2 Aug 2019, Hășmașul Negru, YO/EC-070

Essential Summit Info

Target summit: 8 pointer YO/EC-070 "Hășmașul Negru / Fekete Hagymas" - https://summits.sota.org.uk/summit/YO/EC-070
Our Route: We could not find a trail so we improvised. Terrain is pretty bad: fallen trees, steep slopes, rocks and boulders, thick vegetation.
GPS Track: www.wandermap.net/en/route/3599544-hasmasul-negru/
(download the track by clicking on "Export GPS data").
GSM coverage: Pretty good on top, bad overall.
Summit conditions: Forested with some open spaces. There's a wooden summit marker post on top from which we hung the 40m antenna.

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Activity report

This summit was supposed to be activated in a series of summits in Hasmas Mts., but due to bad weather we decided to abandon the plan and only go for Hasmasul Negru. Friday we've arrived in Lacu Rosu around 9am and were on trail at 9.30am. Our route took us slightly off main course to a sightseeing spot above Lacu Rosu. Weather was great. After a short break we continued to Hasmasul Negru on a trail marked by a blue dot (sometimes a blue circle). Nearing Hasmasul Negru the trail became less obvious and less maintained. We could not find any visible route up to Hasmasul Negru, even though the trail appeared on maps. Our backpacks were too heavy even for our initial 3 day hike, but for this climb alone they were overkill. The climb to Hasmasul Negru summit is short but steep and, lacking a path, advancing is sometimes difficult. Fallen trees, rocks, boulders, shrubs and loose dirt are commonplace. The top itself is not spectacular, as the view is blocked by trees (there's a clearing below summit from which you can see Hasmas Mts. supposedly, but we skipped that part). Didn't encounter any bears, only droppings. The radio activity went unexpectedly smooth thanks to a lively 2m presence. We installed the 40m antenna and the BitX, but the QRN was bad and managed only a few contacts. Around 6pm we started on our way to Poiana Alba camp spot. The trail that follows the contour line of Rotund Mt. on its Eastern slope was blocked by many fallen trees. Once out of the forest we couldn't see any more markings so we had to visually locate the refuge. We had a half an hour of light ahead of us so we weren't too worried. The hut is nicely built and can accommodate 6 people in the bunks, but there's room for maybe 2 more on the floor. There's a water source nearby.

The next day (Saturday) we decided to head home. The morning was sprinkled with some vigorous rain showers, but the real rain started around 11 and it kept pouring down for the entire day. Three hours later we reached the car, soaked, cold and tired, shoulders and feet aching from the heavy loads. I think Hasmasul Negru was one of the - if not the - hardest SOTA activation so far (but only because of the heavy backpacks).