Ushba is a killer mountain, a ghost mountain. All the romance of mountaineering recedes before her cruelty and waywardness. Sometimes climbing from just hard work turns into a desperate fight for life. But inexorably the mountain with its impregnable grandeur continues to attract to itself, flashing at sunset with the light of red coals, burning the soul and calling, alluring, flickering in the coming darkness.
I came across these lines on the Web on one of the sites when I was trying to understand the reason for such frequent accidents with climbers who stormed this peak this summer.
Rising behind the Shkhelda Gorge, Ushba is one of the most prestigious and widely known massifs in the world, it was noted further on this site. Its special shape disturbing the imagination, the grandiose scale of the walls and the history of conquest created the Legend of the Summit, which has such a formidable name - the Witches' Sabbath, as the name Ushba is translated from Georgian.

Ushba is the most famous mountain in Svaneti and probably one of the most famous in the entire Caucasus. It is far from the highest (4690 meters), but it is distinguished by a certain pointed shape, and the difficulty of climbing. Ushba has two peaks, North and South. From the Georgian side, only the southern side is more often visible - for example, from the side of the Becho community.

The mountain is composed mainly of garnites and is characterized by characteristic steep slopes. On the north side there is a large, completely vertical plane, which is called the Mirror of Ushba. At one time, the famous Georgian climber Khergiani passed the mirror.

bad season

The fact that Ushba is the subject of dreams for many climbers was confirmed by the current season, which turned out to be exceptionally intense in terms of the number of ascents. It is known that not all of them ended happily, and some, unfortunately, tragically. Let's give some examples.

Georgian rescuers assisted a group of Russian climbers of four, who spent almost six days in the mountains of Svaneti and could not get out, having fallen under an avalanche and rockfall. One of them had an injured leg. The rescuers were still able to take out the climbers by helicopter and deliver them to Mestia. More than 60 rescuers were involved in the rescue work.

By the evening of August 12, Georgian rescuers managed to lift the body of a Russian climber from the crevice, who had fallen off while climbing Ushba, said Ilya Japaridze, head of the administration of the Mestia regional center. Rescuers worked all day in extremely difficult conditions, Japaridze said. According to him, the climber's body was delivered to the regional center of Mestia, then the Georgian side took up resolving issues related to his delivery to his homeland.

Ilya Dzhaparidze said that a group of Russian climbers of three people, one of whom died, were climbing the summit of Ushba from the Russian side. The climbers came from the buffer zone where they can move freely. Therefore, the local structures in Svaneti had no prior information about this ascent.

The head of the Mestia administration noted that other groups of Russian and Ukrainian climbers are currently on Ushba, but everything is in order with them, and they have their own program to conquer the mountain peak. The Department of Emergency Situations of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia reported the other day that five Italian tourists were in the rockfall zone on Mount Ushba, and they needed help. There were two women among the climbers. Rescuers in a helicopter were able to reach the Italians asking for help and transport them to a safe place.

The story of the Armenian climber deserves special attention. The climber climbed Ushba alone. He was taken captive by the mountains due to... lack of equipment (?!). Asked for help to get down from the top. However, due to difficult weather conditions and the inaccessibility of the place, the helicopter could not immediately fly up there. Rescuers still managed to take the climber to a safe place.

Expensive pleasure

So, reports about Italian tourists or an Armenian climber with insufficient equipment undoubtedly push one to think about whether everything is fine-tuned in organizing ascents to such a capricious mountain beauty as Ushba. How will they check the readiness of groups and single climbers? Is it possible to dissuade tourists from such a difficult route?

In this regard, let me remind you of an incident that happened recently in the mountains of Tibet. A Chinese climber was forcibly removed from Everest for unauthorized ascent - without a tour group and permission, he reached the mark of 7772 meters and practically conquered the highest mountain in the world. To the top point, he was only a kilometer 76 meters away.

It should be noted that permission to conquer Everest, to put it mildly, is an expensive pleasure -: minimum cost is 25 thousand dollars (excluding the cost of equipment and instructor). A significant part of the ascents is organized by specialized companies, and climbers climb as part of commercial groups.

