Most rocks carry their own, often original names, usually derived from their shape or some events related to them. The oldest names date back to medieval times of treasure hunters. Names like: Pole, Castle, Cat's Castle, The beads, The Horse's Heads are clearly suggested by their shape. Surprisingly, this does not apply to the two most popular groups of rocks, Sunflower and Pilgrims, which in the past bore many other German names, Czech and Polish. The Sunflower was associated more clearly (Mittagstein among others, Poledni Kamen, South Stone, not counting the versions already forgotten), while the Pilgrims were called: three stones, Three Turns, and in contemporary Czech literature they are associated with chess pieces.
Another factor that has a significant impact on the shape of the Karkonosze Mountains is the climate. The conditions are much more severe here, than it would appear from the height of these mountains. The Karkonosze Mountains are not too high mountains, but the climate here corresponds precisely to the European high mountains, and even areas much further north than Poland. Just mention it, one year old,the temperature for Śnieżka is only 0.4 ° C, and 1.9 ° C for Szrenica, while for Karpacz or Szklarska Poręba it oscillates around 6.0 ° C.
The annual rainfall in Śnieżka exceeds 1200 mm, on Szrenica and Wielki Szyszak even 1400 mm. If you add to this frequent strong winds (often hurricane), phenomena (the equivalent of mountain in the Tatras), sudden changes in the weather – these mountains can prove dangerous to unprepared hikers. Sludges in the form of szreni or rime are very characteristic of the Karkonosze in winter, buildings covered with ice needles, trees, and even blades of grass.
The Karkonosze Mountains play an important role in the water management of this region of Central Europe.
One of the largest tributaries of the Oder river flows from their slopes – Beaver, and its catchment area covers almost the entire Polish Karkonosze through left-bank tributaries. Only a small fragment in the area of the Szklarska Pass and Kocierza River belongs to the basin and the river, which, moreover, begins at the Łabski Peak, on the Czech side. The largest rivers and streams draining the Polish Karkonosze are in the order from the east: Złotna, Łomnica with Jedlica and Kamienna with Wrzosówka and Podgórna. The main ridge of the Karkonosze Mountains runs the European watershed between the catchments of the Baltic and North Seas, and vast peat bogs, especially on Równia pod Śnieżką, they constitute a water reservoir for streams belonging to both catchments.
The streams and rivers rich in water run off steeply, skalistymi valleys, often on boulders, creating cascades and waterfalls in gorge valleys. They are among the highest and most beautiful: Kamieńczyk waterfalls, Szklarka and Podgórna and a series of cascades called Łomniczki Waterfalls. The most beautiful gorge valleys cut Kamieńczyk and Kamienna in the area of Szklarska Poręba.
A characteristic feature of the watercourses in the Karkonosze Mountains are significant fluctuations in water levels and flows. After the spring thaw, especially after heavy rains, there are floods, but in the Karkonosze Mountains they are generally not dangerous due to the rapid runoff of waters, recently even accelerated by deforestation of the slopes. However, this causes an increased risk of flooding at their foot and in the lower regions of the catchment area.