Basalt Column Climbing BAN

On March 28 we went for sport climbing in Noravanq canyon. The sky with heavy clouds couldn't brake our optimism that good weather may come.

We set off at 11 a.m. instead of 9am, so to give the weather some chance to get fair. Finally the sun rays were noticed somewhere in the sky, however, we got the canyon and started climbing the rout “Kret” it started raining again. Even so… :) we managed to climb the routes “Kaitsak” 20m, and ”Danak” 60m, also.

I would like to warn those who want to climb “Danak” in what follows: there were lots of holds breaking on left crack of the second pitch, though I had climbed it on May 2007, but at that time that part of the rock seemed to be more solid. And there are also some blocks lying freely on the shelf of the beginning of the third pitch of it.

During both of the times of climbing “Danak” I have chosen the line left from the crack on the third pitch at the same time escaping the second bolt. This way you have the deep pendulum chance till you reach the top anchor but your way gets funnier to face climb than climbing by a broken crack.

View the embedded image gallery online at:
https://www.uptherocks.com/index.php/uptherocks-archive/145-sport-climbing-in-noravanq-canyon-danak-kret-kaitsak#sigProId5a7061d752

Details: Category: Rock Climbing; Published: 20 April 2009

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MOUNTAIN GUIDING

Rock and Ice climbing

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Mountaineering and Backcountry skiing

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With Jan Pala, we had planned this ski-tour trip in Armenia around a year ago.
Mt Ushba south peak (4710m)

When two guys, who had never met before and don’t know much about each other (besides couple of g-mails) immediately set of to climb a serious mountain from the meeting place – they call it “nonsense” in mountaineering, you will agree!
Ski Season 2023

Like in the Alps and Caucasus, the snow conditions were poor in Armenia as well during past winter months. In Aspen though, where I spent skiing and teaching for the ski school there, it was a decent early season and very good snow throughout the season. Then came the long awaited March to guide for ski touring in Armenia.