The clients of these firms pay for the services of guides who provide the necessary training, equipment and, as far as possible, ensure safety along the way. The cost of such a conquest of Everest is 70 thousand dollars, but the extreme is worth it. Now, almost every day, we see helicopters flying against the backdrop of snowy peaks on television news, we see how our brave climbers rush to the rescue of their foreign colleagues, we see what great efforts, what risks they take to save people in trouble. So it should be, honor and praise to them!

But at the same time, first of all, there should be a system of warnings that will allow tourists or unprepared climbers to close the path to Ushba. Obviously, it is necessary to create a special service that would be responsible for the preparation and organization of mountain ascents. It is that service that could be entrusted with issuing licenses-permits for the conquest of Ushba, Mkinvartsveri, Tetnulda or other peaks.

The story of how the sovereign prince of Svaneti - Dadeshkeliani in 1903 officially presented Ushba to the climber Chenchi von Fikker, a member of the Rickmers expedition, is well known. A deed of gift has been preserved for this event. The Svans were offended: how can one give a mountain to a foreigner. Dadeshkeliani was not only a man of grand gestures. He was also apparently endowed with great humour. He answered the offended fellow tribesmen: The mountain, as it stood, still stands, but the woman is pleased.

Ushba stood as it is, we are convinced today. And still a magnet attracts daredevils. It doesn't even take much effort to promote it. We only need to take care that already at the initial stage, as much as possible to protect climbers from emergencies.

Givi Koridze

http://rus-press.ge/index.php?newsid=8378

,
Kazbek, Tetnulda and Dzhimaraikhokh, the eighth peak of the rating is Ushba, 4710 m high.

As I wrote in the photo review of the previous peak, Ushba is only formally the eighth in height. AND...
This terrible in its grandeur, most beautiful, formidable, impregnable, amazing and unforgettable,
charming and fantastic, two kilometers from the foot to the top of a granite boulder,
the most difficult peak of the Caucasus, grandiose to goosebumps ... Of course, You must see it with your own eyes, and the closer,
the better, the more goosebumps will be from the delight of the forces of nature, which created the Caucasus Range,
and including Ushba. This peak, the translation of whose name is (perhaps controversial, but appropriate)
from Svan - "Sabbath of Witches", excited the hearts of English climbers of the 19th century.
On the most difficult "mirrors" of its walls, the strongest climbers of the USSR climbed - Mikhail Kherginani
(a legend in itself), Lev Myshlyaev, Mikhail Anufrikov and many others...
Having gone through all my photo archives since 2002, I selected the best pictures of this Summit.

1. May (high in the mountains it is still winter). View from the slope of Elbrus. Only the top of Ushba peeks out from behind the clouds from somewhere far away behind the ridges. The whole wall is not visible, and there are few places where you can see it in its entirety...

2. August 2002. Beginning of dawn. View also from the slope of Elbrus. Most of Ushba is hidden (merging) with the Shkheld massif.

3. July 2006, dawn... View from the slope of Mount Kezgenbashi in the Irik Range. To the left of Ushba is Chatyn and Shchurovsky peak, to the right are the teeth of Shkhelda. And again, only the top of Ushba is visible, located entirely in Georgia, hidden by the Main Caucasian Range.

4. May 2008, 6x zoom view from the village of Elbrus in Kabardino-Balkaria. The two towers of Ushba are somewhere in an inaccessible height behind the ridges. On the right is one of the towers of the formidable Shkhelda.

5. August 2004. Taken from the slope of Elbrus to an ancient soap box. Above the sea of ​​clouds, under the clouds illuminated by dawn, rises the Caucasian Range with Ushba at the head.

6. August 2003. View from the ascent to the Western peak of Elbrus. You can see dots of people going along the "path" to the Saddle, and in the distance, on the left, the two-horned Ushba.

7. August 2004. View from the Western summit of Elbrus. On the left - Eastern, and in the distance - the peaks of the Bezengi region, previously mentioned in the "rating" Dykhtau, Bezengi wall, Tetnuld. And on the right - Ushba, like a huge "cat" with sharp "ears", peeking out of the clouds:

May 8, 2013 high mountains everything is covered in snow. Ushba "among friends" - Chatyn, Shchurovsky Peak, Shkhelda. The narrow Ushba icefall is visible, flowing down from the plateau near Malaya Ushba (not visible).

