EASY WINTER HIKE IN ROMANIA, ON THE PRAHOVA VALLEY, SUITABLE FOR ANY SEASON
The long-awaited snow finally made its appearance in the mountains. I had been waiting for some time to come to cover the route from Predeal to Cabana Susai, so I didn't think twice. Because the weather forecast announced a blizzard, we didn't want to risk going by car, so we booked train tickets. In the end, we made the right decision because, coming from Bucharest, DN1 road was very crowded, and because it snowed a lot, real mountains of snow were formed on the side of the road in Predeal, which would have given us a headache with parking.
The great advantage of the location is that it can be reached relatively quickly, both from Bucharest and Brasov, both by personal car or by train, and if you decide to spend several days in the area there are numerous hikes and activities that you can do. I will talk about other hikes at the end of the article.
Hiking is my favorite activity in the mountains, so we couldn't help but take advantage of the fluffy snow, which was laid in a generous layer on most of the mountain paths. I chose this route because it is absolutely not dangerous at all and is relatively easy to do, even with heavy snow on the path. We were also unlucky to catch ice under the snow on certain sections, so it made our ascent to the chalet more difficult. Even so, it is a route that can be done by almost anyone who does not have any mobility problems.
HOW TO FIND THE BEGINNING OF THE HIKING PATH TO SUSAI CABIN:
The hike starts in Predeal, in the Cioplea area. As a landmark, you must reach the Belvedere Hotel and follow the road.
If you arrive in Predeal by train, add extra about 30 minutes of walking. From the train station, either follow the E60 road and then Bd. Libertatii, or cross the railway and follow the path to Strada Eroilor. The option with crossing the railway is also presented by Google Maps, and as a landmark for crossing the train lines, there is a CFR gate, behind which the path passes. Crossing the railway through that place seems a bit illegal, so if you choose this option, do it at your own risk and with great attention to the trains.
For those who arrive by car to the entrance to the trail, there are parking spaces where you can leave your car, either near the Belvedere Hotel, or a little further, after you pass the first section of forest.
ABOUT THE WINTER HIKE FROM PREDEAL TO SUSAI CABIN
As I said above, it is not a dangerous trail, there are no exposed sections and it is not very physically demanding. There are warnings about bears, but if you choose to hike this trail in the winter it is almost impossible to encounter one, especially during the day, when there is a lot of noise from ATVs and snowmobiles.
Once you pass the Belvedere Hotel, there is a section of walking on a forest road. Right from the entrance to the forest, on the left there is a sign with some information. Four trails start from the same point, each marked differently. For our route, we followed the red line marking. Although the sign estimates a one-hour walk to Susai Chalet, we had a harder time because of the very high snow layer, so it took us 3 hours to get there and an hour to get back.
After a short walk on a forest road, there is a clearing with a few houses and guesthouses. There the trail to Susai Chalet forks, so you have two options to continue the trail: one on a narrow path through the forest and one on the forest road. We chose to go to the chalet on the path, leaving the forest road option for the return.
Although on some parts of the route there are no other options to finish this hike, except on the forest road, I recommend that whenever the road forks, you choose the option through the forest, following the red line marking. The reason for this recommendation is that the forest road can be dangerous for pedestrians. We chose to do this route on a Saturday, when there were a lot of tourists with ATVs in the area, but who were not nearly as dangerous as those who made dozens of trips with 4X4 cars to bring tourists from Predeal, to the top of the mountain, to a club (yes, you read that right, a club on the top of the mountain). They were driving at high speed, and the ice under the snow did not allow them to have total control over the direction, so one of the cars almost hit us (unintentionally, obviously), and in some parts you had nowhere to move left or right to avoid it.
Aside from these minor inconveniences with the 4X4 cars that carried a few hundred tourists to the club, the route was absolutely gorgeous, and the snow lay perfectly on the fir trees, making the landscape look like a frozen kingdom from a fairy tale. Fortunately, I didn't feel the cold, even though it was a few degrees below zero.
Regarding equipment, I must mention that you need waterproof clothes and shoes, especially if it snows non-stop, as it was in our case. It is not necessary to have mountain boots, but it would help. I wanted to be 100% sure that I would not freeze, so I gave up on the boots and took some very thick, waterproof boots, but which are not hiking boots (don't judge me too harshly, I wanted an opportunity to wear my snow boots :)). It was ok eventually, especially since it is not a hike that creates difficulty in any way.
You will know you are approaching the chalet when you see the illuminated sign of the club. There the road forks and you have the easier option of going on the right road, in front of the club, or going down the road on the right, which goes around a bit.
Once we arrived at the cabin, the returning tourists warned us that it was closed, and after a discussion with one of the employees of the Susai complex, we learned that from October 2022, until most likely November 2023, the complex is closed for renovation. By complex, I mean both the Susai Cabin, which operated as a restaurant, and the houses that receive tourists as a hotel, which also belong to the Susai Cabin.
To return to Predeal, we decided to follow the same route we took on our way up.
WHERE ARE YOU ACCOMMODATING IN PREDEAL?
Among the options available on Booking, the ones that caught my attention and have good ratings are:
- Regina - accommodation unit with double or triple rooms. It is located 5 minutes from the ski slopes and has a bar and private parking;
- Hotel Belvedere - 3-star accommodation unit, which has double or twin rooms. The location is equipped with parking, restaurant, sauna and fitness room;
- Hotel Orizont - 4-star accommodation unit, which has double, twin or suite rooms. The location is equipped with an indoor pool, spa area, restaurant, bar and offers the option of room service;
OTHER TRIPS AND THINGS TO DO IN PREDEAL:
If you've made it to Predeal, I think you'll want to spend at least two days in the town, or at least have some time left after the hike at Cabana Susai. Unfortunately, there are no tourist attractions in the town to visit, except for a church and some monuments. Apart from skiing, snowboarding, sledding and hiking, there's not much else to do. So, here are a few hikes you can do from Predeal:
- hiking trail from Clabucet Plecare to Garbova Cabin (can be done in winter as well) - it takes 2 hrs;
- hiking trail from Predeal to Saua Baiului - it takes 3 hrs;
- hiking trail from Predeal to Cabana 3 Brazi- (can be done in winter as well) - it takes 1 hr an 15 minutes; In summer, you can continue to the Cristianul Mare Chalet, as it is a partially marked trail;
- hiking trail from Predeal (departure from the Cioplea area, approximately the same location where the route to Susai Chalet begins) - Poiana Stanii Pietricica - it takes 3 hrs;
CONCLUSION ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE ON THE HIKING TRAIL TO SUSAI CABIN:
Although this hike can be done at any time of the year, I recommend it especially during the winter, after a heavy snowfall that covers everything with a thick layer of snow. During this period, the landscape takes on a special charm, becoming truly spectacular. I am sure that the experience will be captivating and full of joy, both for adults and children. I met many parents who, together with their children, were adventuring on the route with sleds, enthusiastically pulling them up the hill and transforming the forest road, on the way back, into a huge and cheerful slope. Unfortunately, the traffic is indescribable on Saturdays, but during the week, or even Sundays, it is definitely freer, because then there are no parties organized on the mountaintop.
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Read about other hikes that can be done in winter: hike to Curmatura Chalet, hike to Malaiesti Chalet, or about locations such as Danube Gorges, Targoviste, Bran Castle, Scopoasa Lake, or Balea Waterfall.
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