Hiking duration:
- on summer: 2 – 2 ½ h
- on winter: 3 – 4 h
Refuges: the Codric Forestry Station (Comarnice), Cheia Chalet
Water sources: the Codric Forestry Station (Comarnice), At the Lake Pass, the Cheia Chalet
Description:
This is a connection trail, from the Cheia village to the Cheia Refuge, down the forestry road.
From the crossroad with trail no. 12, marked with a blue triangle, that goes up on the Trail of the Goats to the Cheia Refuge, it follows the forestry road along the valley. 200 m further, there is the crossroad with a small tractor road that makes a left for the Codric Forestry Station, and after another 500 m, you’ll get to the point where the Cheia river leaves its gorge sector. As you cross the bridge on your right, you’ll be walking out of the Cheia valley, going upwards on the eastern slope. 2,5 km and two curves further, you’ll get to a spring and the Pass At the Lake (820 m), an important crossroads when hiking in the National Park. There are 3 trails coming here from the ridge on your right, from Băile Olăneşti: trail no. 14, marked by a blue line, in ascent on the Olăneşti Valley to the Cheia Chalet, trail no. 15, marked by a red cross, that comes up on the intervalley between Cheia and Olăneşti and gets to the Cheia Chalet, and trail no. 19, marked with a blue cross, that goes up on the same intervalley, but sets off to the main ridge of Căpăţânii Mountains. This last mentioned trail, separates from the road to go up for Mount Stogu, in the Pass At the Lake, only 50 m further, precisely at the curve where there is an arrow-pointer.
Our trail, nr.13, goes on the forestry road, along with trails 14 and 15, in a winding road, for about 3 km, and then gets to the 200 m long tunnel, that cuts into the limestone block getting out into the north-western slope beneath Curmătura Stogşoare. In the southern corner of the tunnel, there is a campground and an information panel. After crossing through the tunnel, 200 m further, you’ll get to a crossroad with an arrow-pointer, wherefrom the trails no. 14 and 15 go straight down to the Cheia chalet, on a shortcut through the woods. Proceeding on the forestry road, you’ll have to walk down for 2 km, till you get to the river; 500 m before getting there, you’ll run across trail no. 18, marked by a yellow triangle, that goes up to the Cheia Chalet, up the main ridge of the Căpăţânii Mountains. From the crossroad, the two trails go together to the chalet, where they get after 1,5 km more, and after crossing over the river for three times. Before the last crossing over, you’ll see trails 14 and 15, rejoining again, at a crossroad with an arrow-pointer.
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