A Crag Guide gives an extensive view of all sub areas and climbs at a point in the index. It shows a snapshot of the index heirachy, up to 300 climbs (or areas) on a single web page. It shows selected comments climbers have made on a recently submitted ascent.
At a minor crag level this should be suitable for printing and taking with you on a climbing trip as an adjunct to your guidebook.
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Contributors
Thanks to the following people who have contributed to this crag guide:
Marius Jebeleanu
The size of a person's name reflects their Crag Karma, which is their level of contribution. You can help contribute to your local crag by adding descriptions, photos, topos and more.
Table of contents
- 1.
Vânturătoarea / Cascada Vânturatoarea
101 in Crag
- 1.1. Faleza De Jos 14 in Sector
- 1.2. Sector 1 47 in Sector
- 1.3. Sector 2 39 in Sector
- 1.4. Sector 3 1 in Sector
- 2. Index by grade
1. Vânturătoarea 101 routes in Crag
- Summary:
-
All Sport climbing
Lat / Long: 44.966657, 22.471327
summary
Probably the most sought-after climbing sector in Romania, as featured in the 2014 Petzl RocTrip Video. Here you will find Stone Butterfly, 9a+ among other test-pieces grade 8 and above.
description
An incredibly beautiful sector of limestone situated on either side of a huge waterfall. The name roughy translates to Angel's Wings and it looks just like it from the viewpoint on the way to the wall. Popular with hikers and climbers alike, this is a must-see in Romania. Here you will find the best quality in mostly harder lines, 6c and above. In the upper right sector 2 a lot of grade 8 climbs still need a first ascent! The wall is great in early or late summer as well as the temperatures by the waterfall remain low especially with a breeze.
This area is primarily an afternoon crag, with the first section of the wall just left of the waterfall (Sector 1, Left) going into the shade around noon. Right of the waterfall (Sector 1, Right) and the upper left walls around the corner past the waterfall (sector 2, Upper) do not see full shade in the upper half until 2 pm or later. The lower wall around the corner below the main climbs of sector 2 (Sector 2, Lower) stays shaded but these routes are short and lower-quality. Sector 3 gets shade earlier but is heavily overgrown and mostly ignored, as the quality is not as good, on tall broken low-angle rock. Sector Faleza de Jos gets sun almost all day until after 5 pm, and was not highly-praised by the locals.
There is a recent edition of the Baile Herculaine guidebook with an excellent topo of this area and other in the region including most of the satellite crags dotted along the valley.
access issues
The parking area GPS (44.96439, 22.48412) is limited and shared by hikers and climbers alike. As of late September 2023 the area across the bridge by the houses was roped off to prevent parking, maybe to expand the lot. Please park on the highway side of bridge and leave room for big trucks to get through. If the lot is full, do not crowd it...either go somewhere else or carpool from another parking area. On weekends it is best to get here by noon, or wait till later in the afternoon to find a spot after the hikers have left.
approach
Cross the bridge and go along the fence line to find the big info sign. Follow the trail marker up the hill next to the houses and then go RIGHT where you see the trail split, following the red cross trail across the small metal bridge and up the hill.
(Do NOT make the mistake of going straight past the second signpost following the creek, as you will quickly lose track of the barely-visible trail and potentially get stuck in a very steep valley.)
Follow the red cross markers up the initially intense uphill trail for 35-45 minutes to reach the wall. Sector Faleza de Jos is along the way there with a faint trail uphill to the right...hard to find as you cannot see the wall from the trail through the trees. When you reach the waterfall, going right uphill will take you to the right half of Sector 1. Go under the falls following the wall to find the left half of Sector 1. Sector 2 is around the corner, and uphill a bit, divided into an upper and lower wall. Sector 3 is uphill further beyond, through a scree field and some vegetation.
where to stay
Plenty of hotels, Airbnb's and other rentals in town. There are also multiple campgrounds scattered throughout the valley. Past the town of Baile Herculaine after the visitor center, you lose cellular reception.
ethic
Do not litter. Pack out all your trash. Take your toilet paper with you. If you see hikers littering, say something! Keep this area beautiful for everyone to use. It is normal for people to leave gear hidden at the wall to make the hike easier for following days. Please respect everyone's property and leave it alone if it's not yours so everyone can enjoy the climbing here.
