WINTER HIKE RASNOV, GLAJERIEI VALLEY - MALAIESTI CABIN AND RETURN
Being a huge lover of nature and mountains, I had been planning for some time to take a hike to Malaiesti Chalet. With the first snow falling and looking for relatively short trails that can be done in winter, I came across the hike starting from Rasnov. The beauty of the place where the chalet is located did not disappoint and I will definitely do other hiking trails to this place. I plan to come back in the summer, when the weather is perfect for staying outside and admiring the beauty of the landscapes.
Getting back to the subject of this article and the things that really interest you, below I leave some information that may be useful for you in following the route from Rasnov to Malaiesti Chalet.
HOW DO YOU GET TO THE ENTRANCE OF THE TRAIL TO MALAIESTI CABIN?
The trail to Malaiesti Chalet starts in Rasnov. To find the entrance to the trail, we must drive along Glajeriei Street, following the blue line markings. At some point, the asphalt ends, and the trail goes to the right. From this point, if the road is not snowy, you can drive along the road until you reach the barrier. There are enough parking spaces on the side of the road. I do not necessarily recommend leaving the car where the asphalt ends, unless the road does not allow you to drive, because it is a long way to the official entrance to the trail. During the time we did the hike (December 2023), the forest road could be traveled by car.
ABOUT THE HIKE TO THE MALAIESTI CABIN - WINTER ROUTE
• The marking that will guide us on this route is the blue line;
• The duration of the round trip is approximately 5-6 hours in winter;
• Difficulty of the route: medium;
• Recommended equipment: waterproof boots, steel crampons, trekking poles;
Once we have parked the car, we start the hike on the forest road. After just a few minutes of progress, without climbing too much, we leave this section of the road, and the trail continues to the left. We cross the stream and a short climb through the forest begins. On this section of the trail and beyond, you will need steel crampons. The climb starts to be a bit more difficult and if there is snow or ice on the path, progress without crampons is difficult.
A slightly easier portion of the route follows, on a very gentle ascent path through the forest, and after we reach the intersection with the trail marking to Diham Cabin, we can say that the ascent in the true sense of the word begins. From this point we still have about two hours to hike to Malaiesti Cabin.
After a steep climb, we reach a small viewpoint. The view is absolutely gorgeous, and certainly, with more snow it would have looked like a picture from a storybook. We enjoyed it anyway and used it as an excuse for a short break before continuing the climb.
I would estimate that more than 95% of the hike is through the forest, and here and there, especially in the last part of the route, we come across a clearing that reveals the beauty of the mountain. I have to admit that the clearings were my favorite parts of the route.
At the end of one of the clearings we come across the last sign before reaching the chalet, which tells us that we only have 30 minutes left to do.
Once we arrive in the Malaiesti Valley, although the beauty of the landscape is beyond expectations, due to the cold and the extremely strong wind, we cannot enjoy it very much. As I said above, I have an extra reason to come here during the summer.
Malaiesti Chalet is located at an altitude of 1720 m, 900 meters higher than the starting point of the trail. It is one of the oldest mountain chalets, having been first built in 1882. It is open all year round and offers food and accommodation. Both the rooms and the dining area are heated, and the reservation for accommodation is made per person, not per room. It can accommodate up to 120 people, and the price is 50 lei/night.
The food options, as expected from a location in the middle of the mountains, are quite limited. The food is not the tastiest, but it is edible and welcomed, especially after 3 hours of sustained climbing. The prices are also decent.
After we ate well, warmed up a bit and regained our energy, we headed back to Rasnov. For the descent, we chose the same route, which we covered in just two hours.
WHERE ARE YOU ACCOMMODATING IN RASNOV?
If the Malaiesti Cabin accommodation option doesn't appeal to you, there are a few accommodation options in the area. From what I found on Booking, I'll leave below the ones that caught my attention:
Das Fort Boutique - if you have a bigger budget and want to pamper yourself a little, then this place could be an option. It is an accommodation unit that is located in an old, but renovated Saxon house. The photos can certainly clarify. Is it worth the price asked for a night's accommodation? Everyone decides according to their budget;
Studio Rasnov Apartaments - apartment-type accommodation unit. The rooms have their own kitchenette and can accommodate up to 4 people;
Apartament Hera - apartment-type accommodation unit, which is rented as a whole. It can accommodate up to 4 people. It has parking.
OTHER HIKES TO THE MALAIESTI CABIN:
To reach Malaiesti Chalet there are several routes, most of which are only open in summer. I leave them below for inspiration:
Cerbului Valley hike - Gura Diham Chalet - Poiana Izvoarelor Chalet - Malaiesti Chalet;
Diham Chalet - Glajarie - Malaiesti Chalet route (it is largely common with the one that is the subject of this article);
Simon village hike - Gaura Valley - Malaiesti Horns - Malaiesti Cabin (we talked about part of this route, up to the Moara Dracului Waterfall, in this article);
Poarta village - Lake Tiganesti - Malaiesti Cabin;
CONCLUSIONS ABOUT THE HIKE TO THE MALAIESTI CABIN - WINTER:
The hiking trail we took, starting from Rasnov, is considered the shortest route to Malaiesti Chalet. We chose to take it in winter out of the desire to enjoy snow and fairy-tale landscapes. Since the plan at home does not match what we find on site every time, the landscape was not at all fairy-tale (or at least not fairy-tale from the land of ice, as I hoped), in Rasnov being 7 degrees warmer than in Bucharest. So, we had mud, melted snow and a lot of slush, especially on the way back. On this occasion, I would like to point out the importance of waterproof boots, the last thing you want in this situation is to get your feet wet.
Either way, the mountain is beautiful in any season, and such a hike in nature is good for the soul and body :).
Read also about other routes to: Piatra Craiului Ridge, Devil's Mill Waterfall, Bicajel's Gorges or Moldoveanu Peak.
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