Ski Backpacking in the Ural Arctics

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Ski Backpacking in the Ural Arctics

Page Type: Album

Image Type(s): Skiing

Page By: MOCKBA

Created/Edited: Nov 6, 2008 / Nov 6, 2008

Object ID: 461289

Hits: 447

Page Score: 88.96% - 17 Votes

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In lieu of an Area Page

Iced-over window at a geologists' trailer, 1986

A tundra camp, 1980

Ural Mountains, the official divide between Europe and Asia, and between the Original Russia and Siberia, are huge. Even its Northern-most continental ranges, rising above undulating coastal tundra, stretch hundreds miles under the collective name of Arctic, or Polyarny, Ural (there are also hundreds more miles of mountain chains continuing further North over the archipelago of Novaya Zemlya).

Due to its mineral riches, Arctic Ural has been "relatively" accessible for a long time. It has longer snow season than most of the mountains of European Arctics, and the weather is a bit more stable there too, due to a greater distance from the moist winds of the North Atlantic.

That's why we developed a tradition of early- and late-season ski backpacks in the Arctic Ural. I first skied there twice in the early 80s in the crew of Olga Mazurenko, the famed Great Witch of the Tundra who always kept her trademark little broom sticking out of her backpack. In the late 80s I led four trips of my own all across the range. There is a lot to tell about these mountains' geography, history, and conditions, but for the time being, let me just share a few pictures.

Chains of mountains stretch North towards the Arctic Ocean shores. 1989

Images

Nowhere in tundra

Time for this ice to melt :) !

Geologists' Pass

Above the tundra clouds

The Arctic Ocean that way!

Age of Canvas Waning: Arctic Ural

Frosty dawn at Geologists' Pass

Peak 1344m and the high country of Us'va-Ty Passage, Arctic Ural

On the summit of Pendirma-Pe, Arctic Ural

Dusk at Big Paypudyna River, Arctic Ural

Yenga-Yu-Iz Mtn, Arctic Ural

Near the summit of Pendirma-Pe, Arctic Ural

Ascending the rim of Topographers Cirque, Arctic Ural

Ascending Enga-Yu-Iz, Arctic Ural

Hanmey Mountain (1356 m), Arctic Ural

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yatsek

Great Job!

Voted 10/10

Beautiful album, and I'm not exaggerating; no kidding this time.
Cheers - Jacek

Posted Nov 7, 2008 4:12 am


	MOCKBA	Re: Great Job!
	Hasn't voted	Thanks Yatsek, of course it is far far short of the original write-ups plan, but still a nice sampler :)
		Posted Nov 9, 2008 6:11 pm

Noondueler

Awesome territory!

Voted 10/10

Great album! You really get out there!

Posted Dec 12, 2008 6:58 pm


	MOCKBA	Re: Awesome territory!
	Hasn't voted	Thanks Noondueler, it is a huge mountain country out there, both beautiful and stark
		Posted Dec 13, 2008 2:06 pm

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