Interest points in the Piatra Craiului range:
Peaks: Piatra Mica(0), Turnu(3), Padina Popii(1), Ascutit(2), La Om(1).
Valleys: Crapaturii(2), Padina Hotarului(2), Padina Sindileriei(1), Brana Caprelor(0), Padina Popii(1), Valcelul cu Fereastra(0), Padina lui Calinet(0), La Lanturi(4), Urzicii(2).
Saddles: Crapaturii(2), Padinei Inchise(2), Grind(2), Funduri(2).
Chalets: Curmatura(5), Garofita Pietrei Craiului(2), Refugiul Grind(1), Refugiul Spirla(6), Refugiul Diana(1), Valea lui Ivan(2).
Other: Prapastiile Zarnestiului(2), Gura Vaii Crapaturii(5), Creasta Nordica(3), Creasta Sudica(2), Marele Grohotis(6), Crucea Granicerului(4), Poiana Tamasel(4), La Table(1).
Entry/exit points: Zarnesti(7), Plaiul Foii(6), Pestera(1), Valea Dambovitei(2).

15 trips in Piatra Craiului:

SUMMER 2011

• July 17th: Piatra Craiului. From Zarnesti I've climbed to Refugiul Diana then followed Padina Popii to the Padina Popii summit on the main ridge ; then after more than 10 years I've walked nearly all of the Northern Ridge to La Om Peak . I've descended via Refugiul Grind - La Table - Folea house then back to Zarnesti over the hills . Alone.

• October 2nd: Piatra Craiului. We've left the car at the Clabucet dam then walked the 4km forestry road to Garofita Pietrei Craiului chalet then turned left towards Poiana Tamasel ; after we continued to Umerii Pietrei Craiului ; where the ascent ended. We followed Braul de Mijloc to the right up to Prepeleag by passing Marele Grohotis, Stanciului cave and Ceardacul Stanciului. The descent was to Crucea Granicerului , Valea lui Ivan chalet and the car . People: Monica Lauleanu, Emil Georgescu, one more person.

• August 27th: Piatra Craiului. From Zarnesti we trekked to the mouth of Crapatura valley then 250m (horizontally) more up to the origin of Padina Hotarului trail which we climbed to just below Turnu summit then ascended the summit itself where we took the main break of the day; the descent was by the difficult trail to Saua Crapaturii , then we descended in a record time the Crapatura valley to its inferior mouth which we visited just eigth hours ago; from here we continued down over the hills to the forestry road on Barsei valley . Together with Emil Georgescu.

• October 13th: Piatra Craiului. The Small Circuit of Piatra Craiului massif, walked by me for the first time in a single trip. I've alighted the train at 3pm; it took me some 1 hour to reach the bottom end of Crapatura valley then two and a half more hours to the Crapaturii saddle, which I reached when the sun was setting . The nightly descent was towards Cabana Curmatura then Fantana lui Botorog on the direct trail . Alone.

• October 2nd: Piatra Craiului. Gorgeous autumn hike; from the Zarnesti rail station I walked towards Poiana Chiliilor then I took the trail which goes to Padina Sindileriei. At first it goes thru forest, then some shrubs and after some 15 minutes walk from the split the real alpine part starts. Altrough the height difference is only some 600m the valley is absolutely beautfiul, as well as quite dangerous; there are some sections where you have to climb loose rocks (gravel). Some half an hour before reaching the Turnu summit you get out of the dark valley and into the sun. After some rest on the summit (where I've also met a Spanish trekker which I joined up to Curmatura Chalet) we continued towards Saua Padinei Inchise ; the descent was to Curmatura , Botorog spring then back to Zarnesti. Alone.

• October 28th: Piatra Craiului. Maybe the last 'summer time' trip for this year. From Zarnesti we've climbed for some 5 hours Padina Hotarului towards Turnu summit ; then continued on the main ridge up to Saua Padinei Inchise . The descent was towards Curmatura chalet where we took a tea and food break. The night fell as we wandered thru the woods towards the Prapastii forestry road then back to Zarnesti . People: Monica Lauleanu, Radu Antonescu, 2 more persons.