9. January 2006. As it often happens, especially in winter, a strong wind arose. Snow is blown off the crests of peaks. If you look closely at Ushba, especially its northern ridge, you can see what a terrible hurricane it is. Well, frost -20 to boot.

9a. Ushba from the Bodorku pass.

Now I propose to "warm up" a little, look at Ushba from the south, from Svaneti (Georgia).

10. The road along the Enguri valley to Svaneti is long, picturesque, but along the monotonous wooded Enguri gorge. But at the end, approaching the capital of Svaneti, Mestia, in front of the village of Dolra, the southern peak of Ushba opens up around the turn, hiding the northern one. This is a must see! For those who love mountains, this is the deepest positive shock forever...

11. July 2013, hike 4 class, view of Ushba from the upper reaches of the Kvish valley. So far (in this post) only the top of Ushba has been visible. And from this angle you can see the entire Western Wall. I have no words, epithets and talent to tell, describe what is seen in this photo. Yes, Elbrus is higher than Ushba, the Bezengi wall too, but here ... it’s impossible to convey. I hope the photo can convey what I wanted to say.

12. Ushba and Mazeri peak from the Kvish valley.

13. The same, view closer to the Kvish glacier, dawn clouds.

14. Another angle. August 2012. Southern and Northern peaks of Ushba, Gul glacier, from the Gulichal valley.

15. Photo with a large zoom from the lower reaches of Gulichaly. There is rarely good weather on the peaks of Ushba, even when it is sunny around. Here, in this picture, the peaks are smoking with clouds - condensate near the ice cliffs of moist air from the Black Sea or the Atlantic.

16. July 2013. Descending from the Lekzyra Gates along the Mistiachala valley, you can suddenly see two giant snow-covered blocks of Ushba peaks behind the green ridge. A photo is just a picture. And when you see this "in real life", it takes your breath away, you look at it as something unreal. Grandiose granite blocks seem to soar in the sky among the clouds.

17. Another view from the Gulichal valley, August 2012. Two rock towers on the left are trying to repeat the contours of their neighbor. But where are they to Her!

18. View from the Enguri valley, Iprali community area, August 2014, 6x zoom, taken with a soapbox from a car window.

19. August 2014. Ushba from the horizon of Zuruldi in the Mestia region. Lucky with the weather!

20. Previous zoom view. South and North peaks of Ushba.

21. And finally. July 2013, Kvish Valley, Svaneti. At sunset, the clouds dissipated a little, lit up reddish, and created a simply fantastic extravaganza. This photo, although taken with a soap dish, was

Photo

Dedicated to my friends who died while climbing Ushba.

Central Caucasus, climbing Ushba

I look at old photographs. I see the stern faces of people who risked their lives for the sake of true friendship and a common, indivisible victory into small parts. And the common victory, like real friendship, knows neither state nor national differences and borders. Some of these people are no longer alive. But their departure is not shrouded in bashful evasions and vague omissions. Everything is clear and simple. They knew why and where they were going. And they knew what price they could pay. And they paid. Completely.

Central Caucasus, climbing Ushba This story began a long time ago, braided with intricate knots around the peak with a strange and disturbing name - Ushba. Since time immemorial, this mountain has been hanging like a gloomy rock mass over the Svan village of Mestia, with its severe grandeur from an early age filling the hearts of the highlanders with courage and pride in their people. How this happens is a mystery, but maybe it doesn't matter how. The important thing is that a simple traveler who accidentally finds himself on a road that, cutting through a mountain slope, descends in loops to Mestia, even a person alien to these mountains feels a strange tension. And it is not difficult to determine its source - a strict, majestic peak, eerily regular in shape, the vertical base of which seems to rest on the very edge of the village, where the ancient Svan towers have been taking an example of proud impregnability from this mountain for almost a thousand years.

