Trekking - not walk on park

Written by Владимир Гаврилюк из Херсона      the Seaman of merchant marine fleet about "Water and stones" in June 2010.
I always considered that rest should be active. Especially rest of the seaman which has got used to spend the majority of time on a vessel in vigorous movements. And my especially personal opinion that boarding houses, conditioners, beaches with uncountable quantity of the people, a food in dining rooms, beer and the other blessings of a civilisation is all lightly. Not rest, and waste of money, forces and health. By the nature it is necessary for person to overcome and struggle with difficulties to feel a live substance. And the campaign across mountain Crimea as well as possible combines productive leisure and possibility to test the forces. I have started to plan a Trekking tour in February. The blessing the Internet on a vessel was accessible. The searcher has prompted an excellent resource - OutdoorUkraine.com. The most interesting and megainformative site on subjects. Thanks to enthusiast-single Cyril Jasko and its child I have found just that wanted - the pedestrian campaigns across mountain Crimea. Special training as that, was not required, and it was just necessary to be able to go. The huge choice of accessible campaigns both on three, and for six days was offered.

I have stopped on a route, under the name «Water and Stones». The sated six-day campaign on mountain tops with visiting of caves and falls. For a campaign I bought equipment separately through Internet shops though all could be hired for copecks. Start date has been given on June, 20th. And here the campaign has come to the end also I want to tell to dear readers about this excellent kind of rest, about mountain Crimea and about difficulties.

As I have already told, start has been given on June, 20th. A meeting of participants of a campaign at station in Simferopol. In total there were ten persons thirsting to submit and overcome. Four persons from Dnepropetrovsk, pair of young children from Kiev, one guy from Nikopol and we - a family from Kherson as a part of three persons. A conductor called Taras. By the way, the fine expert of the business, the excellent interlocutor and soul of all group. At station have distributed products on backpacks and have distributed rolling equipment.

At station we have sat down on a trolley bus going on JUBK. An hour later with superfluous we have reached starting points - settlement Perevalnoe. In shop have bought in addition, who that was not in time and have once again checked up equipment. On Ishachej to a track, at first through wood, and then on open district we have started to clamber on the bottom plateau of Chatyr-Daga (that in transfer with Turkic - the Tent-mountain). If to go towards Alushty from Simferopol it is possible to see one of tops of Chatyr-Daga - the Eklizi-breaker - the second-large top of Crimea (1527 metres). We should get there.

But about it a bit later. The first lifting, probably, was the most difficult for all participants. First, sharp physical activity on feet and heart - some did not have not enough breath plus at everyone tjazhelennye backpacks behind shoulders. Morning exercices, all the same - the great cause, and preliminary monthly jogs have helped with such situation. Our conductor told that already here, on Ishachke, many did not cope with loading and came back back. A Trekking tour in mountains - not walk on park. along toward evening we have reached a cave Marble where near in picturesque wood have set up camp for a lodging for the night. A cave Marble are huge halls with freakish forms natechnyh formations, the rare kinds of crystals. The length of the equipped excursion routes makes about one and a half kilometres. Krasotishcha. By the way about parking - throughout all route our conductor of Taras chose such places where, there was a possibility normally to put tent, were ready kostrishcha and logs around for sitting and a relax.

The most important thing in a campaign, besides confidence of the forces is quickly to put tent and to kindle a fire for a rain in mountains - not a rarity, and to fuss in the rain - pleasure not from pleasant. A food in a campaign - dairy porridge with raisin for a breakfast, dry perekus for a dinner - sandwiches, sausage, sprats and paste, for a supper - buckwheat cereal or macaroni with tushenkoj. Like it is small, you will tell, but anybody hungry did not remain. The conductor prepared skilfully and is tasty. All fur-trees with pleasure. And what tea it is simple magic. CHabrets, zveroboj and limonnik. Useful, non-polluting and without GMO. Water took from a natural source near a cave.


For the second day we have crossed rather flat plateau, have passed through gorge Tissovoe and have appeared at a foot of Top Chatyr-Daga. The kind on road Simferopol-Alushta and Angarsk pass From here opened.


Have taken rest and have begun long lifting on top the Eklizi-breaker. In places lifting passed in semimeter from deep breakage. An extreme and only. Each of participants went the optimum rate, someone more slowly, often having a rest, someone faster. The gained experience on Ishachej to a track before was in the afternoon as it is impossible by the way. At top we were waited by an easy perekus-dinner among slowly rising clouds from gorge. And pure mountain air is something indescribable.


