Treacherous ice in the Retezat massif and night searches on the slopes of Parang
In the highlands of the Romanian mountains, at altitudes of over two thousand meters, the snow cover has exceeded 30 centimeters. Fresh snow has fallen directly on the ice crust, turning popular summer routes into dangerous stretches.
In the Retezat massif, while crossing the ridge between the Custurii saddle (Șaua Custurii) and the Pepușa Mică peak (Vârful Păpușa Mică), a tourist slipped on ice and fell to the western slope of the mountain. His companions were unable to descend to him on their own and called the rescue service. The search operation lasted all night from Saturday to Sunday, but the traveler could not be found alive.
Another rescue operation took place in the Parang massif on the night of November 10. A 31-year-old tourist from the city of Târgu Jiu lost his way on the trail near the summit of Vârful Cârja due to a strong blizzard that swept away landmarks. Two rescue teams searched for the man for about ten hours. He was found in the upper third of the mountain without crampons or an ice axe and was evacuated using rope systems through an area where there was a threat of a fresh snow slide.
Context
According to mountain rescuers, at the beginning of the cold season, sunny clearings in the highlands can be deceptive: as soon as the sun hides behind clouds, the air temperature can instantly drop by ten degrees. Even a thin layer of snow, freezing overnight, creates a hidden skating rink on the rocks, and on slopes with a steepness of 30 to 45 degrees, there is a threat of the first layer avalanches.