Ushba is a special mountain for Svaneti. Any man of this tiny mountainous country grows up with a deep sense of respect and awe before his most worthy personal test - Ushba. In the very appearance of this mountain lies a challenge to the courage of man. Unapproachable and majestic, Ushba all the time serves as a reminder that encourages the most courageous to act, the audacity of which does not fit into the scheme of everyday necessities. Without the slightest selfish interest, the Svans risk their lives for the sake of a pure, meaningless from the generally accepted point of view, but at a huge cost of the victory given - the ascent to the top of Ushba. Svans do not go to Ushba for money or awards. There is no economic or hunting interest there. A one-of-a-kind fact, amazing, like the whole history of Svaneti - a small mountainous country, whose proud and free disposition nature itself expressed in the form of a Mountain.

Central Caucasus, Climbing Ushba There is no greater reason for pride and respect in Svaneti than climbing Ushba, a peak that seems inaccessible to a mortal. For this unique quality, I especially love and respect the Svan people.

For us, Russian climbers, who are used to seeing Ushba from the other side, from the north, this mountain does not have such a metaphysical meaning as for the inhabitants of Svaneti, but still, its appearance is eye-catching and intimidating. The majestic double-headed peak rightfully reigns over the entire line of the Caucasus Range. No doubt - before you is the Queen. The tallest. The most slender. And inaccessible.

None of the peaks of the Caucasus is covered with such a halo of legends, stories and dramatic facts as Ushba. This Mountain is a Legend, no less famous than the European symbol of mountaineering - the Matterhorn. In some ways, these two mountains are very similar, some strange internal similarity unites them.

Historically - the same parallel. There would be no such drama and self-sacrifice in the birth of mountaineering in the Alps, if not for the Matterhorn. And who knows how Soviet mountaineering would have developed if not for Ushba?!

For a dozen generations of climbers, Ushba has become the foundation of mastery, the criterion of maturity. On stories about the legendary ascents of Ushba, they brought up in young athletes respect and the desire to improve mountaineering skills. But not everyone was able to achieve the desired goal. The cruelty and deceit of Ushba were also part of the glory of this peak. Many lives have been lost here...

And, as usual, I hear this question - was it worth it?! Woe to relatives, grief to friends. For what?! Ice and stone, the madness of a powerful element... But those who accepted the challenge and withstood this duel will not hesitate to answer. It was worth it. What remains in the heart justifies that risk. Many times.

There are few values ​​in the world that do not age. But since the first ascents of Ushba at the end of the 19th century, when Austrian climbers first climbed to uncharted heights the most difficult peaks Caucasus, and to the present day, when, at the risk of being behind bars for violating the state border and not even hoping for help in case of failure, climbers go on the most difficult routes - the price of the issue has not changed one iota - the game is definitely worth the candle.

Central Caucasus, climbing Ushba There are many beautiful routes on Ushba, among which there are no easy ones - only the strongest and most experienced climb this mountain. The names of the pioneers have also become a legend for a long time - Kokkin, Khergiani, Myshlyaev, Abalakov .... There was not a single athlete in the Union who crossed the master's line, who would not know the full depth of the meaning of this short word - Ushba. The Ushbists were especially respected, because they had a unique experience, which could only be obtained in a confrontation with the Queen of the Caucasus - Ushba. Even the difficulty categories for routes to Ushba did not fall into the general framework of sports categories - athletes who did not have experience climbing routes of the same category were not allowed on the Ushba routes. Ushba has always been the most famous technical peak of the Caucasus in the country.

As you probably already understood, for me Ushba is not just a peak. From the very beginning of my acquaintance with the mountains, Ushba was the criterion by which the purity of aspirations, the strength of courage, and the inflexibility of the will are measured. This is the Top. I guess I'm a little swan in my heart. But after my first ascent of Ushba, I felt like a different person. And the success of our memorial ascent in 2002 is also largely based on a common understanding for all participants of the exceptional importance of Ushba and a reverent attitude towards it.

But Mount Legend, the cherished dream of so many climbers, is now outlawed.

Another amazing fact, quite a match for the rest. How is it possible that the world-famous peak, an inseparable part of the history of our, Soviet, and now Russian mountaineering, suddenly turned out to be banned, and climbing Ushba became a serious crime. However, this is the situation today.

Ushba is located in the short southern spur of the Main Caucasian Range. That is, abroad, which runs along this very ridge. The border with Georgia, for those who have not yet guessed. And Georgia is now an enemy for us.