Descent from top has appeared for many even more difficultly, than lifting. Muscles standing revolted and sometimes there was such impression that the knee joint just about will jump out of the regular place. The ending of the second day - a lodging for the night on the Beechen glade. Parking at height approximately 800 metres above sea level. Wild beechen wood in which syro, it is silent and full of russulas. Plus a spring with ice mountain water.


Next day, after a breakfast and traditional morning tea our group has gone down to Angarsk pass. Here there was a chance to leave home that who has decided that for it difficulties will suffice and it is time to fasten with physical activities.


But such was not also we have continued our way to mountain Northern Demerdzhi. Again a long ascension on guerrilla paths through beechen wood. Because of recently last rain was very much syro, road razmokla plus komariki did not allow to long. On Glade MAN we have made a halt. The magnificent kind on mountain Southern Demerdzhi, Alushtu and the sea from here opens. Directly on a glade stone circles are located are a place where thirsting are charged by space energy.


Because of accumulating clouds and thunder peals nearby Taras has a little changed a route and we, after hour rest, at once have gone on parking.

The way lay along breakage. On narrow stone paths among fine landscapes we have reached on tourist's parking of Dzhurla. There there was a pond and a spring. To girls there was a chance a little to bring round and to arrange postirushki. However, the quantity of other tourists, noise and garbage around has a little saddened our pastime. It would be desirable a solitude. After a supper we were covered with a wild rain with hailstones. But all had time to choose a place and to put tents to a rain. After a while the hailstones have stopped, but the rain continued to test people and tents for durability all night long.


For morning of the fourth day it has appeared that the tent of children from Dnepropetrovsk for a night has completely got wet, including people, things and sleeping bags. It was blow for them. Were somehow dried, but a bad weather and physical weariness, in my opinion, has very much knocked down fighting spirit dnepropetrovtsev. In this connection, because of a bad weather forecast and a delay on parking of Taras has suggested to take council concerning the further route.

It has been decided to go on upper courses of Demerdzhi-Jajla, by falls of Dzhurla, a source of Choban-Chokrak, through an impassable windbreak to go down in gorge Haphal and there to spend the night. And next morning to go down further to falls of Dzhur-Dzhur and a civilisation - to settlement General. And therefrom who where: who on the sea and who to dry things and home to have a rest from rest.


On the way to gorge Haphal we have risen on height in 1300 metres. A fine kind, flora, fauna and besides pure mountain air. Had dinner, have dried some things under the warm Crimean sun, had a rest and have begun descent in gorge. Here where there was a real extreme and adrenaline. The present adventure. Because of a rain all track was wet and slippery. In some places it was necessary to creep under the fallen down trees and to search for an alternative track because of a dirt. Went down very slowly a trace in a trace behind a conductor, supervising each step. As excessive self-confidence could play a bad joke in the form of the broken extremities.

Frankly, not for all from group it is action has passed easy. There was also a hysterics - were afraid that will not consult. But our "chief" of Taras supervised descent of each member of group. The real professional. And all has passed without undue incident: falling on a soft place and the soiled clothes - here all result of extreme mountain descent.

Have spent the night on parking near the noisy mountain river and falls. Nearby there was a small cave where, under conductor stories, during war there was a guerrilla hospital. Have collected a few mushrooms: russulas and borovikov. After a supper have welded and have fried them on a fire. Vkusnotishcha.


For morning of the fifth day have started to go down on gorge to a civilisation. Along the line we were waited by the next difficulties: a crossing through the fast mountain river on trunks of the fallen trees and a steep stone rock directly ahead of falls of Dzhur-Dzhur. It were the unforgettable moments - difficulties which, having suppressed internal fear, each member of group eventually has overcome.


When have seen having a rest, have understood that a civilisation somewhere nearby and it became somehow sad. Personally I slightly was upset that our mountain adventure approaches to the logic ending. Even day two-three would be just right. Though some children from group, I will not hide, have sighed with simplification.


Further there was a mountain settlement General. There we have left children from Dnepr. Then in a body of the UAZ we have moved in Solnechnogorsk and the group rest: we, children from Kiev and Taras have gone to spend one day at the sea, on JUBK. Were reserved by products, house Crimean wine and have waved on a wild beach.

Had a rest, bathed and restored forces. And at the same time it is live discussed recent adventures - have been firmly assured that it not last our campaign. We will necessarily go still. After all mountains it is fine. Cleanliness of thoughts and rest as a hobby and bodies. It is the TRUE REST. Try though time, will not regret.

Vladimir Gavriljuk. Kherson