Golden Mountain Enduro Băiţa

Golden Mountain Enduro is a competition whose first edition took place in 2018. And if Enduro Panorama takes place in May in the Padurenilor Realm, Golden Mountain Enduro takes place in October in the Apuseni Mountains. It was created as a unique competition in the world, the only one taking place in a gold rich area. If the Erzberg Rodeo in Austria is organized on the Iron Mountain, the Hunedoara organizers wanted to have a competition on the Gold Mountain. At the beginning of the first edition, almost 100 riders from Europe enrolled, who, as well as in Ghelari, stayed at the tourist camping sites in the area, but also at the villagers’ homes.

And if in the case of Enduro Panorama the motorcycle camp is located on the plateau of the Hostel barring the same name (Panorama), this place was located in Băița where the autumn fairs take place. Although it is only at the beginning, Golden Mountain Enduro Băița wants to follow on the footsteps of the Enduro Panorama circuit in Ghelari, and the number of participants will increase each year, for the development of tourism in the area. Here the landscapes are splendid and the tourists can listen to amazing stories, but they can also sample the tasty dishes, specific to the place.
The competition has three classes: professional, expert and hobby. Among the participants were riders from Austria, Poland, Hungary, Germany, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, but also the Netherlands and, of course, Romania.

The Golden Mountain Enduro courses were slightly shorter than those of Ghelari (for example, at the first edition they only amounted to 150 kilometers, and at the second 160), but they were very diversified. On the first day of the first edition, ten kilometers of the route was with special trials with obstacles from rubbers, to stones and logs. The public was expected around the base camp, in Craciunesti. The courses of the following days included circuits to Câinel, to Valea Arsului (the most difficult trial), with the closing of the race in Hărţăgani. On Sunday, the route stretched between Craciunesti, to Hondol and back to Băiţa.
In the second edition, the one in 2019, only 120 competitors, out of the total of almost 170 finished the 160 km hard race of the Apuseni region. Even the Romanian Champion, Jozsa Norbert-Levente, was injured and left the competition before the last day. In the Professional class of riders, Golden Mountain 2019 was won by Czech David Cyprian, who said, excitedly, that the route was excellent! In just one year, in Băița, the number of participants doubled, so Golden Mountain Enduro promises to be one of the brand competitions of this sport, which is not at all a cheap one, but which does not only put pressure on the budget, but also the physical endurance and strong will of the participants.