Central Caucasus, climbing Ushba The state must protect its borders. From whom should they be protected? From enemies, of course, from criminals, smugglers and terrorists. But none of these criminal elements are interested in Ushba. It is difficult to even imagine a more fantastic, complex and intricate way to violate the border.

No, hundreds of heavily armed Russian border guards guard Ushba only from climbers. What for? Who needs to deprive people of the pure joy of sports victory? How did it happen that those who, not sparing their own lives, saved mine, and then wept at the top with the joy of a common victory - now, as propaganda claims, have become enemies?! No, something is wrong here. It can not be. I misunderstood something or got it all mixed up. After all, it cannot be that the enemies of the state become its own citizens?!

I just looked at old photos from the expedition to Ushba. The now forbidden top.

P.S. If (suddenly) this text catches the eye of one of those in whose hands there is power and authority over issues of a national scale, think, just think, no more - what's wrong with the fact that climbers will have the opportunity not only to look at Ushba and listen to the stories of veterans?! Is it really an unresolvable political impasse that the majestic peaks of Ushba can be accessed from the Russian side, as it has been for over 100 years? Is it really so difficult for politicians to take a step forward, even if not to each other, but at least to their own citizens, athletes, whose only interest is to experience the pure joy of victory on top of a stunningly beautiful mountain?! Is it really so difficult and deeply infringes on state interests?

Our principles

AlexClimb Rule #1 - Safety First

From the very beginning of our activity, for almost 16 years now, the first Principle of work of the MCS AlexClimb Mountaineering and Climbing School has been Safety Priority. On the basis of this Principle, the entire learning process is built, all programs and tours are developed and conducted exclusively within the framework of this main Principle. We believe that with a professional approach to program development, with personal discipline and the right motivation, mountaineering and rock climbing are COMPLETELY safe. And vice versa - all the troubles and accidents in our sport come from unprofessionalism, from ignorance or neglect of elementary safety standards, from irrational motivation, from overestimation of one's own strengths and capabilities. All these prerequisites we COMPLETELY EXCLUDED in our work - our Climbing, Ice Climbing and Mountaineering are based on one Principle - Safety Priority. In rock climbing, mountaineering and ice climbing, the MCS AlexClimb Safety Priority is your personal safety and comfort, whether we are training muscles and practicing movement techniques in the gym and on the climbing wall, making our way through a blizzard to the top or relaxing on the golden sands of the Caribbean. beach after a hot day of training on the rocks. Safety priority is the main credo of the MCS AlexClimb Mountaineering and Climbing School.

AlexClimb Rule #2 - Leave No Trace

Closely interacting with nature, conducting active programs in the mountains, forests, rivers and lakes, we perfectly understand the importance of a careful and respectful attitude towards nature and its resources. From the very beginning of our outdoor activities, we have adopted the Leave No Trace technique - a norm of human behavior in relation to the environment, and especially to wild nature. Indeed, in relation to people's attitude to nature, next to which they exist, far-reaching conclusions can be drawn about the attitude of these people to themselves... Wherever and how we travel, we do not leave behind any garbage, we try to reduce our influence on environment to a minimum. We clean the previously polluted tourist sites from the left garbage, take out and take to the disposal sites what other people left there before us. We believe that only in this way, with the personal individual consciousness of every citizen, every tourist, climber or car traveler, we will be able to preserve the nature around us in its natural, habitable state - this is the guarantee of a healthy future for ourselves and our children.

AlexClimb Rule #3 - Sober Mind

Ushba, Samegrelo-Upper Svaneti, Georgia

Unapproachable and capricious, majestic and proud, the true queen of the Caucasus - all these epithets refer to the majestic Mount Ushba, which has been called the legend of international mountaineering for many years. Due to unstable weather conditions and a steep profile, the peak is considered one of the most difficult to climb in the middle of the Caucasus ranges and is conquered only by experienced climbers. In our article, we will talk in detail about the height of Ushba, its two-headed peak, the category of difficulty and climbing routes, which will allow desperate daredevils to evaluate their own strengths and make a decision regarding climbing the mountain.

