The Piatra Mare Mountains
June 12, 2018
The Făgăraș Mountains
June 12, 2018

The Bucegi Mountains

The Bucegi massif has the shape of a horseshoe open to the south, the point of maximum altitude being in the northern part: the Omu Peak – 2505 m, and the center being crossed by the Ialomita River. In addition to the two main branches, there are other short and steep ridges.

The southern part of the massif is better known for its easy access by car, but also by cableway transport, unlike the northern part, which although it does not benefit from the same notoriety is much more beautiful and wild. In this part of the massif we encounter the only natural lake in Bucegi – Lake Ţigăneşti, but also numerous valleys surrounded by lacy rocks and forests. The positioning of the Bucegi Mountains between several massive mountains offers beautiful views from anywhere you look.

At an altitude of 1800-2000 m an erosion platform covered with alpine meadows (Bucegi Plateau) developed on about 10 square km. As action of the climatic factors on the existing rocks there were formed some less common megalithic forms (Babele, Sphinx, Mushrooms, Hermes, Zamolxe), around which were born many legends and stories. Of these, the most impressive is the Sphinx, at 2216 m altitude. Its resemblance to a human head is impressive, especially at its size (8 meters tall and 12 meters wide).

Also impressive is the Cross of Heroes, which rises on the platform of the Great Saddle of Caraiman at an altitude of 2291 m, being the most valuable mountain monument in Romania. The Cross of Heroes has a height of 33 meters and is mounted on a 7.5 m high stone-reinforced stone pyramid reinforced concrete, inside which an electric generator feeds 120 light bulbs of 500W the contour of the cross. The construction carried out between 1926 and 1928 at the initiative of the Queen Maria is a tribute to the soldiers fallen in the battles of the Prahova Valley during the first World War.

Behind the Cross, the view of the town of Buşteni and the Prahova Valley is special. On this side of the massif, whether you have clear sky or high clouds, due to the steep walls of the rock, the view is one that leaves you breathless. Also on these steep rock walls there are about 250 climbing routes with varying degrees of difficulty, the most famous being the Blue Crack (6B).

If you are not a climber or hiker, there are different mountain biking trails or you can visit the most famous cave of the 34 caves of the massif: Ialomita Cave. It has been dug by the Horoaba brook and for centuries and at the entrance to the cave there was built a wooden church since the 14th century. Also in this part there are two big reservoirs: Lake Bolboci and Lake Zanoaga.

In Bucegi there is one of the most beautiful mountain huts in Romania, the conditions of accommodation are not excellent, but the scenery is fairytale. Mălăeşti Chalet is situated at the base of an ice rink at an altitude of 1720 m and is accessible throughout the year, being a crossing point for several routes. In June, coming from Mălăieşti to Ţigăneşti Saddle, the Rhododendron offers a special show over the Lake Ţigăneşti. In Bucegi we can meet other flowers protected by the law: the rock flower, the blood of the mountain, the globeflower, Gentiana lute and Carlina acaulis. The fauna is specific to the Carpathian Mountains and is represented by wild boar, rabbit, wolf, fox, bear, deer, Lynx, deer, squirrel and black goat. Among the birds we mention the mountain cock, the hawthorn hawk, the mackerel, the butterfly and the mountain eagle.

Details about tours in the area can be found here:

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