
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.
Could it be an any better time for route setting than a COVID lockdown period?

June 7-11 was spent to set 8 more sport climbing routes in Noravank canyon, at the new sector called Areni.

Phhh. Our car stalls in the Zvartnots parking lot just as the third member of our climbing team, Marius, reports he “knows how to drive stick.”
A new line on corroded part of the rocks on "Old School" sector.
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.
In the scope of a workshop for development of incoming tourism to Armenia, Yves Exbrayat, Christophe Raylat from Grenoble, Manu Armand and Julie Lebeurre from Chamonix where our guests.

From Feb 25 to March 5, a French group was hosted by Up The Rocks for ski-touring program in Armenia.

Mystic basalt columns and limestone had been the initial motivation to travel to Armenia, but the potential for outdoor adventures took us by surprise as did the culturel experience.
8/38 Margaryan str., 0036 Yerevan, Republic of Armenia
Tel: +374-93-337-937, +374-93-318-006.