Up The Rocks

On Feb 12, Jared Nielson, Andranik Miribyan and Mkhitar Mkhitaryan went to the project - the forth pitch (WI 4, 15m) of the cascade ice climbing route in Arpa gorge, Armenia.

From Feb 25 to March 5, a French group was hosted by Up The Rocks for ski-touring program in Armenia. Among our honourable guests was the general secretary of Petzl foundation Philippe Descamps.

Mystic basalt columns and limestone had been the initial motivation to travel to Armenia, but the potential for outdoor adventures took us by surprise as did the culturel experience. When not climbing onto the vertical pleasures, the thoughts of exploring the landscape dressed in winter conditions seemed appealing. It was evident; there was no choice but to return with skis, and have some fun with Mkhik and our other Armenian friends.

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.