Trip to Dombay.
A few years ago, on the evening of February 24, my friend and I were sitting in a cafe, drinking one cup of hot coffee after another. That's when my cell phone rang.
- "What? Why don't you go? And... the avalanches came down? Well, it's a pity... - I said and pressed the button to reset the conversation.
It was my friends who called. The fact is that the four of us were going to leave for Dombay that night on the occasion of the holiday on February 23! My friend and I were already ready - the bags were in the car, and we were looking forward to the trip! The rest were about to drive up to us in a taxi, as it was already necessary to move out of the city. But acquaintances, as it turned out, decided not to go and informed about it literally 15-20 minutes before departure.
Great! I can't stand this! Agreed means agreed! And at least fifty avalanches descended! Were going to go - so we must go!
Of course, there were no avalanches in Dombai. At ski resorts, all avalanche-prone rocks are shot before the opening of the season and excess snow melts in advance. It was a hastily invented excuse. Well, what to do next? We were left alone... Exchanging glances with my companion, I said - "We're going anyway, since we're together! ".
It was about eleven o'clock in the evening. We left the cafe and got into the car. I took out a map and began to consider possible ways to Dombay. The shortest route was through Maykop (Adygea), and then through the Mostovsky district, Psebay, etc. I will say that I traveled to those parts several times and I wanted to see some new road. The second route was fifty kilometers longer and passed through Armavir. We decided to take this route!
Leaving Krasnodar, we drove towards Ust-Labinsk, then Kurganinsk, Armavir... It was deep night. We “flyed” along an empty track, guided only by the signs. I didn’t have a navigator then, and it even pleased me - I liked to look for the right direction myself! Having passed Armavir, we stopped and consulted the map. The road led directly to Nevinnomyssk. We didn’t want to go through the Stavropol Territory, because we decided to cut it off and turned towards the village of Otradnaya. Judging by the map, there was also a way to Karachay-Cherkessia from there.
We again drove along a straight deserted road until we entered the village. This is where we got a little confused. As far as I understood, there were three exits from the village. The first - through which we drove, the second - where we went by mistake (not correct, I understood this intuitively), and we did not find the third exit we needed.
Back in the center, we managed to “catch” one of the local taxi drivers, who kindly showed us the way. Having rewarded him with a bottle of champagne in honor of the holiday, we drove through the entire village and soon again went to the track.
We rushed towards the village "Udobnaya", in which we also got a little lost, having gone to the village of Ilyich, instead of the border of the region. Ten minutes later, when we hit a dead end - a field, I realized my mistake, we returned and chose the second turn at the fork - to the right. After some time, snow began to appear on the roadsides and the terrain became slightly mountainous. And ten minutes later I saw a barrier ahead - it was the border of the Krasnodar Territory and Karachay-Cherkessia.
The border guard looked at us, opened the barrier and asked where we were from and why we were going this way. I replied that we were watching Armavir and specially drove through it. It was not a common way to Dombai from Krasnodar, so we were asked this question. Having passed the barrier, we found ourselves on a bridge on which ice lay in a thick crust. This happened because of the wind, which splashed water from the river onto the bridge, and it was frosty outside. The bridge, by the way, was very dangerous - there were no fences on it at all. Having carefully passed, we saw a semblance of a barrier on this side, but it was open, and there was no one there. It's a pity! The fact is that we were at the fork in the village "Besleney" - either to the left or to the right. There was no straight road! And where now?
I chose the direction to the left. It was already about six in the morning. After ten minutes of driving, we saw a stop where several people were standing. I stopped and asked them whether we should go right or left to Dombai.
- "To the left" - shouted one of the people and jumped into the approaching minibus. So let's go right! And we raced on.
It was a little light. We were driving along the road, laid through the hills, which were wrapped in snow. Very beautiful view!
After some time we entered the city. It was Cherkessk. Having refueled, we drove through the streets of the city. By the way, it turns out that we have very decent roads in Krasnodar : )
I was already a little sleepy, but I had no idea where to go next. Having reached the wide street, I again chose the direction to the left, but, fortunately for us, there was a man standing at the bus stop. We stopped and I asked him how we could get to Dombay. The man replied - "See those mountains over there? You go there! Why did you come to Cherkessk? You had to turn right at the border after the bridge...
The "left" direction was wrong twice! : ) But it doesn't matter! We saw the mountains that the man pointed out as soon as we stopped in Cherkessk, but apparently, the logic after a sleepless night does not work very well!
Turning around, we drove towards the mountains. It was two huge, high and very beautiful mountains in a white robe. These two peaks started from this side of the Caucasus Mountains!
