The Marathon Running Trail

Total distance: 44.4 km  Elevation gain: +2400 m Aid Points: 5 Check Point: 9  Start time: 8:00

Time limit: La Răscruce (PA2) – 2h30min, La Răscruce (PA4) – 6h (2pm), Șesu Cald (Finiș) – 10h

What’s new in this year’s Apuseni Marathon trail running courses? They entirely cross areas as hikers like them: more quiet and closer to nature.

No more climbing on Buscat at the beginning, but don’t get lazy, it won’t get any easier!

A new section is introduced to both the marathon and halfmarathon races, which goes around the Boului Mountain, crossing from the Tisa Valley to the Boului Valley. Why they call the latter as such, it remains for you to discover during the race. While you will be on the ascent, let your imagination run wild!

What could we not miss ? Obviously, the final ascent of the Pietrele Mărunte, and for marathoners, the circuit in the Scarița-Belioara nature reserve.

Also, as for the structure, as in the previous editions, the route of the Half Marathon race is common with sections 1 and 4 of the Marathon race, linked together with a “strap”, of 2 km between the PC points above Știolne and PC Bocșești.

The route starts in the opposite direction on the forest road (military road) to Muntele Mare, but immediately turns left, descending towards the Vadu Valley. It’s a fairly steep trail, which in previous years cross trail runners climbed to the finish.

After a 4.4km downhill and you reach the first checkpoint, PC Valea Vadului. This takes you onto a section of the route from previous years, the place where cross trail runners now  will turn right.

PA1 Valea Vadului is not far away, at km6. Get here quickly, we estimate that within 10 minutes you will all pass. But put a bookmark in your mind: from here to PA2 La Răscruce is 10km and over 500m elevation gain. To stay or not to stay? Because it’s going to get crowded. Yes, the portion that follows is downhill and speedy, but it’s also quite a long climb up the Boului Valley. That’s right… the water will be with you for a long time.

From PA1 you turn right across the water and then, follow a road that climbs through pasture obliquely to the left into the ridge on Boinic Hill. Then descend on the opposite side on a path that passes through the Zăpodie/La Zăpozi huts, turn slightly left to go around the marshy area and cross the Tisei Valley. You reach the Tisa Valley PC.

From here cyou enter the new section, with the Boului Mountain encirclement, no longer passing directly to the Știolne huts. Follow the Tisa stream downhill and at km10.8, where it flows into the stream with a worthy name, leave the Tisa and climb towards the PC above Știolne, at km14.3. The PC Tisa-Boului valley will be happy to guide you..

At the PC above Știolne the half-marathoners turn right towards Știolne, heading back towards the finish, but we still haven’t warmed up and we are wtill climbing. From the summit of Mount Româneasa, turn left on a smooth descent to a wide pass where, at km 15.9, is PA-2/4 La Răscruce, which you’ll pass again later!

From here continue uphill to the boundary of the Scarița-Belioara Reserve. Cross the reserve (meadow, then rare pine forest) to the lip of the steep, above the deep valley called Groapa Mare. Carefully turn left on the path that follows the edge of the abruptness. Enter the forest to the left briefly, then return to the sunny side. You are back on the lip of the steep Groapa Mare, then re-enter the forest where you can see the traces of a former fire (path through downed and charred trees), descend the ridge for a while, then, turn sharply right on a winding path. BE CAREFUL not to dislodge rocks that could injure those further downstream!  You will come out of the forest in the clearing of La Cornu Pietrei, where you turn right and climb about 20 m to the pass.

From the Cornu Pietrei pass go down the road through the beech forest, then climb smoothly on a path through the birch grove and come out on the beautiful ridge of Dealu Brădățel.  You will descend with superb views down to the limestone cliff on the right on which the great Coșu Boului/Coșu Belioarei arch and the Groapa Mare stand out, and in front, Dealu Bilii on which you will arrive. At the edge of the forest you will find a path that takes you right to the dry valley called Răstoaca and then left along it to the PA-3 Izvorul Belioarei, at km 22, halfway along the marathon route.

From here you descend 1 km down the valley road to PC Valea Belioara/Colțul lui Balmoș, then cross the stream and climb a local path through the meadows, past old houses and stables, then obliquely right to the ridge called Dealu Bilii. Follow it to the right, then descend still to the right to the edge of the forest. Here you will find the tourist path marked with a red PR-point, which you follow to the left up through the La Stânci area, using the ropes placed by the mountain rescue members in the steeper area. You pass through the forest and three pools; in the 3rd, called “La Măteoaie” there is a spring where the thirstiest of you will be able to quench your thirst although, after another 15-20 minutes through the forest, you will reach the PA-2/4 La Răscruce again.  You are at km 28.

