It was the year.

96, this is the total number, when I count all days spent on my travels in 2012. When compared with 2011, I am 10 days behind, though I still consider it as a proof of success. I feel good to be out there in Nature for so many days, especially if I am not a professional traveller of any kind. I don’t spend my working days there. All it was in my leisure time, chosen by my will. It was far better than staying confined among four walls, watching TV, or looking at a computer monitor. I underwent new experiences, never to be forgotten. I learned new words in Romanian language, honed my photography skills and many others. It was a small step for mankind and a great leap for me, so to speak.

January the 1st caught me being in Braşov, Romanian city of my wish. I was returning from our Vrancea trip. I wrote about it a year ago.

                                               In Brasov on Tampa Peak.

Immediately after my return I set off on Wolf patrols event in our mountains. It was a fine weekend, spent on cross country skis. It was on the 7th to 8th of January.

The next weekend of the 14th to 15th of January was a repetition of the weekend before. I was also on Wolf patrols with a lot more of snow.

                                                           Or base on Wolf patrols.

Also the weekend of the 20th to 21st of January was on Wolf patrols, on cross country skis. We were on a mission to check out condition of photo traps, placed in mountainous terrain in -15°C temperatures and a blizzard conditions.

                                                                In a blizzard in -15°C.

The weekend of the 28th to 29th of January was spent on cross-country skis on a different event called non-stop. It is a private event, where we run across the length of the Jeseníky mountains (70 km) in a single day. I arrived at our destination at Sněžná chata after 14 hours, with four stops and refills at mountain huts on the way. The temperatures were about -10°C. On Sunday we enjoyed shorter but beautiful run on a subsidiary ridge in superb snow conditions.

                                                              Beautiful winter, photo by Hak

February brought severe cold, caused by high pressure cell above the Ukraine. 

Temperatures dropped to -25°C. I spent the weekend on the 3rd to 5th of February on Wolf patrols in the Beskydy Mountains. Our base felt like an Arctic outpost in this cold. Everything was frozen; we had no running water, no toilet. It was very cold even in the room, where we slept for two nights.

                                                          Halo, around the moon, in -25°C

After three weeks of rest, due to a cold sickness I set of for a solo adventure in Slovakia. During the weekend of the 2nd and 3rd of March I traversed the crest of the Javorníky Mountains at a length of 70 km in tw days. I wrote a blog entry about it. See it for details.

                      Me wearing sunglasses found on a trail in Banat Mountains, Romania.

The next weekend of the 10th to 11th of March I was attending Wolf patrol event in different part of the Beskydy mountains as usually. Among us we had a guy form Sri Lanka. It was like an outdoor English course. The weather was warm on the 1st day, with rain on day the 2nd.

                                                                  Icicles on a creek in spring.

The Saturday of the 17th of March was a surprise. I was on my mtb, soloing 100 km toward south to reach the Soutok area, on Austrian and Slovak borders. The weather was perfect for the job-sunny and balmy (at least for the season).

The end of the month, the 30th of March and the 1st of April, caught me back in snow on Wolf patrols event. Raining and snowing during the weekend.

When came Easters in the period of 7th to 9th of April, I mostly stayed at home, being tired and due to ugly weather. I spent only the 7th of April out to photograph snowflakes blossoming in Herzica and Ploník Natural Preserves.

The first real spring trip took place on the 21st and 22nd of April, when I was in Slovakia, in Burda hills on Hungarian border. Seeing the Danube River from the above only whetted my appetite to do the Hungarian mountains (named Pilis Mountains) on the other side in 2013.

                                                Esthergom Cathedral seen across the Danube.

In between April the 28th and May the 1st I was in Leaota Mountains, in Romania, together with Ioan Stoenică. After the trip we met with his sisters Irina and Maria, and with Darmina and Catalin at Breaza. It was a fine spring reunion of friends under blossoming cherry trees.

                                                                  Spring breakfast in Breaza

                                                                        Lake in Leaota

 After being just three day at home I set off for Romania again. This time with my two friends form the Czech Rep. More details you can find in a story I have published here on the blog. The days from May the 5th to the 8th were spent in Cernei and Mehedinti Mountains in Valea Cernei-Domogled National Park.

                                                 Valea Cernei-Domogled National Park in May

On the 12 of May I was on Soutok again. again on mtb. The weather was dry an hot.

                                                              The Dyje River with dry bed.

Not having enough of spring in the mountains, I set off on a solo trip to Malá Fatra, Slovakia.  First night I bivouacked on the territory of the Czech Rep., and early in the morning I left for Slovakia. I enjoyed great spring colours there. It happened in between the 18th and 19th of May.

                                         Beskydy Mountains seen at dusk from Malá Fatra crest.

Then came a rainy period, when I made only half day trips around my home. I don’t mention them here.

                                                 On a mtb trip in the rain close to home.

                                                        Resulting image, taken in the rain.

                                                        On one of those not mentioned trips

On the 9th of June I was in Bíle Karpaty on a folklore event named „Horňácke kosení“. The weather was rainy and cold.

                                                             Women in traditional festive garb

Luckily on the next weekend on the 16th and 17th of June, it was perfect weather. I set off of Malá Fatra, Slovakia, with my friend Eva. We had two great days on the ridge, with a lot of walking. 

