Basalt Column Climbing BAN

After how our guests Will Nazarian and Katy Anderson arrived in Yerevan on March 26, we tried to make a short schedule together as to which climbing areas we would go for a climb and explore.

With Will we decided to explore the destinations of upcoming event “Arev” Armenian First Ascent Open Festival.

So the first day we went for a warm up at the bouldering section of Hrazdan gorge, located in Yerevan.

For the next two days the plan was to climb the Garni gorge columns. While getting up the basalt columns Will couldn’t hide his emotions “… this is fuckin' climbing paradise, man…”. He was first to free climb Joe Morgan’s “Margarita’s family” route, 35meters high.

He decided to give it the name “Doudouk” – Armenian musical wind instrument. We ended up the day with Garni temple (1^st c) – it is something marvelous even in the twilight.

The next morning we got disappointed seeing a snow from the window and decided to try to compensate it by a walking tour in Yerevan.

View the embedded image gallery online at:
https://www.uptherocks.com/index.php/uptherocks-archive/144-doudouk-ffa-5-10d-35m-garni-gorge#sigProIdbf1cc84d41

WE FLY CROWS

We choose Black Diamond

MOUNTAIN GUIDING

Rock and Ice climbing

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.
Armenian climbing team at "Experience the Rocks of Georgia"

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 Route "Sev" - 20m 5b/5.8

FA of a line in Hrazdab gorge that used to be for a top rope and for rescue training.
Solo climbing the "Doudouk" 5.10d

Well, all the guys who I have sent a message via facebook, to go for climbing on Sunday, where not in the planned venue.

Mountaineering and Backcountry skiing

Ski Season 2021

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!
Оld guide’s ski-tour in Armenia

This time we were honored to host the iconic mountain guides Claude Jaccoux and Alberto Re in Armenia.
"Game Ridge" backcountry first descent, solo

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.
Aghvan Chatinyan (Armenian hard man)

Aghvan Chatinyan was born on December 14, 1926 in Vardapluri, a village near Stepanavan, Armenia.