Negoiu Peak, Călțun Peak and Lespezi Peak, Făgăraș Mountains

1. Black Pond (1.200 m) - Lake Calțun (2.135 m)

blue triangle // medium // 3 hours

We take group photo on the way. We pass in front of the accommodation in the area Black Cat (Transfagarasan), on the right bank of the Capra River, where there is also a church, then a deserted house and some tree houses (La Insule).

Up to Caltun Lake, we will be guided for 3 hours by the marker blue triangle. He starts parallel to the blue dot. We climb through the woods and I blow the whistle now and then. We cross the Caltun valley on the left bank.

After passing a sheepfold at the bottom, we climb a threshold between Caltun Valley and Paltinul Valley. We enter an affinis and complete our breakfast on the way. Attention! For those who want to go to Saua Paltinului, in the afinis there is branching of routes - 1 hour and 15 minutes from the start - but it is poorly marked on a stone! We continue left and cross the Paltin Valley.

Above the level of the forest, the glaciated valleys and calderas are clearly visible. To the left, the side wall of the Lespezilors rises, after which we make a bend, climbing another glacial sill. In the upper caldera, we meet the blue cross marking, which joins us, and which links L. Caltun to the Argesean end of the Balea tunnel. Neither this intersection is not easily identifiable - 2.5 hours from startup.

On the next glacier sill is Lac Călțun, the place where we camped last year, and where sadly the old refuge has been dismantled, leaving the new one with a more futuristic shape, located a little higher.

After 3 hours we find ourselves at Lake Calțun.

2. Călțun Lake (2.135 m) - Călțun Gate (2.259 m)

red stripe // medium // 15 minutes

We park for 30 minutes near Lake Calțun and we make our spring water supply. The water source is a trickle that flows to the right of the lake on the Lespezi - Caltun wall, imposing from its base. Lake Caltun is located at 2,135 meters above sea level, 12 meters deep and occupies 0.7 ha. It is a very good camping site, chosen by many tourists who "make" the ridge.

We shortened a bit on the right bank of the lake, the one towards the spring, and entered the trail now marked by the red band. We were climbing a superb glacial sill, the trail going a lot on rock.

After 15 minutes of climbing from the lake, we are on this threshold, which is called The Glens Gate.

3. Portița Călțunului (2.259 m) - Strunga Doamnei (2.348 m)

red stripe // medium // 30 minutes

The The Elk's Gate (or Portita Negoiului) is a viewpoint to the right of the path as we climbed, from where you can see beautiful Lake Caltun from the upper floor, now "smaller", Laitelul with its famous climb, and in the distance in good weather we recognize the Vistea - Moldoveanu triangle. At our feet, to the north, the Tara of Fagaras is stretched out, to our right are the villages of Cartisoara and Porumbacu. In the continuation of the direction from which we came, we can intuition the marked path that crosses on the contour a grohotis and then surrounds the peak in the center, called Vârful Dintre Strungi (2.476 mdm), because on its left is Strunga Doamnei, and on the right Strunga Dracului. To the right of this peak is Vârful Negoiu. On the left, the steep Lespezi - Caltun. These three are the targets of our trip today. We're almost there. They look great!

We stayed for about 15 minutes in the Portita Caltunului, because it's worth some pictures. We followed the same red lane through the grohotis.

After half an hour from Portița Călțunului we arrive in Strunga Doamnei. At the entrance to Strunga Doamnei, the path forks. To the left, go up steeply through the chimney of Strunga Doamnei situated to the left of the Vârf Dintre Strungi. Another variant continues a little further on, then climbs steeply to the left through another chimney, a little more spectacular, Strunga Dracului, to the right of Vârf Dintre Strungi. The Strunga Dracului route has been closed to tourists for several years, following accidents due to rock falls. The prohibition is clearly marked on the route. Since then Strunga Doamnei, which thus became the main access solution from Caltun Lake to Vf. Negoiu, it was doubled the marking until then yellow stripe with the classic ridge marking red stripe, which before was only in Strunga Dracului.

4. Strunga Doamnei (2,348 m) - Negoiu Peak (2,535 m)

red stripe // difficult // 1 hour

Climb carefully on the double marker, yellow band and red bandby Strunga Doamneiwith the help of safety chains. At the top of the chimney is a narrower point, where you have to crawl skillfully, especially if you have a big backpack with a tent.

Once out of the chimney, we are on the other side of the mountain and we see in front of us the Berbecilor Peak, on the left a superb view with the Cornul Călțunului Peak, the first one from our side, and the Lespezi Peak, the next one, and we understand why these peaks cannot be climbed directly from here on the ridge line and why from these peaks you cannot go directly down to the Lac Călțun or why there is no shortcut to the main ridge towards Laitel and Paltinul.

