Hârtopul Darei Peak and Dara Peak, Făgăraș Mountains

1. Gura Bândei (1.300 m) - Bândei Valley

1 h 50 minutes // unmarked

Mouth of the Bândei is located on Rea Valley, 1 km below Stana lui Burnei, where the forest is visibly narrowing through the rugged road - DJ731 - which is used by cars from Slatina, Nucsoara, Arges. There are 37 km to cover in about 2 hours. Here is also tent camp. We are at confluence of the Bandea river with the Rea Valley.

Pornim de la Mouth of the Bândei. We cross the Rea Valley on the wooden bridge and we position ourselves on the right bank of the Bandei, where we identify a former TAF road that climbs up the "bisecting" angle formed by the two rivers. It climbs boldly at first through raspberries and skylights and other tall plants, which in places invaded the road.

The road becomes a footpath and initially runs much higher than the riverbed of the Banda but in its direction, on the left bank. At the back you can see Mount Scarisoara, which is situated above the Rea Valley.

We pass a marker that certifies that we are on the right path. After 40 minutes the trail cuts a small pothole on the contour, then approaches the river bed.

Although the path is narrow, here and there unclear, getting lost in the grass and flowers, there is no risk of getting lost as long as we follow the right bank of the river in the direction of flow (left as we climb). We pass a corral 1 hour after our departure.

Although you can walk on either bank, the path is getting harder and harder to guess, I do not cross the first bridge you encounter. The butterflies are confused with the flowers, but watch out for the few stones, because we met an adder!

Vf. Iezer (not the one in Iezer - Papusa). Towards it and along the river! But it is to the right of it, as we advance, it appears later. We pass a edging (another landmark!). On our left from Creasta Fagarasului descends a waterfall below the Small Window of Sambetei - 1 hour and 50 minutes from departure

2. Bândei Valley - Brâul Darei

2 hours // unmarked

We climb a small glacial sill crossing the left bank of the Bandea river, under a more tired formation (landmark!). We go up behind it along a tributary of the Banda. We leave Bândei Valley. In the upper caldera, but on the other bank and higher up is a second kerb (another landmark!). The idea is to start the ascent on the opposite bank of the bordered before it. We pamper ourselves in the kale. 40 minutes

Now the challenge begins. We climb steadily and carmim in serpentines to the right, because we have to get somewhat higher than the cliff bypassed earlier at the base. Avoid the parts with grooves. Choose a 4-lane climb but on grass. The slope is about a 45-degree incline. As we gain altitude, it appears ahead, Brâul Daraa secondary ridge descending from Dara Peak. This means that to the left is Iezer Peak and slightly to the right of it Hârtopul Darei Peak, seemingly aligned with its smaller brother. I think the donkeys and sheep are laughing at me as I struggle with the slope in front of me, which will ease off nicely once we reach Braul Darei. I'll post more pictures for those who will use them as landmarks.

Two hours after leaving the main thread of the Bândei Valley, including a little orienteering, we are up on the Brâul Dara.

3. Brâul Darei - Hârtopul Darei Peak (2,506 m)

1 hour // unmarked

We are up on Brâul Dara. The ascent becomes smooth, through clumps of grass. We'll climb to almost Dara Peak, and just before the summit, cut sharply right, towards Hârtopul Darei peakwhich is now clearly visible.

After 4 h and 45 min from the start, we are on Hârtopul Darei peak, the first target of this hike.

4. Hârtopul Darei Peak (2,506 m)

Skyline tour on Hârtopul Darei Peak

To the North is Dara Peak in the immediate vicinity, also to the North, on its right is La Fundu Bandei Peak and in the far plane is the main ridge of Fagaras oriented West - East. In the western Caldarea there are several glacial lakes: Geamana de Sus, Geamana de Jos, Mioarelor and Musetescu. To the South-West, in the far, is the Iezer - Papusa Massif. To the East is Braul Darei which separates Caldarea Bandei, from where we climbed, from Caldarea Darei, closer. 5 minutes break.

