
As the Up The Rocks club transformed into Armenian Mountaineering and Skiing National School, we started organizing multi-pitch climbing classes for young climbers.
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!
"Tigranes The Great" is my beloved climb on Titanic Rock in Gnishik canyon, Vayots Dzor province of Armenia. I have bolted it in 2018 and climbed it in 2019.

Three routes in Rocky Mountain National Park. Petit Grepon and two on Longs Peak.
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.

Our friend, photographer Hayk Barseghyan, had found this amazing part of Akhuryan gorge, and suggested it to us for ice climbing.
Could it be an any better time for route setting than a COVID lockdown period?

Right a year ago "Norwegian Agency of YIA", by the efforts of Per Erling Tilset Larsen and Eirik Skar, took our team to Flatanger, Norway to the amazing event.
The basalt crag above village Bjni, where during early eighties they organized Soviet Union rock climbing championships, is still desired trad climbing cliff just 32km from Yerevan.
Aghvan Chatinyan was born on December 14, 1926 in Vardapluri, a village near Stepanavan, Armenia.

On cold November 22, with Dani and Lucia I finally went to the Granite Circus, which they had discovered a year ago.

Winter 2016/17 was a season for joy and exploration of new ski touring areas and tracks in Armenia and Georgia.

On the beginning of August, 2007 our Armenian friends from Iran Sourik Stepanian and Araik Jahanian came to Yerevan to set off for Georgia, to climb up Mt Kazbek (5033m) with ‘Spitak’ rescue team members.
8/38 Margaryan str., 0036 Yerevan, Republic of Armenia
Tel: +374-93-337-937, +374-93-318-006.