Routes as trad in Romania

Opened up as a 4-pitch route in a period where the grade meant it should be doable on a single 40m rope, was rebolted as a 2-pitch route with fully bolted belays and some bolts on the first pitch where the rock allows it. The old piton belays are still there, and there's also a slightly off-route abseil station (on 2 bolts and a chain) that can trick you into thinking it's a belay.

Route mostly follows the edge of the L-shaped rock tower it's climbing on. Traverses a lot, especially on p2, so bring extendables and a couple of 120cm slings or rope drag will be a problem. In situ pro is S2 but the unprotected bits are super easy climbing; feel free to bring some mobiles if you want to, though. Beware of friable rocks - it's not that bad, over all, especially on p1, but any rocks you dislodge on the first 1 1/2 pitches will head straight at the helmetless tourist crowd filming you with their phones

The first pitch (about 45-50m) is easy slab (3 UIAA) starting from the tourist trail and going up on the right side of the rockface on a mix of pitons and bolts. After the first 20m of the route(initial pitch 1) you hit a grassy band. The bolted belay will be visible straight above, but that's a harder line (5-) and I'm not sure whether there are any bolts on it so head on the original line, rightwards following the grassy steps, before you traverse back left towards the belay.

Pitch 2 (15-20m of vertical but closer to 40m rope length on account of all the traverses) is more friable and less bolted. Start with reversing the traverse for 2m up to some grassy steps (2-3 UIAA) and climb for about 5 unprotected meters up to the piton belay for the original p2 (I believe it would have skipped the traverse and headed directly up on the grassy steps). Then traverse left for ~10m up to the base of the upper part of the tower (original pitch 3, 2 UIAA) and reach the crux of the route, a UIAA 4+/5- 5m vertical dihedral on friable holds. After you're out of it, head rightwards - you'll see a 2-bolt-and-a-chain rappel station under a small ceiling above, with an arrow pointing right. Not really worth using this as a belay since you have a few more meters to the top. If you're heading right, don't use the station at all (unless you have like, a 240cm sling) or you'll get the rope too close to a bunch of loose boulders on the ceiling above. There's a piton to the right, and then you climb on grass steps to the top, where there's a belay station on many old pitons tied together with 8mm rope. There is also a version on the left of the rappel station, which we didn't take (worse rope drag, our leader said) so will be described later.

Retreat can be done on the route line (messy) or on 2 bolted rappels (single 60m) or 1 (single 70m or doubles) slightly rightwards to the saddle between the rocks, plus downclimbing a UIAA 1-2 gully towards Rarau peak. If doing it as a single rap, beware the loose boulders on the lip of the ceiling, since there isn't a lot of room for the people already down in the saddle to dodge them if they're waiting there for you - double rap to the intermediary station gets you out of the fall line until everyone is past the worst terrain.

(6a)

(6a)

(5c)

(5a)

(6a)

(?)

(5c)

Protection grade given by the initial portion, a 8a 7-8m runout to the first (and only) bolt, with a sketchy landing even assuming pads are used. Above that, the climbing gets easier and there's a secure nut placement available early enough to prevent ground fall risk from above the bolt.

First pitch entirely unprotected, belay on a ledge above an overhang. Second pitch follows a clear crack. Descent by rappel on the line of the crack.

First pitch a wide chimney, 40m, belay on a small platform on the right. Second pitch crosses a short overhang towards a crack on the left. Second and third pitches continue on said crack.

First pitch on a crack. Belay in a small cave over a narrow ledge. Second pitch on a 80* slab, climbed in small traverses. Near its top enter the crack again.

Slab climb, 75 degrees

https://cabana-dochia.ro/alpinism/ - same route (this is a quote from Albota's monography)

Start on the ledge between the two towers.

First pitch: 15m traverse to the right, then 12m vertical up to a small ledge (first belay, 1 ring piton). 5 pitons - 2 on the traverse, 3 on the face.

Second pitch: another traverse to the right leads to an obvious 40m crack one follows until a small ledge (second belay, 2 pitons). 8 pitons on the crack.

Third pitch: 20m of face climb.

Descent - rap off on the same line

Hard and dangerous route. The crack at the end of the last pitch is unfinished and it takes a sudden 60m traverse to the left. Before the traverse there are some pythons above that can mislead climbers.

The first 5 pitches are from the Traseul A XX-a Aniversare route. Hardest route in the Bicaz gorges.

Last repaired in 2008

Romanian 5A

The entire route is relatively well protected with newer mechanical anchors, old manufactured bots and pitons. The route is not beginner friendly but an intermediate climber with some basic aid climbing skills should be just fine on it. Some larger nuts/cams are recommended for p1 and p3.

The route can be and has been free climbed. It is one of the most interesting and varied routes in the gorge with each pitch being completely different from all the others.

Highly recommended.

There's no known information about the route