View from Kasprowy Wierch, Poland

Unjust as it may be based on photos like this, east-central Europe isn't particularly well known for its mountains. As highlands in this naturally diverse region go, though, this group of peaks in the High Tatras is one of the most traveled. This photo was snapped from the perch of Kasprowy Wierch, a long mountain crest that's home to Poland's highest ski area and served by a popular cable car. Our powder-covered panorama looks past Poland's southern border over a rift known as the Silent Valley, part of neighboring Slovakia. At left, we see the toothlike peak of Kriváň—a cherished Slovak national symbol often photographed from the lush meadows on its far side.