| Bucegi Mountains Area/Range |
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| Bucegi Mountains   | 
| Page Type: Area/Range Location: Romania, Europe Lat/Lon: 45.41629°N / 25.46906°E Activities: Hiking, Mountaineering, Trad Climbing, Sport Climbing, Toprope, Bouldering, Ice Climbing, Aid Climbing, Big Wall, Mixed, Scrambling, Via Ferrata, Canyoneering, Skiing Season: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter Elevation: 8218 ft / 2505 m | Page By: yatsek, andreeacorodeanu Created/Edited: Mar 26, 2009 / Nov 30, 2009 Object ID: 501176 Hits: 1704 Loading... Page Score: 88.63% - 15 Votes Loading... Vote: Log in to vote |
Overview
The Bucegi Mountains - usually regarded as the easternmost range of the South Carpathians - with an area of approx. 300 square km, mark the border between the East and South Carpathians. The geographic boundaries of the Bucegi Mountains are:
E: the Prahova Valley, which separates them from the Baiului (Gârbova) Mountains; and the valleys of Cerbului and Glajariei, which separate them from the mountains of Predeal
N: Tara Barsei (Country of Barsei)
W: Bran-Rucar corridor, with the Piatra Craiului Mountains to its west
SW: Valea Brateiului and Valea Ialomitei, the Leaota Mountains west of these two valleys
SE: Valea Ialomicioarei towards the Gurguiatul Mountains
 The impressive east face of the Bucegi Mountains, beyond which, on the right, rises the wall of the Piatra Craiului |
The highest point in the Bucegi mountains is Omu Peak (2505m), which is also an orographic node where the following five, most important ridges meet: the main ridge(SE of Omu), Strunga (SW), Moraru (E), Bucsoiu (N) and Scara-Gaura (NE).
The main ridge runs south from Omu Peak, separating the Prahova Valley from the Ialomita Valley, over the summit of Surlele-Brandusa, until after about 24 km it reaches the village of Moroieni. In its central part the main ridge gets wider and forms a plateau (Bucegi plateau) which has a length of 10 km and is up to 3 km wide.
The peaks that rise south of Omu are: Bucura Dumbrava (2503m); Gavanele (2472m); Coltii Obarsiei (2405m); Saua Sugarilor (2360m); Costila Ridge.
Bucegi Plateau to the east with the Prahovean mountains: Costila (2490m), Caraiman (2384m), Jepii Mici (2143m), Jepii Mari (2075m), Piatra Arsa (2044m), Furnica (2103m), Varful cu Dor (2030m), Vanturis (1942m) and Paduchiosu; to the west the Ialomitean mountains: Babele with the peak Baba Mare (2294m), Cocora (2191m), Pietrosul (1931m),Laptici (1872m), Blana (1875m), Nucetul (1861m), Oboarele (1707 m), Dichiu (1713m).
Strunga Ridge begins at Gavanele Peak and runs westward, but after a few kilometers it turns south. Thus Strunga Ridge and the main ridge together form a huge horseshoe, open to the south. Strunga Ridge contains the following summits: Doamnele (2402 m), Gutanul (2246m), Batrana (2181m), Coltii Tapului (2168m), Strungile Mari (2089m), Saua Strunga (1909m), Strungulita (1968m), Tatarul (1998m), Deleanu (1904m), Lucacila (1895m), Lespezi (1686m). The total length of Strunga Ridge is about 18km. At Strungulita Peak Bucsa Ridge branches off and runs west to connect with the Leaota massif.
Moraru Ridge runs from Omu Peak toward the east with the Acele Morarului peaks; from east to west: Coltul de sus, Acul Crucii, Degetul Rosu and Acul Mare.
Bucsoiu Ridge extends from Omu to the north. It has two adjacent valleys, Morar and Bucsoiu, beyond which rises Bucsoiu Peak (2492m). There the ridge of Bucsoiu Mare starts and runs south, and the ridge of Bucsoiu Mic, or Creasta (ridge) Balaurului, runs east.
 Fluturele de piatra Route 5 B |  Costila Hut - climbers only | |
Scara-Gaura Ridge extends westerly from Omu and forms the peaks of Scara (2421m) and Lancia (2288m). From the summit of Scara to the north runs a ridge named Padina Crucii, between the valleys of Malaiesti (east) and Tiganesti (north). Scara Peak is the point where the ridges of Gaura (west) and Tiganesti (north) ramify. Tiganesti Ridge has summits called Tiganesti (2019m) and Velicanul (1902m), and the secondary summits of Ciubotea and Clincea to the north-west.
