Where I am allowed to hike and on which trails? Are there any restrictions? How do I guide myself while on trail? How do I know if I am able to cope with the difficulties of a route? How do I know the difficulty of a route? These are reasonable questions every hiker who wants to visit the Romanian Carpathians must ask himself/herself. In the Romanian Carpathians, with some notorious exceptions (like in parks where, in some case, you may be fined), you may wander on any direction of your choosing, with or without a visible trail. Nobody will tell you not to go. Thus being said, when going to the mountains everyone talks, given the level of experience, about going on marcate (marked trails) or nemarcate (unmarked) routes. Marked routes are the ones where you follow a sign for orientation and usually there is already a well-defined trail. Unmarked routes designate all the other paths you may take on the mountain and lack a sign for orientation. Be careful though with these ones: usually they are more difficult and/or they lack a well-defined trail so it is harder to orientate yourself and easier to get lost. All the marked routes should be indicated on a mountain map. Orientation while on the route In Romania is used a system of combinations between colors and geometrical shapes. Thus, during your hikes you will find 12 different signs which are the results of the combinations between red, blue and yellow colors (with a white outer edge) and vertical stripes, triangles and circles. Generally the red stripe stands for main ridge sections of the mountains the other marking connecting routes. The signs are painted on trees, metal or wooden posts or on rocks. In winter, take care because you won’t see those painted
Where I am allowed to hike and on which trails? Are there any restrictions? How do I guide myself while on trail? How do I know if I am able to cope with the difficulties of a route? How do I know the difficulty of a route? These are reasonable questions every hiker who wants
You always need to document and plan a route wherever in this world the mountain is. In doing this you need to take into account a lot of factors which are generally applicable, on any mountain, but also the local factors, such us legislation, climbing culture, local systems, local weather patterns, etc. Here is some basic information you need to take into account when you plan an outdoor hike in the Romanian Carpathians: Where I am allowed to hike and on which trails? Are there any restrictions? In Romanian Carpathians, with some notorious exceptions (like in parks where, in some case, you may be fined), you may wander on any direction of your choosing, with or without a visible trail. Nobody will tell you not to go. Thus being said, when going to the mountains everyone talks, given the level of experience, about going on marcate (marked trails) or nemarcate (unmarked) routes. Marked routes are the ones where you follow a sign for orientation and usually there is already a well-defined trail. Unmarked routes designate all the other paths you may take on the mountain and lack a sign for orientation. Be careful though with these ones: usually they are more difficult and/or they lack a well-defined trail so it is harder to orientate yourself and easier to get lost. All the marked routes should be indicated on a mountain map. Orientation while on the route In Romania is used a system of combinations between colors and geometrical shapes. Thus, during your hikes you will find 12 different signs which are the results of the combinations between red, blue and yellow colors (with a white outer edge) and vertical stripes, triangles and circles. Generally the red stripe stands for main ridge sections of the mountains the other marking connecting routes.
You always need to document and plan a route wherever in this world the mountain is. In doing this you need to take into account a lot of factors which are generally applicable, on any mountain, but also the local factors, such us legislation, climbing culture, local systems, local weather patterns, etc. Here is some
Campers are still a privileged species here in Romania. Except some easily identifiable locations, such as reservations and parks - which have their own rules you need to consult beforehand - and private properties, you may raise your tent in just about any location you might consider suitable for you. It does not matter if you raise it in a clearance in the woods, on the valley floor next to a rivulet or on an alpine meadow, camping (summer mainly) is at the heart or Romanian mountain tours. So, feel free to put your tent in your backpack and go about camping! Camping in the vicinity of mountain huts or in parks it is usually allowed and in some cases you may need to pay either a small tent fee or a fee per person. There are though some RULES YOU SHOULD OBSERVE while camping on the mountain. They are rather universal in character: Do not throw the garbage on the mountain and in the water! Carry every waste you produce while on the mountains and bring it down to where special collection facilities are in place. Thus we all can enjoy a clean landscape. Do not cut trees or bushes for the evening fire! Usually you should be able to find dry branches fallen during the last autumn and winter and they are better. If a hearth is already in place do not make another one. Fellow campers go camping because they like being in the wild and to escape the crowded and noisy cities so a noisy city like atmosphere is not at all appropriate. While camping near huts or in the woods, if the camping places are not fence protected, put your food bags in some tall trees around. The dogs won’t steal it and the bears will
Campers are still a privileged species here in Romania. Except some easily identifiable locations, such as reservations and parks – which have their own rules you need to consult beforehand – and private properties, you may raise your tent in just about any location you might consider suitable for you. It does not matter if