Vârful Găina (Muntele Găina)

Vârful Găina, at an altitude of 1,486 m, is the highest point of the Găina Massif, located in the central part of the Munții Apuseni (Western Carpathians), in Țara Moților, near the commune of Avram Iancu in Alba County. The massif lies close to the borders of Alba, Arad and Hunedoara counties; the 1,486 m point itself lies in Hunedoara County (Bulzeștii de Sus commune), while the plateau with Iancu's Cross (Găina Cruce, 1,467 m) is in Avram Iancu commune, Alba County. A particular feature: although the maximum altitude does not exceed 1,486 m, the plateau is covered by pastures, without forest. The views from the summit encompass the entire Apuseni range, and on clear days even the central section of the Southern Carpathians is visible. From a geological standpoint, the massif is highly complex, with crystalline metamorphic rocks, sedimentary formations and magmatic intrusions. Nearby, in Vidra commune, lies the Dealul cu Melci palaeontological reserve. The mountain's name is linked to a legend: according to local tradition, a hen (a fairy, in other versions) lived on the mountain and laid golden eggs. The Târgul de Fete (Girls' Fair), first recorded in 1816, is held on the plateau every year on the Sunday (usually also the Saturday before) closest to Saint Elijah's Day (20 July). On Găina Cruce (1,467 m) stands Avram Iancu's Cross, raised in 1924, next to the telecommunications relays. The easiest access is from the centre of the commune of Avram Iancu, via an 8-9 km marked forestry road, or on foot along the trail marked with a blue stripe (the path starting at the town hall), with a walking time of 1.5-3 hours through fir and beech forest. The ridge trail continues toward Vârful Bihor, marked with a red stripe. Did you know that Avram Iancu's Cross on Mount Găina was raised in 1924, for the centenary of Avram Iancu's birth, and consecrated that same year at the Girls' Fair in the presence of King Ferdinand I?