Climbing the walls of Costila |
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 Fisura Albastra, Valea Alba |
Valleys & Chutes
In the Pleistocene, the Bucegi mountains were covered by glaciers. After they melted, typical glacial valleys, with U-shaped cross sections and irregular long profiles, were exposed. Around the peak of Omu there are 9 post-glacial valleys. Three of them form the headwaters of the Ialomita river: Obarsia valley, Doamnele and Sugarilor. The Cerbului valley lies in the east and the others: the Morarului, Malaiesti, Tiganesti, Ciubotea and Gaura valleys lie between the northerly summits.
The Ialomita valley is the greatest valley of the Bucegi mountains but the most interesting is the Horoaba valley. The most important valleys within the abrupt cliffs towering over the Prahova river are the Cerbului and Moraru valleys, then the Alba, Jepilor, Urlatorilor, Babei, Pelesului and Zgarburei.
 Valea Alba ( White Valley) |
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Other places where there are sheer headwalls which are difficult and pleasant to climb, and require some knowledge of technical climbing are: the Adanca valley, Rapa Zapezii, Valcelul Tancurilor, Valea Poienii, Bujorilor and Comorilor; the valleys below the north rim, east of Costila: Priponului, Caprelor, Urzicii, Tapului, Seaca of Costilei, Verde, Malinului, Galbenelelor, Costilei all tributaries of the Cerbului valley; Albisoarele and Valea Seaca of Caraiman afluents of Vaii Albe; Spumoasa valley, Seaca dintre (from) Clai and Comorilor from the Urlatorilor Basin.Rock Type
 Bucegi Conglomerate: Tancul Ascutit |
Galbinele |
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The basement of the Bucegi mountains is of crystalline schists, which are covered by sedimentary rocks from the Jurassic and Cretacious periods. The Cretacious rocks are mostly the characteristic Bucegi conglomerates and gritstone. In the east Jurassic limestone takes over.Climate & Weather
The average temperature is a function of altitude. So when it is +6 C in the Prahova Valley between Sinaia and Busteni, on the summit of Omu the temperature is -2,6 C. Isotherm 0 C hovers at 1910m corresponding with the upper reaches of the bush and tree zone. The coldest month is January, when isotherm -6 C is at 1250m, and -10 C at 2250m. The warmest month is July when isotherm + 10 C is at 1800m.
In Sinaia the absolute maximum and minimum temperatures are +32 C and -27 C respectively, while on the summit of Omu they are +22 C and -38 C.
The average annual wind speed is 7m/s on Omu Peak, strong winds blow at 10-15 m/s for 8 months.
Fog is present 23 days per year at Sinaia and 258 days on Omu.
The annual precipitation is 808 mm in Sinaia and 1346 mm on Omu, the wettest month is June and the driest is October.
Snow lasts 78 days in Sinaia, 153 days in Pestera (1610m) and 208 days on Omu. The first snow falls in October (on Varful cu Dor), the last in May on Omu; on La Verdeata in the Valea Alba you can sometimes ski until July.
* information on snow may need updating due to global warming. Weather Today and FORECAST
Protected Areas & Wildlife
The following areas are protected:
- main area (400 ha) between Sinaia and Saua Strunga, including Jepii Mici, Caraiman and Valea Jepilor;
- Pestera Ialomita Reserve including: Cocora mountain, Pestera Ialomitei (cave) and Batrana Valley, Batrana mountain;
- Zanoaga Reserve including the mountain and the keys with the same name;
Flora reserves:
- Omu peak (2505m)
- Babele (2200m)
- Poiana Crucii (1590m)
- Laptici (1470m) with the most interesting oligotrophic swamp in the Bucegi.
The best-known protected flowers are: Leopoldinum Alpinum, Rhododendron Kotschyi, Nigritella - rubra and Nigra,Trollius europaeus, Gentiana lutea,Gentiana kochiana, Daphne Blagayana.
The wildlife is rich and includes species such as the brown bear, wolf, chamois, red deer, roe deer, wild boar, red fox, squirrel.
Access & Tourist ResortsThe Bucegi Mountains are easily accessible by rail/road from the capital city of Romania: Bucharest airports
Resorts around the Bucegi
Sinaia is situated in the Prahova Valley on DN 1, about 130 km north of Bucharest and 40 km south of Brasov, at 800-1,000m, below the Furnica and Piatra Arsa peaks. The town, packed with hotels and boasting Romania's biggest ski resort, can be likened to Chamonix.
