Vârful Cucurbăta Mare
1,849 m
Romania
Also known as Cucurbăta Mare, Curcubăta Mare, +2Also known as
Cucurbăta Mare · Curcubăta Mare · კურკუბეტა-მარე · Vârful Curcubăta Mare
- Elevation
- 1,849 m
- Prominence
- 1,473 m
- Difficulty
- 2/10
- Hike
- Best Season
- Jun–Sep
- Routes
- 1
Routes
1The classic ridge walk to the highest point of the Apuseni Mountains: the red-band main-ridge trail from the Vârtop resort on the DN75, up through forest and meadow to Piatra Grăitoare (1,658 m), then south along the broad grassy crest over Tarnița Bihorului and Chicera to the rounded summit (1,849 m). About 12 km and 700 m of ascent one way.
Elevation Profile
- Distance
- 10.4 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +880 m
- −196 m lost on the way up
- High Point
- 1,849 m
- Time Up
- 4h 38m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 3h 49m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
Start at Vârtop, the small ski resort on the DN75 pass between Arieșeni and Câmpeni/Beiuș, by the foresters' house. The red-band trail follows a forest road south; after about 25 minutes it crosses a stream, the last reliable water. Shortly after a sharp left bend it leaves the forest, leaves the road and climbs a meadow in a few zigzags. At about 1,500 m turn left (not straight on) to reach the main ridge in five minutes, then follow it right to Piatra Grăitoare (1,658 m), where the chairlift from Arieșeni tops out nearby. Descend 10–15 minutes to the Tarnița Bihorului saddle (1,508 m), then follow the broad, open crest south, climbing over Chicera under a high-voltage line, to the summit of Cucurbăta Mare, also called Vârful Bihor (1,849 m), with its cross, weather station and telecom tower. The ridge is grassy and unexposed but completely open to wind and storms; route-finding in fog depends on the markings. Return the same way, or descend east on the blue band past Cucurbăta Mică and the Mutătură huts down Valea Cepelor to Arieșeni (Galbena), which needs transport back to Vârtop. Signposted and published times vary from 4 to 6 hours for the 12 km ridge; the segment times on the trail description add up to under 3 hours of walking.
Start
Vârtop1,160 m
- Piatra Grăitoare chairlift from Arieșeni to about 1,445 m (operating dates vary; check locally)
- Buses along the DN75 between Câmpeni and Beiuș stop at Arieșeni and Vârtop; services are infrequent.
- Parking at the trailhead
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vârtop → Cucurbăta Mare | 10.4 | 880 | 196 | 4h 38m |
Waypoints
- Trailhead: Vârtop1,160 m
- Shoulder: Piatra Grăitoare1,655 m
- Col: Tarniţa Bihorului1,505 m
- Feature: Biharia1,584 m
- Summit: Cucurbăta Mare1,849 m
Key Passages
- Left turn at about 1,500 m onto the main ridge (easy to miss)
- Open crest from Piatra Grăitoare over Tarnița Bihorului and Chicera
Equipment
0/6 packedDownloads
Route confidence 70%Overview
The highest summit of the Apuseni Mountains (1,849 m), a broad, grassy dome also known as Vârful Bihor at the head of the Bihor massif. Reached by a long, easy ridge walk from the Vârtop pass or by forest roads from Arieșeni, with wide views over the Western Carpathians.
Cucurbăta Mare, also called Vârful Bihor or Bihorul Mare, crowns the Bihor Mountains, the highest group of the Apuseni Mountains in western Romania, on the border of Bihor and Alba counties. The name comes from its rounded, pumpkin-like shape. The summit carries a cross, a weather station and a telecom tower, and wind turbines stand on neighbouring Cucurbăta Mică to the east.
The main Bihor ridge runs north–south from the Vârtop pass on the DN75 to the summit and on to Muntele Găina, a long line of open, grassy crests above spruce forest where horses and sheep graze in summer. The walking is easy underfoot, but the ridge is completely exposed: wind, fog and summer thunderstorms are the main hazards, and there is no water once you leave the forest.
The usual approaches are the red-band main-ridge trail from Vârtop and the blue band from Arieșeni up Valea Cepelor. The Piatra Grăitoare chairlift from Arieșeni, when running, cuts out the first climb. Brown bears and wolves live in the surrounding forests.
Climbing Notes
A fit walker can do the summit from Vârtop and back in a long day (about 24 km return), or traverse from Vârtop to Arieșeni using two cars or a taxi. There are no technical difficulties and no huts on the ridge; carry all the water you need (the last stream is about 25 minutes from Vârtop) and food. Start early in summer to be off the ridge before afternoon storms, and carry a map or GPS track, as the broad crest is confusing in fog.
In winter the ridge is a ski-touring route; snow lies from November to April and the exposed crest can be very cold and windy. Accommodation is plentiful in Vârtop and Arieșeni.
Season
Best Jun–Sep- January: Possible
- February: Possible
- March: Possible
- April: Possible
- May: Good
- June: Best (best window)
- July: Best (best window)
- August: Best (best window)
- September: Best (best window)
- October: Good
- November: Possible
- December: Possible
- Jan
- Ski touring only; very cold and windy on the ridge
- Feb
- Ski touring
- Mar
- Ski touring
- Apr
- Snow on the ridge; wet lower slopes
- May
- Snow patches early in the month
- Jun
- Afternoon thunderstorms
- Jul
- Main season; start early because of storms
- Sep
- Often settled weather
- Oct
- Shorter days; first snow possible
- Nov
- Early winter conditions
- Dec
- Ski touring
Access & Permits
- Getting There
Arieșeni (Vârtop resort); Câmpeni and Beiuș further afield
Oradea (OMR); Cluj-Napoca (CLJ)
- Car: DN75 between Câmpeni and Beiuș to the Vârtop resort; parking at the resort
- Arieșeni approach: from Galbena village take the forest road up Valea Cepelor (blue band); the gravel road continues about 10 km towards the summit and needs a high-clearance vehicle
- Infrequent buses along the DN75
Hazards
- Weather
- Remoteness