Routes in Romania for selected grade

6A Romanian, UIAA 7/5A1

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.

The first pitch has the first protection 4 m above ground and it and ends with a traverse to the right on small pebbles. The second pitch traverses diagonally to the left.

Left ridge on Animal Wall. One of the most climbed routes in this sector. Nice crux pitch, where good feet placement is essential. Not wise to retreat in abseil after that pitch, the rope gets stuck.

4B Romanian, 7- UIAA (6 A0)

Pitches 1-4: follow the ridge up on at times friable and airily protected, but quite easy, terrain. Feel free to skip the two old piton belays you'll find - all of the currently used ones have at least 1 bolt in them.

Pitch 5: crux of the route is a very well protected crack section. The slab forming the right side of the crack isn't very well attached to the wall, and there are further loose boulders in it serving as support for bigger boulders, so be careful what you pull hard on, and when in doubt consider aiding your way through it (some of the pitons have loops of cord for this purpose) rather than risking sending Stuff towards the belay. After that, follow a horizontal ridge across a small mound and belay in the saddle.

Pitch 6: climb left a few meters next to another, even worse attached slab (also hanging above the belay), then traverse left on the slab and into a well protected chimney. Exit, and continue on trivial terrain slightly right and then up until reaching the end of the ridge.

5B Romanian, 7- UIAA (6+ A0). The longest route in this wall, quite varied climbing. Bolted belays, in-pitch protection (except for the occasional factor bolt) is all pitons, small to medium friends (up to BD 1 or equivalent) recommended, especially on P3.

P1: Starts with a 6-7m scramble up to a ledge with the first piton, then heads up on easy terrain until a small traverse to the right (5+ UIAA, the first intermediate belay of the pitch) and straight up, past a belay from Acvila (1 bolt and 1 piton) and into a 5+ dihedral up to the belay. 5+ UIAA, 50m

P2: Continue on a system of cracks (5+) past an intermediate belay,and then up a slightly overhanging at the end dihedral to a belay on the right (6+) 6+ UIAA, 45m

P3: Traverse to the left, downclimbing slightly, head up an easy crack (be mindful of future rope drag), then traverse back to the right to the base of a large dihedral. Follow it upward (6+, 5 A0) until a broken down portion, where you cross on the right arete and follow it upwards until the end of the dihedral (intermediate belay on 2 pitons, do not use) and traverse left for about 6 meters to the bolted belay. The single piton protecting the traverse (1.5m in) moves, but the angle means it should hold a fall. 6+ UIAA, 45m

P4: A shorter, but very meandering pitch - while this + the following can be united with 60m ropes, the drag will be phenomenal. Traverse slightly to the right and follow a dihedral (finger crack, 6+) up until the pitons end, then cross to the right to the base of an arch, where you follow another dihedral (6) up to an intermediate belay. Traverse to the left (slightly descending at first), airily protected but on good holds, then follow a 5+ crack up to the belay. 6+ UIAA, 35m

P5: Head up a crack and past an overhang (7- or 6 A0). Afterwards, it's all scrambling terrain up until the ridge. Belay off your preferred tree. 7- UIAA, 25m

Retreat: take the path through the forest. If needing to retreat in rappel, rap down pitches 5 and 4 (separately, or the ropes will get stuck) and then do a 55m rappel to an intermediate rap station (bolt + piton) and a 50m rappel down. If on 50m ropes, the 55m rap can be broken down in 2 using the second belay station of Diedrul Corbilor.