Apuseni Mountains Natural Park, RO
Walk Cetățile Ponorului Châlet – Pietrele Galbenei Rocks – Focul Viu Glacier Cave – Glăvoi Meadow – Cetățile Ponorului Châlet
Pietrele Galbenei Rocks, Apuseni Mountains
Galbena Rock – Piatra Galbenei (1,243 metres)
Seen from the North, the Rock of Galbena – Piatra Galbenei appears to the eye as a slope located in the Southern end of the Pit from Bârsa – Groapa de la Bârsa. The tourist trail winds up on this slope through virgin forests. The Southern pasrt is a more than 200 metres deep limestone steep wall with panorama. The white rock wall shines in the sun like the walls of an impenetrable fortress which guards the beauties of Padiş – Ponor Fortresses – Cetăţile Ponorului and the Flowers Glade – Poiana Florilor.
Beneath the Galbena Rock – Piatra Galbenei lies a wonderful beech forest, raw green in summer and multi-colored in autumn. In the forest one can discover several small glades, some of them with mowers’ shelters. All these form the Flowers Glade – Poiana Florilor. Beyond, the Galbena Valley – Valea Galbenei (together with its tributaries) deepens its stream bed between ridges covered by forests. One of the tributaries cuts the opposite mountain creating in the upper part a huge reddish “wound”. It is a ravine called the Rusty Pit – Groapa Ruginoasă carved by the torrents right through Ţapu Mountain – Muntele Ţapu, which is also the source place f the Dry Valley – Valea Seacă (a stream with many canyons, waterfalls and cascades). To the right, there are the humps of Ştirbina, Giunaşu and Tărtăroaia peaks, the last one being surrounded by glades.
Luncşoara Valley – Valea Luncşoara meets the Galbena Valley – Valea Galbenei on the left. The former has its source in Arieşeni, beneath Cobleş hamlet, its houses being visible on the horizon. In the same direction, one can notice the ski slop on Vârtop Mountain – Muntele Vârtop and beyond, if the sky is clear, Curcubăta Mare Peak – Vârful Curcubăta Mare with the TV relay “poking” the sky. Finally, on the left there is Borţig Mountain –Muntele Borţig, covered by forests, and with a very steep slope towards the Galbena Karst Spring – Izbucul Galbenei. The Mountain is hidden by ridges covered by forests, but betrayed by an arch-shaped lime rock. Because of the landscapes that can be admired from it, the Galbena Rock – Piatra Galbenei is one of the most beautiful belvedere point in the Apuseni Mountains – Munţii Apuseni.
Focul Viu Glacier Cave, Apuseni Mountains
The Focul Viu ice cave consists of two halls, the first being of a more impressive size. It shelters a huge ice block, the third largest in the country (approx. 25,000 m3). Access to the cave is made through a descending passage equipped with stairs. The ceiling of the first hall presents a huge natural window through which large quantities of logs, leaves and snow have fallen from the forest above. These have piles up into a large mound in the center of the hall. Some of the logs were trapped in ice, their free ends rotting and staining the ice block. Enough light enters through the ceiling window to unveil the splendor of ice stalagmite clusters which form opposite the entrance. Around noon, sunbeams pass through the ceiling window creating a fairy scenery.
One of the margins of the ice block descends in a deep crevice along the rocky wall. The small hall of the cave is situated after the large hall and does not have any special cave ornaments. The cave ends in a blocked chimney.
Descending towards the cave in a hot summer day can be a pleasant experience, as the outer temperature is much higher than that of the cave air. The existence of ice inside the cave is due to two factors: the accumulation of cold air in the cave that descends through the ceiling window, and the lack of ventilation inside the cave that keeps the cold air insode throughout the year.
WARNING! This cave is protected by law! To prevent and reduce the degradation of the ice block quality and size, a wooden balcony has been installed at the cave entrance from which visitors can observe and take pictures of the ice formations in the main hall. Access beyond this balcony is strictly forbidden!
