Mountains Făgăraş - up to Lake Avrig

On Monday, September 25, 2017, the time has finally come, we set off to the Făgăraş Mountains. The morning already offers a good preview of the next few days, it's freezing cold. So I only get out of bed around 10 am. The Romanian wedding, which broke over the campsite in the last two days and especially nights, certainly played a role. I take the opportunity to take a long, warm shower, probably the last time for the next few days. In the afternoon, we are ready to march and head to Făgăraş train station. After an hour and a half train ride, we get off in Racovița and walk south, constantly looking at the high mountains. Looks promising, only the partially snow-covered slopes worry me a bit. I set up our camp just after leaving Sebeşul de Sus and after a small dinner, it's time to rest.

I completely overslept the next morning, so we start the ascent into the mountains only in the early afternoon. Rango seemed okay with that, he didn't wake me up in any case. The first few kilometers go relatively leisurely uphill along a small mountain stream. After the first 2 hours and 6 kilometers, we leave the valley and climb extremely steep slopes. So in the next two hours, we cover only 2 kilometers as the crow flies. In the early evening, we reach a shelter, which is about 400 meters away from Cabana Suru. I don't trust the indicated 30 minutes to get there (my original destination) anymore. The shelter looks usable and is probably regularly used by shepherds, that's the only way to explain the stock of firewood and all the other stuff. I keep the fire (smoke escapes through a hole in the roof) burning almost all the time, and so we spend the first night in the Făgăraş Mountains at pleasant temperatures.

On Wednesday (September 27, 2017), we leave the shelter around noon and reach Cabana Suru (1450m) fifteen minutes later. I chat a bit with the host, have a coffee, give him some chocolate and then continue on my way to Şaua Suru (2110m), which I reach after another good 2 hours. The nearly 700 meters of altitude were a real effort for me again. Rango mostly walked ahead, out of sight. I was glad about that. Seeing him skipping up the slopes almost effortlessly might have ruined my good mood. After the Suru pass, the ridge trail leads us over the Budislavu peak and then down to Avrig pass. From there, it's just a short descent to Lake Avrig, where today's stage ends. Shortly before six, I set up our tent within a windbreak made of stacked stones, on the shore of Lake Avrig. As it has been foggy and quite cool all day, I quickly wash up (!!!) in the ice-cold mountain water before enjoying a warm dinner. Since the air temperatures are now dropping towards freezing, I retreat to the warming sleeping bag in good time.