Cable car (called 'telecabina' in Romanian): middle station at 1400m, upper at 2000m
Tourist attractions: Peles Complex with Peles Castle, Pelisorul; Sinaia Monastery founded by Mihai Cantacuzino in 1695, Museum of Sinaia Monastery, Casino built in 1912 – a copy of that in Monte Carlo, Museum of the Bucegi Nature Park.
www.romanianmonasteries.org
Poiana Tapului sits in the Prahova Valley on DN 1 at 134 km from Bucharest, 860-900m in elevation
 Caraiman seen from Busteni
Busteni, at 885-925m, is the capital of Romanian alpinism. It is situated in the Prahova Valley on DN 1 - 136 km from Bucharest and 35 km from Brasov - below Caraiman Mountain.
Most of the alpine routes are accessible from Busteni. The town is convenient for day hikes in the northern, most interesting part of the Bucegi Mouintains.
Cable car: Busteni-Babele
Sights in town: Cezar Petrescu Memorial Museum, Biserica (church) Domneasca, Cantacuzino Castle.
Azuga sits in the Prahova valley on DN 1, 139 km from Bucharest at 900-1000m and has the longest ski track.
Predeal is the most important tourist station. Although it is rather a long way away from the Bucegi mountains, it's convenient for the routes in the Diham area.
Paraul Rece is a tourist resort on DN 73A, between Predeal-Rasnov, 8 km from the Predeal train station at 800m.
Hiking trails that begin here lead to the Glajariei Valley and Diham Hut.
Rasnov is located at the intersection of DN 73 (Brasov-Campulung) and DN 73A (Predeal-Sircaia), 12 km from Brasov, on the road Brasov-Zarnesti, at 650-700m. It's the trailhead for the path to the Malaiesti Valley and Omu Peak.
Bran, the 'Dracula' town (with the adjacent villages of Poarta and Simon), lies northwest of the massif, in the Bran-Rucar corridor on DN 73 (Brasov - Campulung - Pitesti), 24 km from Brasov, at 700 - 900m, and boasts a fine castle.
From Bran trails lead to Omu Peak and the Malaiesti and Ialomita valleys.
Villages at the foot of the Bucegi: Moieciu de Sus, Pietrosita, Moroieni.Huts, Shelters & Hotels
Cuibul Dorului - Paduchiosu Mountain, 1160m
Hotel Alpin Cota 1400 - Furnica Mountain, 1400m
Bradet - Furnica, 1300m
Valea cu Brazi - Furnica, 1500m
Miorita Hut, 1960m
Salvamont Refuge (2030m) near the upper station of the cable car Sinaia–Furnica - only for emergency use
Valea Dorului - ski hut on the Furnica mountain
Piatra Arsa - Bucegi plateau, Jepii Mari,1950m
Babele, 2200m; access by cable car: from Busteni or from Pestera
Caraiman - on the edge of the plateau above the Jepilor valley, 2025m
Omu Hut and Refuge (convenient location; the hut is closed from Oct to May, buffet, no running water) - Omu Peak, 2505m
Malaiesti - Malaiesti valley. The old hut burned down in 1998 and has been replaced with a new building.
Refugiul din Saua Strunga, approx. 1900m
Hotel Pestera - Ialomita Valley on the Cocora mountain, altitude 1610m, category ***
Padina hut - Ialomita valley on Colti Mountain,1525m
Bolboci hut - Ialomita valley near Lake Bolboci,1460m
Cheile Zanoagei - Ialomita Valley near Lake Bolboci,1400m
Scropoasa - Ialomita valley near Lake Scropoasa, 1205,
Izvorul Tatarului - Ialomita valley between Padina and Bolboci,1500m
Gura Dihamului - Cerbului valley, 987m
Diham - Diham mountain, 1320 m, another hut that was burned and now there is a new one
Poiana Izvoarelor - between Diham and Capatana Porcului peaks,1455m
Costila shelter - Costila Valley, 1670m and is the principal starting point for the climbing routes in the Costila area, access from Busteni through Poiana La Masuratoarea Ursilor, unmarked route.Camping, Red Tape & Bears
There's no red tape in the Bucegi!
You can bivouac almost everywhere but be aware
there are lots of bears and the bears
have become really dangerous
since they fear humans no more:
Just have a look HERE |  |
Maps & BooksA collection of older maps online
A paper map can be purchased online, e.g. HERE
Guidebook by James Roberts External Links
- These sites on climbing are in the Romanian language:
fralpinism.ro
escalada.verticon.ro
roclimbing.net
- You will find some gps tracks/points, rescue service numbers and more information as well as fine pictures on alpinet.org but most of the text will be in Romanian:
alpinet.org
- Plenty of photos - to view them as a slide show, click the link in the bottom right-hand corner.
Images
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