The Parang – Petrosani Ski Resort and the Parâng Resort represents a ski area pretty little known in Romania, but with a highly potential of development.
It is a location very accessible, especially for the Jiului Valley (Valea Jiului) population.
The base for the chairlift is placed at 10km from Petroșani City.
If you want to spend a winter holiday at ski in the Jiului Valley (Valea Jiului) you may want to combine the days spent at the Parâng Resort at ski with the ones spent at Straja Resort or at Vidra Ski Resort. The distance between these there locations is not very high, so it‘s worth to get to all three places.
The Petroșani-Parâng ski area and the Parâng Resort are placed in the Parâng Mountains, under the Small Parâng Peak (Parângul Mic) (altitude 2074m).
The chairlift base is found at the altitude of 950m, the level of difference covered by the chairlift being 700m.
Developing a ski resort in this area is a part of the activities reorientation trial, in Jiului Valley, from industry towards tourism. The area has extraordinary natural touristic potential being bordered by the Retezat Mountains, Parâng Mountains and Vâlcan Mountains.
Access: from the Petroșani border road area you will have a indicator towards the Voineasa Resort and to the Parâng chairlift.
We come from DN 76 and we follow upstream the Malea Valley. The road is common to both locations. 4 more kilometers ahead and the DN 76 turns to the left, towards the Jiețului Gorges (Cheile Jiețului) (the access road to Voineasa). You follow the indicators and turn right in the direction of the road from Petroșani to Voineasa. After 8 more kilometers of asphalted road you get to the chairlift base. You may leave the car on the side of the road.
Accommodation and Reservation in Petrosani
The chairlift’s building is on the left side of the road. We suggest that before departure to take a picture of the ski area map. If you weren’t in the area before it is pretty hard to orientate within the ski resort.
Ski options: within the Parâng resort there are two functional chairlifts – the one from the base of the ski resort (the old chairlift) and the one that descends to the Rusu Hotel (the new chairlift, a modern one). The second chairlift has a different administrator from the first one, this implies that you have to take two different tickets for skiing.
The old chiar lift has two arrival points: one in the Parâng chalet area (altitude 1579m) and one in the superior part of the ski area (altitude is about 1680m).
Above the superior chairlift arrival station there is a mounted skilift. This one rarely works, because it is not maintained properly. The shift with the old chair lift lasts long, about 20 minutes.
The new ski lift system begins from the debarking area of the old one, near Parâng chalet. The slope descends aproximately 300 metres towards Rusu Hotel. Once here, you cannot get on the slopes back to the departure of the old chairlift system.
In order to get to your car or the base of the skiing area you must climb back to the central area of the resort and then descend the slope leading to the parking place.
Attention! The only way to acces Parang – Petrosani Ski Resort during winter is by using the old chairlift. The snow on the county road to acces the resort, used during summer (DJ709F), is usually removed only up to Rusu Hotel.
For those wishing to lodge in the resort there is a small inconvenience- they will have to fetch their luggage using the chairlift. If you drive up to Rusu Hotel you can use the new chairlift from there on. Your luggage will have to be carried still using the chairlift.
Lodging opportunities: You can find accomodation in Petroșani town or you can chose one of the pensions in Parâng resort. The prices range between 100 and 150 RON. If you chose to stay in the resort, you will have the advantage of proximity, unlike if lodging in Petroșani.
The things we liked about the Parang – Petrosani Ski Resort:
- easy access and the proximity regarding other ski areas;
- the good conditions of the slopes;
- the accommodation is nearby the ski slopes so you won’t waste time with the auto access from/to the accommodation/ski slope;
- very beautiful view, having the orientation to the Jiului Valley and to the Retezat Mountains;
- the ski area is suitable for ski touring – you may climb on the Small Parângul Peak (Vârful Parângul Mic) or continue on the main ridge towards the Crutch Peak (Vârful Cârja) or the Great Parângul Peak (Vârful Parângul Mare).
What we didn‘t like about the Parang – Petrosani Ski Resort:
- at the chairlift base there is no organized parking area, all the cars are chaotic parked on the side of the road;
- the chairlift boarding station (from the resort’s base) is poorly organized;
- the chair lift that goes to the resort is pretty old, the lift comfort is not according to the nowadays expectations;
- the employees at chairlift are less kind;
- the ski slopes are poorly marked, you can easily get lost;
- at the arrival of the old chairlift from the superior part the descent is difficult (especially for the beginners);
- there is no centralized system for cards so that you may skipass for both chairlifts.
If you encounter medical issues on the ski slopes it is better to know that there is a mountain rescue point nearby the arrival station 1 of the chairlift. You will have to call the emergency number 112 and call will be put through mountain rescue office.
For those of you who practice ski touring it is good to know that you can make winter crossing of the Parang Mountains from the Vidra ski resort Parang – Petrosani ski resort. Tour requires at least 2 full days and requires knowledge average winter climbing.
The Parang – Petrosani Ski Resort can be visited on summer as well. The old chairlift works also in summer. You could make some trails to the Small Parângul Peak (Vârful Parângul Mic), to the Mija Lake (Lacul Mija), to the Crutch Peak (Vârful Cârja) or to the Great Parâng (Parângul Mare).
If you want to get to the ridge by foot (without taking the chairlift) you can ascend the county road (asphalted) till Rusu hotel. From here we follow the forest road where the red tape mark also ascend.
Pentru versiunea in limba romana
