The Flyer - Long & lovely multi-pitch route with zip line in Vadu Crișului (Romania)

A route that in 1989, when it was homologated, was declared the winner of the Beauty Award among the Alpine premieres for that year.

This route stretches over no less than 4 pitches broken in two by a superb 30-meter zipline on which you will fly over the Casa Zmeului via ferrata route.

First pitch (L1.1). It is shared with the Fragilor route.

We start almost from the water but it depends on how big the lake is at the base. Summer dries everything up. A little further to the right, 4-5 meters away, is the old entrance from the Casa Zmeului route, moved in the meantime, during the redevelopment, much further to the right. In this way, space was also made for the via ferrata homologous route. The first steps are quite overlooked. Then a crack takes us next to a niche, over which we pass a face and then another overhang. Further on, we engage in a dihedral slightly inclined to the left, which takes us out on a large ridge, next to a small tank, and where we conveniently regroup. A little further to the right, the via ferrata line passes. A little further to the right, but on the same branch, there is the old regrouping before the redevelopment of the Casa Zmeului route. Today the regrouping used by the Casa Zmeului trail is even further to the right, right on the ridge.

Or an easy variant for the first pitch (L1.2). It is shared with the Casa Zmeului route.

It starts from the left of the Cave of the Kite House, shared with the Tibetan Path, which, however, is oriented to the right. We go to the left, towards the historical ruins. We climb a few meters on a threshold and then we turn far to the left, after which we continue obliquely up a corridor, reaching the ceiling of the historical ruins of the Salt Customs House. Here it can be regrouped or continued by making an extended length. It depends on how easily the string comes and how the second feels the string head maneuvers because eye contact is lost. From above the ruins, we start carefully on a slightly overhanging face and catch a left oblique dihedral well overhanging and fragile but with enough sockets to find nice climbing solutions. Towards the end, the dihedral opens up becoming a slightly overhanging face that we overcome on fairly small outlets. We are going to regroup on a rather cramped little hill. To the left of the ridge, you can see the Casa Zmeului via ferrata route.

Second pitch (L2). It is shared with the Fragilor route.

We cross a few meters on the ridge to the right and engage a slightly arched dihedral to the left, after which we take a clear dihedral with strung overhanging passages under a small ceiling near the ridge which we cross to its left. Next, the difficulty of the wall decreases and we exit on a small ledge on the ridge to the right of which we regroup on a comfortable ledge. From here the route goes downhill to the right (in the zipline) the Zburatorul route, and straight up, the short exit length common to the Fragilor and Casă Zmeului routes if we don't want a zipline, or an easy option on the first length (L1.2). It is shared with the Casa Zmeului trail.).

Or an easy variant to the second pitch (L2.2). It is shared with the Casa Zmeului route.

We continue uphill for a few meters, after which we turn right uphill on small steps, some grassy ​​until we come out on the left-facing ridge. On the ridge, the difficulty decreases. It's a very sharp ridge and after a few meters facing diagonally left, we can regroup on a fallen sill or continue along the ridge to a ledge. So we continue on the ridge, the line being more and more dropped. More and more grass appears and from the left comes the via ferrata homologous route that crosses our ridge from left to right descending through the vegetation in the valley. We continue upward and forward until we reach a convenient ledge near a small grotto or niche. Here the line of bolts from Fragilor comes from the lower left of the wall and regroups in the same place. To the right, the zip line starts downhill. It is a special part of the Zburatorul route. Straight up, above the small grotto and slightly to the left is the common exit from Fragilor and Casă Zmeului if we don't want to use the zip line.

Third pitch (L3).

From under the bridge on which we regrouped, the cable descends, over the waltz and the via ferrata, on which, by mounting a pulley roller, we can fly 30 meters to the base of the opposite wall where we regroup on a threshold that stretches to the left. Attention: do not use improvisations! Serious accidents are possible.

From this threshold to the left (so back) there is a line of easy pitons and about steps that by climbing we can return to the zipline launch point. If we don't want to go out via the Tibetan Way as explained below in L4 and L5, we can, after returning to the launch point, continue straight up the ridge from Casă Zmeului - 25 easy meters. This is how I made the Kite House with the included zipline, but not the Flyer, but a much easier version.

Forth pitch (L4). It is shared with the Tibetan Way

Next, the difficulty of the route is not very high. We continue approximately on the ridge of the spur, 1-2 meters to the left of the mathematical ridge. We pass a few small overhanging walls but with good grips, after which the wall gradually falls and we arrive without any problems at a small threshold where we regroup.

Fifth pitch (L5). It is shared with the Tibetan Way

We continue relatively lightly on the ridge of the spur, more to the left of it. We notice that 1-2 meters to the right of the mathematical ridge, there are bolts from the Inca climbing route. Both routes regroup together. Without any further problems, we regroup on the spur.

The descent.

As in the case of the Drumul Incasilor route, we can go down to the left on the marker through the forest or, if we have a 60-meter twin rope, we can do a double rappel of 55 meters. Be very careful that the last 40 meters are completely suspended, meaning you can't touch the wall. So pay close attention to the strings so they don't get tangled. We can thus descend, directly to the base of the Grotto from Casa Zmeului.