Grohotiș Peak, Grohotiș Mountains

1. Bratocea Pass (1.272 m) - Grohotis Peak (1.768 m)

4 hours / 11 km / red lane, unmarked / easy, medium

Bratocea Pass is the crossing between Transylvania in the N and Romanian Country in the S and also between Ciucas Mountains in the ENE and Grohotis Mountains. In Pasul Bratocea you can park in large free parking spaces on both sides of the DN1A. A sign informs us that we are in the territory of wild animals, but as we know they usually avoid humans, retreating from their path if they smell or hear them. In the sa we come across two tourist markers: the blue stripe descending down the flank of the Grohotis Mountains towards Cheia and the Carpathian ridge trail - the red stripe - coming from Ciucas.

We start a gentle climb up red band through the conifer forest. After an hour, just before leaving the forest, on the right side of the path, just below it, is a high-flow springfrom where we can get water for the rest of the day.

From here we exit to the alpine void and we are already enjoying the first mountain flowers of spring, although we will see many more from now on. Turning our eyes a little, we also get our first marvelous view Ciucas Mountains. On the left is the Tesla peak, which guards Ciucas as a faithful sentinel, and to the right the ascending ridge of Bratocei, which culminates with the Ciucas peak (1.954 mdm).

At the alpine goal, the route is like a classic plateau. A few patches of snow give a good contrast for the pictures. To our left we leave Muchia Babes, and to the right the horizon opens towards Neamt MountainsNeamtului peak (1.923 mdm) is at the center of the range.

The main ridge line is visible as we have good weather. Markings are rare and in foggy weather orientation can be difficult. We see on the left in front of us the path going up in a few serpentines and so as you would say "spring" at 1.700 meters. On the left we leave the summit of Bobul Mic (1.752 mdm) and the summit of Bobul Mare (1.762 mdm). The marker, increasingly expensive to look at, will leave us in the saddle before our final ascent on the Grohotis summit. On our right the view is breathtaking, but I show you the scenery in detail when we reach the summit. Through the pass, the road is more recognizable by the tracks of off-road vehicles than by the road markings. Attention! In the saddle before the summit we continue uphill towards the peak, while the marked route turns right towards Sloeru Marcusanu and Predelus Pass, from where it continues into the Neamtului Mountains.

Branduses are everywhere. Because we no longer have a blocked view to the left, the other half of Ciucas Mountains, namely the culmination of Gropsoarele Zaganu.

But that's nothing! To the right we have much wow! In the foreground with patches of snow the Baiului Mountains, dominated by the Baiul Mare peak (1.895 mdm), to their right the Neamtului Mountains. In the second plan, still full of snow, the Bucegi Mountains with their impressive prahovean abrupt, on their right in extremity the Piatra Mare Mountains, and slightly to their left, and further away, the Postavaru Mountains.

Finally, we conquer Grohotis peak - 1.768 mdm. At the top is a simple bollard.

2. Grohotis Peak (1,768 m)

Here we go full circle around the horizon - 360 degrees.

Facing right: in the foreground from left to right the Baiului and Neamtului Mountains, in the background a little of Piatra Craiului, Leaota, Bucegii, Postavaru and Piatra Mare. What a view!

Facing to the left: from right to left Lake Maneciu, Buzaului Mountains, Siriu Mountains, in plane 2 and Vrancei Mountains in plane 3, then again in the foreground the panorama closes with Ciucas Mountains. Wonderful!

3. Grohotis Peak (1.768 m) - Bobului Valley (DN1A, ca. 750 m)

3 - 3.5 hours / 7 km / unmarked / medium, difficult

Down, people! But which way? That was the challenge of the chosen route. Deliberately chosen. I had done my research, I had mapped the route given by mapy.cz. Rumor had it that this route had been marked some time ago, but there was no sign of it. I took my bearings, studied the terrain a bit, the visibility helped a lot. From the summit we had to turn half left, obviously going downhill, and we had to go between the Bobului valley, further to the left, and the Grohotisului valley, further to the right, no path in sight! If the direction in the sea was clear, however in the absence of any idea of a trail, it was advisable to believe the map. In mapy.cz. This way, please!

Far away, in the valley, you could see the reservoir of Maneciu. And looking to the left, the peaks of Buzaului, Siriului and Vrancei. Farthest to the left and farthest and near Ciucasul with the Gropsoarele-Zaganu peak.

I led the group with map in hand. We were following a the winter foot of Grohotis Mountain. The imaginary path pushed us insistently downhill through the alpine pasture, leaving a small ridge to our left. Obviously, in snowy conditions, it would not have been possible to follow the narrow branches we had chosen. The Brandusele enjoyed our gaze. We admired on the left a more rocky secondary summit. We had to follow the bare side of this foot of the mountain as far as possible and enter the forest only at its extremity. And this was a useful landmark. Let's stay, I mean, let's walk, above the edge of the forest. At one point, it identifies a hut between the alpine path and the forest edge. There is also a way through there, but we continued "ahead" until the pasture ended, due to the altitude dropping and we reached the forest entrance. We bid farewell to the generous perspectives that accompanied us.

We have a welcoming entrance into the forest. A vague idea of the path seemed to be in the forest. We soon came across a forest marker, which then accompanied us on the descent. The descent is steep in places and requires great attention to each step and good coordination, especially as under the thick foliage of last fall can be hidden obstacles. The forest was mainly deciduous. We descend "deep". The 2 valleys that we had up as a landmark got closer and we reach a forest road close to the confluence of the Bobului and Grohotis ponds.

From here, the route is very easy and follows Bobului Valley forest road along the thread of the Bobului gorge and passes by an exploitation and a construction. We reach the end point of the hike where DF Bobu meets DN1A, about 1 km below Suzana Monastery.

It was quite a hike. The band did marvelous, and my father who accompanied us at his 78 years of age aroused everyone's admiration!