1.1. Faleza De Jos 14 routes in Sector
- Summary:
-
description
A small, sunny sector of climbing with about 16 routes, located on the right as you ascend the trail to the waterfall. The trail is hard to find, as you cannot see the wall above you when the trees are full.
approach
Hike about halfway up the trail and start looking right. If you make it to the waterfall viewpoint outcropping, you've gone too far.
| Route | Grade | Style | Selected ascents | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lolek | {FR} 6a | ||||
| 2 | Bolek | {FR} 6b | ||||
| 3 | Pescărușul albastru | {FR} 7a+ | ||||
| 4 | Agricultorul | {FR} 6a | ||||
| 5 | Bicefal dreapta | {FR} 5b | ||||
| 6 | Shorty | {FR} 8a+ | 12m | |||
| 7 | Heads up | {FR} 7b | ||||
| 8 | The nest | {FR} 7a+ | ||||
| 9 | 4 anotimpuri | {FR} 7a | ||||
| 10 | Ploaie de primăvară | {FR} 7a | ||||
| 11 | Illuminati | {FR} 7b | ||||
| 12 | Praf de stele | {FR} 6c+ | ||||
| 13 | 13 aprilie | {FR} 6a | ||||
| 14 | Dinamometric | {FR} 5b | ||||
1.2. Sector 1 47 routes in Sector
- Summary:
-
description
The first sector you'll see as you reach the waterfall. The right half of this sector starts uphill on a tall ledge, with No Country for Old Men on the furthest left where the ledge tapers off to a rope leash. It continues up the hill to the right, finishing with Joint Venture past the small cave. The left half of Sector 1 starts on the lower wall right of the waterfall. Go under the waterfall around the bend where the first route you see with be the Subroofer project. The furthest-left route is P.O.H.U.I., which is first line right of the dihedral crack containing Guilty Pleasures (with the small tree in it near the corner).
approach
The main part of this wall is the group of routes left of the waterfall before the corner. 5 routes are located on the lower wall right of the waterfall: Galusca (project), Super Humans (project), Inventiv (project), Picaturi, and Piscaturi, from left to right.
| Route | Grade | Style | Selected ascents | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
★★★ P.O.H.U.I
Start up the white rock in small the inset before the wall turns a corner and goes uphill a bit. Just right of the dihedral crack with a tree containing Guilty Pleasures. Technical start with an amazing juggy finish on overhang. | {FR} 6a+ | 35m | |||
| 2 |
★★★ Do it yourself
Solve a hard roof boulder that leads to somewhat easier semi-sustained face-climbing. | {FR} 6c+ | 35m | |||
| 3 |
★★★ Rachiu cu vai
One of the most popular "7's" at the crag, and definitely the highest of quality....although the grade is up for debate. There's a reason it's a lot of people's first "7a+". | {FR} 7a+ | 35m | |||
| 4 | Ice is nice | {FR} 7c | 35m | |||
| 5 | ★★★ Axis Mundi | {FR} 7b+ | 35m | |||
| 6 | ★★★ Elements | {FR} 7b+ | 35m | |||
| 7 | ★★★ Bulina | {FR} 7c | 35m | |||
| 8 | Cats | {FR} 8a | 35m | |||
| 9 |
★★★ Dogs
An exquisite line of thuggery culminating in a powerful V6-ish (6c+/7a) boulder problem where a larger ape index might play to your advantage...or not. | {FR} 7c | 25m | |||
| 10 |
Choose right! (left)
The left variation breaks into a left line a few of bolts, skipping the 7c+ crux of the direct line. Make it to the roof then traverse right to re-join the main bolt line. | {FR} 7b+ | 25m | |||
| 11 |
★★★ Choose right! (right)
The direct variant with a difficult power-endurance crux on edges. | {FR} 7c+ | 25m | |||
| 12 |
Rusty nail
Set: Gerhard Hornhager FA: Mike Fuselier, 2015 | {FR} 8b+ | 25m | |||
| 13 | Guri Guri | {FR} 8b | 25m | |||
| 14 |
Butterfly
The lower part of Stone Butterfly. | {FR} 8c+ | 10m | |||
| 15 |
Stone butterfly
Set: Gerhard Hörhager FA: Adam Ondra, 15 May 2018 | {FR} 9a+ | 15m | |||
| 16 | Viper Viper | {FR} 8a | 10m | |||
| 17 | Viper Viper Extension | {FR} 8c+ | ||||
| 18 | Subroofer | 15m | ||||
| 19 | Gălușcă | 15m | ||||
| 20 | Super humans | 15m | ||||
| 21 | Inventiv | 18m | ||||
| 22 | Picături / Droplets | {FR} 7a | 18m | |||
| 23 | Pișcături / Bites | {FR} 6b+ | 10m | |||
| 24 | No Country for Old Men | {FR} 7b | 30m | |||
| 25 | Pintea | {FR} 7b | 30m | |||
| 26 | ★★★ Kiss with a Fist | {FR} 7a+ | 30m | |||
| 27 | Young and Restless | {FR} 7c | 30m | |||
| 28 | Triple Slap | {FR} 7c | 26m | |||
| 29 | Top Spin | {FR} 7c+ | 30m | |||
| 30 | Spike Connection | {FR} 7a+ | 25m | |||
| 31 | Fachirul | {FR} 7b+ | 20m | |||
| 32 | Cottonmouth | {FR} 7c+ | 30m | |||
| 33 | Pokiu | {FR} 7c | 28m | |||
| 34 | Pokiu Extension | |||||
| 35 | Dark Knights | 15m | ||||
| 36 | La Placă | {FR} 6c+ | 15m | |||
| 37 | Brave | |||||
| 38 | Brave and Humble | 30m | ||||
| 39 | Strength and Honour | {FR} 8a+ | 30m | |||
| 40 | Annapurna | {FR} 8a | 30m | |||
| 41 | Explică-mi! / Explain me! | {FR} 8a+ | 15m | |||
| 42 | Pump Fiction | {FR} 8a | 25m | |||
| 43 |
Kashmir
FA: Bogdan Rus, 2016 | {FR} 8b+/c | 25m | |||
| 44 | Sarabanda | 15m | ||||
| 45 | Batacanda | 15m | ||||
| 46 | La Scuceala | {FR} 8a | 22m | |||
| 47 | Joint Venture | {FR} 7a | 15m | |||
1.3. Sector 2 39 routes in Sector
- Summary:
-
description
Hike past the waterfall, around the corner and uphill to find this sector. North-east facing mostly, the upper-ledge routes go into shade from right to left starting around 2 pm, the last routes on the upper left going into shade around 4 pm roughly. The lower wall stays in the shade except a few right-most routes past the small break, and the furthest right section (5 routes) back down the hill sharing the corner with Sector 1 gets shade around noon.
