Author: Natalia Khramova, Ukraine
Hi everyone! I came home a day ago. I completed the Kuluar club's program "Mountaineering School, beginner level". I want to share my impressions from the trip while it's still fresh in my memory and not yet eaten away by household chores) First of all - why with Kuluar? I stumbled upon the club's ad on Facebook by chance and, as someone who's not indifferent to the mountains, of course I clicked to read more. I liked the website, everything is very well thought out and systematized. You can immediately see - there are huge resources and a professional approach to the matter, which is very important in the mountains. I watched a couple of webinars - they turned out to be very useful. Having signed up for the program, I talked with the managers - also a pass. You can get answers to all your questions, chat, consult about gear even during the manager's lunch break 🙂 By the way, if you don't check yourself - the manager will definitely find out whether your equipment is suitable and what else is important for this particular trip. I had to buy myself boots, since mine were rejected. That's the right approach. Better to make the effort and buy what's needed than to freeze on the mountain. By the way - a good incentive to buy the right gear. So, I went with Kuluar to learn the basics of mountaineering and, being a complete newbie at 44 years old in this business, arrived in Ivano-Frankivsk with a slight nervousness) Our group was small - 4 people, and for us that was a plus - the guide gave a lot of attention to each of us. Thanks to the club for making the trip happen even with just four people. By January 7th there was very little snow, so we went not knowing what to expect. So, having arrived at our accommodation - the White Elephant base (near the village of Dzembronia), we quickly settled in, had lunch, which was a pleasant surprise, since only breakfasts and dinners were promised, and, by the way, we had lunch "until full". I couldn't finish the mushroom pie and decided to hide it away for hungry times). Then, after a little rest from the road, we went to learn how to put crampons on our boots. The first day was dedicated to theory. After fitting the crampons to our boots, we gathered in the dining room, where the first chapter of mountaineering wisdom awaited us. We got acquainted with the harness, the ascender, the belay device, carabiners and other little things that I looked at with horror and growing interest. Then our guide, Dmitry Gulyaev, attached a couple of ropes to a beam under the ceiling, taught us how to put on the harness, and we started using all these things. When a local resident passing by said: "oh, hi, suicidal maniacs!", it became even more fun and the lesson was a blast! Then, already half-asleep, we learned to tie knots. Dima explained what each one is used for. Of course, I didn't remember everything, but the main thing is - the seed has been planted, and now I already want to buy a rope and master them at home. Day two. Oh, day two! We got up early, ate quickly, packed our backpacks and set off. We were driven to Upper Dzembronia, and we went in search of snow and adventures. We walked quite a lot and uphill. At the cheese factory, after a short rest, we put on crampons and went up again. We walked in crampons both up and down a lot, which was very useful for me. Having reached the place of our training, which is under Mount Smotrych, we added another layer of clothing - it was cold with a decent wind. While Dima was preparing everything for the training, we photographed the beautiful horizon opening up from the mountain, drank hot tea, and I thought with horror - how am I going to climb up and down HERE? All my knowledge was completely blown out of my head. So, I want to say huge words of gratitude to Dima for his patience and ability to work with people! Having assessed my condition, he repeated and explained as many times as was needed, and I felt very calm the whole time. It's very important when your guide is so attentive and patient. And also thanks for the photos taken with frozen hands. These are unforgettable memories! The first time leaning back on self-belay next to a sheer wall. The first time descending and ascending by myself! It's so cool! We trained for several hours, then went down to find a place for ice axe training. This activity was also useful, it's a pity there was too little of it. Having romped around in the snow, which is truly a pleasure, since snow in winter has become a great rarity in my city, we went down to the cheese factory, had a snack with whatever God sent, and headed to the base, where a delicious dinner and a sauna awaited us! The third day was also interesting. Having walked 200 m from our base, Dima set up an obstacle course for us among the trees with all sorts of "surprises" that can lie in wait for a mountaineer on a route, for example - a knot on the rope or a guy coming towards you who's in a great hurry going down or up. Each such situation and the solutions were analyzed. All of this was delivered with humor and really felt like a quest, so we enjoyed ourselves and didn't notice how half a day flew by. Unfortunately, it was time to pack up and head home. After lunch, we jumped into the bus, grabbed takeout food in Ivano-Frankivsk and had a little picnic in the nearest square. That's it. After strolling through the festive and cozy Ivano-Frankivsk, we headed to the train station. The trip came to an end. Why did I choose this particular program? I'm thinking about Elbrus. I already had attempt number one, but back then I wasn't ready at all. Programs like this will be very useful for those who want to prepare for five-thousanders and don't have skills in walking with crampons, using an ice axe and a harness. But that's not a verdict. This trip can become a wonderful mini extreme tour for any mountain lover. The only thing - I think three incomplete days is too little. At least 5 days. This is a wish regarding the planning of future programs. As for my specific trip - a sea of positive emotions and huge benefit, first of all because I've caught the desire to learn. Once again, huge thanks to Dmitry Gulyaev, who from 20 m away sees that your carabiner isn't locked or your ascender isn't fastened to your waist belt, for his ability to work with people, his humor and patience!
