Uzbekistan Mountain Scrambling

Scrambling, non-technical rock climbing, alpine scrambling

Scrambling (“non-technical” rock climbing also known as alpine scrambling) is a method of ascending rocky faces and ridges. It is a term that lies somewhere between hillwalking and rock climbing. It is often distinguished from hillwalking by defining a scramble as a route where hands must be used in the ascent. There is less to distinguish it from climbing, with many easy climbs sometimes referred to as difficult scrambles. A distinction can be made in defining any ascent where hands are used to hold body weight, rather than just for balance, as a climb.

The Mountaineers climbing organization defines scrambling as follows:

"Alpine Scrambles are off-trail trips, often on snow or rock, with a 'non-technical' summit as a destination. A non-technical summit is one that is reached without the need for certain types of climbing equipment (body harness, rope, protection hardware, etc), and not involving travel on extremely steep slopes or on glaciers. However, this can mean negotiating lower angle rock, traveling through talus and scree, crossing streams, fighting one's way through dense brush, and walking on snow-covered slopes."

Note: You can request us to prepare a route for you, which include any kind of scrambling listed above.

Uzbekistan Mountains near to Tashkent

Chimgan Mountains

The Chimgan Mountains are invariably attractive for mountaineers. The wide variety of Chimgan and its surroundings allows the activity in all kinds of mountaineering and landscape tourism. Mountains  (Small and Greater Chimgan Peaks - 3,309 m) of Chatkal range, plateaus, the Black Waterfall (40 m) at the lower part of Greater Chimgan Peak, Gulkam and Novotasha waterfalls, attract a lot of tourists from Uzbekistan and abroad.

Ugam & Karjantau ridges

Another attractive place for mountaineering is situated on Ugam ridge and on the southern; slopes of the Karjantau ridge of the Western Tyan-Shan system.

There are following natural sites, which are of interest of mountaineers in area of Ugam & Karjantau ridges:

• Peak Mingbulak (2,628 m)  - the highest peak of the Karjantau ridge.

• Qizilsuv waterfalls - the pictorial cascades that flow at the sinuous river gorges of Qizilsuv Mountain River.

• Loquacious cave is located on plateau Ghiza, 20 km from village Humsan, in a funnel-shaped hollow. On the bottom of the hollow, in the exposure of grey limestone, there is a 1x1 m rectangular aperture transforming to a 1.5 m high sloping tunnel. Its floor is covered with lumps, ceiling being arcaded. This tunnel is 20 m long and leads to the inner larger part of the cave. A ladder is needed in order to proceed into the cave as there is a 6 m high prominence. Then the floor levels out, height reaching 20-30 m. The cave is so named due to a streamlet flowing through it.

• Arkutsay – exposure of loess stratum. The site is 3 km west of Humsan, on the right bank of the Ugam River. Section of the formation represents the wall of a small landslide breakaway and is a stratum of interstratifying loess-like loams of Quaternary and fossil soils horizons. The section is unique as it exposes more than 80 m thick deposition of rocks.

• Kyrk-Kokyl waterfall (in Uzbek “Kyrk-Kokyl” means 40 plaits) – pictorial waterfall at Pustonlyk – confluent of Ugam River, 9 km from Humsan village.

Suggested route for scrambling (trekking)

Day 1. Moving by car to the Qizilsuv river valley. (75 km, 1.5 h). Stop at one of recreation camps. Resting and walking around. Acclimatization and preparation for the next day, which starts at 3 o’clock in the morning.

Day 2. Very tense day. Scrambling to the highest peak of the Karjantau ridge - the peak Mingbulak (2,628 m). Roundtrip normally takes 12-13 hours. Panoramic view from the peak to the Ugam, Pskent and Chatkal ridges of the West Tien-Shan; Charvak and Khodjikent water reservoirs and the Valley of Chirchik River. Passing through Mingbulak pass (2,100 m). The word “Mingbulak” means “Thousand-springs”. The peek and pass acquired their names from numerous springs that in actuality exist on the slopes near to Mingbulak pass. Descent to a camp in the birch grove. You are free of packing. All your equipment is carried to a camp by animals/porters.

Day 3. Rock Climbing to rocks surrounding the Qizilsuv waterfalls. Waterfalling. Descent to the startins point. Departure by car to Tashkent.

Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrambling