pondělí 3. února 2014

Weekend in the Bucegi Mountains.


This adventure belongs among others which should be set under general caption: Weekends in Romania.

                            A quote which explains why I do such things.

In the middle of May I returned from the Cernei mountains in Romania.  Two weeks later I could not endure a desire to return again to Romanian mountain paradise.

                                      The Cernei mountains in Romania.

On the weekend of 24-26th of May I was in our mountains and then a there I arranged with Iulia, via a cell phone, a joint trip in the Bucegi Mountains for the next weekend.  She is a Romanian friend with whom I also was in mountains of Banat.

                     From here I arranged our adventure for the next weekend.

The best way how to get to know a new area is to be accompanied with a local guide. Iulia knows the Bucegi Mts. very well, being born at their base. She is a real mountain girl, very fit, and what is most important, we get on very well.

                                       The mountain girl (fata muntilor).


We arranged to meet at Buşteni, which is a small mountain resort on a railway line leading along the base of the Bucegi Mountains, on Saturday morning, June the 1st.
On Friday I almost lost my train, because I thought I lost my wallet, with money and my ID, when I went to buy a toothbrush, which I forgot at home. I panicked for a moment. Accidentally, I put the wallet in unusual place, where I found it after my immediate return to the shop, where I used it for the last time (just a minute earlier).
Iulia also invited a friend of her, named Adi, to accompany us for the first day of the trip.

The trip begins.

We all three met at train station in Buşteni half an hour later than we had arranged, due to train delay. To keep up with the schedule and to shorten our approach to our chosen trail we hired a taxi which got us to Gura Diham (987 m) at Valea Cerbului.
At the beginning skies were partially clear, though the forecast predicted rain and snow. A layer of fresh snow had already fallen on mountain tops a day before.

                                                 Above Gura Diham.

A friend of mine just returned from the Leaota Mountains on May the 30th, when the weather started to deteriorate. He had a great adventure there, which somehow increased my appetite for a new Romanian adventure. Yet, this time my prospects were quite different, simply because our trip was supposed to be different. I focused on exploring new trails in a mountain range where I had been only once in 2009. My friend’s adventure in the Leaota was focused on search for wildlife.

I already knew at home that it would be cold in the mountains, so I brought my winter sleeping bag. Temperature was supposed to drop to -3°C in the night above the height of 2000 m. I brought that sleeping bag for two reasons. First: a down feather bag is far lighter and smaller than that filled with a hollow-fibre; second: I was thinking to give my warmer bag to Iulia, because women are less resistible to cold.

One advantage to be there with a local, was that she knew where there are shelters, build especially for tourists, thus there was no necessity to bring a tent along with us. It meant to save a weight of 3 kg.

In forest above Gura Diham.

Getting off the taxi we pulled out our trekking poles and started to climb on a marked trail (red band), through fresh spring greenery. The air was little cold, but we warmed up in uphill effort. Iulia was talking about the Bucegi, about what went on during her previous adventures here etc. I talked a lot with Adi, too, who is a fine man in his mid-forties. He doesn’t fit the mountain environment as perfectly as Iulia does, however he, too, likes mountains and often goes on mountain trips. For this year he planned a climb to Musala, the highest peak of the Balkans peninsula, situated in the Rila Mountains of Bulgaria.

                                    Beech forest below Poiana Izvoarelor.

Soon we reached Poiana Izvoarelor (1455 m) from where opened vistas on surrounding mountains. Mountain tops were hidden in a cloud layer, though below them the air was clear.

                                                  Poiana Izvoarelor.

                             The Baiului Mountains seen from Poiana Izvoarelor.

                                           Above Poiana Izvoarelor.

Our next destination was a saddle (Pichetul Roşu) and La Prepeleac. From there we continued on the red triangle mark. The trail went almost horizontally on most stretches and beech forest gradually gave way to mountain spruce forest.

                             Mountain spruce forest (Picea abies).

           Looking toward the heights. Probably looking at Acele Morarului Ridge.

                                 A vista toward the Postavaru massif opened.


                                                         Soldanella.

                                                 In the gloom of forest.

                                                  At La Prepeleac.

                                Our trail traversed some rocky stretches.


At La Prepeleac.

