Latoriței Mountains – Voineasa – Mǎnǎileasa Valley – Mǎnǎileasa Mare Peak
Latoriței Mountains – Voineasa – Mǎnǎileasa Valley – Mǎnǎileasa Mare Peak
Route: unmarked, accessible, difficult in winter from Nopteasa Ranger Station to the summit
Duration: 5–6 hours
To reach the highest peak of the mountains located between Mǎnǎileasa Valley and the Lotru River, we begin on the road that leaves Voineasa heading west until Mǎnǎileasa Mouth, where the road splits. The road that follows the Lotru River westward leads to Vidra Lake through the famous Cataracte area, while the road that branches left toward the south–southwest is the main road connecting to Jiului Valley (DN 7A).
We follow the second road, leaving behind the last houses of the village. The riverbed of Mǎnǎileasa Stream changed after the construction of the road and the three micro-hydropower plants, but it still preserves its special charm, perfectly complemented by the beech forests covering the valley. After about 2 kilometers, the valley cuts through a limestone ridge where, on the right bank, a small cave can be seen.
We continue climbing for nearly 6 kilometers, passing the tree nursery and the Runculeț Forestry Station, until reaching the switchbacks. We shorten the distance by following a path that climbs gently along the slopes of Padina Mountain through young forest, stopping along the way to admire the rocky cliffs guarding the valley on the left side. Above them we can see a dense spruce forest covering the ridge of Mǎnǎileasa Mountain.
After the switchbacks, we pass Ghimis Cross and Padina Ranger Station, where we stop at a spring for a short rest.
From here we can see in the distance Vidruței Saddle, the main destination of this route. The road climbs gently to the former Mǎnăileasa settlement, where only a few barracks and the Nopteasa Forestry Station remain. The valley is crossed at this point by the pipeline that carries water from Vidra Lake to the Lotru–Ciunget Power Plant.
From here the summit can be reached by two routes:
Those with sufficient experience and good orientation skills can follow the tractor road along Mihai Valley, a left tributary of Mǎnǎileasa Valley, which after about one hour reaches the alpine meadow at the foot of Mǎnǎileasa Mare Peak (1,853 m).
Those who prefer an easier route can follow the road that leads to Vidruței Saddle (1,583 m), and from there take the trail marked with a red stripe heading north, climbing through the forest to a smaller summit (1,750 m) known as “la Releu”, where the pillar of an old television relay station stands.
From this point the road continues east toward Mǎnǎileasa Mică Peak and further on to Mǎnǎileasa Mare Peak. At the summit we can admire to the north the ridge of the Lotru Mountains, where the high peaks Șteflești Peak (2,244 m) and Cristești Peak (2,233 m) stand side by side. To the west we can see the rocky fortresses of the Parâng Mountains, while to the south the Mogoșu Mountains and Frătoșteanu Mare Peak display their silhouettes, highlighted in places by the white limestone cliffs.
The return can be made along the ridge that descends gradually eastward toward Voineasa (wide, unmarked path), forming an interesting circular route (about 4 additional hours). Another option is to descend along a path located in the basin of Șteflea Stream to the miners’ settlement at Cataracte, and from there follow the road back to Voineasa (14 km). Alternatively, returning from Mǎnǎileasa Mică Peak to “la Releu”, we can descend to the Vidra resort along an old and little-known trail located on Plaiul Hoților Ridge.