Target summits: 
6 pointer YO/EC-297 "Magura Runcului" - www.sota.org.uk/Summit/YO/EC-297
6 pointer YO/EC-318 "Runcul" - www.sota.org.uk/Summit/YO/EC-318
Our Route: We made a circuit route that started and ended in the same place. We first activated Magura Runcului and then moved to Runcul. The terrain is pretty steep and could be extra-super muddy, depending on the weather and logging activity.
GPS Track: www.wandermap.net/ro/route/3547487-magura-runcului-yoec-297-si-runcul-yoec-318/
(download the track by clicking on "Export GPS data").
GSM coverage: Pretty good.
Summit conditions: Magura Runcului - forested. Runcul - mixed, both open and forested.
Other info: Despite looking benign from afar, these two little dimples are quite steep and probably tougher than some 8 pointers out there.

We started with Magura Runcului on a logger's mud road. The climb was steep, but nothing out of the ordinary. Made some minor bad trail choices which got us in some raspberry bushes. At the top we quickly installed the antenna and worked a few stations, then packed up and got on our way to the second summit of the day, Runcul. We descended on a grassy col between the two peaks which made reaching the second summit easier. The return trip was via an old steep trail which in the later years has become a very muddy logging road. We reached the car well after dark. On this trip we were accompanied my Magda and Marian.

Poreica has some medium steep climbs, but it seemed quite easy to get to the top. In the lower parts the path goes through several private properties, but that's pretty standard in these parts. The people don't mind you trampling around their front yards. And in contrast to most communities, these people keep to themselves.

Target summit: 6 pointer YO/EC-467 "Rosu" - www.sota.org.uk/Summit/YO/EC-467
Our Route: We took the dirt road that connects Moldovita to Putna, drove up to the highest point where we've left the car and continued on foot. It's probably one of the easiest 6 points summits to activate, perhaps even easier than many 4 pointers in Romania. Check the GPS track for details.
GPS Track: www.wandermap.net/ro/route/3547159-rosu-yoec-467-gps-complet/
(download the track by clicking on "Export GPS data").
GSM coverage: So and so.
Summit conditions: Forested.
Other info: Some short but steep climbs. The forest is nice.

Not much to say here. A quick and easy summit to activate. The access road was in decent shape, but this can change overnight due to extensive logging in the area.

Target summit: 8 points YO/EC-203 "Ioresti" - www.sota.org.uk/Summit/YO/EC-203
Our Route: We've left the car where the tarmac ends and the dirt road begins (at the north-western exit in Paltinu) and started climbing on the grassy hill on our right. Once inside the forest we entered a maze of dirt roads which happened to be extremely muddy and hard to navigate. Check the GPS track and map for  more details.
GPS Track: www.wandermap.net/ro/route/3547141-ioeresti-yoec-203-gps/
(download the track by clicking on "Export GPS data").
GSM coverage: So and so.
Summit conditions: Mixed, you can choose between open or forested.
Other info: Beautiful vistas. In summer you may run into some sheepfolds and dogs. At the top there are remnants of trenches from the war (probably from WW1).

The day started with some delay that caused sparks to fly. Little did I know that it was going to get even worse before it was over. Our original summit route had to be abandoned due to a closed barrier that prevented us to drive further. We used our backup track and soon we were knee deep in sticky-slippery mud. Despite being probably the muddiest place we've ever hiked in, nobody fell, not even I. Once off the roads and into the forest and ridge trail, things looked a lot better. The wind blasted us something fierce and even pushed me off balance a couple of times, but managed to remain upright. Finally, we've reached the top, where a strange, half collapsed building stood against the winds. On this trip we were accompanied by Magda, Marian and Daniel. While we set the rig up, they started cooking on a brand new and very compact grill made by my good uncle Pisto. The descent was long and tiresome, but we avoided the worst muddy inclines by taking a slightly different route (the one published above). Back at the car I placed my recently bought FT50 in the trunk, but moments later decided to move it on the roof. With everyone ready, we've left, but the handheld remained up top for some time. When I realized my mistake, about 5 kilometers later, we turned back to look for it. I was convinced we'll find it, even if in a bad shape. Well, we didn't find it, after all. Best guess is someone took it, although not many people passed through that area and during that time. Needless to say, I was bummed out beyond measure. Not a very good day for science.

We've been 3 on this trip: Marian, YO8SSQ and YO8SBR. At the top of the Stanisoara Pass, next to the big cross, there is a huge puddle that never seems to dry out. We've left the car next to the puddle and walked on the south-east ridge dirt road. It's a pretty good surface and you can probably drive on with an SUV, but is different from that on the main road. The mud is pretty remarkable, though, being exceptionally slippery, so you might check it out first before getting stuck. 

