Note: GPS route locations are marked in the description below. For the GPS map of the route, click here. For the GPS track of this trek, refer to my Track page.

After reaching the ridge along the dirt road, one might spot at N47 29.730 E25 05.453 a lonely metallic pole (2009 edit: no, it is gone), which once held an arrow (2009 edit: gone too) showing the way to Suhard Saddle (1200 m.a.s.l.). Turn to the right (SW) there, following the secondary ridge and the dirt road along it. The red stripe marked route goes down and reaches Suhard Saddle (N47 28.467 E25 03.572) about 30-40 minutes later. There is a falling apart hut in the saddle (do not rely on it for shelter, but rather for guidance). If you want to go up to Suhardul Mare Peak, from the hut go straight up, following the scarce red dots placed on metal plates along the muddy / dusty trail used by workers to drag down fir tree trunks; if you go straight up, you cannot miss the peak, marked by a small stone pole; it is easier to just follow the trail to the ridge (N47 28.186 E25 02.972) and then turn to the left to the peak (N47 28.165 E25 03.080). From the peak turn left (SE), keeping the wooden fence along the ridge to your right, until you meet the marks (red stripes) at N47 27.928 E25 03.383. If you do not want to go on the peak, from the hut go on under the tree line, cross a stream and turn right, going up along an obvious trail marked with red stripes, eventually reaching the ridge at N47 27.928 E25 03.383. Either way, continue along the ridge, always keeping the WW trenches and the wooden fence to your right. Eventually you will pass under Poiana Ciungi Peak (1277 m.a.s.l.) and continue, across wide pastures and through forests, to Zâmbroaia Clearing.

After another stretch of forest (at a bifurcation at N47 25.769 E25 02.956 go straight looking for the red stripes), the trail will go up towards Perșa Peak (1430 m.a.s.l.), more like a wide, almost flat, grass covered plateau dotted with dwarf firs. The trail continues straight and then it turns to the right around the peak (at N47 25.665 E25 02.262, be careful, as there is next to no mark). It then gets close to the forest near a weak spring (the “găvan” sort, N47 26.130 E25 01.578) and then it continues along the ridge, passing by a deforested area surrounded by a barbed wire fence. Suvăroșu Peak (1403 m.a.s.l., N47 25.998 E25 00.376) comes next, also covered with a wide pasture. After passing through another stretch of forest where the trail is usually very muddy if it rains (you can avoid bad stretches to the left), you will get in the clearing under Cucureasa Peak (1392 m.a.s.l.). From the saddle (N47 25.811 E24 58.898), try to spot the sheepfold to the left, because it is here that you abandon the main direction of the ridge, going to the left (SE), towards the sheepfold you go just above of towards the forest (the trail goes between the ruined sheepfold and a wooden small cottage above). Just before the sheepfold, there is a spring to the left of the path (N47 25.734 E24 58.741). There is no mark in the clearing. On one of the first fir trees there are two old marks: the red stripes and a peculiar blue stripe; from now on, either of the two will be OK. The main direction is SSE.

Go on and then cross a young fir tree forest. A sequel of forests and clearings follows. It is important that, unless you find the marks, to stick as much as possible to the ridge, even if you have to go up and down several times. Otherwise, for the first stretch, you can avoid the ridge’s ups and downs by following a marked path to the left of the ridge under Praja Peak (go towards the sheepfold at N47 25.156 E24 59.248 and then on at the same elevation to the spring at N47 24.885 E24 59.769). From the spring go straight up and then follow the ridge (the highest point always) to the saddle at N47 24.631 E25 00.417 and farther straight up towards a peak the top of which is completely wooden. Go up until the pasture ends (N47 24.576 E25 00.609), then avoid the young firs lightly to the right, looking for marks (red stripes). Never go too much to the left or to the right of the ridge. The forest soon becomes very dense and young, which makes walking difficult, but it is a bit better now, as a strong storm leveled some of the firs. Try to spot the narrow, rarely trodden path and the rare marks. At a certain moment you will get near a relatively flat peak with many fallen trees, blackberry bushes and nettles (“a joy”, as I call this sort of place in summer when nettles and bushes are at their tallest); try not to lose the way and head to N47 24.276 E25 01.163 (SE), looking for marks; there is an unmarked option of avoiding the young fir stretch, to the right just before entering the forest, but trails split after that and I recommend sticking to the route above; ask me if you want the GPS track for it though. The trail eventually goes down among firs and 20-30 minutes after entering the forest you should get out in an open saddle hosting a sheepfold (N47 24.055 E25 01.405). Go straight across the clearing, along the ridge. Farther on, another forest follows, with a wider trail this time and only with very rare and old blue stripes as marks. Never leave the ridge, even though a trail going to the left is very tempting and much wider than the one you have to follow. Eventually you will be out in a wide clearing at N47 22.823 E25 02.466. Do not go straight, but rather turn to the right, along the trail that goes on what seems to be a secondary ridge to the SSW.

After passing close to a couple of wooden huts, turn left (N47 22.716 E25 02.277), enter the forest along a wide dirt road. Some 20 minutes later, after turning left again at N47 22.178 E25 02.236 (where a fallen tree might make it obvious to take a right), you will be out in Cașteilor Clearing, hosting several wooden huts. Go straight down across the very scenic clearing dotted with hay stocks and at a fork before a big birch tree (N47 21.601 E25 02.537), turn left and always keep the SSE, then S as a direction. In the far corner of the clearing, turn right just past the last wooden cottage (N47 21.321 E25 02.754) and see the marks (both of them this time, but decades old) entering the forest. Stick to the trail for about 30 minutes and look for the marks when it splits (for it does a couple of times). Marks are very old, so look carefully. At N47 20.713 E25 03.012 turn left, looking once again for old marks (the blue stripes are somewhat more noticeable). At N47 20.667 E25 03.141 turn right and walk until you see the electrified railway in front of you. Without crossing the railway tracks, turn left and follow them for some 10 minutes until reaching the first houses. Cross the tracks and go along them for 5 minutes and, after they split, announcing a station, you will eventually see to your right Grădinița Railway Station (N47 20.499 E25 03.887). Only local trains stop here, but they take you to Vatra Dornei Băi (in about 40 minutes) or Ilva Mică (1 hour 20, very scenic ride), so it is fine. There is a well with an electric pump next to the station building (as you have come, immediately past the railway station building to the right, the switch is up to the right, under the roof), the perfect place to wash up and change on one of those hot summer days, before boarding a local train to Vatra Dornei and then a sleeping wagon towards Bucharest, Timișoara or Iași (click here for schedules)...