A video of the skyline tour you can watch on the following link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLF7mY80VQE&list=PLlH9tlgCODG8Bl-3vzuVTpUAIunWRLMmr&index=13

5. Hârtopul Darei Peak (2,506 m) - Dara Peak (2,500 m)

10 minutes // blue dot

We climb from the spot to the neighboring peak. Here, at the summit, we meet the marker blue dot, freshly (re)marked on the main ridge segment and the Hârtopul Darei peak, but that's it.

The skyline tour on Dara Peak (2.500 mdm) is similar to the one on Hartopul Darei. We would have liked to see the Vistea Mare - Moldoveanu trapezium, our destination for the following day, to the west, but the fog did not reveal the champion. From Dara we can see in addition, to the North, Vârp. Iezer, and a little to the left the pyramid of Urlea Peak.

On Dara Peak, we take our well-deserved 30-minute lunch break, but we're treading water as we try to make it to the camping time. If need be, there are 3 solutions, all on the left side of the ridge: under the Big Window, under the Small Window, Galbenele Lake.

6. Dara Peak (2,500 m) - main ridge

15 minutes // blue dot

We leave Dara Peak, with the satisfaction of ticking off the two 2500-ars and identifying the shortest ascent to them. The blue dot will lead us for another 15 minutes past La Fundul Bandei peak, among some rocks, in the ridge path. On the left in Caldarea Bandei you can now see the Bandea Lake.

We are on the main ridge, marked by the red band.

7. Main ridge - Iezer Peak (2,429 m)

20 minutes //red band

We are in main ridge, marked red bandwhich we will follow to the left, (west), as long as our strength or daylight allows. First appearance wow, on the right Lake Urlea.

We keep the crest over Iezer Peak.

8. Iezer Peak (2,429 m) - Great Window of Saturday (2,188 m)

1 hour // red stripe

We hold the ridge over Iezer Peak to the Portita Urlei.

We cut to the coast, on the contour, Mount Urlea. On the left you can see very clearly where we left to the right on the steep ascent to the right of the Vaii Bandei thread on the ascent to Dara. In 15 minutes we pass the branch that climbs to the left at Urlea Peak.

We continue at walking pace on the ridge path. On the left is clearly visible Brâul Darathat we were a few hours ago and Bândei Valley. We advance to the branch in Great Window of Saturdayfrom which it descends a marked path to the right down the Sambetei Valley. There was another way down on the right a little earlier. We find the Sambetei Valley Hut and the Sambata de Sus (Brancoveanu) monastery. It took 1 hour from Iezer Peak.

9. Great Saturday Window (2,188 m) - Small Saturday Window (2,196 m)

30 minutes // red band

We've descended a bit without realizing it, but now we're going to climb up the side of Mount Slanina to go down the other side to The Small Window of Saturday, where there is also a shelter in poor condition and from where another path descends in V. Sambetei.

10. Small Window of Sîmbetei (2.196 m) - Răcorele Window (2.297 m) - Șaua Gălășescului - Șaua Galbenele - Galbenele Healing (2.300 m)

1 hour and 50 minutes // red stripe

The fog seems to want to gain ground, sometimes it succeeds, sometimes it doesn't. We go up, down and down again. We pass under the peaks and through sei Galasescu Small, The Window of the Refractors, Galasescu Mare, Saua Galasescului and we see on the left Lake Marigold. We decide that we can drag on a bit longer, even though there were good tent sites near the lake, but we are going down a bit steep and steep down the trail. Finally on the other side of the Galbenelor we found the place where we ate and refueled last year (when we did Full Ridge), about 50 meters below the marked trail, just after a sharp turn.

After almost 2 hours from the Small Window we were camping next to a the grasshopper from the Galbenele. It turned out to be an inspired choice because we didn't descend much from the trail, we had water and it was a bit more sheltered than near Refugiul Viștea, which would have been the next option for overnighting.

And some pictures of "Good night!"