Peleaga Peak and Păpușa Peak, Retezat Mountains

1. Poiana Pelegii (1.633) – Valea Bucurei – Lacul Bucura (2.040)

1.5 – 2 hours, red cross and blue tape marking, easy

After a night in which we rested very comfortably in the Refugiul from Poiana Pelegii, near which you can also camp, we stocked up with water from the spring near the cottage and made a 5-minute walk back to the car to optimize the backpack one day. Let’s go! We read on the nearby signs: Lacul Bucura 1.5 – 2 hours. We go down a little to cross the Pelegii Valley on a bridge made of solid wooden beams, we climb a little in the Poiana Pelegii, and continue on its left. We start to climb smoothly through the forest, admiring from time to time to our left the turbulent valley of Bucura.

When we come out of the forest, on the clear blue of the sky, on the left rises the towering Culmea Slaveiului. We also looked back towards Albele – Piatra Iorgovanului. We will cross a short sector of junipers, a sign that we have gained altitude. The specific relief of the glacial caldera will accompany us for several hours.

To Lake Bucura we will climb without much effort 2 glacial steps. On the way we greeted two black goats that you will see in the attached video. On the left under Slavei, in varying shades of blue, we cool our gaze in Lake Lia. A little higher we find another girl’s name: Lacul Ana. Many girls here, and beautiful ones! Lia, Ana, Florica, Viorica and Bucura are the names of the glacial lakes that form the Bucurei Valley. There are also two circuit routes around them.

We arrived at Lacul Bucura, when many of those camped in tents were barely waking up. Next to the lake is the Salvamont Bucura Refuge. In front of us, above Caldara Bucurea, is Curmatura Bucurei, guarded to the left by Bucura II and Bucura I Peaks, and to the right by Custura Bucurei Peak, the latter being the alternative option for approaching Peleaga Peak.

Lake Bucura occupies an area of ​​10 hectares, has a length of 550 m, a width of 225 m and a perimeter of 1.4 km. The maximum depth reaches 15 meters and it is fed by 5 springs. It is the most sought-after base for hikers in the Retezat Mountains, due to its location in the heart of the mountain, the flat site, the exceptional landscapes and the water sources within reach.

2. Lacul Bucura (2.040) – Caldarea Berbecilor – Vârful Peleaga (2.509)

1.5 – 2 hours, yellow cross marking, difficult

We leave from Lacul Bucura. As soon as we pass the Salvamont hut, right on our route, there is a spring with a very good flow, the last one until we leave the alpine area. We supply water.

The variant I describe here is not practicable in winter! We were climbing quickly into Caldarea Berbecilor. The landscape becomes more and more rocky, specific to Retezat. Blooming red rhododendron bushes appear. Lake Bucura can be seen lower and lower behind us. We were climbing more and more pronounced under the gaze of Pelegia in an alley. Our effort is rewarded by the appearance on the “behind” horizon of several of the lakes with girls’ names. When I thought the difficulty was over, I realized that although the top is getting closer, we still have an uninterrupted climb on large stone slabs to the top. You can see the top! Up there! A little more, through the blocks of granite slabs towards the top. I’m almost there! In the Bucura and Ana valleys, you can guess Florica and Viorica, in the background the Sureanu Mountains and the Tarcu Mountains. So wonderful! In the foreground Custura Bucurei, then Vârful Bucura and slightly to the right of Vârful Retezat, which from here does not look so cut.

3. Peleaga Peak (Vârful) (2.509)

We are on the Peleaga Peak, at an altitude of 2,509, the highest peak in the Retezat Mountains and the first 2,500 peak this year! It was totally worth it! A 360 degree horizon tour from the Peleaga Peak is included in the video attached to the article. We admire to the north Valea Rea and Culmea Pietrele flanked by Culmea Valea Rea on the right and Culmea Stânișoara on the left, to the northeast the Retezat Peak from which the Lolaia Culmea is formed to the north, to the west from near to far the Custura Bucurei, Bucura I and Bucura Peaks II separated by saddles, to the south Caldarea Pelegii, Lakes Peleaga and Peleguta and Valea Pelegii, to the southwest Várfurile Păpușa Mică closer and Custura further, and to the east Saua Pelegii and Vârful Păpușa where we will continue our route. Let’s move! Goodbye, Peleaga Peak!