We were half a day into a trip and Adi felt a need to start to return to catch a train home on time. I just asked myself, whether it was worth of the effort for him to come to the Bucegi Mountains for just a half-day adventure. I learned that I am not alone who does crazy things. I travelled over 1100 km to be just two days and two nights in Bucegi, except Adi travelled from Bucharest which is far closer.

                                                      Iulia with Adi.

                                     From now on there were just two of us.

We said good bye to Adi and from now on there were just two of us. Though, for some time we went together with some people going our way. Before we got to Malaieşti hut, we crossed a few snowfields, reminders that higher into the mountains we should expect winter conditions.

                                             Above Malaiesti Hut.

Malaiesti.

Malaieşti hut (1720 m) is placed in a huge cirque, famous for its beauty. The end of the valley is fringed with vertical rocky walls going up for several hundred meters, until they reach the upper Bucegi plateau. Their tops were merging with clouds.
At the hut we took a short break for a tea and then headed up on the last portion of the day. This part was also the most interesting. In short time we ascended into a saddle on a ridge called Padina Crucii, where we make a pause for half an hour. Rhododendrons have just started to bloom and we enjoyed view over flowering shrubs. Pink colours mixed with green and some white snowy spots were scattered here and there. It was clear that for next two weeks or even longer time these part would convert into a pink carpet stretched far and wide on ridges of the Bucegi Mountains.

               Flowering rhododendrons, the Postavaru Massif in background.

Ţiganeşti.

After that the trail led us down to the bottom of the Valea Ţiganeşti, where surrounding scenery looked like Tibet. It was a landscape with lakes, grassy plains and snowy peaks. I have never been to Tibet, though I have seen many photographs of it and know how it looks like.

                Valea Tiganesti. The Postavaru and Piatra Mare massifs in backdrop.

                                           Valea Tiganesti, panorama.

                                                     Below Tiganesti.

                                                Climbing toward Tiganesti.

The last portion of the day was to go up onto a Ţiganeşti Ridge, where a tourist shelter (2100 m) is located, overlooking a drop toward Bran. The weather cooperated, cloudy sky alternated with partly cloudy sky and the sun appeared from time to time.

                                           Evening view from Tiganesti.

                                      Layer of clouds seen from Tiganesti.

Being a novice to the Bucegi Mountains I was surprised how well-designed the shelter is. It has a form of a semi-dome, red and white in colour. Inside there are beds and as a replacement for a window, there is a light pipe, efficient enough to light the whole interior. While there is any daylight outside, there is light inside, too.

                                                    Refuge Tiganesti.

                             Inside the refuge Tiganesti. Its interior is spacious.

Since days in June are long, we had plenty of time to make a dinner and afterward I could take some evening photography before we went to sleep. I did not have many places to choose where from to take pictures, because strong winds were blowing outside, thus making taking sharp images impossible. I took several images out of a door opening, where I was protected against the winds.
We were at high altitude, so we soon started to feel its effect on temperature. There was cold inside the shelter, so that we had to stay heavily dressed.

                                           Night view from Tiganesti.

A night spent at 2100 metres.

After our during-the-daylight activity has ceased, we laid down in our sleeping bags. We talked about many things. Iulia had a newspaper along with her. Now she pulled it out and in the dim light of a head torch began to read aloud an article about a goat, called Duţa. She was reading it slowly, explaining nearly every sentence for me. Explanation was needed, since Romanian is not my mother language. I think that I learned a lot about Romanian tongue from Iulia, since we spent a significant time together in this year. This magic evening is blazed in my memory, as if it happened yesterday.

                         From Tiganesti Ridge is splendid view in dark of night.

We went to sleep around midnight. I was comfortable in my winter sleeping bag. It was not the same feeling for a girl resting beside me. At around 1 AM I asked the girl how she was. She was very cold in her three-season sleeping sack. I suggested that we would change our sleeping gear. She accepted it, and I hope she felt warmer in my sleeping sack. I slept inside her bag, and I must admit, that I was at a lower margin of comfort. I slept, but woke up, from time to time, due to the cold. In my thoughts I was happy that Iulia can sleep in the warmer winter sleeping bag.

Cold morning.

