Suhard Mountain Ridge 2/2

Lake Icoana (1540) - Oușorul Peak (1639) - Vatra Dornei (884)

Suhard Mountains Ridge 2/2. We divided the crossing of the Suhard Mountains from Rotunda Pass to Vatra Dornei into 2 long stages. These are the west east extremities of the ridge. The exit to Vatra Dornei is on Runc street, at the free camping site above the Veverița campsite.

About Suhard Mountains - day 2/2

The second day of the Suhard Mountains ridge trail starts from Rotunda Lake, where we slept in the tent, passes over hills full of blueberries, past a few huts, climbs Oușorul Peak and descends over Runc Peak in Vatra Dornei. Here we finish an endurance tour in which we covered the 100 km of the ridge of the Rodnei and Suhard Mountains in 6 and a half days.

Route map

(click on objectives for extended version)

Technical box

Difficulty: medium
Duration / distance: 9.5 hours with breaks / 28 km
Marking: blue stripe, unmarked, blue triangle, blue stripe
Water sources: springs near Lake Icoana, at the start, and at points 3, 4, 5, 10 and 11 on the map
Minimum altitude: 884 meters above sea level at your destination in Vatra Dornei
Maximum altitude: 1639 meters at Oușorul Peak (point 8 on the map)
Level difference: about +700 m / -1300 m

Comments: Long trail, you can avoid the Oușorul Peak, and which passes through the huts and bushes of blueberries and raspberries.

1. Lake Icoana (1540 m) - hermitage branch (1475 m)

1 hour 45 minutes / 6 km / easy / blue lane

We wake up before 6 o'clock to shoot a fabulous sunrise. In just a few minutes it will rain, but not for long. Near Lake Icoana is a spring where we fill our water bottles. The direction to the spring is marked with paint on a tree.

We set off along the dome-shaped hills, on the forest road traveled by the cars of the cranberry pickers. We reach a signposted crossroads, from where you can walk towards the SUhard Hermitage. We are at point 2 on the map.

cows at Lake Icoana

fog in the valleys

On the road!

a few minutes before the rain!

a new day begins

Good morning!

2. Schit branch (1475 m) - branch 5 (1345 m) - Oușorul Peak (1639 m)

4.5 hours / 12 km / hard / blue lane, unmarked

We continue on the forest road dotted with several springs. We also pick blueberries. We also meet a team of ornithologists at work. We pass a couple of huts and are inspired to stop at one of them. Here we've been fed sheep's milk and curds. Thank you. At point 5 on the map, we miss the good road, and veer right. In order not to go back to the point where we took the wrong route, studying the map, we choose to continue on an unmarked, very steep forest road that climbs the Oușorul Peak. After point 5 the route was unmarked.

On the summit of Oușorul, where a large metal cross is mounted, there is a majestic view of Vatra Dornei and the valleys of the Dorna and Bistrița Aurie rivers. Consider it well worth the detour!

junction towards the hermitage

domoale peaks

millions of blueberries

Welcome to the sheepfold

lunch break at the sheepfold

cheese

I shake hands for lunch!

the steep climb up the Oușorul

still a little way to the top

3. Oușorul Peak (1639 m) - branch Dorna Candrenilor (1200 m)

1 hour / 2 km / medium / blue triangle

From the Oușorul Peak a grassy path starts, on which the blue triangle mark appears at a certain point, which will accompany us on a steep path through the meadow and then through the forest, back to the original path, marked with a blue stripe. The junction is at point 9 on the map, from where a forest road descends towards Dorna Candrenilor.

Oușorul Peak

Vatra Dornei

Oușorul forest

we change direction

4. Dorna Candrenilor (1200 m) - Runc Peak (1149 m) - Camping Vatra Dornei (884 m)

2-2.5 hours / 8 km / easy / blue stripe

We resume the forest road accompanied by the blue stripe base marker. We descend, climb a little more, and descend again. We pass the Runc peak and pass through a kite field, and we arrive exhausted in Vatra Dornei, on the free camping site on Runc street. The end!

branch

Runc Peak

raspberries

Vatra Dornei

Conclusion

The Suhard Mountains Ridge 2/2 was a long stage, with a bonus snack at a sheepfold, a steep ascent and descent up/down the Oușorul Peak, many blueberry-filled summits and dozens of pickers, with raspberries. Bravo Mihaela and Flavius for covering the 100 km from Borșa to Vatra Dornei.

All the best!

Steps: