Tender May 2007

For many, a trip to Crimea for the May holidays is the traditional beginning of spring. From the cold northern cities we come to Crimea to get some sun and spring blooms. It was the same this year. However, the weather made some adjustments to our plans. Tender May 2007 was more reminiscent of late autumn, or even the beginning of winter.

The group meeting in Simferopol was accompanied by bright sun and warm wind. Tourists were preparing sunscreen and sunglasses. However, within an hour after the start of the hike, the sky became cloudy. Many breathed a sigh of relief - the heat made the climb to Chatyr Dag unbearable.

When we finally climbed onto the lower plateau, it became clear that the summer heat would not threaten us. The tourists we met said something about minus six last night.

The northern slope of the upper Chatyr Dag plateau was 70% covered with snow. Well, right under our feet, instead of a riot of colors, we saw withered autumn grass and unblown peonies.

The very first overnight stay deprived us of four participants in the hike...

No, everything was fine, they all woke up in the morning, they just didn’t have the right sleeping bags and were very cold, and therefore decided not to continue experiments on their bodies. The rest were also not hot, but the determination to move forward was stronger than any fears. The guys even refused my offer to go around the peak and not go to Hangar-Burun. And so, packed in membrane jackets, raincoats and capes, in the rain turning into snow, we moved to the top.

The weather was not conducive to stopping, it was necessary to avoid stopping, and I decided to shift into a lower gear. I stood in front and set the slowest pace I could manage. As a result, just 40 minutes after the start of the climb we found ourselves at the top, and this without a single stop. Fortunately, we managed to find a place at the top protected from the wind, where we threw our backpacks and refreshed ourselves a little with chocolates. Nearby, guys from another group were swimming in the snow and washing it down with cognac - apparently they were also having lunch.

Everything that happened in the future was known in comparison and therefore could not frighten us. Neither the slippery stones on the descent, nor the hurricane wind at the overnight stop could knock the feeling of victory out of us. The climb to Angar-Burun was remembered for a long time afterwards, certainly using expressions like “minus 50”, “like in the Himalayas”, “I would never have thought of it”. This ascent clearly expanded the participants’ understanding of their own capabilities and gave them strength in the fight against further difficulties.

After all, the next night was no less cold, and the next day no less difficult.

We had to cross the Angarsk Pass and climb through the Valley of Ghosts to South Demerdzhi. The weather, however, changed its mind a little and we even managed to sunbathe a little. But we are not looking for easy ways, and in the absence of natural obstacles on our way, we are able to create man-made ones. In short, we had lunch before getting up. Everyone knew that this was wrong, but hunger tormented our stomachs and waiting 3 hours until the end of the climb would have been torture. As a result, we set off upward with full bellies and bulging eyes. Here it was impossible to do without rest and frequent stops. We rested on each stone and patiently waited for the food to dissolve inside us. Many vowed never to have lunch again, and perhaps not even have dinner. As night fell and a pot of delicious porridge appeared, their dietary fervor waned a little and a decision was made to have dinner after all. Purely for the purpose of maintaining energy balance (i.e. to avoid freezing at night) :)

Do you think this is the end of our trials?

Not so. The next day it snowed again, and one of the hikers had a sore knee. As a result, he was practically unable to go down, and this was on the day when it was only planned to go down. After long conversations and a little self-government, we managed to take the backpack from the victim and distribute its contents. After two more crossings, he even agreed to an injection of a painkiller (baralgin, I think), which restored his ability to move. We took advantage of this and quickly jumped to the Dzhur-Dzhur waterfall, where we sent the victim (accompanied by two comrades) to the bosom of civilization to rest.

Thus, there were only 15 of us left. But each of the 15 was worth ten. After all the adventures I had experienced, my modest proposal to go around the Karabi plateau from below was met with friendly laughter. We went over the top. We passed the entire plateau right through and without even thinking about it we passed the tourist stop in Chigenitra. At full speed we rushed to the lake on the border of the vineyards, where we finally found...spring.

There was green grass and flowering trees. The frogs croaked in the pond and the birds sang. Even a tick crawling on clothes did not cause the usual disgust - here it was an oracle foretelling a warm night. A night when even the lucky owner of a 500-gram sleeping bag could fall asleep.

I have long been a proponent of the theory that everyone gets the hike they want and deserve. And remembering now the tender May 2007 and our hike, I am once again convinced of the truth of this statement.

We came here in search of adventure and got it in full. And the fact that all this seems reckless is normal, I think so myself (which does not stop me from being reckless further).

And finally, a little officialdom:

Firstly, I cannot help but note the excellent equipment of the guys from Voronezh. Before the trip, they purchased a ton of equipment and faithfully tested it on several weekend trips. A very correct approach, I recommend it.

Secondly, many thanks to all the girls for the excellent radio and television broadcasts. With your conversations, you kept us interested in life in the most difficult moments. Curiosity kept me from freezing in the evening and helped me climb the mountain during the day.

And thirdly, a huge thank you to the entire group, to all participants in the hike for the truly warm and friendly atmosphere, mutual assistance and understanding. By the end of the hike, we turned from a bunch of individuals into a friendly and cheerful company, and this fact alone justifies and annuls all the hardships and difficulties of camp life.