From here the path is an easy, friendly one, it goes around the peak of Vârful Dintre Strungi by the back to meet later with the old variant of Strunga Dracului. A little further ahead, on the left, the path that we will follow after conquering Negoiul is warming up. Until then we scan the sky and stare at the Cozia Mountains and Buila Vanturarita.

Poteca red band it starts to climb again and slowly reveals the first high target of our hike, Negoiu Peak. Half an hour from Strunga Doamnei we pass the fork towards Caldarea Berbecilor. From the last part of the ascent on Negoiu there is a very good angle towards Vârful Șerbota and Custura Sărății, the most difficult marked route in Romania, described in last year's article.

After 1 hour from Strunga Doamnei and 2 hours from Lacul Călțun, we reach the highest point of this hike, Negoiu Peak.

5. Negoiu Peak (2,535 m)

After 5 and a half hours with breaks we enjoy the highest point of the route, Negoiu Peak. On the summit there is a big stone pillar, a flag and in a box a diplomat's bag with a diary of impressions. Negoiu Peak (2.535 mdm) is top 2 in Romania, after Moldoveanu (2.544 mdm) and before Vistei Mari (2.527 mdm), which we will visit in a next stage. I propose two horizon tours.

North and West skyline tour https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3AImNDP_Vo&list=PLlH9tlgCODG8Bl-3vzuVTpUAIunWRLMmr&index=10

South and East skyline tour https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9ACkocoeT4&list=PLlH9tlgCODG8Bl-3vzuVTpUAIunWRLMmr&index=11

To the North Tara Fagarasului and the Olt Valley, to the Northwest you can see Sibiu. To the West in the last plane, the Parang Mountains, then coming to the close plane, the Capatanii Mountains, the Buila Vanturarita Mountains, and the peaks of Fagaras: Ciortea, Scara, Serbota and Custura Saratii which connect the spectacular Serbota river to Negoiu, to the South the Coiza Mountains, to the South the Caldarea Berbecilor in the immediate plane and slightly to the South-East the Vidraru Lake fed by the Capra River and other tributaries, from where the Arges River is formed. Towards the West, wow, Vârful Cornul Caltunului (2.505) and Vârful Lespezi (2.517) where we will head after the main lunch break taken here on Vârful Negoiu.

Here's our group on top. Well done everyone: Petra, Bogdan and Costi. Me too!

6. Negoiu Peak (2,535 m) - Berbecilor Heights

red stripe / blue stripe // medium // 1 hour

On Negoiu Peak I read a motivation letter from my daughter, Denisa (11). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYdFwn60q0M&list=PLlH9tlgCODG8Bl-3vzuVTpUAIunWRLMmr&index=12

We hardly leave Negoiu Peak after a break of 1 hour and 15 minutes. We descend at the beginning on the same route where we climbed Negoiul on red banduntil branch rather badly marked to Caldarea Berbecilor and Saua (Seuta) Lespezi, from where it continues with blue band.

After half an hour of descent from the summit, we reach the branch. We descend quite a long way down The heat of the Arieson her ass. At times we yawn after the marker, less often than before. We pass through a stony heat, always having on our left the back of the Caltun, which we obviously can't climb straight up. We can glimpse a trickle of water that washes a sistoaca; it is clear that it is only there that we will start the ascent out of the Caldarea Berbecilor.

7. Berbecilor - Lespezi Peak (2,517 m)

blue stripe / unmarked / red dot // difficult // 1 hour // 1 hour

At the trickle, the path changes direction 90 degrees left. Then follows a pipe-like climb, on tufts of grass.

Attention! Halfway up, the marked trail crosses the sistoaca and turns sharply right on the contour to Saua Lespezi. Although it is perhaps the safest option, as it is marked, here we take a shortcut identified on the mapy.cz map and in the field, and continue to climb very steeply, unmarked, until we reach the ridge where we find a small inlet where we find a marker, this time a red dot, which links Saua Lespezi to Lespezi Peak. The unmarked shortcut took 20 minutes and we cut a sharp triangle. Watch your orientation in the fog!

We are on The Culmination of Podeanu, this is the name of this foot of the mountain that descends from Lespezi Peak. On the left a cluster of rocks forms The Horn of Elkto which we are getting closer and closer, with Lespezi Peak. Bookmark red dot. The red dot trail climbs towards Lespezi Peak. We see some "momâi" to the left, but the map indicates that we are not yet descending towards the Horn of Caltunului, like the map! But in only a few minutes we find ourselves on Vârful Lespezi.

