Environmental NGO Conservation Carpathia backs restoration of Fagaras mountain shelters

The Conservation Carpathia Foundation recently announced its support for the restoration of mountain shelters in Romania's Fagaras Mountains, a project initiated by the Carpathian Mountain Association (AMC) and Salvamont Arges.

The partnership aims for the Conservation Carpathia Foundation to support the restoration of at least one refuge per year by covering the costs of air transport for the shelter structures and components. The first shelter built through this partnership is located in Saua Scarilor.

The new Scara mountain shelter will be located in the same place as the old refuge, in Saua Scarilor, at an altitude of 2,146 meters, near Negoiu Peak (2,535 meters) and Custura Saratii (one of the most exposed and challenging segments in the Fagaras Mountains). It will be open to hikers in August.

The refuge will have an area of 36 square meters and will be divided into two areas, a vestibule and a common space with dining and sleeping areas, accommodating between 15 and 18 people.

The construction of the Scara refuge began in the summer of 2021 with the demolition of the old refuge platform and the preparation of the foundation for the new one. The old Scara refuge was destroyed in 2018, most likely due to extreme weather events. The project is the result of the collaboration of architects, engineers, mountaineers, NGOs, and public and private institutions.

"The support of the Conservation Carpathia Foundation delights us and helps us aspire further, to other segments along the impressive Fagaras ridge, as well as in other places where mountaineering shelters have suffered or do not exist at all but are necessary. We believe that people's safety in a complex and imposing natural area, with challenging passages as we have in these mountains, is part of the greater mission of Carpathia's conservation. People who feel safe in the mountains will return and appreciate more of what they see around them, and they will want to contribute to the protection and, why not, become ambassadors of the area," said Marius Coviltir, president of the Carpathian Mountain Association, cited in the press release.

"We stand alongside the Carpathian Mountain Association and Salvamont Arges in the process of restoring the refuges in the Fagaras Mountains, providing them with air transport. Together, we aim to build at least one refuge per year and contribute to the development of the infrastructure of the future Fagaras Mountains National Park," said Christoph and Barbara Promberger, executive directors of the Conservation Carpathia Foundation.

The Fagaras Mountains are among the most spectacular and challenging mountains in the Romanian Carpathians. The Fagaras ridge is 95 kilometers long and has 7 peaks over 2,500 meters. Mountain refuges provide shelter for hikers in case of unfavorable weather, accidents, or for overnight stays. The Fagaras Mountains currently have over 10 mountain refuges, many of which are non-functional due to wear and tear or vandalism.