Făgăraş Mountains

The Făgăraş Mountains belong to the South Carpathians and are one of the most impressive mountain ranges in Romania. They are the country's highest and largest mountains, covering an area of 3,000 square kilometers. Across the Carpathians, there is only one mountain range which is higher than the Făgăraş, namely the Tatra Mountains which rise at the opposite, northern end of the Carpathian arc. The main ridge of the Făgăraş forms a massive spine, which extends west to east in a fairly straight line for more than 70 kilometers - from the valley of the Olt River to the Piatra Craiului and the Iezer ranges. It never drops below 2000 m over a distance of about 50 km. In the Făgăraş sit eight of Romania's fourteen peaks rising above 2500 m. There are also at least 42 peaks whose elevations fall within the 2400-2500 m brackets. The highest peak of both the Făgăraş Mountains and Romania is called Moldoveanu and rises to 2544 m in the heart of the Făgăraş. But no less renowned than Moldoveanu is Negoiu: rockier, reigning in the west, at 2535 m the second highest summit in Romania.

A Romanian poet Lucian Blaga overwhelmed by the beauty of the Făgăraş Mountains wrote: "God, please stop the clock with which you measure eternity." The awe-inspiring, wild scenery - a sea of magnificent peaks, endless ridges, deep valleys, narrow crests and picturesque tarns - prompted the French scientist Emmanuel de Martonne to refer to the Făgăraş Mountains as the Transylvanian Alps. This nickname is more often used, however, for all of the South Carpathians. The Făgăraş Mountains form the bulk of a little bigger mountain group which is named after them and which contains the Făgăraş proper and a couple of mountains a bit farther south: the Coziei Mountains and the Iezer Mountains. In fact, the latter can be thought of as part of the Făgăraş proper. On the other hand, among the extremely long lateral ridges branching off the main ridge to run southward there are two that are sometimes listed as separate mountain ranges: the Frunţii Mountains (the ridge sent south by Negoiu) and the Ghiţu Mountains (a ridge branching off not far from Moldoveanu). They can be easily located on the map as they have become separated by a big dam called Lacul Vidraru. The Făgăraş is formed mostly of metamorphic rocks, such as gneiss and schists. In few places thin layers of limestone can be found. The relief of the mountains was shaped by Pleistocene glaciers, hence the U-shaped valleys divided by jagged crests. In the northern valleys the glaciers were up to five km long. On the other, southern side the Valea Rea glacier had a lenght of nine km.  

These winter photos were taken by Vasile.Hosu:

The following table lists - from west to east - all eight mountains that rise over 2500 meters and some other outstanding peaks.

