Pe traseu: CIRCUITUL CHEILE GALBENEI, PESTERA GHETARUL FOCUL VIU - Ep. 3 - Parcul Natural Apuseni

On the trail: CIRCUIT OF THE GALBENA GORGE, FOCUL VIU ICE CAVE – Episode 3 – Apuseni Natural Park More details here: https://www.plecatideparte.ro/ghid-tr... This is the 3rd episode in a series of 4 about Apuseni Natural Park. I was camped in a special spot in Padis (Episode 1:    • CU CORTUL IN PADIS. Organizarea zonei de c...   ) and almost every day I tried to complete a hiking trail in Apuseni National Park. After visiting the Ponor Fortresses and Ponor Meadow the previous day (Episode 2:    • FURTUNA LA MUNTE & trasee din Padis: CIRCU...   ), it was time to explore the Galbena Circuit. This is one of the most beautiful circuits in the Apuseni Mountains. The full trail runs as follows: Cabana Padis – Izbucul Ponor – Poiana Ponor – Ponor Fortresses – Izbucul Galbena – Galbena Gorge – Evantai Waterfall – Poiana Florilor – Focul Viu Ice Cave – Glavoi – Cabana Padis. The Galbena Circuit can be shortened if the starting point is the Glavoi camping area (La Grajduri). Enter the trail from the paved road, as if heading to the Ponor Fortresses viewpoint “la balcoane.” Instead of descending into the dolines, take the first fork onto the Yellow Dot trail, from where it’s another 1.5 hours to the entrance of the gorge. After about an hour of descent, we reach Izbucul Galbena, marking the river Galbena surfacing and the start of Galbena Gorge. The gorge section follows steep paths on the left side and requires some mountain experience. In places, there are chains or metal wires (cables) to help with climbing or descending. Upon reaching Evantai Waterfall (either via the cave or the outside path), the trail can continue either through the riverbed (if water levels are low and you don’t mind getting wet) or along the left wall, using cables anchored in the rock. At the lower end, we intersect a paved road but quickly leave it to climb toward Poiana Florilor. Before a sustained 1–1.5 hour ascent to the Focul Viu Ice Cave, we can refill water at a small spring in the meadow. The cave is closed to the public, likely to better preserve the glacier inside. It is the second-largest underground glacier in Romania, after Scarisoara Ice Cave (   • SCARISOARA & GARDA de SUS - obiective turi...   ). From Focul Viu, the descent toward Glavoi is smooth and relaxing, among fir trees and blueberry bushes. Speaking of blueberries, the Padis area is very rich in them. You could even pick them right behind the campsite (Episode 1:    • CU CORTUL IN PADIS. Organizarea zonei de c...   ). In the next episode, we will visit: Radesei Fortress Cave, Somesul Cald Gorge, and Pietrele Boghii. Episode 1:    • CU CORTUL IN PADIS. Organizarea zonei de c...   Episode 2:    • FURTUNA LA MUNTE & trasee din Padis: CIRCU...   Episode 3:    • Pe traseu: CIRCUITUL CHEILE GALBENEI, PEST...   Episode 4:    • TAIERI DE PADURI pe traseu: CIRCUITUL CHEI...