Cabana Podragu

Due to the full occupancy at Refugiul Călțun, Friday (29.09.2017) starts quite early. Breakfast for me and Dicken is served at seven o'clock. Afterwards, it's time to perform some minor repairs on our equipment. After the strenuous stage of the previous day, I have only planned the descent to Lacul Bâlea and the nearby Transfăgărășan for today. There, I want to try to replenish our food supplies. So we leave the refuge shortly after ten o'clock, blessed with beautiful sunny weather and pleasant temperatures. The night, on the other hand, must have been very cold, with icicles forming on every blade of grass in the meadows. We reach the highest peak for today (Vf. Laițel with 2391m) around eleven-thirty and briefly enjoy our triumph. Afterwards, we descend to Lacul Bâlea via Şaua Paltinului and arrive there at 1:30 p.m. After a small lunch, I take a stroll with Dicken towards the many small kiosks on the Transfăgărășan, treat myself to a coffee, and manage to grab some provisions for the next stages. It's still early in the day and I'm still in good shape, so I decide to cover a few extra kilometers. First, we have to get back to the red-marked ridge path. We reach Şaua Caprei (2315m) around quater to four in the afternoon and continue our ridge hike towards Lacul Capra. There, we meet the group of night hikers, who had started their hike a little earlier in the morning and are currently enjoying an extended break. After a short chat, we move on and reach Fereastra Zmeilor shortly after 5:00 p.m. The Refugiul Fereastra Zmeilor (2050m) is located nearby and will be the end of today's stage. After a half-hour descent to the refuge, we have a small dinner before I retreat to bed early. The night hikers also reach the refuge in darkness and start settling in. Over the course of the night, the temperatures inside the refuge drop well below freezing, and I bring Rango under the warming sleeping bag with me.

The next morning, we hike back up to Fereastra Zmeilor, from where I decide to take a blue-marked trail to Cabana Podragu. Prior to this, I have been alerted by two different hikers about the difficulties of a section of the red-marked ridge path. This section is called 'La trei pasi de moarte' (the three steps of death) and is rather challenging with a dog. So on Saturday, we head east off the main ridge. It takes us about 4 hours to reach Cabana Podragu, during which we have to overcome 3 northern extensions of the main ridge. We can enjoy a whole day of great weather and I indulge in an extensive nap on a sunny slope. In the afternoon, we reach Cabana Podragu. Spending the night in the refuge is not possible because of Rango, so I pitch our tent near the namesake mountain lake. The past few days have taken their toll. After a quick wash in the lake, it's off to bed early, and I decide to take a break the next day.

Once again, the night is freezing cold and Dicken gets to sleep on the mattress with me. We can enjoy Sunday (01.10.2017) in sunny weather at the hut and in the warm tent. Besides having a beer with the hut keeper, I treat myself to a warm stew in the evening, and Rango gets some of it too. So we go to bed well rested.