Summit	Elevation in meters	Photo	A few words about
Ciortea	2427		The westernmost part of the main ridge that rises over 2400 m. It has three peaks which bear the same name plus a number. The western summit, Ciortea 1 is the highest, but the others also exceed 2400 m. The rocky north face of the massif forms a fine cirque, in which sits Avrig Lake.
Serbota	2331		West from this peak extends Custura Sărăţii, along with Strunga Dracului and Strunga Ciobanului a bit further west, the most difficult (UIAA I, partly fixed with chains) and surely exciting for the hiker stretch of the main ridge trail.
Negoiu	2535		The second highest mountain in Romania, located on the main ridge in the western, jagged part of the Făgăraş, notorious for unstable weather.
Călţun	2505		Often considered to be the sub-summit of Lespezi, it towers over Călţun Lake.
Lespezi	2517		Standing just south of the main ridge, the peak can be seen as the main summit of the Călţun-Lespezi massif. Accessible from the Transfăgăraşan Road via a trail marked with red dots, connected with the main ridge trail via a stretch of blue stripes.
Iezerul Caprei	2417		Its nortwest face being part of the headwall of the Bâlea Valley, the peak is readily accessible from Bâlea Lake.
Văiuga	2443		On the main ridge between Iezerul Caprei and Vânătoarea lui Buteanu.
Netedu	2351		On Muchia Buteanu, the ridge running north from Vânătoarea lui Buteanu. Due to easy access via blue stripes from Bâlea Lake, the peak may be the most popular with hikers of all of the peaks lying well off the main ridge, whereas the upper stretch of Muchia Buteanu is quite popular with rock climbers.
Vânătoarea lui Buteanu	2507		In the central part of the mountains, just near the Transfăgăraşan Road. It is said to turn bluish-black when a storm is approaching.
Turnu Vârtopel	2385		On the section of the main ridge extending west from Vânătoarea lui Buteanu, which is popular with rock climbers. The main ridge trail skirts this section from the south.
Muşeteica	2448		The highpoint of the huge lateral ridge running south from Arpașu Mic.
Arpașu Mic	2460		On the main ridge between Fereastra Zmeilor and Arpașu Mare.
Arpașu Mare	2468		On the main ridge between Arpașu Mic and Podragu.
Podragu	2462		On the main ridge west of Arpașu Mic, Podragu is surrounded by pretty tarns.
Viştea Mare	2527		The lower summit of Moldoveanu, with less than 30 meters of prominence (on the right in the photograph), sitting on the main ridge.
Moldoveanu	2544		The main summit of the highest mountain in the Făgăraş as well as Romania, just south of the main ridge. The massif can be easily recognized from afar thanks to its characteristic, trapezoid shape. It is surrounded by peaks with elevations above 2400 m, so it cannot be seen from the north foot of the Făgăraş Mountains. It was known as Viştea Mare until the second half of the 19th century, when it was named Moldoveanu, perhaps to celebrate the creation of Romania as a result of a union of Wallachia and Moldavia.
Găleșescu Mare	2471		The highest summit between Viştea Mare and the summits of Urlea and Dara in the east.
Colţul Bălăceni	2286		It is a short spur sent by the main ridge north, into the head of the Sâmbăta - one of the major valleys in the eastern Făgăraș. The crag is one of the most handsome in the mountains, with rock climbing routes up to grade 5B on the Romanian scale (UIAA V).
Dara	2500		Along with nearby Hârtopu, it forms the Făgăraş's easternmost massif that is up to the 2500 m mark.
Hârtopu	2506		Just south of Dara, in the gentler, grassy part of the Făgăraş Mountains.

Mountaineering

Trekking

In summer, the Făgăraş Mountains are a paradise for backpackers, who usually attempt to trek along the main ridge. Such a trek takes 5 to 7 days, most people are carrying a tent. On days of inclement weather - virtually unavoidable in these mountains, usually swept by high winds and often battered by storms - shelter can be sought in one of the few rudimentary refuges (see Huts and Refuges), of which the refuge by Lake Călţun is the most popular. The most difficult, chain assisted section of the marked trail running along the main ridge is near the peaks of Şerbota and Negoiu in the western part of the Făgăraş. This part of the mountains, especially the surroundings of Negoiu and Vânătoarea lui Buteanu, is more jagged (and readily accessible from Bâlea Lake), hence more popular with rock climbers and mountaineers too. Especially the northern spurs - wild, cut off from the crowds, shattered, abrupt, partly vegetated – can make for memorable climbs which can be graded up to 3B (Romanian scale). A relatively easy (UIAA grade III or perhaps IV) but pretty attractive route with the famed Rabbit Ears, runs along a stretch of the main ridge over the summits of Vârtopel and Arpăşel. Although generally lack of rocks such as granite results in technical climbing in summer being somewhat limited, impressive crags with difficult routes do occur also in the eastern part of the Făgăraş, Colţul Bălăceni being a case in point.

In winter, a wider area offers many a breath-taking mountaineering option, and the traverse of the main ridge is quite an endeavor. Along a route of over 70 km you will be slogging along a wild ridge with many tricky cornices, and you will have to traverse many places where the avalanche danger is high. In February 1972, a German-Czechoslovak team succeeded in doing the traverse of the highest and rockiest part of the main crest, covering thirty-six summits at above 2300 m. The feat took them as much as 12 days. As far as skiing is concerned, there is plenty of terrain for skiers of various skill. Good, natural slopes can be found near the following huts: Urlea, Sâmbăta, Turnuri, Podragu, Capra, Bâlea, Negoiu, Bârcaciu, Capra. Ski alpinism will be cool on the north-south crossings, there are plenty spots for extreme skiing, while ski touring on the southern ridges you will be practically cut off from civilization.

The northern slopes of the Făgăraş Mountains, facing Transylvania, are shorter and steeper, whereas the lateral ridges and valleys branching south of the main ridge drop toward the sunny Muntenia more gradually, being up to 30 km long. Therefore, they are deserted and wild - very few hikers have roamed the area.