Code red for avalanche in Romania’s Fagaras mountains

The avalanche risk has increased in Romania’s Fagaras massif, the highest mountains in Romania, so the authorities have decided to issue a code red for avalanche and have advised tourists not to go up the mountain. The new snow layer that formed after the abundant snowfall in the past days has not adhered to the older snow layers, thus making it likely that avalanches will take place at low altitudes as well as at more than 2,000 meters. The gendarmes have asked tourists not to go skiing on slopes that are not open. They have been monitoring the Paltinis ski resort near Sibiu and the Balea area. The snow layer at Balea Lac (Balea Lake) at more than 2,000 meters, was 1.5 meters on Friday morning. Romania’s only ice hotel is located at Balea Lac. The hotel has been inaccessible to tourists in the past days, as the cable car that connects Balea Lac to lower altitude settlement Balea Cascada broke down on Tuesday. Some 70 tourists remained blocked at Balea Lac and had to be carried down from the mountain by helicopter on Wednesday. The cable car was fixed on Friday. editor@romania-insider.com