We drove through the whole of Cherkessk, then the highway, several settlements and drove into Karachaevsk. Here I learned that on the way back we will come across a tunnel in the mountain, through which we need to pass when we return, so as not to call in Cherkessk again. Otherwise, a very large hook is obtained.
Then we came across unknown structures on the rocks, snow drifts on the road, and here we are - in Teberda!
Here I booked a four-room apartment, which was rented out by local residents. I called the number written on the phone. We were invited to drive up to a certain address and pick up the included from the apartment. The owners themselves lived in a private house. Having got acquainted with them, we took the keys and went to a small district, where there were several five-story houses. Having found the right one, we went into the apartment.
Repair here was quite old, but the apartment was big! Four separate rooms, a decent kitchen and two balconies - one small and the other large, from which a very beautiful view of the snowy mountains, which were about a hundred meters from the house, opened! Hot water was always here, which could not but rejoice. Gas was not supplied to the house, but there was a gas cylinder and a stove. Having chosen a room to our liking, we finally fell asleep!
After waking up at two o'clock in the afternoon, we had a quick breakfast, or rather lunch, and, dressed appropriately, went to Dombay. From Teberda to the destination was about thirty kilometers. The road was rather narrow, snow-covered in places, with frequent light serpentines. There was a white forest all around, and snowy peaks peeped out from behind it.
After some time, we entered the village, where there was a sign that read - "Dombay". Hooray! We are in place! In the village, one by one, there were many hotels, shops and wood-fired baths. Having passed almost the whole, we saw a cable car leading to the mountains and decided to leave the car in this place, in the nearest parking lot. First of all, we went to the cable car. It was a beautiful building from where the path to the mountains began. We bought tickets and got in line. The cable car was Austrian and was not a chair, but cabins, six people each. When another one arrived, I was a little surprised. The fact is that when people were landing, the cabin almost stopped, and there was no need to jump on the go! That's what imported equipment means! Apparently, the cabin comes off the cable, because the cable does not change its speed at this time, or it passes several obstacles in this place, which slows down the cabin itself almost to zero!
After we settled into comfortable seats, the doors closed automatically and the “Austrian” rushed up! We passed over tall trees, there was a white veil below, and a mysterious unknown at the top! The journey took five to seven minutes. And here is the first station - the "second stage". We went out. Everything around was white. Crowds of skiers were walking, snowmobiles were driving, and there was even one hotel standing on this mountain - a “plate”, exactly like a plate of aliens from old films. True, I don’t know if there is hot water there and what to do if the lights are turned off : ) After all, the descent from the mountain is possible only by cable car, and it doesn’t work without light!
Having taken a picture at such an unusual hotel, we decided to climb the mountain further. I knew that we needed to go up to the fourth stage, where there would be cafes and entertainment. We had a choice of riding in an old wooden chair or in a new Austrian chair. We, of course, chose the latter. Having bought tickets for it, we continued our way up the mountain! This cable car was open, but it didn't scare us! On the contrary, great! We were three of us - with us was another male skier.
After a couple of minutes, we started talking to our neighbor and I found out that I had miscalculated badly! The “Austrian” went straight to the fifth line without stopping, almost to the top, bypassing the fourth, and it took about fifteen minutes to go! Well, don't worry! So we will immediately get to the top, and then we will go down to the fourth! My friend agreed with me and we continued to drive without excitement. But not for long. . . Soon I noticed that for some reason the very top of the mountain was not visible. . . After a couple of minutes, I realized what was the matter! We drove into a very strong snowstorm!
There was a terrible wind, the chair swayed and threw from side to side, and because of the flying snow, nothing was visible at all! All around was a solid white veil. But it was still half the trouble. My jacket, like "Columbia", did not save here. Within a minute, I was almost completely frozen through. Two pants also did not save. My companion had the same. But there was nothing to do! Just wait until we arrive at the station.
But I understood why all skiers wear "ala ninja" masks on their faces! : ) Another minute later I did not feel my nose, as well as my whole face. We didn't have enough glasses either. The snow hit my eyes so hard that even closing my eyes didn't help! We buried our faces under our jackets and continued to ride in this position. And only our skier companion felt comfortable - he was equipped!
We've finally arrived! Jumping off the chair, we began to frantically look around in search of a cafe. Hooray! It is here (before it was not on the fifth stage)! Running inside, we realized that we were not alone. The cafe was full of people, just like us - ordinary tourists, on this trip! But we found a table! We ordered hot soup and a cup of hot tea! Then, after warming up a little, we began to admire the view from the cafe. The top was barely visible in the window - “the sixth line”. There was also a cable car going there and we hoped that the snowstorm would subside and we would get on it!
An hour has passed. The snowstorm was not going to subside and we had to run from the cafe again to the cable car to go down. Another fifteen minutes of cold and torment and we are on the second stage! Quickly reseeding in the booth, we went down to the very bottom. There, having warmed up in the car, they changed into dry clothes and went for a walk around the resort village.
