Author: Andris Malapevskis, Latvia

Fascination of the Crimea. Route "Latvia"

It was in 2003 when I had a chance to go to the Crimea for the first time and to get acquainted with the famous mountain climbing sites the same I have read and heard so much about. I was in raptures about the wide opportunity to realize such fantastically beautiful sporting routs to Nikita, Krasniy Kamen and everywhere else.

At that time we managed to climb up the route “Uho” of Mshatka-Kaya and generally known “Kant po Kantu” of “Fososky Kant” 5b, RUS (Fr6a, 320).

I was already acquainted with some climbing places and it was clear to me how many opportunities there are in the Crimea and how much of hard work I should put in to perfect my skills.

In autumn 2004 I started to train at Margarita Panfiarova, who got me good knowledge I had never had, and I understood how much I have to work to become a good climber.

That was the time when Andrey Vedenmeijer worked of his project “Atlanta M”.

Following his invitation I saw Shakaya cliff, and Andrey acquainted me with feasibilities to manage new sporting routes in the Crimea. This was the way how the idea about a new route to Uarchkaya cliff ‘Latvia” occurred, and I met some fantastic people then: Andrey and Margarita.

In March 2005 we left for the Crimea that together with Andrey we would be able to realize a project – a new sporting route “Latvia” on Uarchkaya. All preparatory work was done by Andrey.

We arrived when the route was already elaborated. Since there were not suitable weather and it was rainy in the Crimea during the first attempt our first climb failed.

The next day weather were better and even it was sunny, but the only hindrance there on the cliff was a cutting wind that blew all the time.

At the beginning of our climb we wrote the title “Latvia”. We did the route in two groups: Andrey Vedermeister and me – Andris Malashevskis, and Rolands Laganovskis, Mareks Veinbergs, Janis Vaivods.

I was at the front during the first pitch, and Andrey – all the others.

I had never before climbed the route where the technique of friction has been used. There was nothing to catch on and all the time there was a feeling that you might fall down right now.

The route was evaluated as ~Fr6c. In my opinion the route has come off fine and enjoyable. I hope, this year there will be a lot of volunteers to repeat the new route on the Uarchkaya cliff “Latvia – a Dance on Balance”.

See you in the Crimea.