4. Vârful Peleaga (2.509) – Șaua Pelegii (2.285) – Vârful Păpușa (2.508)

1 – 1.5 hours, yellow cross marking, difficult

Papusa peak is “two steps away”, it was waiting for us! Perfect weather so far. We have to keep the same yellow cross, which first follows a short aerial ridge, then begins the descent towards Saua Pelegii (2,285 meters above sea level). We admire landscapes far into Hategului Country. We descend quite a lot, but quickly to Saua Pelegii, constantly having in front of our eyes the mountain made of granite blocks of Papusa. To the right we can see Taul Ghimpele or Lake Peleaga in the valley. In Saua Pelegii there is an intersection of roads, at the cross, we see each other at the yellow cross, ahead and obviously going uphill. On the left we continuously admire the Rele Valley Caldera full of lakes, on the right in the valley is the road we will return to, Pelegii Valley. Let’s climb Păpușa, which means the Doll! The rocky and sloping path demands our attention and our ankles. We look back and wow…! Pelegia’s fangs! ….The last climb, the clouds close in… Slightly to the left of the peak, we discover the Closed Gates, an exposed sector that connects Vârful Pupusa and Vârful Mare, which is not in our day’s program.

5. Păpușa Peak (Vârful) (2.508)

I have arrived. I also conquered Vârful Pupuşa. We are at elevation 2,508. The Păpușa peak is one of Romania’s 2500 peaks and the second highest peak in the Retezat Mountains. Tied to the pointer at the top is … a doll. At the top, a fine perspective opens to the northeast towards Vârful Mare where you reach an exposed path that crosses the area called Portile Anchise, to the east is the glacial caldera where the Deep Lake is found, to the southeast lies the mountain peak Păpușa Mică, to the south is Valea Pelegii where we will retreat, to the west are Saua Pelegii, Colții Pelegii and Vârful Peleaga from where we came, to the northwest a bit further is Vârful Retezat, and to the north there are 4 parallel peaks Lolaia that starts from Várful Retezat and approaching Stânișoara, Pietrele and Valea Rea, right below us are the Tăurile from Valea Rea. The fog is settling.

6. Vârful Păpușa (2.508) – Șaua Pelegii (2.285)

30 minutes, yellow cross marking, medium

There is no state image on Vârful Păpușa because the fog is enveloping us. Until Saua Pelegii we follow the same road of large granite slabs. From time to time the fog clears, but the first drops of rain also appear. let’s go, because we are in an open field, on the ridge, let’s get down as quickly as possible. We immediately arrive in sa. Peleaga and Coltii Pelegii enter the fog. I got there on time!

7. Șaua Pelegii (2.285) – Lacul Ghimpele (2.122) – Valea Pelegii – Poiana Pelegii (1.633)

2 hours, blue dot marking, easy

In Saua Pelegii we change the direction 90 degrees to the left and the marking with a blue dot. We descend quickly, because it is raining. We enjoy the perspective given by Taul Ghimpele, in front of us and Culmea Papusa Mica – Custura on the left. I will be more skimpy with the pictures for weather reasons. Without there being a real risk of getting lost, a little more attention is needed to the markings in rarer places.

On the shore of Lake Ghimpele or Peleaga we are at an altitude of 2,122 m. From now on, we go down in one, always having Valea Pelegii on the left. We cross a small juniper grove and a small forest shortly before we reach Poiana Pelegii. We cross the Peleaga River and reach the car. End of Retezat story for today!