Călimani Mountains, Călimani Mountains

1. Poiana Bradul Ciont (1.725 m) - Mountain Rescue - Rățițiș Saddle (1.869) - Rățițiș Peak and Meteo Hut (2.021 m)

1.5 hours / 4 km / easy / unmarked, then red dot

We parked in Poiana Bradul Ciont, a place with a spring, suitable for camping. Here we read the explanatory panel with map. We entered the Iezer Lake Natural Park. We look towards the peak in the foreground which we have to climb. We continue on the Trans Călimani road, the way we came. We pass by the mountain refuge, which was closed. We gain altitude in wide serpentines. On both sides of the road forks marked paths. At some point the red dot marker begins to accompany us. We reach the ridge, in Șaua Rățițiș, from where we can see the main objective of our route, the peak of Pietrosul Călimanilor, but also Negoiu Românesc, Negoiu Unguresc and Vârful Rățițiș, to the left. We leave the road to the left, to follow the marked path through the jnepeniș, then through the alpine hollow. In Vârful Rățițiș we enjoy the view once more and stop for a break, chatting with a meteorologist from the Rățițiș Weather Hut, who gave us useful information.

2. Peak and Weather Hut Rățițiș (2.021 m) - Saddle Nicovala (1.910 m)

30 minutes / 1.5 km / easy / red lane

We go down the path along a thick row of metal poles erected for orientation in foggy weather. We rejoin the road briefly, but continue on the marked footpath, which leads quickly to the junction at Șaua Nicovala, where a marked trail leads right into Gura Haitii. On this section of the road we saw the Via Maria Theresia marker, a route laid out by Tășuleasa Social, just like Via Transilvanica. The signpost on the saddle said that we would have another 2 hours to Vârpe Pietrosul Călimanilor.

3. Anvil Saddle (1.910 m) - Negoiu Saddle (1.705 m)

30 minutes / 2 km / easy / red lane

In front of us rises Pietricel Peak, which we will go around. We keep heading downhill. Once again, we have to cross the jnepenis. We come out onto the road, where we meet a herd of sheep and goats head-on. We follow the road for a bit until the marked path turns slightly to the left. We have in our visual spectrum the Romanian Negoiu Peak, a mountain ecologically mutilated by a former sulphur exploitation. The Negoiu saddle is another crossroads of trails, but mostly a resting place with a good spring 200 meters below, to the left of the trail marked with a blue cross. We refuel with water, hydrate, rest because the challenge of the day follows, the ascent of the Negoiu Unguresc Peak. The indicator in the saddle shows another 1.5 hours until we reach the maximum altitude we are aiming for.

4. Negoiu Saddle (1,705 m) - Negoiu Hungarian Peak (2,081 m)

1 hour / 1.5 km / hard / red lane

We see other tourists climbing ahead of us and we get an idea of what to expect. The path winds through the junipers so we benefit from the shade but also light scratches from them. Halfway up we enter an open area. The slope steepens, we climb carefully on stone slabs. The effort will pay off in full on the Negoiu Unguresc peak. At the top there is a metal cross with a Romanian tricolor hanging from it. We look at the Romanian Negoiul Romanian from peer to peer. In the distance we can even glimpse the Făgăraș Mountains range, but we will make a complete tour of the horizon on the peak of Pietrosul Călimanilor, which already seems closer, and it is. Shortly after the summit, to the left of the ridge, in the shelter, we took our main lunch break.

5. Negoiu Unguresc Peak (2.081 m) - Pietrosul Călimanilor Peak (2.100 m)

30 - 45 minutes / 2 km / medium / medium / red lane

The route between Negoiu Unguresc and Pietrosul Călimanilor is almost flat and can be traveled at will, except for the final ascent to the summit itself, which is made on large granite blocks and requires caution, without being dangerous. We arrived on the peak of the Călimanilor Pietrosul, at an altitude of 2,100 meters, the highest point of the Călimani Mountains. We take another well-deserved break.

The surprise offered by this peak is the 360 panorama that opens up, which is one of the most comprehensive we've encountered in Romania. From this point we can identify almost all the mountain massifs of the Romanian Carpathian Mountains with the Peak Finder app, starting from the north in a clockwise direction: Rodnei Mountains with Pietrosul Rodnei, Obcinele Bucovinei, Rarău Giumalău Mountains, Bistriței Mountains, Ceahlău Mountains, Hășmaș Mountains, Nemira Mountains, Vrancei Mountains, Ciucaș Mountains, Neamțului Mountains, Bucegi Mountains with Vârful Omu, Piatra Craiului Mountains, Iezer Păpușa Mountains, Făgăraș Mountains with Dara Peak, Moldoveanu Peak and Negoiu Peak, Buila Vânturarița Mountains, Cindrel Mountains, Șureanu Mountains, Parâng Mountains with Peleaga Peak, Piatra Seciului, Bihor Vlădeasa Mountains, Poiana Ruscă Mountains. Nearby we mark the peaks of the Călimani Mountains: Negoiu Unguresc, Negoiu Românesc, Rățițiș, Călimanul Cerbului, Iezerul Călimanului. A dream! In spite of a clear day, due to the humidity in the atmosphere, many peaks were more intuited than seen clearly. A complete tour of the horizon you can watch on the following link https://youtu.be/v2Dgs03w_0U?list=PLlH9tlgCODG8Bl-3vzuVTpUAIunWRLMmr.

6. The peak Pietrosul Călimanilor (2.100 m) - return Poiana Bradul Ciont (1.725 m)

4 - 5 hours / 9 - 10 km / hard / red lane, then blue lane

On the way back we will follow the same route until before the Rățițiș Peak. The descent from Negoiul Unguresc was at least as difficult as the ascent, in fact great care was needed to avoid falling on the rocky descent section. We didn't climb the Rățițiș peak and followed the alpine road before it, which goes on the contour below the weather hut. We wanted to go down the unmarked shortcut to Lake Iezer, but we entered the jnepeniss on a rather imaginary path. After wading around a bit with map in hand, we decided to get back on the road and descend the first marked path. This is marked with blue stripes and descends on a well marked footpath even if it too partly crosses a jnepenland. I could already see the car parked in the clearing. We arrived exhausted in the Bradul Ciont glen.

7. Bradul Ciont Glens (1.725 m) - Iezer Lake (1.740 m) - Bradul Ciont Glens (1.725 m)

15 minutes / 1 km / easy / blue cross

We crossed the picnic meadow with benches, walked past the spring and followed 0.5 km an almost flat road marked with a blue cross to Lake Iezer. Lake Iezer is a natural dam lake, next to which there is a spring and which can be skirted on the trail. The return to the meadow was done by the same route.