UKC

Evening!

Has anyone been climbing in Russia?

I've been teaching some GCSE Geography this week and I'm inspired to visit. I was hoping that there might be some quality destinations that could be visited for trad/sport/mountaineering. I haven't fully formulated much of a plan yet, but just intrigued.

Any advice would be ace.

I haven't actually climbed there, but have travelled and lived in various places in Russia. 

For big mountains and off the standard tourist trail, look at Altai. 

Rock, the Stolbi near Krasnoyarsk are worth a look. 

There is loads, but these are the ones which have caught my eye

Some 8h drive from Krasnoyarsk, there's the Ergaki National Park with some stellar looking granite (?) spires.  There's a guidebook for the place (there is one for Stolby as well).

There's also a new (2021) guidebook for Lake Baikal area as well.  Looks like nice, granite, alpine routes (+ mixed stuff as well).

There's a nice looking wall called Mt. Fisht in the Caucasus.

There are quite a few developed single pitch crags but those never interested me.

Never climbed at any of those but have made a trip to the Russian Far East; a place called Bilibino in Chukotka Okrug (w. very limited climbing successes).  You can google around & find write ups of the previous 4 expeditions to the place (incl. a British one).  Special entry permits required for this one.

North Caucuses, like many north sides of big ranges, has lots. Two years ago I was looking to go to Erydag but the plan fell through. Still psyched though.