Height and peaks of Ushba

Mount Ushba (or Uzhba) rises in the middle of the Ushba plateau, located in the mountain system of the Greater Caucasus at an altitude of 4000 meters. Geographically, it belongs to Samegrelo-Upper Svaneti and is located at a distance of 1.5 km from the Russian border. 10 km southeast of the peak stretches the cozy village of Mestia, from where the ascents begin not only to Ushba, but to the neighboring peaks - Shkhara and Dzhangi-Tau.

Unlike the surrounding mountain ranges, Ushba has a double peak, the slopes of which break off with steep 1.5-kilometer red granite walls:

• The northern peak rises to 4690 m above sea level. It was first conquered by climber John Garford Cocklin, who climbed to the very top in 1888.
• The southern peak is 20 meters higher than the northern one. He submitted to people in 1903, when an international expedition led by Willy Rickmer-Rickmers managed to climb its slopes.

A feature of the peak is its microclimate, which does not obey the general climatic rules. Even when the weather is clear and dry in the valley, the Ushba peaks are hidden in clouds and fog, and it is always windy on the bridge between the two heads, regardless of the general air currents. In summer, the average air temperature at altitudes above 3000 m often drops to -10 ... -20 ° С.

Legend of Ushba

The name Ushba is translated from the Svan language as "a mountain that brings troubles." This name is often associated with the legend of the hunter Betkel, who easily conquered the massifs of Svaneti in search of game and one day decided to go to the top of Ushba. Climbing the mountain, he met the goddess of hunting Dali, who bewitched the brave guy and left him to live with her. Over time, Betkel became homesick and secretly returned to his village under cover of night.

Not forgiving the young man for such an act, Dali again lured him to Ushba during the hunt. Chasing the mountain tour, Betkel climbed to the top, and the road behind him collapsed and broke off. When the hunter realized that there was no turning back, he rushed down from the cliff, staining Ushba with his scarlet blood. Although this story is just a legend, locals It is believed that the granite walls of the summit owe their red color to the blood of Betkel. For a long time, the mountain was closed to the public, but even today not every guide decides to deliver climbers to the routes of its ascent.

The history of climbing Mount Ushba

The beauty and difficulty of climbing Ushba has been stirring the hearts of climbers since the 19th century. After its North Peak was conquered by John Kokklin, many daredevils tried to climb up, but not all ascents were crowned with success. From 1888 to 1936, only 10 climbers climbed the South Peak, and even fewer climbed the North Peak - only 5.

The complexity of the ascent lies in the fact that on the way there are many steep slopes, and on the north side there is a completely vertical plane, which climbers call the "mirror of Ushba". Among the first brave athletes, the famous Soviet mountaineer Mikhail (Gabriel) Khergiani, who conquered the peak in 1964, was able to pass this "mirror". AT different years famous climbers Mikhail Anufrikov, Lev Myshlyaev, Gio Niguriani climbed the mountain.

It is worth noting that many climbs to Ushba ended tragically. In 1984, a team of 6 climbers from the Georgian Alpine Club remained under an avalanche, and in 1995, 20 meters from the exit to the crest of the Northern Peak, 5 athletes from the Primorsky Territory team fell off the rocks. In February 2000, an ice collapse covered the camp where four Russians from Pyatigorsk and several residents of England stayed for the night. Their bodies were never found.

Climbing routes and difficulty category

Although the height of 4710 meters is not considered an obstacle for climbers, and the mountain itself is not among the ten highest in the Caucasus, the number of successful ascents of it is extremely small. This circumstance is explained by the waywardness of Ushba and the high category of difficulty on a 6-point scale. More favorable to climbers is the North Peak, the difficulty of which is estimated from 4A to 6A. It is more difficult to climb the South Peak, which has a level of 5A to 6A (“extremely difficult”).

More than five dozen routes lead to the top of Mount Ushba, varying in difficulty category, degree of physical activity and level of possible risk. The most popular and often passable are two of them:

• Along the Northeast Ridge (4A)

The easiest route, called the classics of Soviet mountaineering. The ascent leads to the Northern Peak through the Ushbinsky Pass and icefalls of medium difficulty with many cracks. Depending on technical training and weather conditions, the average climbing time is from 8 to 16 hours. The return descent is carried out to the Ushbinsky pass or the Pillow of Ushba.

