Rodnei Ridge 3/5

1. La Cărți Refuge (1835 m) - La Cărți Spring (1840 m) - under Negoiasa Mare Peak (2041 m) - under Negoiasa Mică Peak (2010 m) - Laptelui I Saddle (1865 m) - Tarnița Bârsanului Saddle (1925 m) - - Milk Saddle II (1935 m) - Galațului Peak (2048 m)

3.5-4.5 hours / 9-11 km / hard / red lane

Before entering the trail we fill up with cold water from the spring of La Cărți. Negoiasa Mare peak looms ahead. We go around it to the left, like its brother, Vârful Negoiasa Mica. It passes, through jnepen, and then we'll walk at our own pace through alpine meadows. We pass through the saddles of Laptelui I and Tarnița Bârsanului. From here you can see Puzdrelor Peak to the left. We begin a challenging ascent, mainly due to the orientation through a sector of juniper trees. If you go further up, where jnepen trees are rarer, you have to return to the marked path before point 8 on the map. Here we are now on a wide forest road, from where we must be careful not to miss our path that climbs up the left half, without being well signposted. We will then go around the summit of Laptelui Mare on the left. We advance towards Șaua Laptelui II where the same extra caution is necessary not to miss the correct path to Vârful Galațului (point 13). To the south, the Izvorul Laptelui valley opens up, we have inadvertently detoured a little here.

2. Galațului Peak (2048 mdm) - panorama

On Galațului Peak we pause for 40 minutes and admire the panorama. We identify in turn the peaks of Ineu (where we'll reach tomorrow) and Omului, and then we scan the skies to see far away the straight line of the Făgăraș Mountains, then Retezatul and Parângul. And group photo in 3 with Mihaela and Flavius. What great weather we have today!

3. Galațului Peak (2048 m) - Galațului Saddle (1885 m) - Gărgălău Saddle Refuge (1857 m)

1 hour / 3 km / easy / red lane

We don't have much left today. We descend to the Galațului saddle, where we leave the blue triangle marker to the right. Here there are 2 small lakes or ponds invaded by cotton grass. To the north we have Valea Rea. We keep heading east on the forest road now, under Mount Cimpoiașu. Follow 3 springs before the Refugiul Șaua Gărgălău.

4. Șaua Gărgălău Refuge (1857 m) / camping site

Refugiul Șaua Gărgăgălău or Refugiul Gărgălău is located a little below Șaua Gărgălău. It is in very good condition. However, we camped in the pasture near the refuge because we missed our tent. For the spring there are several options, the one I used is a bit backwards from the way we came and then on a path through the grass (point 17 on the map). In the Gărgălău saddle (above the signpost) there is a telephone signal. The imposing Gărgălău Peak awaits us tomorrow morning. In the meantime we witness a spectacle of colors at sunset.