Faragas Mountains

Day 01. Plaiul Foii to Rachitii Saddle (1484m). 9 km  5.5 hours 1030m up. 400m down. From Plaiul Foii, 850m, head SW on the pastoral track for just under 2 km. Just after a small bridge turn  right up a path and climb SW up a mixed forest path. After 2 hours approach the main ridge at the Curmatura Foii saddle, 1367m. Just before it bears right at a junction to shortcut onto the main ridge west of this saddle. Now follow the ridge NW for the rest of the day. The path is confusing and faint in places as it tries to follow the crest. However, the south side of the ridge has been felled and the path is frequently blocked with fallen trees. It takes a further hour up to Tamasul Mare peak, 1735m. There are superb views behind you towards the vertical wall of the castellated ridge of the Piatra Craiului mountains to the east. From Tamasul Mare continue NW through the pine and spruce forest, with occasional capercaillie sightings, for a good hour to the peak Tanjareanu, 1662m, where windthrown trees on the ridge are especially bad and it best avoided on the south. After this peak descend to Rachitii saddle, 1484m. Here there are camping spots. A few minutes walk down on the north side is a small trickle of water. There are great views to the huge forests south and the dammed Pecineagu lake.

Day 02. Rachitii Saddle(1484m) to Refugiul Bratilei. 21km. 10hours. 1190m up. 570m down. From the Rachitii saddle head west through felled areas and old spruce. The path is difficult to follow especially above the shepherds cabin on the spur west of Ciocanea,1628m for the traverse to the saddle 1407m. Now head through magnificent spruce to the Lerescului saddle 1396m. Just before it there is an easier path which ascends from the Rudarita lodge below which would be 4 hrs in total rather than the 8 so far to here. Much easier but not strictly the ridge. From the Lerescului saddle climb through felled areas for an hour until you reach the pastures and forest near the top of Lerescu, 1690m. Now climb above the treeline of 1750m to the grassy Comisu, 1880m, where there is an emergency shelter. The character of the walk changes now and the going is much easier as you head up Lutele for an hour. Now the walk heads west for about 8 km keeping around 2200m as you skirt to the south of Berevoescu, 2300m, and Popii, 2225m. There are dramatic views down to the north. Now descend easily for 3 km to the dramatic saddle at Bratilei, 2120m  hoping not to meet any shepherd dogs. There is an emergency shelter, a small lake and good campsites here.

Day 3. Refugiul Bratilei to Refugiul Fereastra Mica a Sambetei. 16km. 7.5hours. 840m up. 790m down. Leave the Refugiul Bratilei and climb at once up the slope of Ludisoru passing just to the south then contour round to the south of Zarnel peak, 2223m, before making an easy descest to Zarna saddle, 1923m, The lowest in the Zagaras. There is a small refugiul and a sheepfold nearby, so shout if there are sheep about so the shepherd can control his dogs. This takes 2 hours from Bratilei. Now climb the steep rocky hill to the west of Zarna climbing sharply for 200m then more gently for 200m to traverse across pasture to the south of Leaota peak, 2312m, to start a long contour round the head of a pastoral valley dotted with alpine tarns. Contour round for an hour climbing slightly to a hill east of Dara, 2500m, where there are great views north into Urlea basin far below. The path now follows a narrower crest west for half an hour before it contours round the head of another pastoral valley with shepherds huts far below. After a good hour the path descends to Fereastra Mare i Sambetei, with great views to Moldoveanu, 2544m, ahead. At Fereastra Mica i Sambetei there is a dirty hut, camp spots and a spring. 

Day 4.Refugiul Fereastra Mica a Sambetei to Lake Podu Giurgiului. 12km. 8hours. 980m  up. 920 down. Climb at once from Fereastra Mica a Sambetei up the steep slopes of Galasescu mica, 2433m, and then traverse across to Galasescu mare, 2470m, passing to the south of it. Now descend to a saddle with a great drop to the north before climbing the south of Galbenele, 2481m, getting a great view of Moldoveanu from its south ridge. Now descend to the Refugiul Vistei, 2305m. From here there is a steep climb up 200m to the summit of Vistea mare, 2527m. The main summit of Moldoveanu, 2544m, the highest mountain in the Zagaras Mountains lies just a quick half hour to the south over a jagged ridge. Leave the rucksack on Vistea mare and make the traverse to Moldoveanu having to make some easy scrambles in a few places on the well worn path and return to Vistea mare in an hour. Back on Vistea mare descend steeply west to a pass. There are impressive drops to the north down to the plain and a steep pastoral slope down to the wooded valleys south. For 3 hours ascend to the south ridges of the peaks, cross them, and then descend to the pass, about 5 times until you reach Podragu pass. Resist the temptation to descend to the fleshpot of Podragu lodge and continue over a final ridge to reach Lake Podu Giurgiului, 2264m, where you can camp beside the lake and ruins of the Refugiul.

