Although it snowed heavily in the alpine area of the Parâng Mountains, tourists who wanted to enjoy the snow in the Parâng mountain resort were faced with an unusual situation. Some had to climb four kilometers on foot to the mountain huts.
The tourists walked towards Parâng. Source: Facebook Parang Ski & Summer Resort
The Parâng mountain resort in Hunedoara is among the oldest mountain resorts in Romania, but at the beginning of winter, the tourists who came to enjoy the first more consistent snow on the mountain had an unpleasant surprise.
The new road inaugurated in 2021, which goes up to the resort of Parâng, was closed to road traffic from November 15, 2024, during the winter, until March of 2025.
The half-century-old chairlift has been standing still since the summer of this year, when some of its components failed, and only on Sunday was the new chairlift’s transport facility (inaugurated in 2015) put into motion.
Thus, due to the closure of the road – considered risky in winter – and the suspension of the chairlifts, several tourists who arrived at the foot of Parâng on Friday and Saturday had to walk more than four kilometers to the cabins in the alpine area.
The images of a group of tourists who took to the new road in Parâng sparked many comments on social networks.
“From November 15, 2024, when the only access road was officially closed for safety reasons, the Parâng – Petroșani resort is completely closed. The old chairlift is still on the ground and the new chairlift is out of order (it hasn’t worked for a minute since the road was closed until now). Today, this is how you go up to Parâng – Petroșani Resort, four kilometers on foot”, the lodgers showed, along with the images of people walking up the mountain, published on the “Parang Ski & Summer Resort” Facebook page.
Locals, outraged by the situation of the resort
On Saturday, power outages also affected the cabins in the resort, and despite the beauty of the mountain landscapes, the recreation area in Valea Jiului remained deserted.
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Parang mountain resort Source: Facebook Parang Ski & Summer Resort
Some of the cabin owners were outraged by the situation in which the resort is presented, before the opening of the tourist season:
“No water, no sewage, no cable transport, instead taxes as much as it includes. The chair from Rusu is of no use, as long as the old chair is non-functional.” wrote one of the locals.
“At least clear the road! As many times as needed per week, depending on how hard it snows or blizzards. What’s so hard?“, was the message of a lodger.
“We have well-thought-out transition from mining to tourism, it encourages walking. It is clinically proven to extend life. All kidding and sarcasm aside, we will never be a tourist attraction, not because of a lack of scenery and natural resources, but because of indifference to development and ignorance.” wrote another local.
“It was something predictable. Or is it surprising to anyone? Did anyone expect the chairlift to repair itself or would you trust the old chairlift even if it was repaired? In vain we complain too late, if when something can be done we scoff or remain passive. Most of the cabin owners in Parâng saw the rescue in the asphalt up to the top of the mountain, by no means electoral manipulation. That’s why it’s good to be more careful with public money projects. Instead of asphalt, a gondola lift or the old chair lift replaced would have been much better. Because such investments are suitable for the mountain, not asphalt. Then, ok, we’re on our way. But considering that there are a handful of cabin owners in Parâng, either you really collaborate, or you do tourism just for yourself, not as a business. Therefore, those who are interested in the development of Parang as a tourist resort, collaborate and determine together what is best for the resort. Because otherwise we only have disappointments that we throw away..And yes, it’s super sad. Because you can’t find what we have in Parâng anywhere. And from the sky… it still snows sometimes and that’s it. We have to take care of the rest”writes Adina, another local.
Parâng mountain resort, with a chair lift from the 70s
The authorities in Petroșani reported that due to the blizzard code red, they could not start the new chairlift until Sunday, which will only be operational this Sunday.
They also claimed that by December 1, the old chairlift would be repaired. Regarding the road, due to its slope, the alpine area exposed to blizzard and frost crossed and the lack of parking spaces, it is considered too risky to be used in winter.
The resort of Parâng. Source: Webcam. Facebook. Dragos Dula
Some lodgers expressed disbelief in the repair of the old chairlift and claimed that after the accident in July, the fear of tourists to ride it is greater, even after its repair.
Since 1974, the old chair lift from the resort has been in use here, a transport facility that goes up to 1,680 meters.
The chairlift is 2.5 kilometers long and has a difference in level between the start and finish stations of more than 600 meters. Its installations deteriorated over time, and in July 2024 it was taken out of service after a pulley became detached and the tow cable broke. Then, two maintenance workers descending the chairlift fell to the ground from a height of 7-8 meters.
Parâng resort, in the middle of a fairytale landscape
Located about 10 kilometers from the cities of Petroșani and Petrila, and about 100 kilometers from the A1 Deva – Sibiu highway, the Parâng mountain resort in Hunedoara is accessible, outside of winter, on a road that has been modernized in recent years (video), which rises steeply to over 1,600 meters altitude. In winter, the road is extremely dangerous, so it is closed to public traffic.
The slopes in the resort descend from the foot of the Parângul Mic peak (2,074 meters), but tourists can also try the ski touring or hiking trails to the ridge of Parângul Mic and then on the trails to Cârja (2,405 meters) and Parângul Mare, the highest peak in western Romania, 2,519 meters.
The Parâng massif includes the Parângului, Căpățânii, Lotrului, Cindrel and Șureanu mountains, located within the Hunedoara, Gorj and Vâlcea counties and bordered by the Olt, Jiu and Strei rivers and their tributaries, which separate them from the Retezat, Vâlcan and Poiana Ruscă Mountains.
The Parâng Mountains, where the most imposing peaks of the massif are located, stretch to the east of the Jiului Valley, not far from the towns of Petroșani and Petrila. They are distinguished in the mountain range of the Southern Carpathians by the numerous rocky mountain ridges, under which the glacial cirques are found – the so-called caldera, with almost vertical walls, inside which the glacier caps were located in the past.
The hydrographic network of the Parâng Mountains is rich, and their most important river is the Jiul. But there are at least 20 glacial lakes in the alpine area of the mountains that exceed altitudes of over 2,500 meters. Its waterfalls, caves, caves, gorges, forests and waters make it attractive for tourists, but the most spectacular places in the massif are its peaks. Parângul Mare reaches 2,519 meters, the Gemănarea, Stoinita and Cârja peaks exceed 2,400 meters, and 15 other ridges are over 2,300 meters.
