Basalt Column Climbing BAN

FA of a line in Hrazdab gorge that used to be for a top rope and for rescue training.

The Physics' Wall sector is located in Yerevan, Hrazdan gorge, just below the Yerevan Physics Institute on the edge of the gorge. It's around 10min walk from the "Spitak" Rescue Center, and the members of the YerPhI Alpine Club, the same, founding fathers of "Spitak" Rescue Center, used to train there for decades. However this line remained for top rope only, with a couple of glued bolts on the bottom of it for rigging a rescue system.

I checked it for mixed trad climbing and for most of it you have cracks for the safe protection. On the upper part I have put 6mm x 2.5sm sketchy Soviet "schlambur bolts" for eliminating the runout where there are no cracks. Now it's ready for a show off photo-session with some cams and nuts.

With Anahit, Miqael, Yulia and Vardan we went to taste it.

It’s 20m high 5b/5.8 that requires some middle and small size protection gear.

View the embedded image gallery online at:
https://www.uptherocks.com/content/view/197/138#sigProId7612d1dcc6

Details: Category: Rock Climbing; Published: 13 April 2008

WE FLY CROWS

We choose Black Diamond

MOUNTAIN GUIDING

Rock and Ice climbing

Our member Vadik again won the Moscow championship in speed climbing

On February 13-14, 2010, the Championship of all age group climbers was held in Moscow, on the great climbing walls DDS (Youth Sport Club).
Old friends of the mountains meet in Armenia

“Amazing Armenia” – this was the title of a big article published in the “Rock & Ice” magazine in the US in 2010.
Unbelievable “Rendezvous”

Last summer in July-August, 2007 I spent my holiday in Armenia, Hrazdan town, not far from Yerevan with my relatives.
Vaghinak Sirekanyan won the Moscow Youth championship in speed category

The member of 'Up The Rocks" club, Student MIPT Vaghinak Sirekanyan won the Moscow Youth championship in speed category, on March 22, 2009.

Mountaineering and Backcountry skiing

Heli-skiing in Armenia

On March 17-24, the program of heli-skiing in Armenia runs with sunny weather and good snow.
Ski Season 2023

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.
Freaky Kazbek expedition

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.
Another great skiing with nice crew!

It's March 2, but the weather is quite warm already for this time of a year, skiers' must have been driven into depression, but some just go and check the snow!