approach
The last route in sector 2 from the guidebook is Guilty Pleasures, 5b which is located in an obvious crack with a small tree in it as you turn the corner to go uphill past Sector 1. There is a small grouping of 5 routes here separate from the rest of Sector 2.
The first route listed in the guidebook for Sector 2 is located uphill on the left end of upper ledge, accessed by walking all the way to the end of the sector past the lower wall to where it tapers and meets with the upper wall.
| Route | Grade | Style | Selected ascents | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Masala | {FR} 7b | ||||
| 2 | Nucșoară | {FR} 6c+ | 3 | |||
| 3 | Scorțișoară | {FR} 6a+ | ||||
| 4 | Scorțișoară Extension | {FR} 7a | ||||
| 5 | ★★ Turmeric | {FR} 6c+ | ||||
| 6 | Daddy be cool | {FR} 6a | ||||
| 7 | Cardamom | {FR} 7b+ | ||||
| 8 | ★★ Vegeta | {FR} 6a+ | ||||
| 9 | ★★ Aqua forte | {FR} 6b | ||||
| 10 | Aqua Forte Extension | |||||
| 11 | ★ Capra mică | {FR} 5a | ||||
| 12 | Capra mare | {FR} 5c | ||||
| 13 | Guano | {FR} 6a | ||||
| 14 | ★★ Ma friend | {FR} 6c+ | ||||
| 15 | Cassiopeia | {FR} 5a | ||||
| 16 | ★★ Cloud Atlas | {FR} 5b | ||||
| 17 | Pisang | {FR} 5b | ||||
| 18 | Caru Mare | {FR} 5 | ||||
| 19 | Castor | {FR} 5 | ||||
| 20 | Pollux | {FR} 6a | ||||
| 21 | Y-grec | {US} FR:6a+ | ||||
| 22 | Black cat, white cat | {US} FR:8a+ | ||||
| 23 | G Force | {US} FR:7a+ | ||||
| 24 | G Force Extension | |||||
| 25 | Beef Power | {US} FR:7b+ | ||||
| 26 | ★★★ Air Force | {US} FR:7c | ||||
| 27 | Blinded by the light | {US} FR:8b+ | ||||
| 28 |
Mrs Baba
FA: Cédric Lachat | {US} FR:8b/b+ | ||||
| 29 | Timișoara | |||||
| 30 | Black Cobra | {US} FR:8b | ||||
| 31 |
Black Cobra Extension
FA: Adam Ondra, 13 May 2018 | {FR} 9a | ||||
| 32 | Sky Walker | |||||
| 33 | Antigiro | |||||
| 34 |
★★★ Legudovaran / Legudowaran
Set: Felix Fromm FA: Dani Andrada | {FR} 8c+ | 3 | |||
| 35 | Pleasure Lane | {US} FR:6c+ | ||||
| 36 | The Good Life | {US} FR:6a+ | ||||
| 37 | Joyride | {US} FR:6b+ | ||||
| 38 | ★ Paradise City | {US} FR:6b | ||||
| 39 | ★ Guilty Pleasures | {US} FR:5a | ||||
1.4. Sector 3 1 route in Sector
- Summary:
-
description
A small, heavily vegetated sub-area of low-angle climbing on broken crack systems.
approach
Hike past Sector 2 past where the wall stopx. Break left into the faint trail on the scree field until you see the routes on the right when the wall starts again, another few minutes up the hill.
| Route | Grade | Style | Selected ascents | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saxifraga | {US} FR:6b+ | ||||
