Călimani National Park Visitor's Guide
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Călimani National Park Visitor’s Guide Introduction The present guide was designed to assist nature lovers and mountain hiking enthusiasts who wish to visit the Călimani National Park, by offering useful information about the natural heritage and the tourists routes to be pursued. Prior to touring the park we recommend studying this guide and and preparing adequate equipment in order to avoid any risk. When visiting Călimani National Park visitor must observe Park rules. The natural environment has become more and more vulnerable as a result of intensive human activities, which requires restricting activities in the Park in order to limit human interference. Please contribute to its protection, not to its destruction! Content PART I............................................................................................................7 What is the Călimani National Park?...................................................8 Location...................................................................................................8 Short History...............................................................................................9 Physical and Geographical Framework..........................................9 Geology............................................................................................9 Geomorphology.........................................................................11 Climate.........................................................................................12 Hydrology.....................................................................................14 Soil and Substratum...............................................................................15 Flora and Vegetation..............................................................................16 Fauna...............................................................................................20 Landscapes......................................................................................24 Historical Vestiges...................................................................................24 Cultural Manifestations of the Past...................................................26 Nedeea from Călimani.........................................................................26 Entering Routes to the Călimani National Park............................27 What Can One Visit in the Călimani National Park?.....................28 Park divisions............................................................................................37 How to prepare for the trip?.................................................................38 Rules for visiting the Călimani National Park..................................39 PART II........................................................................................................43 A. Trails starting from Neagra Şarului Depression – Gura Haitii................................................................................................44 1. Trail: Gura Haitii – Pietrele Roșii – Dornișoara.............................44 2. Trail: Gura Haitii village – Poiana Izvoarelor – Pietrosu Călimani Peak – Reţitiş Peak – Iezerul Călimanilor Peak – Păltiniş Pass......48 3. Trail: Neagra Şarului village – 12 Apostles Peak – Poiana Izvoarele – Reţitiş Peak – Iezerul Călimanilor Peak – Neagra Şarului village...54 4. Trail: Vatra Dornei – Poiana Spânzului – Poiana Snopului – Apa Rece – Şaru Dornei village......................................................60 B. Trails starting from Poiana Negri and Dornişoara................62 5. Trail: Dornişoara village – Izvoarele Dornei.............................63 6. Trail: Dornişoara village – Gura Haitii (See Trail No. 1)........65 7. Poiana Negri village – 12 Apostles Peak – Gura Haitii village – Călimanul Cerbului Peak – Coverca village.............................65 C. Trails starting from Piatra Fântânele – Colibiţa....................72 8. Trail: Piatra Fântânele village – Poiana sub Măgură – Buba Peak – Terha Saddle – Poiana Dălbidanul – Viişoara Mountain – Bistriciorul Saddle – Tihului – Pietrosul Gorge.......................72 9. Trail: Colibiţa village – Colbul Valley – Bistriciorul Peak...76 D. Trails starting from Mureşului Gorge..........................................78 10. Trail: Bistra Mureşului – Bistra Valley – Valea din Mijloc (Middle Valley) – Poiana Cofu..............................................................................78 11. Trail: Gura Cofu – Cofu Valley – Poiana Cofu.......................80 12. Trail: Bistra Valley – Zăpodea cu Cale – Zăpodea Ursului......80 13. Trail: Gălăoaia – Poiana Stegii – Zăpodea cu Podul – Bistra