Skies were perfectly clear in the morning. I ventured out with my camera and tripod before sunrise and stayed there until it was well after sunrise. Snow was hard as a concrete due to low temperatures.

                              The Sun rises from behind the Piatra Mare massif.

                                                The Postavaru Massif.

                                                         A Mountain and a cloud.

                                           Papusa seen from Tiganesti.


                                    Magura Codlei seen from Tiganesti.

                                           Piatra Craiului seen from Tiganesti.

                                       Refuge Tiganesti in first direct sun light.

  Iulia is shown on most pictures. To reverse this imbalance I put this self-portrait here.

                                       Just before 9 am dark clouds moved in.

                                           We enjoyed being up and high.

                                Refuge is located on a perfect spot for views.

Later skies start to fill with vapours and soon we were in clouds again. It started to snow!
                                          A cushion of Silene acaulis.

After breakfast we talked whether we would continue toward Omu (2504 m) or not. We were at a snowline; above us all terrain was covered with a strata of snow.

                                                              Omu.

                            The Postavaru Massif seen through a veil of clouds.

                                                   Cloud are moving in.

                                            Below us the air was clear.

                           Heading up to see what conditions are on the ridge.

Final decision was that we would continue up for half an hour without our backpacks to verify trail condition.
                                           Looking back into the valley.

                                         The trail was easily passable.

Return to the refuge.


                                         Packing before we go on the ridge.

We were in clouds, climbing on steep rocky trail, until we reached grassy ridge above rocky band. We saw that there were good conditions for walking and we both thought that we could go here with our backpacks. After return to the shelter, it started to rain. Oh, no!

A magic moment.

We were perplexed. One part of our minds wanted to abandon the trip and to go home; and the other part was telling us to go on, because it would be perfect up there!
We had an option to go down on the Clincea Ridge, which would get us to Bran. Or, we could continue upward and hope for a clear sky.
In the rain I asked Iulia, whether she wants to continue, even if we would get wet. We both yearned for stay in the mountains for one more day, and there was no space for retreat in our minds. We both became determined to continue the trip! The decision was made. We would continue up to the ridge!

Topping Omu.

We started wearing our rain coats. However, gradually the rain ceased during the climb on rocky trail. Once we got on the ridge, our speed increased. The trail was partly covered with snow, partly we walked on grass. We were on south-exposed slopes now. Below us was immense valley, named Valea Gaura. Due to the fog, we saw next to nothing down there.

                                                 On the top of Omu.

We reached Omu Peak, the highest peak in the Bucegi Mountains, in almost zero visibility. We took a rest at the lodge, placed directly below the top of the peak. We sat down and ate hot soup. A while later arrived three guys in the hut, who were not carrying any rucksacks. They also ordered a soup, and sat down to eat it. They actually were runners, who were training for an event named Marathon 7500, which would take place here in late July. I was happy to hear about that, because I planned to participate on this marathon, too!

I talked to them briefly and after that, they set off and soon disappeared in the fog. One of them told me, that yesterday he participated on the Hercules Marathon in Banat, and today he was training in the Bucegi Mountains for 7500! I suddenly knew that my training is not sufficient enough. Actually, I did not participate in the marathon this year, because lack of training and that I found no co-partner.  Meanwhile I found a colleague and took a decision to join the event in 2014.

                                                 Upper Ialomitsa Valley.

                                           Overlooking the Ialomitsa Valley.

The sky was clearing.


The sun in June has great burning power. Here I am with a mask made of sun protection cream.

                                                   In Valea Doamnelor.

                                            Running in Valea Doamnelor.

The weather was getting better and soon we had blue sky overhead.  We passed by a tourist shelter Batrâna, which looks identical with that at Ţiganeşti. Our destination of the day was a saddle Strunga, where we wanted to overnight in another tourist refuge.
Iulia proposed that we could take a detour through Valea Doamnelor. I gladly accepted, wanting to see as much terrain as possible. 
                                     After crossing a stream in Valea Doamnelor.

                                             Fresh greenery at lower altitude.

Containers are often visited by brown bears. See the broken and repaired fence.

      There is a monastery in the valley. Monks also run a small shop here.


                                   Some tourist markings showing the way.

                                              Running up toward Strunga.

