Everyone has their own path to the mountains

Selected moments of the hike "Water and Stones" September 13-17, 2009
Everyone has their own path to the mountains. Mine started 25 years ago, and was interrupted for 25 years). It turned out that the first attempt to storm Chatyr-Dag was made a very long time ago... And so, returning from Crimea from a “seal” vacation, I said - that’s it, I’m going on a hike. The time allotted for getting ready, repurchasing and shopping has flown by unnoticed, and here is Simferopol, the train station, a meeting with the group and a leisurely trolleybus ride...

The group gathered, as it turned out, was experienced, everyone had hiking experience, (except me)) courageous and cheerful. As it should be. Therefore, in response to the call of the Coach (Andrey Gipich) “Well, have you dug, boars?” everyone got up and dug further. It was really hard to dig. But the trumpet and the thirst for something new called forward, to the peaks, caves, waterfalls and ghosts. All these joys have already been described, photographed and shown many times. I would just like to dwell on certain moments of the hike. So, oh...

About the Coach.

Andrey told us that they had never called him that before. Well, our group also gathered for the first time))). The coach is experienced, knows everything, has been everywhere. He eats everything, but has a special passion for Pervomaiskaya Condensed Milk. For him, this is a fetish and greetings from the Motherland. Approximately how for a Russian intelligence officer the latest issue of the newspaper Pravda deep in the German rear. Good equipment can also arouse the Trainer's interest. Like the blonde has a Louis Vuitton handbag.

About high thoughts, being, etc.

About the second hour of the hike, thoughts of lofty things naturally give way to one simple thought - why the hell did I come here? Didn’t you sit and think at home, in a restaurant, in the toilet, after all? No, I’m stuck and there’s nowhere to retreat, ahead are the mountains, the sea and the envy of everyone for whom the peaks are already behind us! But when I was able to do it, I overcame it, and it worked out - then everything was ok. Then you can think high. And with legitimate pride!

About beauty.

The most fabulous and beautiful place for me is the view of Babugan from Eklizi-Burun. When you look into the distance and the distance consists of beautiful plateaus, covered with forest, covered with ravines and highlighted by peaks that you have never been to before, you think that the Lord of the Rings was not filmed there.))) I was also impressed by the Valley of Ghosts, Catherine’s head and all sorts of different similar and dissimilar creatures of nature.

About the cave Emine - Bair - Khosar.

She's beautiful. Time slowly flows in it, losing its outlines, and stalactites, stalagmites and stalagnates come to life. And all this goodness has its own name, given by unknown speleologists who smoked. Well, very intriguing! And when they say that a stalactite grows by 10 cm in 1000 years, one’s conscience does not allow one to think about the eternal. There is also a baby mammoth that has lost its head. It is strange that the speleologists did not see his spirit in the darkness of the cave. And if they saw it, they didn’t say anything. And if they did, I listened.

About the Kholodnaya cave.

One of the largest on Chatyrdag is Suuk-Koba, 210 m long. Its name is quite justified: it is really quite cool here, the constant air temperature is +6 ° C. There is water and wall paintings. Obviously drawn by someone.))

About food and beer and mulled wine.

The food was just right. Not much and not little. There was practically no time to think about specialties, so everything prepared by Coach and stored in our backpacks went with a bang. It would be quite possible to do without the supplies. I had a chance to try beer on a hike. But since for this you need to carry it on your loved one and almost all the time upward, then a reasonable alternative between having no beer and carrying it on yourself, I personally ended up with as many as 2 cans (or just 2))). But there was simply no mulled wine. We didn't have enough at the buffet on Emine - Bair - Khosar. You should have drunk before the excursion!!! This is all Coach... Don't drink, go out and warm up...

About the Jur-Jur waterfall.

Now, whenever I approach some super-clean waterfall, I will remember that mountaineering tourists can stand a little higher and bathe their fragrant bodies, socks and sneakers in the purest water. And when we were invited to Rybachye for an excursion to Jur-Jur, we had to tell the truth - that we had already been there! But after swimming it’s really good and fresh. But getting down to it is not entirely easy. Even harder than with Hangar-Burun.

About socks.

Don't take untested socks on a hike! I personally haven’t found any quality ones on the market in Simferopol, and the ones I found seem to roll off and can slowly rub the palms of my feet.

About equipment.

It should be as light as possible. I asked a fellow hiker why his backpack was so light? As it turned out, he was just going on a hike for 20 years... Experience. And mine weighed about 25 kg, I think. Backpack, sleeping mat, sleeping bag and tent - about 9 kg!!! And a lot of things that you simply cannot do without!!! But the socks were dried on a line and held there with clothespins!))

About the vineyards.

Not all vineyards were cut down in Crimea. We came across one of these on our way to Rybachye. There were somewhat fewer grapes there, but by a strange coincidence we no longer wanted to eat! It’s just a pity I had to leave out the bag of grapes on the way out. Grandmother the watchman noticed.

About Rybachy.

There is not much to say about Rybachy. An ordinary seaside town, living from season to season. Everything is leisurely, familiar, not super expensive. For attractions you need to go to Malorechenskoye. There is the Lighthouse Temple of St. Nicholas of Myra. And below it is a museum of disasters on the waters. If earlier it was unpleasant for me to fly, now I’m not particularly keen on sea cruises either!) But 35 UAH for entry, as promised, is not a pity.

About injuries.

You just need to remember that everything is possible, and not only good things. You can avoid this as much as possible only by being careful when choosing places to put your feet, rest your arms and stick your head. And then the road will surely be a joy.

About everything.

Can't tell you everything! You have to see it, go through it and experience it. And then move on through life with the consciousness and understanding that you were able, did not retreat and achieved it. It's a pity that everything just ended earlier than planned! But I know for sure that I want to go again! And I’m already looking at lighter equipment...

Vladimir Tuman, Poltava. 2009