OFF14 Strategica (TET Romania)

The Strategica Road is for off road enthusiasts what is Transalpina or Transfăgărășan for asphalt roads enthusiasts. 

It is a road built by the Germans military in World War I, having a strategic role, because the area was located on the border of then two Romanian provinces: Transylvania and Muntenia. 

The route follows the high area of ​​the Latorita Mountains, on an East-West direction, between Transalpina and DN7A, on the territory of Valea Măceşului, near Voineasa.

Ștefanu Saddle – Mogoș Peak – Curmătura Vidruței

The first time we traveled about 20 km out of the total of about 40 km. We chose to cross the most spectacular part. We went from Transalpina to the alpine area, the area with the highest altitude. 

Coming from Rânca on Transalpina, somewhere in the Stefan pass area, turn right onto Strategica Road.. There are no indicators but if you are careful you will recognize it because it will see on the right side how the road “cuts” horizontally, on the level curve, the mountains in front of you.

The first 6-7 km we will go on the southern coast of the Latorita Mountains, on the level curve, below the Bora Peak (2055m) and Ștefanu Peak (2051 m). This first part is relatively easy, the road being quite good and without gaps. Then we reach a kind of plateau, where the gravel road is lost and we go further on the grass. In front you can see the Zănoguța Peak 1962 m and if you look back you can see the top station of the cable car in the Transalpina Ski Area. 

After this flat area, we will start to climb until we pass the Puru peak 2049m, then after a curve to the left, we will see Lake Vidra and follow a more steep descent to the saddle between Puru Peak and Peak Stones 1881m. This area is a little more difficult because the road is sometimes full of rocks and there are many segments where rainwater streams have dug holes in the road sometimes quite deep. 

You have to be careful not to get off the road at all times because there are no signs and there are quite a lot of side roads going the wrong direction.

We pass the saddle I was telling you about and follow a new climb with many more rugged areas, with ditches or many rocks or rocks. We cross the Mogoșu Peak and after about 500 m, you will come to a road that turns off from Strategica to the right. We took this one. 

It descends quite steeply in the first part, then a smoother area, then we enter the forest and again the steep areas, with ditches and lots of gravel alternate with more ok areas. After about 4.5 km of descent we will take the asphalt on DN7A a few kilometers further down the valley of Lake Vidra.

What I did not mention in the description of the road, is that the landscape is incredible along the entire route. You will want to stop and take pictures at every step.

Mogoș peak – Ciungetu

The area around the intersection with the road that descends to Curmătura Vidruței, at the foot of Mogoș Peak, is the area with the most spectacular view towards Lake Vidra.

After passing the intersection, the road climbs a little, to almost 2000m and we practically reach the highest point of the route. From now on we will only go downhill. After 1-2 km in which we descend slightly, we follow 2 slightly steeper slopes, then we enter the forest. Right at the entrance to the forest there is an animal gate that must be opened in order to pass. Don’t forget to close it back.

We descend a few kilometers through the forest and reach the Plaiul Poienii Chalet. From here you can take the road that continues on the ridge and descends into the Măceș Valley or you can take the right on the road that descends to Ciungetu. The first option is more spectacular because you can still admire the surrounding landscapes but it has a more difficult part when descending to Valea Măceșului.

We took variant 2, towards Ciungetu. From Plaiul Poienii, the road descends sharply for a few more kilometers, then you come out on the stream. From here we will follow the water and the slope of the road will be much smoother. This last part of the route until the entrance to Ciungetu, goes almost entirely through the forest. The road is quite good and does not pose major problems. For this reason, this option through Ciungetu is the easiest way to climb the Strategic if you come from the East.