UKC

Does anyone know if there is any climbing near St Petersburg, Russia. If so, is there an online guide. What other details can anyone offer. Thanks in advance. (Asking on behalf of an American friend who can find no mention in the States.)

In reply to johncook:

A quick google search (in Russian) has thrown up a good number of climbing walls, is it outdoors he is looking for or would a wall be ok?

In reply to johncook:

27crags has something and I do know that there's a bunch in Karelia. Most of the stuff is bolted though, so if trad is what he or she is lookin' for, a longer drive (and visa to Finland) might be in order.

In reply to johncook:

And I have found this about crags in the region (but the region is quite large, so depends on what your friend considers near!)
http://c-f-r.ru/rocks/region/len
Google translate might be sufficient to get the general gist if it is what he is looking for, and I might have time to translate a few key bits that are of interest once he has worked out if this is what he is looking for.

In reply to girlymonkey:

Outdoors.

In reply to johncook:

I've met climbers from St Petersburg at southern Finnish crags before (here: Haukkakallio for example) who say its the best climbing doable in a weekend from St Petersburg. It's a nice cliff but not that special that makes me think levels of development are lower in Russia, so it just that the Finnish crags are well documented and equipped in comparison.

The stuff in Russian Karelia is said to be good though. Look up Triangular Lake on 27crags for instance. But the standards do seem rather high - lots of 8A blocs for instance! It featured in a film from Marmot I think last year - one of their American pros went there. Looked good in the film, although very like the Finnish cliffs unsurprisingly considering where the border is.

Crags in Karelia are sport and bouldering. Where's hundreds of routes and area is actively developing by local climbers.

Where's a small guidebook for Treugolnoe.
You can try to ask publisher if it's available for shipping outside Russia via email shop@tema-sport.ru or phones (495)604-42-26 and (903) 735-58-08.

Accommodation is wild camping. Where are few camping sites, but I have no idea how whey are operated. And they are located by lakes rather than next to crags. In Russia climbers set a camp themselves as close to the crag as possible and live where while climbing. Where's vipera snakes in swamps, so camp high.

Approach of up 10km from station or parking. Few crags are next to the road, but generally be prepared to walk.

Last time I've been to Karelia in 2006 and it was awesome!

In reply to johncook:


Go in winter and you could ice climb the dripping drains :0) I went to a wall and the climbers there didn't seem to get out much.

In reply to johncook:

Thanks for all your help.
My friend can now consider her options as I linked her to this thread.
It was good to have a thread without any trolling or adverse comments.
Thanks again.