# Via Ferrata – extreme climbing in Neamț County

> ” The mountain does not belong anymore exclusively to the professional climbers but to everyone” – Ticu Lăcătușu.

2018-05-31, Natură

**Via Ferrata – extreme climbing in Neamț County**

**”** **The mountain does not belong anymore exclusively to the professional climbers but to everyone” – **Ticu Lăcătușu

**Șugău Gorges – Munticelu Nature Reserve is included in Natura 2000 – Special Area of Conservation (SAC) as defined in the European Union’s Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC)**

**Șugău Gorges – Munticelu Nature Reserve** hosts the longest and most modern Via Ferrata route in Romania, project launched at the initiative of the famous climber Constantin Lăcătușu, the first Romanian who conquered the Everest Peak. **Via Ferrata „Astragalus”** was inaugurated in the summer of 2017. The project was financed by HeidelbergCement CO, international corporation which has a long tradition in supporting biodiversity conservation innitiatives.

**Via Ferrata “Astragalus”** is the first mountain route in Romania based on Western standards and designed after the Austrian and German prototypes. It represents a recreation activity with a fantastic potential for future development.

**Photo gallery:**

The difference between **Via Ferrata “Astragalus”** and a common adventure park is that here, the tourist is right in the middle of the wild nature, in a truly spectacular area – **Șugău Gorges – Munticelu.**

Tourists can choose between **5 climbing routes** on the steep rock walls. The total length of the route is about 600m, round-trip, with varying degrees of difficulty. The rock wall has a height of about 170m, starting at the altitude of 730m and reaching 900m high on **Turnul Mare Peak**. All participants must use adequate protection equipment (harness and helmet), which can be rent from **Ecolog lodge** at the startpoint of the trail.

**Photo gallery:**

The **Via Ferrata route** from** Șugău Gorges** is named after a rare plant, **Astragalus pseudopurpureus**, which grows almost exclusively in this protected area, making the project stand for ecological education and biodiversity conservation.

The tourists can easily get to the area, coming from **DN12C** national road, which connects Moldavia with Transylvania, passing through the spectacular **Bicaz Gorges**.

- [Știri](https://neamt.tesseramo.com/stiri/via-ferrata-extreme-climbing-in-neamt-county)