By the way, we were absolutely not upset by such a surprise of nature at the top. On the contrary, it is interesting to experience this for yourself at least once in your life! In general, we were very lucky that at that very time the lights were not turned off! In 2001, I watched the picture on the “fourth stage”, how the cable car hovered over the mountains with people for two and a half hours. In the end, of course, everyone was filmed with the help of cables and special equipment, but they were very lucky - that day there was clear, calm weather, and many tourists even undressed in the snow to their swimming trunks and swimsuits! And then the light was not given. Although, perhaps, emergency power plants have already been built here.
Walking around the village, we stumbled upon a local bazaar, where we first of all bought face masks, since we still had the second day ahead, and here my companion tasted delicious mulled wine. Further along the way we came across a stadium. Locals rented quad bikes here. Behind the circle there was a very easy obstacle course, several hills, and I decided that it was a must to ride! I had my own medium sized ATV and I certainly wanted to try to drive a big one, despite the far from low price for a few laps.
The guy started the engine and told me to drive in a circle.
- What about the obstacle course? I asked.
- This is for those who can! he replied.
- So I can, I have a quadric! - I said.
- Listen! Why did I bring him up? the local asked irritably.
We turned around and went to the cafe. Oh, they still do not know how to sell quality services there. Although, we are also far from being able to do everything.
After drinking a cup of coffee in a cafe, we decided to do some skiing and sledding. But we did not want to go to the mountain again, and we went to look for the "paddling pool". This is a place where completely inexperienced beginners ride. At first we rented a steerable sled with a steering wheel and brakes and rolled fifteen times down the hill. There were a lot of pleasures and impressions! It was especially pleasing that the sled was not particularly controlled : )
Then we rented skis and my companion began to learn how to ski! After a few falls, she started to get a little better and if there was more time, you could take an instructor to teach her how to ride well! But we decided to leave it for the next trip. After finishing the day with a snowball fight, we returned to the car and moved back to Teberda.
When we arrived, we parked the car in the courtyard of the owners and decided to chat with them a little. It turns out that the apartment they rent belongs to the owner's daughter. Previously, they lived there with her husband, who worked in the police, but one day he was killed by criminals, and his wife returned to her parents. This is such a sad story
We walked ten minutes from the hosts to the house. Having entered the apartment, we immediately took a hot shower and, hoping that we would not get sick after today's trip to the summit, went to bed.
The next day we went to Dombay again. This time we decided to go back to the times of the USSR and ride to the second line on the old red funicular. There were no people there and we went together. This trip was much more interesting than in a booth. Although, who cares! The funicular passed very high over the abyss! It constantly swayed, and sometimes it fell into “pits”, apparently because the old cable was already a little stretched.
After reaching the second line, we armed ourselves with face masks and sat on the “Austrian” leading to the fifth line. But the masks did not come in handy! The weather was calm and sunny. Snow blinded our eyes in the sun, and again nothing was visible : ) Yes, sunglasses would be useful for us today!
Having reached the top, we admired the views and took pictures of everything! One man said that in good weather you can see the sea from here! True, we did not see it, but it is really not far. The fact is that if you go on foot through the mountains from the city of Sukhum in Abkhazia, then soon you can go just to the Dombai area! True, this requires special permission.
Before getting on the cable car for the descent, we saw a quad bike standing nearby, on which, of course, we took pictures. True, I still wonder how they dragged him there : )
Going down, we made another walk on the cable car through the forest, and at the end of the trip to Dombay, we rode on an old armchair to the second line over the gorge! This is the only cable car that went uphill from the very bottom.
It creaked and swayed. The old supports seemed about to break and we would fall! There was an abyss about thirty meters below! All in all, an unforgettable experience! We went down back, however, in a booth : ) My companion refused to go down on this cable car : )
Our trip was coming to an end. Saying goodbye to Dombai, we went to Teberda, packed our things, brought the keys to the hostess and set off on our way back! This time we drove through the right tunnel in the mountain without stopping at Cherkessk. On the way, in some settlement, we met local traffic cops, who stopped only us from all the cars, because our region was not 09, but 23. We were immediately told that we were not wearing seat belts, although the traffic cop clearly saw that of all the passers-by, only we were fastened, and he began to scare me with a protocol for 500 rubles. Everything ended well, but the mood was slightly spoiled.
When we reached the bridge, we asked to open the barrier, the border guard asked if the local traffic cops offended us (I said that they offended us : )) and wished us a happy journey!
We again raced along the Krasnodar Territory, but already towards the house. Night fell - my favorite time of day to travel!
Vitaly Vance, 2015.
