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

Dancing the vertical and horizontal lines of Armenia

Before reading an article in Rock & Ice and watching Sam Bie’s excellent film on Armenian climbing, we virtually knew nothing about this little land locked country, except for the genocide and their world famous wrestlers.
Club Alpin Français youth in Armenia

Club Alpin Français du pays de Gex youth team was hosted by the Armenian Alpine Club at the end of August for a rock climbing program in Noravank canyon and climbing the mount Aragats.
America to Armenia

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.”
New sport climbing sector "Areni" developed in Noravank canyon

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

Mountaineering and Backcountry skiing

Mt Ushba south peak (4710m)

When two guys, who had never met before and don’t know much about each other (besides couple of g-mails) immediately set of to climb a serious mountain from the meeting place – they call it “nonsense” in mountaineering, you will agree!
"Eagle Ski Club" ski-touring in Armenia

“Eagles”, the way “Eagle ski club” members call themselves here, were the most cheerful group I have skied with!
Filming the ski tour in Armenia

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.
French Ski-tour in Armenia

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