Skitour and freeride with view on Elbrus.
This year we have tried new hut in Adil-Su valley - the hut "Ochag". That's why our skitour programm was in new format - it was not a summer backcountry camp with tents but on the other hand it was not a one-day skitour walk. We had time and possibitily to ride some not so short and popular lines.
Our camp. The life here is very simple, but it was very warm and friendly.
Ahia, who is an owner of this hut, finished the building for 10-15 persons, and we were the first skitour group, who tried it.
The programm was really successful! Although mountains are mountains, and there were a lot of small troubles: first days were very cold, and above 2600 meters there was very strong wind, then became much warmer but there were snowfalls all the time and total whiteout on passes, so we have to walk slightly shorter routs.
Sometimes it was really windy!
But the team was very strong - even in very difficult situation all the guys and one girl went up and tried to find every chance to ride or jump.
I think that nobody jumped so much in this valley before.
And maybe we were the first riders who did some lines on the left and right side of Kashkatash glacier and through the couloir between sheepback rocks of Kashkatash glacier. In last years the glacier has melted and below it appeares a good terrain for freeride. It is a northen slope, so there is a very good snow.
Glacialist's huts.
Inside hut.
Descend through Dgankuat glacier.
The main long routs with 1000-1300 meters of ascend we walk in direction of the glade "Zelenaya Gostinitsa" and Dgankuat glacier. In the circle above glacialist's huts you can find good snow almost in every wind conditions.
We also spent a lot time on resque trainings, snow tests and their interpretation. But we were lucky - the snow was rather stable and avalanche hazard was not high.
Another theme for training was glatcher travel and resque in galtcher crevasse.
Resque training.
The possibility to fall into the crevasse in glatcher is a real danger, espessially in case of rather thin layer of snow. Trainings took place on Kashkatash glacier and on snowy rocks near Adil-Su river.
Unfortunately, we couldn't climb to frozen waterfall near Dgantugan camp, because it was too dangerous when the weather became warm.
A lot of snowfalls and whiteout conditions didn't give us a chance to climb to VZSPS pass and ride one of the longest and most beautiful lines in Prielbrusje region to Kurmi valley, but this will be the reason to return to Adil-Su next time.
Thanks a lot to everyone who took part in this program, it was great!!!
And thanks a lot to Sergei for fantastic food during the course!
And some other photos:
Warm atmosphere in the kitchen
Ascend through Bashkara glacier clay
Up through Adil-Su valley
Through the forest to Kashkatask glacier
Dgantugan summit and circle of Dgankuat glacier
Below Aristov's rocks. Dgantugan summit and pass. Elbrus view.
Training of refugion construction
Descend from Aristov's rocks
Photos by Vadim Kim and Sergei Vedenin
