UKC

After asking about this at the end of last year (sorry it doesn't seem to let me reply to the original thread)...

http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=532479&v=1#x7153275

I went to Kamchatka last month

Absolutely stunning place, in terms of climbing not technical at all but I guess that is a function of how volcanoes are formed, some great days out and the volcanoes are very varied.

Would highly recommend a trip to anyone thinking of that part of the world or looking for a bit something different. I think the logistics, right from visa to transport and driving are quite difficult to organise without a local agent though

I have put a few pics on my photo gallery if anyone is interested and have many more

Only downside (apart from mosquitoes) was that I didn't see any bears

In reply to Rourke: Did you just use a local agent to organise it? If so, who?

In reply to Rourke:
Very, very jealous. Always wanted to go there, particularly as the ski mountaineering looks superb.

A former colleague of mine had the opportunity to go on a guided trip skiing on the volcanoes for not a lot of money (relatively speaking). I did everything I could to persuade him to go, pointing out that it would be the trip of a lifetime, but in the end, his wife talked him out of it as she wanted a new kitchen! I was so disgusted, I told him he'll not look back from his deathbed with contentment about that decision. I then discovered he owned a caravan, so it's not surprising he didn't go.

In reply to Arbu:

Yes, I did use a local agent. There were called The Lost World and seemed pretty decent

http://www.travelkamchatka.com/

The Ski mountaineering is supposed to be excellent there so shame that never came off

In reply to Rourke:
>I have put a few pics on my photo gallery...

Thanks, they're great, I especially liked "Summit view on Avachinsky". [I liked the one looking down the NE ridge of Everest a lot too].