Ascuțit

Ascuțit (Rom. Vârful Ascuțit, "Sharp") is a 2,133 m peak in the northern part of the limestone ridge of Piatra Craiului, in Piatra Craiului National Park. Its name perfectly reflects the character of this section: the ridge here is narrow and rocky, covered with dwarf pine, and the route to the massif's highest summit, La Om, is one of the most technical in the mountains. From Ascuțit to La Om summit is about 2.7 km in a straight line to the southwest.

The nearest settlements are the village of Măgura (about 5.6 km as the crow flies), the village of Peștera (about 6.1 km), and the town of Zărnești (about 6.8 km), which are the usual starting points for hikes on the northern ridge. Right next to the summit stands the mountain shelter Vârful Ascuțit Hut—a useful refuge from bad weather on the exposed ridge.

Getting there / routes

The classic ascent starts from Curmătura hut hut (1,470 m). According to muntii-nostri.ro, it takes about 2 hours to reach Ascuțit following the blue triangle trail. The same source describes a challenging loop (14.7 km, about 11 hours, 970 m ascent): from Ascuțit, follow the red dot along the most technical part of the ridge to La Om summit (about 3 hours), then descend via the red stripe to Grind hut (Rom. Refugiul Grind) and return to Curmătura via the La Table area.

Another loop, the "Northern Ridge" (6.2 km, about 6 hours, 670 m ascent, moderate to difficult), according to muntii-nostri.ro, climbs from Curmătura via the famously technical Șaua Crăpăturii saddle, reaches the northern ridge at Turnu peak (1,911 m), and then follows the sharp ridge, alternating between dwarf pine and rocky walls where you have to scramble up and down, to Ascuțit. The descent is steep from the ridge via the blue triangle back to Curmătura.

From Ascuțit, you can also descend via the Padinile Frumoase valley to Curmătura and the parking area near the Fântâna lui Botorog spring: according to the same site, this is 10.3 km and about 2 h 45 min downhill, with a 1,250 m elevation loss. A marked red triangle trail from the Padina lui Călineț valley passes the Sperantelor Hut hut (about 770 m from the summit). From the south, starting at Plaiul Foii, Ascuțit is included in a long loop via Spirlea hut (Refugiul Spirlea), La Om summit, and the Timbale peaks—14.7 km, about 6 h 30 min, 1,360 m ascent.

The view from the top

Authors describing the loop from Plaiul Foii recommend stopping at the neighboring peak Timbalul Mic (2,231 m) to admire the many towers and ribs above the upper Valea Podurilor valley—this is where the massif's classic climbing routes end.

Safety, season and rules

Ascuțit lies within Piatra Craiului National Park: a ticket is required—10 lei per person for seven days (for visitors over 14); it can be purchased online, from vending machines in Zărnești and at Plaiul Foii, or by SMS (as of the date checked, see pcrai.ro). The ridge between Ascuțit and La Om is a technical, rocky section: go only in dry weather, with experience and enough time; in winter, it is accessible only to trained climbers. On the descent via Padinile Frumoase valley, muntii-nostri.ro users in summer 2026 warned about an aggressive sheepdog near a sheepfold. Bears are common in the Romanian Carpathians: stay on marked trails, make noise, avoid dusk, and do not keep food in your tent; near sheepfolds, sheepdogs may attack—do not run, stop and shield yourself with your backpack (advice from Salvamont România).

In case of emergency, call the national mountain rescue dispatcher 0SALVAMONT — 0725 826 668 or 112.

Photos: Petr Vodička, CC BY-SA 4.0; Cioboata Andrei, CC BY 3.0; Cioboata Andrei, CC BY 3.0; Cioboata Andrei, CC BY 3.0; Amorphisman, CC BY-SA 3.0 — Wikimedia Commons.