Valley...........................................................................................81 14. Trail: Răstoliţa – Vişa Valley – Poiana Stegii...................83 15. Trail: Secu Valley – Poiana Lungă – Tăul Zânelor................84 16. Trail: Tihul Răstoliţei – Tihu Saddle.....................................85 17. Trail: Rusca Valley – Tihu Peak..............................................86 18. Trail: Sălard – La Sărăcin............................................................87 19. Trail: Sălard – Poiana Obcinelor – Fântânel Valley – Lunca Bradului...................................................................................88 20. Trail: Lunca Bradului – Ilva Mare Valley – Negoiu Saddle....88 21. Trail: Tihul Ilvei – Tihu Peak.........................................................90 22. Trail: Ilişoara Mare Valley – Cucumberţul Valley – Poiana Drăguş – Nicovala Saddle....................................................................94 23. Traseu Stânceni – Valea Zebrac – Poiana Zebrac..................98 E. Trails starting from Topliţa............................................................99 24. Trail: Topliţa – Reţitiş Peak..........................................................99 PART I Călimani National Park – protected natural area and a place of recreation for the nature-friendly visitors – What is the Călimani National Park? The Călimani National Park is a protected natural area whose purpose is the preservation of its ecosystems and species. LocationI It lies on a part of the Călimani Massif from the Oriental Carpathians, between 47°1’49.17’’ - 47° 14’51.70’’ north latitude and 25°0’19.92’’ - 25°19’47.11’’ east longitude. It occupies land in the Suceava, Mureş, Harghita and Bistriţa-Năsăud counties. It consists of the superior area of the Călimani Massif, which is the highest volcanic massif in the country, bordered on the east by the Păltiniş, Drăgoiasa, Bilbor and Secu Depressions, on the north by the Dornelor Depression and Bârgău Mountains, on the south by the Mureş Gorge and on the west by the Transylvania Plateau. Călimani National Park – Visitor’s Guide / PART I Short History The interest for preserving the values of the natural heritage in the Călimani Mountains was materialized in 1971 with the creation of the 12 Apostoli (12 Apostles) Geological Reserve and the Jnepeniş with Pinus cembra Scientific Reserve. In the same year, the Călimani National Park was also declared, as such, having an area of 15,300 ha. As a result of mining exploration in the Călimani area, a unique phenomenon in the world, the volcanokarst, was discovered and described, for the first time, in Romania. The central point of this discovery was the grotto network Peşterile Luanei (Luana’s Caves), which were declared in 1973, a monument of nature. It was only in 2000 that the efforts of establishing the Călimani National Park began to take shape. It encompassed an area of 24041 ha. Physical and Geographical Framework Geology The Călimani Massif belongs to the “andesitic arc”. The volcanic range lies on a foundation of Carpathian crystalline schists and Triasic sedimentary formations, deposits of the transcarpathian flisch and Miocene and Pannonian sedimentary formations. The volcanic range is made up of three geological units with a north-south orientation: a) the central axial area consisting of andesitic and pyroclastic plateaus – dominated by volcanic cones; b) the volcano-sedimentary area which surrounds the central area; c) the lahar deposits situated between the aforementioned formations and the sedimentary ones from the eastern side of the Transylvania Depression. Călimani National Park – Visitor’s Guide / PART I 0 The main element of the Călimani is the caldera, with a diameter of approx. 10 km, initially formed as a result of a collapse process, conditioned by the decrease in pressure of the magma pocket of several connected emission centres: Căliman-Izvor, Voivodeasa, Reţitiş, Pietrosul, after the displacement of a considerable volume of fluid magma. The highly silicified, kaolinised and limonitised agglomerates and tuffs from the Călimani caldera favoured the creation of Luana’s Caves, featuring metallic stalactites and stalagmites. Unfortunately, these caves were destroyed when the Călimani sulphur mine was opened. View of Pietrosul Călimani and Pietricelul, Photo: Elena Cenuşă 0 Călimani National Park – Visitor’s Guide / PART I Geomorphology The Călimani Mountains are higher than the Bârgău Mountains and the Transylvania Plateau. Three areas with distinctive aspect are to be found in the mountain region of Călimani: a) highly dented interfluvial relief, modelled in volcanic agglomerates; b) plateau – a pile of agglomerates and lava flows; c) central caldera, surrounded by abrupt slopes and the cupola dominating the plateau. The highest point is the Pietrosul