Piatra Secuiului

Piatra Secuiului (Romanian: Piatra Secuiului, Hungarian: Székelykő, also Colții Trascăului) is a bare limestone peak at 1,129 m in the Trascău and Metaliferi Mountains, east of the village of Rimetea (about 1.7 km as the crow flies), on the border of Alba and Cluj Counties. The massif lies between the villages of Rimetea and Pietroasa; the nearest settlements also include Colțești (about 3.5 km) and Podeni (about 4.6 km).

The two summits of the rock are separated by a deep, steep ravine, so for an observer standing to the west, the sun rises twice: it appears, hides behind the rock, and then emerges again. This effect was described by Hungarian writer Mór Jókai in his novel "God is One".

Nature and history

The name of the rock dates back to the Mongol invasion of the 13th century. According to Romanian and Hungarian Wikipedia, the area was defended by Székely troops, who were rewarded with lands around Rimetea. On one of the summits they built the Székely Fortress — with a tower and two walls blocking the only path to the top. Around the same time, about 5 km from here, the Trascău Fortress was built near Colțești.

The varied relief of the area is explained by different rocks: limestone, sandstone, conglomerates, and volcanic rocks; elevations in the surroundings range from 300 to 1,280 m.

Getting there / routes

The easiest ascent is from the main square of Rimetea, following the blue cross trail. According to Hungarian Wikipedia, the marked route requires no special preparation, just general physical fitness; leaving the trail is recommended only for experienced and well-equipped people, as the surrounding rocky terrain is challenging.

According to muntii-nostri.ro, you can do a loop: Colțești — Piatra Secuiului — Rimetea — Colțești (13.8 km, about 4.5 hours, 590 m ascent, medium difficulty): from the Konakul-Sekuiesc guesthouse, the easier option skirts the mountain, while the harder one goes straight up to the geodetic marker on the summit; descent is through the forest to Rimetea. From Moldovenești, a bike and hiking trail leads to the rock via the Pietroasa Gorge and the village of Podeni (recommended from March to October); from the summit, according to its description, there are great views of Rimetea, the Trascău Fortress in Colțești, and the limestone cliffs of the Trascău Mountains.

The saddle between Piatra Secuiului and Colții Trascăului is also crossed by the long red stripe trail from Cluj-Napoca to the Rimetea hut; as of the time of writing, the Rimetea — Bedeleu plateau section is temporarily closed. Below the summit are Kőkerti forrás and mászó forrás.

The view from the top

According to Hungarian Wikipedia, the panorama from the summit is beautiful, and in clear weather you can even see Turda.

Safety, season and rules

The limestone cliffs are steep, especially on the east and near the ravine: do not approach the edge and do not leave the marked trail in fog or after rain, when the rock is slippery. Bears are common in the Romanian Carpathians: stay on marked paths, make noise, avoid dusk, and do not keep food in your tent; near sheepfolds, shepherd dogs 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: Brgh, CC BY-SA 3.0; Daria Bârsan, CC BY-SA 4.0; Pumeks, CC BY-SA 4.0; jeffwarder, CC BY-SA 3.0; Dora Domsa, CC BY-SA 3.0 ro — Wikimedia Commons.