Approach to the route is possible only from Georgia, since there are no options from Russia - the border is locked, and attempts to climb Ushba are considered a crime under Russian law. In addition, in recent years there has been a strong collapse of the Ushba icefall, through which it was previously possible to get to the mountain. Therefore, today the only possible way along the route is through the village of Mestia.

• Along the South wall (5B)

A more difficult route, but the easiest of all possible ascents to the South Peak. When climbing, climbers follow the path of Mikhail Khergiani with an ascent to the crest of the South-Western buttress, passing the “mirror” of Ushba and then descending to the Gulsky camps near the settlement of Gul. On average, the round trip takes 2 days.

Climbing the route is notable for its technical complexity, it requires well-coordinated actions in a group, perfect discipline, as well as the skills of insurance and movement in mountainous terrain. Before climbing, climbers are advised to go through an acclimatization climb to Kazbek or Laila, which allows them to get used to the ice and hone their crampon walking skills.

Some climbers also use other, harder paths - along the East Face, the center of the Northeast Face, the East or West Ridge, the icefalls of the Northwest Face. Despite the great risks and heavy physical exertion, climbing Ushba is worth the effort, because there is no more joyful moment for a climber than to be at the end of a difficult path and take in the boundless expanses of the mighty Caucasus with one glance.

In contact with

Photo from mihas.35photo.ru

BSnews. Ushba (Uzhba, Georgian უშბა, translated as "Witch Sabbath") is one of the peaks of the Greater Caucasus in the Georgian region of Upper Svaneti, 1.5 km south of the border with Russia (Kabardino-Balkaria). Always different, mysterious, invariably making an indelible impression on everyone who even caught a glimpse of her. Even just in a photo. BSN ews offers you part of the notes “Captured by Georgia” by climber Veronika Sorokina about the “two-horned” talisman of Svaneti.

Veronica SOROKINA
magazine " Vertical World» №57, 2006 (taken from website Svaneti.ru )

Photo selection - as always BSNews

... “There, under the walls of Ushba, there is a good slope where we hold the championship of Georgia,” Givi says, and we go where he points.

Despite the fact that Mestia is located right at the foot of Ushba, you can see the beautiful mountain only from the airfield. And from the village itself, it is not visible. It is blocked by a high hill, overgrown with forest, on top of which there is a cross.

Up to a height of 2700 m can be reached by car. But the road is very difficult. And only UAZ can cope with it. That's really, really, an all-terrain vehicle. In such places it is much more useful than a Jeep.

Photo from radikal.ru

The road is very narrow. No imported car will simply fit on it ..

Tezo drives the car very easily and only once, twisting the steering wheel at the next sharp turn, says that he has lost the habit of "UAZ" after Land Rover. Yes… Power steering would be nice… Otherwise, Land Rover is absolutely useless on such roads.

I often looked from the slopes of Elbrus at the beautiful Ushba. And I really wanted to see her from the other side. And now, it seemed that quite a bit and the dream would come true, but ... Ushba was not in the mood and did not appear to us either on the first day, or on the second, or on the third. She has always been known among climbers for her capricious temper and unstable weather. And even when the weather around is perfect, it doesn't seem to concern Ushba. She lives by her own laws.

Photo courtesy photosight.ru.

Here is how Alexander Kuznetsov, who has seen it more than once, talks about this mountain: “Ushba ... It rises in the very center of Upper Svaneti, above Mestia.

Her appearance amazes, stuns, frightens and delights. More than two kilometers of sheer, inaccessible rocks made of pink granites and gneisses! More than two kilometers of plumb line over the green carpet of meadows and over sparkling glaciers! Try to imagine it. No, it won't work if you haven't seen Ushba. Will not work".

Here I am trying to imagine it, peering into the thick clouds that covered the mountain, and remembering the legend about why the walls of Ushba are painted red...

Photo from the site sololaki.ru

Legend of Mount Ushba

“There lived a brave hunter named Betkil. Betkil was young, slim, handsome and was not afraid of anything in the world. Luck has always accompanied him, he never returned from a hunt empty-handed. He was not afraid of the formidable Ushba either, and, no matter how they tried to dissuade him, he went to hunt on its slopes. But as soon as the hunter went up to the glacier, Dali herself met him. She bewitched the handsome young man, and he, forgetting about his home and family, stayed with her to live on Ushba.