The weather was fine and the view quite spectacular. Suceava is visible from up there and so are many other peaks. The road took us through a couple of sheepfolds (unoccupied from late-autumn to spring). At the base of the main climb, the trail faded out and so we've lost it. The forest there seems pretty wild, very thick and hard to advance through. After battling the multitude of branches, we've reached the top and decided to set up the rig in the open space so we could enjoy the sunshine. It was the first time we activated a summit in 7MHz and it worked reasonably well.

Target summit: 6 points YO/EC-304 "Varful Mare" - www.sota.org.uk/Summit/YO/EC-304
Our Route: Parked the car at the top of the Prohodistea Pass and followed the trail that climbed on the left side of the property. The terrain near the start is swampy, but improves higher up.
GPS Track: www.wandermap.net/en/route/3543148-vf-mare-yoec-304/
(download the track by clicking on "Export GPS data").
GSM coverage: Fair.
Summit conditions: Forested, „crowded”.
Other info: Short route, easy-medium difficulty.

The weather was quite humid and windy. After getting our "feet wet" in the swampy terrain at the start, we got a "nice" section of muddy slopes to top it off. It wasn't too bad, though. On the summit there is a rock which is kind of slippery and hard to climb through all the bushes and fallen branches. But you don't have to get on top of it to activate, so you can skip this part. The bad weather made us wish we could activate the summit using only the handy (in VHF and UHF), but bad propagation and horrible band discipline forced us to set up the big rig, after all. We've announced our activation plan to the local community the day before, a sort of a sked. Some local stations were indeed on the frequency, but they were rag-chewing endlessly, so much so that we couldn't slip a word in sideways. To clarify, they were in the frequency because of our sked and showed up to supposedly help us, but I guess they got bored and chatted themselves to sleep. After about 40 minutes in which we couldn't break the cycle, we installed the FT-857 and the antenna and activated the summit in 18 MHz.

Target summit: 4 points YO/WC-021 "Kis Magura / Peana" - www.sota.org.uk/Summit/YO/WC-021
Our Route: Left the car on a sandy road near the main tarmac road and went on foot from there.
GPS Track: www.mopedmap.net/en/route/3546406-magura-yowc-021/
(download the track by clicking on "Export GPS data").
GSM coverage: Fair.
Summit conditions: Mixed - open space and forested (broadleaved trees).
Other info: Very easy to activate.

Yesterday we got to the hotel around 10 PM and were pretty tired after a full day. A hot shower and a good night's sleep fixed that, however. We woke up around 9 in the morning, had some breakfast and went for the easy 4 pointer Magura. The name of the summit changed on the SOTA database to Peana, but I'm not sure if this is the actual Peana summit or there's a mix-up. The morning was sunny and warm, so the activity was really pleasant, even though there weren't many stations around. With other summits on schedule, we've left from the top fairly quickly, the entire activation - trip included - taking an hour and a half.

The good weather didn't last, though. As we headed for home, the clouds rolled in, the wind picked up and the temperature dropped. We tried activating a summit near Bistrita, but decided to leave it for another time, as it seemed quite far away from where the car could take us. We also dropped the next activation, a summit around Tihuta Pass, because it was rainy and muddy and I was tired (Andrei already activated it earlier this year).

Target summit: 4 pointer YO/WC-026 "Dealul Sandului" (actually the locals refer to this summit by a different name, that I don't know) - www.sota.org.uk/Summit/YO/WC-026
Our Route: Starts from the parking lot located to the western entry point in Cheile Turzii, it's a diagonal trail to the top.
GPS Track: www.wandermap.net/en/route/3546170-dealul-sandului-yoec-026/
(download the track by clicking on "Export GPS data").
GSM coverage: Fair.
Summit conditions: Open, with some shrubs.

After two hikes in one day, my ankle (I'm YO8SBR) was in pain​ and I decided to sit the third summit out. So Andrei (YO8SSQ) went ahead and activated it alone. We reached the starting point at nightfall and in changing weather. Andrei geared up and started ascending, while I stayed at the car. During the ascent the weather worsened a bit, engulfing the canyon in fog and making orienteering difficult. He couldn't make any contacts in UHF or VHF (except with me), so he had to install the big rig and the antenna. During the descent, the fog got pretty thick and he had to rely on the GPS or risk getting lost. In the pics below you can see his headlight on the last part of the descent.