Nodes in Ţancul Mic

Area is populated by bears.

4B 6+ (6 A0), one of the easier, better-protected routes in the area.

P1: head right on a slab then up left on a crack (with a slightly overhanging, airy, tricam-eating exit) to an intermediate, single-bolt belay on the right (only needed if rope drag is going to be a problem). Then head left over a series of ledges under a short overhanging dihedral. Belay on bolts, next to a tree.

P2: head up on a finger-width crack, ignoring the line of pitons heading to the left. After the first bolt, pay close attention to the holds you're using since there are some friable slabs that would fall on your second if pulled loose. There's especially some sketchy sandstone - especially after rain or in freeze-thaw cycles it may be safer to just pull on draws instead. Follow the bolt line to the right on a traverse to a chockstone (the rock gets decent again right before the chockstone) and up left on the chimney the chockstone fits into. It'll narrow to a crack as it goes past an overhang. Traverse right at the second overhang, belay on a ledge

P3: Head left on a grassy, slabby dihedral then bushwhack a bit to the belay (bolts,next to a tree)

P4: Traverse left to a very well protected dihedral, past an overhang, then into easy but unprotected terrain for the second half (there's a crack version which is harder, or a ridge one which is easier). Clip the bolt on a ledge near the exit and belay off some trees.

P5, 6 (optional): Continue on the ridge, on easy but hard to protect terrain (sling the occasional bush, plus there are a couple pitons and anchors, go over a small peak (there are two pitons, a boulder that takes a 120cm sling and a tree to use as pro so the second doesn't downclimb it unprotected), belay in a small col off your harness while clipped into a piton.

Retreat: If not doing the optional pitches, rap down the third (platform) belay on Hermann Buhl (2x 35m, first rap on a piton rather than the tree to prevent the ropes from getting stuck). If single-piton raps aren't your thing, stop after the 3rd pitch and get down to the last belay of Fisura Însorită (20m), then down the second belay of Hermann Buhl (30m) and down (30m). If doing the optional pitches, continue right around the ridge (on a fixed rope) to anothe col full of bushes, that has a tree with a piton in it. Rap off the piton since the tree leads to the ropes getting stuck (30m), and throw your rope to your right since the crack on the left eats ropes.

Area is populated by bears.

Area is populated by bears.

Area is populated by bears.

5A 7- (6 A0)

A very well protected route that traverses almost the whole wall. Consider splitting the longer pitches (it crosses half the routes on the wall, and most of them have a belay close to it or directly on it) and/or not clipping every piton you run into, else even 20 draws might not be enough.

P1: Two variants, the one higher being the original. The secondary, lower version is 7c rotpunkt, an overhanging left-facing crack that leads to an intermediate belay on P1. The original version climbs on a slab into an overhanging but aidable dihedral, then traverses right to an intermediate, 2-bolt belay (this is where the harder variation rejoins the main line). From there, head up a slab, then once over a ledge, into a right-leaning dihedral. Belay on the gigantic boulder making up the left wall of the dihedral

P2: Downclimb carefully left on a grass ledge that leads to very gentle slab, then gain a ridge (airy move, exiting the ridge by an overhang) and onto vegetated terrain left, to a belay on a ledge at the base of a slab.

P3: Follow a ramp to the left the whole pitch. Consider not clipping all the aid pitons, or even 20 draws won't be enough. The start is easy and heavily vegetated, then life gets harder and rockier until the ramp is interrupted by an overhang (crux of the pitch, easily aidable) and continues left on easy terrain to a belay on a ledge at the base of dihedral. There's an intermediate belay on a slab on the ramp (2 close bolts)

P4: Head up on a dihedral but traverse on a left crack as quickly as possible (the line heading directly up, to the ceiling, is a harder route). The crack leads to a small overhanging face, that can be bypassed on the left (crux of the route, aidable A1). Then head up and to the left, bypass an intermediate belay, then up on a dihedral to a belay next to a tree with a red bit of metal stuck to it ("Smoking place"). The pitch continues up on a small, well-protected dihedral and then on very easy terrain to a single-piton belay, but it's advisable to stop here to belay the second since you're on bolts.

Retreat: rap down from the Smoking Place (60m, potentially iffy rope recovery) or continue on the ridge (uphill, on the right side,on a fixed rope) to another col full of bushes, that has a tree with a piton in it. Rap off the piton since the tree leads to the ropes getting stuck (30m), and throw your rope to your right since the crack on the left eats ropes.

Area is populated by bears.

Area is populated by bears.

Area is populated by bears.

Area is populated by bears.

Area is populated by bears.

Area is populated by bears.

Area is populated by bears.

Area is populated by bears.

Area is populated by bears.

Area is populated by bears.

Area is populated by bears.