Cei care n-ați depășit timpul limită veți continua pe poteca ce face „slalom” printre ienuperi, apoi prin pădure, pe la Fântâna Popii – izvor cu „ciurgău”. După ieșirea din pădure în culme, se coboară nu mult printre ienuperi, panglici de marcaj vă vor dirija spre dreapta către   PC Dealu Răfăileștilor, apoi la stânga până în Valea Mărginită. Pe ea tot spre stânga la 1 km în anii trecuți era un PA. În sat, la o intersecție se află PC Săgagea, la km 32.6, de unde sunteți îndrumați pe dealul cu cele două bisericuțe, apoi la dreapta pe ulicioare care vă conduc în Dealu Țicului și intrați în pădure la drumul forestier. Pe el la dreapta încă 1.8 km până la PC Bocșești, nu departe de noul PA, unde sunteți la km 37.5 și unde vin dinspre dreapta și alergătorii de la proba de semimaraton.

Se vor traversa apoi vreo trei izvoare mlăștinoase și se va ajunge lângă alte câteva colibe și un gater: PA5 Crucea Crencii, km38,7. Vin 4km de urcare grea la Pietrele Mărunte, vă poate lua o oră să ajungeţi sus.

Se cotește la stânga în urcuș spre poienița Stăuina Runcanilor, se intră la stânga în pădure, curând la dreapta tot pe un culoar din pădure. Se iese în golul montan plin de ienuperi printre care poteca vă conduce la PC Pietrele Mărunte, km 42,6. Mai aveți aproximativ 2 km până la Sosire.

Se coboară lin spre dreapta, se trece pe lângă o căbănuță de lemn, se ajunge la „drumul militar” (Colţul Rotund) și pe el la dreapta, în coborâre lină,  ajungeți la Finiș. Dacă poteca de coborâre de la PC Pietrele Mărunte nu prea permite depăşirile, fiind îngustă, sinuoasă şi cu pietre, ultimul kilometru – drumul militar, e de sprint.

Ați parcurs sau reparcurs unul dintre cele mai frumoase trasee de alergare montană, care v-a purtat prin locuri în care v-ați simțit „hoinari prin trecut” și prin care ați alergat „în ritmul muntelui”!

Vă așteptăm an de an cu dragul ce-l avem pentru toți oamenii care iubesc și practică mișcarea în aer liber și care respectă curățenia și liniștea muntelui!

Redactat: Dinu și Marlene MITITEANU

Those of you who have not exceeded the time limit will continue on the path that “slaloms” through the junipers, then through the forest to the Popii Fountain – spring with „ciurgău”. After exiting the forest on the ridge, descending not far through the junipers, ribbon markers will direct you to the right to PC Dealu Răfăileștilor, then left to Valea Mărginită. In the village, at a crossroads, you will find PC Săgagea, at km 32.6, from where you are directed up the hill with the two little churches, then to the right on the small paths that lead you to Dealu Țicului and into the forest at the forest road. Turn right on this road for another 1.8 km until you reach PC Bocșești, not far from the new PA, where you are at km 37.5 and where the runners of the half-marathon race are coming from the right.

You will then cross about three marshy springs and reach a few more huts and a gater: PA5 Crucea Crencii, km38.7. A secyion of 4km of hard climbing to the Pietrele Mărunte follows and it can take you about an hour to get to the top.

Turn left uphill to the Stăuina Runcanilor clearing, turn left into the forest, soon right again along a forest lane. You come out into a mountain hollow full of junipers, through which the path leads you to the Pietrele Mărunte CP, km 42.6. You have about 2 km to the FINISH.

Go downhill smoothly to the right, pass a wooden hut, reach the “military road” (Colțul Rotund) and on the right, in a smooth descent, reach Finiș. If the descent path from the Pietrele Mărunte CP doesn’t allow much overtaking, being narrow, winding and rocky, the last kilometre – the military road – is a sprint.

You have run or re-run one of the most beautiful mountain running trails, which took you through places where you felt “wandering through the past” and where you ran “in a mountain beat”!

We look forward to seeing you, year after year, with the love we have for all people who love and practice outdoor activities and who respect the cleanliness and tranquillity of the mountain!

Written by: Dinu and Marlene MITITEANU