Day 5.Lake Podu Giurgiului to Lake Capra. 6 km. 5.5 hours. 580m up. 600m down. From the lake ascend steeply for nearly an hour as you climb 200m up Mircii and then traverse across the rocky ridge to Arnasu, 2468m. The is now a nice descent down a ridge separating two pastoral bowls on each side of the ridge. In the middle of this ridge is a narrow fin, which skirts on the north side before climbing up again above an idyllic pastoral lake on the south bowl. Above the lake we leave the separating ridge and drop into the north bowl. Climb out of this to the north west over a spur and descend slightly to a very crassy castellated section with chains for security. This 200m section is called “3 paces from death”. At the end of this you meet the easier path from Podragu and also a path descending to the Refugiul Fereastra and ultimately the valley and road. There is now a traverse down into a large south facing bowl covered in wildflowers where marmot alarm calls are frequent. Cross a few small cascades while looking down to a hairpin in the Transfagaran road. Finally there is an hour climb up the south ridge of Capra, 2494m.  Cross this ridge and skirt above the road to reach lovely Capra lake 2249 m, with great grassy campsites.

Day 6. Lake Capra to Refugiul Caltun. 6km. 5.5 hours. 580m up. 650m down. Head round the lake and up to Capra pass. Don’t descend to Balea lake but head SW up the ridge of Lezerului topping out in under an hour. The path now heads west across an arete to Platinul, 2399m. En route you cross over the road tunnel far below. The south face of this arete is covered in verdant grass and wildflowers, probably because sheep don’t graze it. You can avoid this easy arete by descending to the business of Balea lake and climbing up Platinul from there. Descend the SW ridge of Platinul to a spring and continue past an easy scrambling section in a saddle to start a nice traverse across a grassy plateau which avoids the rocky summit of Laita bypassing it to the south. The traverse steepens as it leads up to the summit of Laitel, 2390m, where there are great views over to Negoiu, 2535m, tomorrow’s rugged highpoint. From Laitel descend it’s west ridge, loose in places, to a shallow saddle before the short climb up to the popular Refugiul Caltun, which is situated just above Lake Caltun, 2135m. The lake is surrounded by dramatic stony slopes with lead up to the steep walls of the encircling mountains. There is camping by the lake.

Day 7. Refugiul Caltun to Refugiul Scara. 8km. 7 hours. 920m up. 940m down.Climb up the rocky slope west of the lake to gain a ridge after 20 min. Then traverse west across a rocky slope to the base of two chimneys, Dracului and Doamni. The former is shorter but has a rockfall danger and chains. The latter is easier and safer but longer. Take either chimney to gain the SE ridge of Negoiu and ascend it easily to the summit, 2535m, with great views over rugged alpine terrain, some 2 hours from Caltun. Now descend NW to Cleopatra pass where there is another choice. Either take the demanding scramble over the Custura Saratii for 2 hours to Serbota peak, 2331m, or avoid it by descending south for 350m to the Caldera Pietroasa basin and then climb out 350m to Serbota peak. Even the latter requires some scrambling but there are good campsites in Caldera Pietroasa, 2000m.The former  route over Custura Saratii is demanding with frequent chains and exposed sections and is not particularly safe in poor weather. Now, with the most difficult section of the entire traverse behind, descend west from Serbota to a pastoral saddle before a final and easy climb up Scarii, 2277m, and its NW ridge before descending to rustic Refugiul Scara where there campsites.

Day 8.Refugiul Scara to Turnu Rosu. 26km. 12hours. 690m up. 2370m down. From Refugiul Scara start the first of today’s 3 modest climbs up the east ridge of Scara, 2306m. Now make the descent to a pass with the gnarly Gabova in the saddle. Bypass it to the south and then descend sometimes steeply to beautiful Avrig lake, 2007m. Climb steeply up the west side of Avrig lake bowl to a pass and then walk across well grazed pasture for a couple of km to make a final climb up Budislavu, 2343m, the last mountain of the Fagaras Mts. Descend it’s NW slope and to a pass and contour around Suru to Suru Pass, 2113m. A path descends here but we continue west for 6 easy km across grassy hills like Tatarul and finally Chica Fedelessului, 1820m, before reaching Corbului pass, 1568m. We now leave the ridge trail as it peters out and follow the red crosses NW down into the spruce forest. This quickly gives way to beech trees and we are soon following a wide path along the wooded ridge down to a clearing called Lunca Plesii, about 1100m. Descend steep beech forest to the NE dropping 300m to reach the valley floor. Head down the asphalt track for 5 km past a monastery to Turnu Rosu, 500m, with its railway halt.

	Start	Finish	Km	hrs	M up	M down
Day 1	Plaiul Foii	Rachitii Saddle (1484m)	9	5.5	1030	400
Day 2	Rachitii Saddle  (1484m)	Refugiul Bratilei	21	10	1190	570
Day 3	Refugiul Bratilei	Refugiul Sambetei	16	7.5	840	790
Day 4	Refugiul Sambetei	Lake Podu Giurgiului	12	8	980	920
Day 5	Lake Podu Giurgiului	Lake Capra	6	5.5	580	600
Day 6	Lake Capra	Refugiul Caltun	6	5.5	580	650
Day 7	Refugiul Caltun	Refugiul Scara	8	7	920	940
Day 8	Refugiul Scara	Turnu Rosu	26	12	690	2370
		Total	104	61	6810	7240

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