Rodna Mountains


Rodna Mountains are a subdivision of the Inner Eastern Carpathians in Northern Romania. The name comes from the nearby Rodna Veche village.
The Rodna Mountains have one of the longest continuous ridges in Romania, with over 50 km from west to east. The two highest points are Pietrosul Rodnei and Ineu peaks, measuring 2,303 and 2,279 meters respectively. The mountains are most suited for hiking in summer and skiing in winter, and are especially famous for having snow late into the summer months.
While the ridge itself poses no difficulties, the challenge is the massive length of it, and the absence of drinkable water. A complete hike along the main Rodnei ridge takes between 3 and 5 days, depending on the weather and the endurance of the hiker.
The massif has some caves, notable among them being "Izvorul Tăuşoarelor", the deepest cave in Romania, reaching about 479 metres beneath the surface and "Jgheabul lui Zalion", 242 metres deep.

Location

The Rodna Mountains are in the region of Maramureș, in northern Romania, near the Romania–Ukraine border. To the north lies the city of Borșa and the village Moisei. To the west the massif ends at the Șetref Pass ; to the east, the limits are the Prislop Pass and the Rotunda Pass ; to the south lie the villages Rodna, Șanț, Maieru, and Anieș. The Someșul Mare River has its source in the Rodna Mountains.
The main ridge of the Rodna Mountains constitutes the natural border between Bistrița-Năsăud and Maramureș counties.

Access

The most used access points to the mountain are:
There are a few resorts at the base of the mountain, notably Borșa ski resort, with a few hotels and many privately run guesthouses, and also the new "Valea Blaznei" resort, completed in 2007, near the village Sant. It contains two notable places to stay, "Cabana Vio" at 1,100 m, and a bit higher, "Cabana Diana" at 1,240 m which is a mountain refuge. Up on the ridge there is no accommodation whatsoever, so tourists should bring tents.

Nature reserve

The entire Rodna Mountain is included in the Rodna National Park and Biosphere Reserve. This is a 567 km² reservation in Eastern Carpathians with brown bears, lynx, gray wolves, black capercaillies and eagles.