For a long time they enjoyed their happiness, but one day Betkil looked down, saw the towers of his native village and got bored. At night, he secretly left Dali and went downstairs. And there, shedding tears, the most beautiful woman of Svaneti was waiting for him. Betkil gave himself up to a new love and forgot about Dali. At a big holiday, all the people had fun and feasted, songs, dances and round dances did not stop. And suddenly people see - a huge tour, like a horse, runs through the clearing. Nobody has ever seen such a big tour. The heart of the brave hunter could not stand it, he grabbed his bow and chased the tour. The tour jumps along a wide path, Betkil runs after him, and behind him, as soon as he steps, the path disappears and immediately breaks into sheer abysses.

Photo from mountain.ru

But the brave Betkil was not afraid (he was not afraid of anything in the world), he continued to pursue the tour. And now, on the slopes of Ushba, the tour disappeared, and Betkil remained on sheer cliffs, from where there is no return. Then he realized who sent this huge tour - the goddess Dali herself. Below, under the rock on which Betkil remained, people gathered, people shouted, cried, stretched out their hands to him, but could not help him in any way. Then the bold young man shouted loudly: “Let my bride dance!” The Svans parted, and Betkil's beloved performed a shush-pari dance for him.

Betkil shouted again: “I want to see how my sister will mourn me!” His sister came out and he watched the dance of weeping and sorrow. “And now I want to see the dance of the people!” The Svans led a round dance with a refrain about the perishing Betkil. And then the brave handsome man shouted: “Farewell!” - and the echo carried his voice through the mountains. Betkil threw himself off a cliff and crashed. The white snow among the rocks of Ushba is his bones, his blood dyed the rocks of Ushba red. Since then, the goddess Dali never showed herself to people again, and the hunters did not come close to the rocks of Ushba, where the goddess of the hunt lives.

Photo from alp.org.ua

The history of the conquest of this Legendary Mountain is interesting: “For a long time, almost all attempts to climb Ushba ended in failure.

From 1888 to 1936, only five foreign athletes visited the northern peak of Ushba, and only ten foreign athletes visited the southern peak, and more than 60 people stormed this peak. During these fifty years, many tragedies have played out on its slopes.

In 1906, two Englishmen come to Svaneti and declare their desire to climb to the top of Ushba. They are looking for a guide, but not a single Svan agrees to cross the border of Dali's possessions.

Photo from lifeisphoto.ru

However, there is a new Betkil, a brave hunter Muratbi Kibolani. He boldly leads the English over steep cliffs and reaches both peaks of the terrible Ushba. Although this time there was no meeting with the goddess Dali, one of the British died during the descent.

The Svans could not believe that people had been on top of Ushba. Then Kibolani, taking firewood with him, climbed to the top alone and kindled a fire there.

A severe competition of the Svans with an impregnable peak began.

Photo from dan.webpage.cz

Among the first Soviet people who visited Ushba was also a Svan, his name was Gio Niguriani.

For four years, a group of Georgian climbers led by Alyosha Dzhaparidze made attempts to climb, and only in 1934 four Soviet people - Alyosha and Alexandra Dzhaparidze (the first Georgian climber), Yagor Kazalikashvili and Gio Niguriani - light a fire on top of the bicorn ...

And in 1937, the same year when the first wheel was seen in Upper Svaneti, a sports group, consisting entirely of Svans, climbed South Ushba. The participants of this ascent almost all belonged to the Khergiani family, they were Vissarion Khergiani and Maxim Gvarliani, their relatives Gabriel and Beknu Khergiani and Chichiko Chartolani.

Photo from mountains.tos.ru.

Not without adventures, Gabriel and Vissarion flew into the crack: the fragile rope broke; The Svans climbed directly, far from the easiest way, and ended up on a very difficult section of rocks. But everything ended well. It was the first Soviet wall ascent, the first ascent that brought the Svans the glory of real climbers. Alpinism has become a national sport in Svaneti” (A. Kuznetsov “Bottom of Svaneti”).