17 April 2017, SOTA on YO/EC-201 "Bitca Nedeii"

Essential info for activators

Target summit: YO/EC-201 "Bitca Nedeii" - www.sota.org.uk/Summit/YO/EC-201
Our Route: From the road nearing the Puzdra pass, we took a left on a medium steep forested hill. There's also a sort of a trail used by loggers or shepherds, but it was too rocky and unstable, so we didn't use it. In a short while (500 meters or so) we got to the meadows above and followed to ridge to the summit.
GPS Track: www.wandermap.net/en/route/3517062-bitca-nedeii-sota-yoec-201-gps/
(download the track by clicking on "Export GPS data").
GSM coverage: So and so, mostly at the top.
Summit conditions: Open, exposed, nice views. Plenty of shepherd's shacks, not recommended during shepherding season. Plenty of bears too.

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Activity report

Surprisingly, this is one of the easiest 8 pointers in the county, surpassed in accessibility only by Rarau and Cota 1576. Put in another way, it's easier than many 6 pointers. The total length of the trail from the car to the summit and back is only 4 kilometers, with an altitude gain of about 300 meters (in the 2 kilometer climb). The mountain itself has a long ridge (calling by the locals "The Long Mountain") which is nice hike in its entirety. Beautiful sights at the top, with many SOTA summits visible: Rarau, Pietrosu Bistritei, Giumalau, Ostrei, Botusan, Alunisul, Toaca (Ceahlau), etc.

Radio-wise we started in VHF, UHF, then switched to 14MHz. Because of our poor results in the 17m band (low propagation and chaser presence) we skipped it completely. Andrei managed to get the most contacts in his SOTA history to date.

The weather was crummy at first, the sun punching a hole in the ceiling, eventually. Cold nonetheless. On our way back Andrei spotted a bear crap in the trail which seemed only a few days old. I remained some 50 meters behind, studying some rocks, when I heard Andrei screaming: "Bogdan, where are you?" There was a hint of urgency in his voice. He spotted a bear and told me to keep right. I asked him if he was in any danger, said no. Pulled my dog spray and regrouped with him. They spotted each other at 20 meters, when Andrei decided to climb out of a ditch and heard a stick break nearby. Surprised by the presence, the medium sized bear froze for a second and then ran away. It was good that it hadn't ran towards me.

​(video later)