Peleaga Peak

Peleaga Peak is the highest summit of the Retezat Mountains, in the Southern Carpathians, and of Retezat National Park. The park administration gives it 2,509 m, while the 1:25,000 map of the Military Topographic Directorate gives 2,507.9 m. Its neighbour, Păpușa Peak, is 2,508 m high. Peleaga is the seventh highest peak in Romania. The summit rises above the Bucura cirque, in the central part of the massif, and overlooks much of central Retezat, with the glacial lakes in the cirques below. The final stretch of the climb crosses granite slabs. The peak can be reached from Bucura Lake, the Bucura saddle (Curmătura Bucurei) or the Peleaga saddle. The park administration recommends a circular route of about 8 hours, of medium to hard difficulty, with 1,000 m of ascent: from Gura Bucurii (a forest road of about 20 km from the Gura Apelor dam) up the Bucura valley to Bucura Lake, then on the yellow cross marking through the Berbecilor cirque to the summit, descending via the Peleaga saddle, Peleaga Lake and the Peleaga valley. There is no water between the Berbecilor cirque and the Peleaga saddle. The route is closed in winter, when the forest road to Gura Bucurii is not passable. Visits are allowed only on marked trails and require the visitor fee.