Tha Blog ... care este ...: Romania, Several Tracks in Parang Mountains

Short Briefing
Parang Mountains are located in the Eastern Carpathians, in the so called Southern Romanian Carpathians, in the center-south-west part of Romania, at about 15 km North-East of Targu-Jiu city and 5 km South-East of Petrosani. The mountains are delimited at the East by the famous Transalpina road (DN67C, the Novaci-Obarsia Lotrului section). The heighest peak of the masiff is Parangu Mare (alt. 2519m).

Way of access
By road:
-> Targu-Jiu -> (DN67) -> Scoarta -> (DN67) Bengesti -> (DN67C) Novaci (45km)
-> Ramnicu Valcea -> (DN67) -> Horezu -> (DN67) -> Novaci (83km)

See also
Romania, Several Tracks in Parang Mountains - Cioara Peak
Romania, Several Tracks in Parang Mountains - Calcescu Lake
Romania, Several Tracks in Parang Mountains - Rosiile Lake

Track Description
This is the hardest track of the ones presented at "see also" section. The track requires 1 and 1/2 days. In the first day, we set as destination the Calcescu Lake (1900m), representing the tent location. The track starts at Urdele Pass, at an altitude of aprox 2100m, then follows the red band to Mohorul Peak (2337m), then the Plescoaia Peak (2250), then from the Plescoaia Saddle it gets down to Calcescu Lake via Hornul Lacurilor. From the Calcescu Lake, we followed the red cross to Zanoaga Lake and then to Piatra Taiata Saddle where we met a shepard. The shepard told us we have another 3-4 hours to Parangu Mare Peak (2519m), so we started to climb to Iesu Peak (2375m) on the same red band that we left with a day before when we got down to Calcescu Lake. After Iesu Peak, we followed the marker to Piclesa Peak (2335m), then Gruiu Peak (2345m) and after the Gruiu Saddle, we reached the most desired destination from Parang Mountains - the Parangu Mare Peak. From here we could see all the mountains around, several cities, the Polatiste Mountains that we followed in the past (http://vsorinel.blogspot.ro/2011/06/romania-parang-mountains-polatiste-key.html) and even the Danube. Then we had to return to Urdele Pass where we left our car, but as we chosen the return track to be a little different, we could see also the Setea Mica, Setea Mare Peaks and the Pasarile Lakes. As it is a ridge mountain track, beautiful views are available on all its length. Actually, this track is a variant of the most known track from Parang Mountains, the one red band marked, that starts from Rusu-Parangu Mic Peak Ski Resort, passes Carja, Gemanarea, Parangu Mare, Gruiu, Piclesa, Setea Mare, Mohoru Peaks, then Urdele Pass, then continues besides Papusa Peak and Cioara Peak to Curmatura Oltetului located in the Latoritei Mountains; you may see our restrained variant on the image below: