Păpușa (Retezat)

Păpușa (Romanian: Vârful Păpușa, Hungarian: Papusa-csúcs) is a summit on the main ridge of the Retezat Mountains in the Southern Carpathians, in Hunedoara County. According to the Retezat National Park and English and Polish Wikipedia, it is 2,508 m high — just one metre lower than the highest peak of the range, neighbouring Peleaga. Romanian Wikipedia gives a different figure, 2,504 m, and the 1:25,000 military topographic map gives 2,503.5 m; by any count Păpușa is the second-highest summit of the Retezat. The nearest settlement is the ski village of Râușor, about 7 km to the north-west.

Romanian Wikipedia notes that the name «Păpușa» («the Doll») is very common in Romanian mountains: the Retezat alone has three such peaks — Păpușa, Păpușa Mică and Păpușa Custurii.

How to get there / routes

The park administration recommends loop route No. 14: Stâna de Râu – Tăul Țapului – Porțile Închise – Păpușa peak – Păpușa Mică – Custura saddle – Stâna de Râu. According to the park, it takes 9–10 hours with about 1,200 m of height difference, graded medium/difficult. The route starts at the end of the Râu Bărbat forest road (about an hour from Hobița to Stâna de Râu in a high-clearance vehicle). From the car park, past the sheepfolds, the path reaches a meadow where camping is allowed next to a Salvamont refuge open to hikers. Then the blue dot leads in about 2 hours to Lake Tăul Țapului and across scree to the south-western end of Porțile Închise. From there the red stripe of the main ridge climbs to Păpușa, the highest point of the route.

The descent follows the yellow cross to the Spintecătura Păpușii saddle, skirts Păpușa Mică to the Custura saddle, and from Fereastra Custurii the blue triangle returns to the Stâna de Râu meadow. Romanian Wikipedia also mentions approaches from the Pelegii saddle and from Custura peak; from the Jiu Valley, from Uricani, a yellow cross leads here over Lazărului peak.

What you can see from the summit

The nearest neighbour is Peleaga to the north, with the cirques of lakes Bucura and Ana beyond it. To the west the ridge runs to Custura, to the east to Lazărului peak and the Jiu Valley, and to the south you see the Retezatul Mic massif.

Safety, season and rules

According to the park, route 14 requires care at the Porțile Închise passage, at Spălătura Păpușii (fitted with steel cables) and at Spintecătura Păpușii. It is mostly a ridge route, so water sources are few — only near Tăul Țapului and on the descent from the Custura saddle; carry enough water. The summit lies in the Retezat National Park, Romania's first national park. Under the park administration's rules, visits are subject to a fee: a ticket costs 10 lei and is valid for 7 days (sold on bilete.retezat.ro, at the access points and at the Nucșoara visitor centre). Walking is allowed only on marked trails, tents only in designated places, open fires are banned (only a stove is allowed at campsites), dogs must be kept on a lead, and swimming in the lakes is prohibited. The Gura Apelor – Gura Bucurii forest road (about 20 km, a high-clearance vehicle is recommended) is open, weather permitting, roughly from mid-May to mid-November; in winter the routes from Gura Bucurii are inaccessible. In winter the high ridges carry a serious avalanche risk — follow the avalanche bulletin of Romania's National Meteorological Administration (ANM) on meteoromania.ro.

Bears are common in the Romanian Carpathians. Salvamont rescuers advise not to hike alone, to talk loudly so that an animal hears you in advance, to keep your distance and never feed wildlife, and to store food in sealed containers away from your tent; if you meet a bear, do not run and back away slowly without turning your back.

Mountain rescue: Salvamont national dispatch 0SALVAMONT = 0725 826 668 and the emergency number 112.

Interesting facts

• Păpușa is only 1 m lower than Peleaga, the highest peak of the Retezat (according to the park).
• The Retezat has three peaks called «Păpușa».

Photos: Igor.skokan, Public domain; barcisz, CC BY 3.0; Olario, Public domain; T. Lessiak, Public domain; AlexCiopata, CC BY 3.0 — Wikimedia Commons.