analysed snow conditions required for skiing at Gaik-Brzezowa (Wielicczka Foothills, southern Poland). The basic data included daily snow-cover depth measurements from the period 1988–2011. Depths of snow cover accepted as necessary for skiing are, after Łobożewicz, >10 cm for cross-country and >20 cm for downhill skiing. The seasonal snow cover features calculated in the study included: the timing of snow cover occurrence, days with snow cover, days with both types of skiing-depth snow cover, days without either of the depths, total snow cover depth, average snow cover depth and the probability of snow cover occurrence in each month. Minimum, maximum and average values of each of those were also calculated. The author concluded that the snow cover conditions were below the standard for downhill skiing and sufficient for cross-country skiing. Downhill skiing requires extensive infrastructure, much greater than that for cross-country skiing, and the natural snow condition of the area are too weak to quarantee the efficiency of such an investment. Cross-country skiing has a better chance to develop here. This potential is enhanced by the varied relief of the area and its attractive landscape.