                                            June greenery below Strunga.

We made a plan to descend rapidly to Padina and then climb up to Strunga. Soon the snow gave way to grass while we were running down a trail. The descent was short. In the valley we crossed a stream of the Ialomiţa River and soon we were at Peştera. From there we got a little down, passed through narrow part of the valley next to the Peştera Monastery, and soon arrived at Padina.
There we filed our bottles with fresh water from a fountain a headed up for the crest again.
In late afternoon sun we both walked briskly upward on green meadows. I felt like in a paradise, because I was in alpine environment, in superb weather and with a perfect female partner. Iulia was running uphill like a gazelle. I stopped then and now to take photos and had difficulty to keep up with her.

                                                     Below Strunga.

                                                    Refuge Strunga.

                                                         Refuge Strunga, detail.

                                         View from Strunga toward East.

                                       View from Strunga toward West.

                                                          At Strunga.

Forward-looking I cannot wait to set off to the Bucegi Mountains again. In my mind I can imagine a joy of rapid movement in the splendour of the mountains. I have a dream to participate on Marathon 7500 in 2014.  That dream already became a plan!
We reached Şaua Strunga well before sunset. We had plenty of time to enjoy the warmth of the sun and to enjoy ourselves in the great surrounding of the south-west part of the Bucegi Mountains. We were very close to the Leaota Mountains, which slopes were already painted with pink colours, caused by flowering rhododendrons.

                                             Slopes of Leaota.

The second night in the mountains.

Because we were at lower altitude (about 1.900 m), and there was no snow on the ground, this night was a way warmer than the previous one.
In the shelter it was quite cold, because there was no light-shaft, and we had to keep windows open in order to have light inside. Luckily temperatures did not drop below zero. When we were cooking, Iulia stayed in the corner next to the burning stove in order to feel warmer.
                                                  Inside the refuge.

We both were tired, so that was why I did not ventured outside for night photography. We stayed inside the shelter and talked to each other.

Foggy morning.

We overslept sunrise, due to tiredness and because we kept windows closed for the night. Also there was no clear sky in the morning.
When I finally went outside I saw that everything around us was enveloped in a veil of fog.
I took only a couple of documentary photos showing our shelter in the fog.

                                               Refuge Strunga in the fog.

Our plan for today was to descend to Moieciu se Sus or to Şimon. I had a train home this evening, so we could not stay here longer.
I had no idea which route we should take so I depended on Iulia to lead our way toward villages.
                                                     Leaving Strunga.

On the first stretch we walked on inclined grassy slopes leading toward Poiana Guţanu. There we had to choose between trails leading to Şimon on the nort-west or to Moieciu de Sus on the west. I thought it would be better to go to Moieciu.

                                             Looking back at Strunga.

                                             Above Poiana Gutanu.

Walking downhill was almost eventless, except for a meeting with several shepherds climbing toward Guţanu. One of them was drinking ţuica, a local plum brandy, from a glass which he kept handy. Iulia pointed out that he was probably drinking brandy instead of energy drink.
Meanwhile clouds broke up a sun appeared. We could stay in t-shirts. Fain weather window did not last long; when we got down into a valley it was cloudy once more.

                                      Lower down the air grew warmer.

                                                The Bingaleasa River.

There we made a short stop by a river to wash a little before we get to civilisation.
In Moieciu started to rain again and we had to pull out our rain coats yet again.
We were lucky and got a bus ride soon. The bus drove us through rain to Braşov. There we visited Iulia’s relatives, where we ate a lunch and played with children. I almost forget about time and nearly missed my train home.

                               In the comfort of the bus. Outside was raining.

On the next morning I arrived at the Czech Republic. The weather was horrible, it was raining everywhere and there were floods in several part of the country. The trip was over, however, in my mind I remained in Romania.


During this trip I reminded me that it is “bad” weather which works well for mountain photography. Only in changeable weather you find exciting and interesting light. In fine weather, you will find predictably blues skies and you have to gamble on sunrise and sunset photography. In bad weather interesting moments can appear any time. It is highly possible that if you venture out in “bad” weather you will return with “good” pictures in the bag; and vice versa.

See what Galen Rowell says about choosing right weather for landscape photography: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoU47_WgWfo