• August 20th: Piatra Craiului. Leaving home a bit late I managed to reach Cojocaru on Dambovita valley only at 12.30 noon. From here I climbed along Dragosloveni Valley up to Garofita Pietrei Craiului chalet then continued until the trail which runs parallel the main ridge some 500m lower . From here I turned left thru Umerii Pietrei Craiului then met the La Lanturi trail ; which I followed up to Saua Grind . I turned then right to trek the southern ridge up to Saua Funduri where I arrived at 8.15pm. The descent was by Urzicii valley to Prepeleag where the night arrived (it was 9pm). For the next hour I descended thru the woods to Crucea Granicerului and the Hunting Lodge ; the last 3km were on forestry road. A nice trip which took me 10 hours instead of the planned 8. Alone.

• August 22nd: Piatra Craiului. I noticed some time ago the painted text 'Padina Lancii' (==Lancii valley) on the trail which goes from Plaiul Foii towards Saua Funduri and after reading in the Emilian Cristea's book that the valley is reasonably easy and can be climbed without techincal means I tried to walk it up to the main ridge. Still it was too technical for me so I decided to give up some half-way. Even so it was a beautiful trip: Plaiul Foii - Spirla Shelter - La Umeri - Padina Lancii entrance (here there were some ~200m height difference climbed and descended on the valley ) - Prepeleag - Crucea Granicerului then going back to Plaiul Foii on Drumul Granicerilor (the Bordermen Trail) . Alone.

• June 13th: Piatra Craiului. We weren't so lucky with the weather in this easy one-day trip. We've left the car around Plaiul Foii chalet then we climbed on the 'La Lanturi' trail until the entry in the rocky portion, called La Zaplaz . Together with Nicoleta Puscasu.

• April 25th: Piatra Craiului. Beautiful one-day trip; by car to Plaiul Foii then 10 hours in the mountain; from the Spirla Shelter we proceeded under the main ridge until Prepeleac , next to Funduri Saddle; the snow and the flowing rocks were loved (by me) and hated (by the girls) in the same time! Return by Granicerului Cross then the Granicerilor Trail back to the chalet. Congratulations to the girls for their excellent shape; in the end they went even faster than me. People: Nicoleta Zamfir, one more person.

• July 27th: Piatra Craiului. Beautiful one-day trip, a bit tiring for most of the hikers (I was to blame for underestimating the difficulty of the trip). Good weather, we've also got lost a bit, missing water, aching feet Plaiul Foii Chalet - Curmatura Foii - Marele Grohotis - Umerii Pietrei Craiului - Spirla Shelter then back to the Plaiul Foii chalet . People: Almina Apavaloaiei, Cristi Sincai, 3 more persons.
• June 1st: Piatra Craiului. We continued our week-end trip after having slept in Brasov. The trail was Plaiul Foii - La Lanturi - Grind Saddle - southern main ridge - Funduri Saddle - Urzicii valley - pe sub Umeri . The weather was interesting, with rain and hail in the heights but dry at lower altitudes; the last 2 hours were in dakness thru the forest, to the desperation of Bogdan Together with Bogdan Visinescu.

• May 11th: Piatra Craiului. I've left my car at Fantana lui Botorog; I then proceeded to Curmatura Chalet then Ascutit refuge and summit ; from the refuge I descended via the Prapastiile Zarnestiului ; a sourprise was the finding of a small lateraal canyon in the Prapastii; I entered it for some 50 meters. Alone.

• July 6th: Piatra Craiului. We've started from Zarnesti (Botorog Spring) towards Curmatura ; from Curmatura to Pestera Village then back towards Zarnesti . Nice weather and plenty of animals :-). People: Nicoleta Zamfir, Cosmin Zamfir.

• May 25th: Piatra Craiului. We intended to climb from Plaiul Foii chalet all the way up to the main ridge by the 'La Lanturi' trail ; unfortunately Cosmin felt bad a bit further up than La Zaplaz so we had to return. A very relaxing trip overall. People: Nicoleta Zamfir, Cosmin Zamfir.

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