Borsa is a small ski resort and tourist complex in the Maramures area of Romania, altitude 850-1550 Meters/2,788-5,085 Feet, and the main entry into the Rodna Mountains. Rodna/Rodnei Mountain National Park has been designated a biosphere reservation by UNESCO for its abundance of glacial features and profusion of flora and fauna species.
Driver Marinel headed from Sapanta down remote and twisting roads into the mountains for a two-night stay at Hotel Cerbul, right at the base of a ski lift. Plans were to hike through the forests and mountains but bad weather continued over Romania with daily, and depressing, rain. In good weather, this area would have made for wonderful hiking; my kind of hiking through heavily wooded forests until I heard that bears still roam freely in this area.
Hotel Cerbul in Borsa, a ski and hiking destination in Romania
Hiking information is scarce, largely because few people make an effort to come here (I can understand why). However, we were told that the trails from the top of the ski lift were clearly marked so hikers shouldn’t get lost. There was also a very muddy path up underneath the ski lift and a one hour signposted hike to the 40 Meter/131 Foot high Cascada Cailor (Horse Waterfall), neither of which we did.
Two hikes were planned:
Day 1 Explore Worldwide explanation (truncated for brevity) – We take the narrow gauge railway from Viseu de Sus up the Vaser Valley to Novat and chug slowly through the valley passing huge expanses of beech and spruce forest. We then walk up a forested valley along lonely trails, enjoying the stillness and freshness of the forest. After a stiff climb of over 600 Meters/1,968 Feet, we reach a ridge with spectacular views across the Viseu Valley. Descend through hay meadows and scattered copses to Moisei, where we meet our bus (5-6 hours walk). Sounded great, didn’t it?
Day 1 guide Cristi explanation – We would leave the hotel at 5;30a for a 45 minute bus ride to the train station. (He lost Steve and myself at the 5:30a announcement.) The Carpathian Forest Steam Train (also known as the Vaser Valley Railway) was built in 1932 and opened up the primeval forest for logging by German speaking settlers who then rafted the timber down to saw mills in Viseu de Sus. The train is primarily used by loggers who leave their houses every Monday, ride the rails to where they are logging and spend the week in that area. Loggers have to load all tools, supplies, and sometimes animals on the train to use during the week.
Carpathian Forest Steam Train map
Cristi explanation continued: The train would leave whenever, and slowly chug along to whatever stop the group disembarked at. Those who did not want to do the all day hike could then walk back to the train station on the tracks where Marinel (bus driver) would wait to drive them back to Borsa.
Those continuing on the all day hike would walk 1-1/2 hours before crossing a river (a cold river crossing), followed by a steep and muddy, 2-1/2 hour uphill climb (the path was ruined by tractors doing the logging), followed by a 1-1/2 hour ridge walk (or longer)… stop and eat lunch…more ups and downs…culminating in a muddy, slippery 1-1/2 hour downhill. Marinel would be waiting with the bus to bring hikers back to Borsa. There would be no bail out options along the way!
After that description, only a few in the group decided to go the distance with Cristi; others opted to take the train ride and walk back. Steve and I ate breakfast at 8:00a, and were given a packed lunch, the same lunch given to the all day hikers, containing two salami and cheese sandwiches, a chicken cutlet sandwich, cucumbers, apple and candy! That was certainly enough for two people who watched rain from our bedroom window and read books all day.
The scheduled Day 2 hike description was: Leaving Borsa by chairlift, we walk (initially steeply up onto the mountain ridge) along the top of a ridge… if possible, we will stop at a shepherd’s hut where we may be invited to sample some fresh sheep’s cheese, washed down with Tuica, the fiery local plum brandy. After a couple of hours of walking we meet our bus and drive east across the Carpathians to Moldavia and the northern region of Bucovina.
Only the drive towards Bucovina took place. Waking up to another day of rain and fog, Cristi decided there was no purpose hiking in a heavy fog and cancelled today’s walk.
Borsa was a complete “wash out.”