Like in the Alps and Caucasus, the snow conditions were poor in Armenia as well during past winter months. In Aspen though, where I spent skiing and teaching for the ski school there, it was a decent early season and very good snow throughout the season. Then came the long awaited March to guide for ski touring in Armenia.
I finally skied one of my projects in Fox Mountains, solo. My skiing buddies were busy to support me on this backcountry trip, and the weather is warming drastically in the valley now, so it had to be done now or postponed to next year which I didn't like for some reasons.
One of the best seasons in terms of snow abundance and stability during the past decade in Armenia. Although without ski-touring tourists this winter, we made it quite fun anyway!
On Feb 22, the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Armenia reported an avalanche accident in Kotayk Province on the slopes of Mt. Teghenis 2851m.
Could it be an any better time for route setting than a COVID lockdown period?
10 new sport climbing routes (14 pitches) we set this September in Noravank Canyon. Our friend Martin Tučka from Czech Republic, who visited to our Armenian Rock Climbing Festival in 2013 and put number of sport routes here, was back again for this project.
On late Oct our guests were Morteza Eftekhar, with his family, in the group of Naser Ararat, from Iran.
June 7-11 was spent to set 8 more sport climbing routes in Noravank canyon, at the new sector called Areni.
Well, all the guys who I have sent a message via facebook, to go for climbing on Sunday, where not in the planned venue.
When Sam Bie emailed me about their wish to visit Armenia with Alex Chabot and establish new routes on basalt columns then I realized that the rock climbing is going to rise on the new level in Armenia.
Here is the second part of the project “Rock Us in the Caucasus 2015”, which was held in Chaukhi mountains and Mt. Kazbeg in Georgia.
On Aug 14 our team arrived at Tehran. After lodging at our friend Arayik’s place and having a rest, with Sourik we set of to Meydanm Monirie where a lot of mountaineering equipment stores are located.
On cold November 22, with Dani and Lucia I finally went to the Granite Circus, which they had discovered a year ago.
The initiator of this ski touring program Andre Souvignet, and Up the Rocks was hosting Andre’s team with a pleasure in Georgia.
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Tel: +374-93-337-937, +374-93-318-006.