                                                                       Photo by Eva

The very next weekend caught me in the Kysuce area, Slovakia. It was on the 21st and 22nd of June. I was soloing on foot from Mosty u Jablunkova to Oščadnica, via Girová mt. and VeῚká Rača mt. For me it was a great adventure in an area not too far away from my home. I had two bivouacs in the forest, seeing a wolf etc. Those solitary trips are a great joy for me and I prefer the more than being a part of larger group, even though I sometimes go out with lots of people.

                              Malá Fatra seen from below Kykula in Kysucké Beskydy Mountains at 5 am

A period between July the 1st and July the 8th I was in Romania again. This time I visited the Trascău Mountains in the company of Ioan, Irina, Maria and Paul. We traversed the ridge from south to the north in the great heat of the beggining of summer. I wrote a short entry only on the last day of the trip, though Ioan has written a super long story on his site. 

https://ioanstoenica.wordpress.com/2012/12/18/cinci-zile-in-apuseni-traversarea-trascaului-de-la-sud-la-nord/

                                                   In Trascau with friends

                                     Startrails above Cheile Rametului, Trascau

On the 14th of July I rode my mtb to the Soutok for the third time. This time I rode for last four hours in the rain. 

                                                             At Soutok in rainy weather.

On the weekend of 21st and 22nd of July, I was in Kysuce area again. This time I was with my friend. We set off from Žilina toward Turzovka on a bluestripe tourist marking. At Kazická Kýčera peak I stupidly sprained my ankle when going uphill on a forest road! I walked out for three more hours with injury. We slept in the tent above the village and on next day we took a train home.

                                                      Foggy morning above Turzovka, Slovakia.

In between July the 29th and August the 4th I was in central and east Slovakia with a friend of mind. Because my I was recovering from my sprained ankle, we went with a car. It was a kind of lazy trip, which I don’t like much. More time spent in a car and camps then on a mountain.

                                             Brown bear's pug marks on a trail in Velká Fatra, Slovakia

                                                         Malá Fatra seen from Velká Fatra.

  The weekend of the 11^th to 12^th of August I was in Slovakia again. This time I chose Veľká Fatra for me and my friend Eva. It was raining on Saturday. On Sunday it was better. It started to rain, when we got back to a village, below the mountains.

                                                         A sheepfold in Velká Fatra, Slovakia

In a period between August the 16^th and 21^st I visited the Danube Delta, together with my Romanian friends. I wrote a story on it recently.

                                                    The Danube Delta trip-never to be forgotten.

                                             At dusk in the Danube Delta

On September the 2^nd I was riding my mtb to Soutok for the forth time in this year.

                                                              At Soutok in September

I visited Oravská Magura Mountains in Slovakia in between 8^th to 9 of September. I was alone, spending two nights in a tent.

                                                       Nights in Oravská Magura Mountains

On the weekend of September the 15^th to 16^th I was in the Beskydy Mountains. On first day we collected rubbish left by other people in a forest along a trail. On the second day I traversed a part of the ridge.

                                                        Our team on cleaning mountains event

                                                  We were "succesful" in collecting garbage.

                                  Mountain forest in the Beskydy shines bright after being cleansed

After that in preparation for yet another trip in Romania I joined a site Carpati.org and subscribed for two trips organized by guys from there.

                                Joining Carpati.org was important for me. Being proud of it.

On September the 21st I left for Romania and reminded there until September the 30st. We made three trips in a single week. At first I was in Penteleu Mountains with people from Carpati.org, the in Podu Calului and Siriu with several my friends and then in Parâng Mountains, also a trip organized on Carpati.org.

                                             With members of Carpati.org in Parang .Mountains

                          Flying above the top of Parangul Mare. Photo by Andrei Badea with my camera.

The next two weeks of perfect autumn weather were lost due to my health problems. I needed to rest a little.

In a period of October the 18^th to 21^st I was attending a photo workshop led by a Romanian photographer Dorin Bofan in Ceahlau Mountains. We spent four wonderful days in summer-like weather, photographing together. Dorin explained us that less is more and that we should not take things too seriously. I want to write an account on the event and put it here on my blog. When standing on the Ceahlau plateau, I was looking at the north direction, toward the Bistriţei Mountains, having no idea that I will be climbing there in just two month!

                                                    In Ceahlau with other photographers.

                                                  Feeling almost like NG photographers

On the weekend of October the 27^th to 28^th first snow had fallen on our mountains. I was there too, attending a seminar on large carnivores, barely poking a nose outside the door. Meanwhile several my Romanian friends were doing a traverse of the Vrancea Mountains. I got some messages from there. I wished I could trade places with them.

On December the 1^st and the 2^nd a new season began for Wolf patrols. I was there too, looking for animal traces in first winter snow.

The end of the year caught me back in Romania. I went there on December the 23^rd and returned on January the 2^nd. We traversed a part of the ridge in Bistriţei Mountains. We were there for four days and nights. On day the 5^th we descended back to the valley and returned to Bucharest. After a one day of resting we went to Holbav in Perşani Mountains. There we celebrated the end of the year 2012 with several friends. In total there were 10 of us. On January the 1^st I returned home. 

                                                              In Bistritei Mountains, Romania.

                                                     With Ioan at rest in Bistritei Mountains.

In 2013 I plan at least four trips to Romania and a lot more to Slovakia. I also wish to introduce some my Romanian friends to Slovakian Mountains. I plan to organize a trip there on Carpati.org.

To make so many trips within a year did not happen by chance. Careful planning was necessary. A will no to stay sitting at home was necessary to set off for nature on almost every weekend for short vacations. Only bouts of bad weather and some healthy problems (not serious) kept me from devoting more of my time to nature and photography.