8. Lespezi Peak (2.517 m) - Cornul Călțunului Peak (2.505 m)

red dot / unmarked // difficult // 20 minutes

Lespezi Peak. It meant that we had to follow the lures encountered below. I had read that there is another trail between Vârful Lespezi and Vârful Cornul Caltunului, which follows the math ridge. Yes, there is, I identified it in the field, but it's much, much more exposed. So, Dane, take the mule back, all the way to the momai, that seems more reasonable. And so until I get to the top, I'm afraid I won't be able to pass the exposed passages!

We go down for 5 minutes from where we came on red dot. Now we can even see two paths with "momâi" (stone turrets for orientation), which join later. The path with "momai" is uneven, on stone rocks (like in Retezat), but practicable, with ankle care! I also reach the little exposed passage where it is easier and better to cross facing the rock. It's not as awful as I thought. I take heart in remembering Denise's message. After this there are two possibilities, one goes up an easy chimney into the maematic ridge where it joins the other path, wow, what would it have been like up there, good thing I took the "down" way on the contour. To avoid taking an aerial trail to the summit, rather stay below the ridge, on the rocky contour, it's more frinedly, and climb more steeply up a big smooth cliff when you see the summit on the right.

Whew! Here we are!

9. The summit of Cornul Călțunului (or Vârful Călțun) (2.505 m)

I also got on the only 2500-ar without marked path in the mountains of Romania! It was hard. But not as hard as I thought. At the summit, we have a riddle to solve. There are 3 summits! A plaque says 2 505 m altitudeanother 2,510 meters above sea level, and up ahead is a mega "mummy". Now make up your mind, the summit rankings are going to be a mess .... Whatever, I'm finally on The summit of the Horn of Capțun or simply the Călțun Peak, considered in the old documentations as the only 2500-are accessible only by climbers. Well, it's not quite so!

In the background of the top pictures we see Negoiu Peakwhere we come from. The wide-horizon tour is similar to the one on Negoiu, but what we see in addition, otherwise unique is Lake Calțun, small and glowing in the Caldarea Caltunului, where we were passing a few hours ago. How FRUM!

10. Peak Cornul Călțunului (2.505 m) - Lespezi Peak (2.517 m)

unmarked / red dot // difficult // 20 minutes

Back to "momâi" and then on red dot from Caplțun Peak at Lespezi Peak.

11. Lespezi Peak (2,517 m)

We are on Lespezi peak at 2.517 mdm asl, the 5th highest peak in the country. In some documentation it appears with an altitude of 2,522 mdm, which would push it up one position. Wonderful!

The skyline tour is similar as on Negoiu. Now we have an even better zoom on the trapezoid Vistea Mare - Moldoveanu (at E), but also on Lake Vidraru (at S), and an exception view to Horn of Caltunului and Negoiu (For the first time I ticked 3 peaks of 2500 meters in the same day! Bravo Costi, bravo me!

12. Lespezi Peak (2,517 m) - Lespezi Hut (1,560 m)

red dot // medium // 1 hour and 15 minutes

We begin our descent from Lespezi Peak. This is the variant the fastest way down from Lespezi to the Black Peak. All the way, we follow the road red dot. When we start the descent we have a clear view of the route because we can see our destination, Piscul Negru, below the forest level. In the upper part we descend on a secondary foot of Mount Lespezi, through an alpine hollow, on a visible path.

We turn our heads a little to say goodbye to the Lespezi Peak and notice a huge polished rock to the right of the path. To the left, frames open up overlooking Paltin Tower (what a nice view!) and towards Transfagarasan, the Argesean serpentine sector.

We quickly lose altitude and a forest boundary and a hut appear on the horizon. We have a brisk pace on the descent. Our feet work mechanically, but we have to be careful, because the wrong step, the wrong foot, can spoil the fun at the very end.

The marking is very clear. From time to time we come across some massive conglomerates of ticks or isolated rocks seemingly planted by someone in the snowy alpine void.

We descended at a brisk pace and in 70 minutes we reached Lespezi Castle.

13. Lespezi Stâna (1.560 m) - Black Peak (1.200 m)

red dot // easy // 45 minutes

Go around Lespezi Castle on the right. We get closer to the bed of the Lespezi brook and we receive from the left and from the right 2 more trails before entering the forest. In the forest the trail is barking. We reactivate the whistle, just for safety! Anyway a few hours later, from the car, on the way home, we would meet no less than 7 bears in 4 different places, already a constant presence on the Transfagarasan, due to the deformed behavior of the people who feed them, although the bear as a wild animal must hunt and get its own food.

Black Cat. I descended in 1 h and 45 minutes, but I had a fast pace, Analyzing this route, I find it tiring to do it in reverse, when it seems to be an endless climb. Incidentally on the ascent should be considered 3,5 hours.