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2001 EXPEDITIONS
Expedition Log
Year 1999, 2000
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KARELIA
the Mystery of Thousand Lakes
From here one can also take a hydrofoil boat to come to an amazing
museum of wooden Russian architecture on the Kizhi island. Lakes kayaking
and rafting down to the river Shuya are "the brand names" of Karelia.
Many outdoor travelers return here every year for exciting kayaking holidays
together with wild abundant nature and white summer nights. Treking along
picturesque granite shores is less popular, though camping on a cosy bay
with great fishing would make one's trip to remember.
On the way to Karelia is so called Karelian Isthmus, which stratches
between the Gulf of Finland and Ladoga Lake to the north from St.Petersburg.
Situated not far from the city it is the most favorite place for it's
outdoor-minded citizens. Great diversity of outdoor sports available here
makes this place a little mekka for local climbers, white water kayakers,
velo bikers or just ramblers. It's reputation among local adventurers
can compare with Glen Coe valley in Scotland or Colorado River Gorge.
There are several popular festivals in summer here. One is "White
Nights of Vuoksa", which occurs in the end of June for 3 days and brings
hundreds crazy kayakers from Russia and Finland to get a challenge in
White Water slalom competitions at the "Losevo" rapid. This event goes
together with one of the biggest Outdoor Gear Fair. To get "Losevo" takes
2 hours by the Priozersk road from St.Petersburg.
Another famous festival "Climbing for Everyone" takes place in the first
days of May. This bouldering competition attracts people of any age and
any climbing experience, who enjoy climbing and even just would like to
have a taste of it. The task is to climb as many short boulder's routes
(problems) as possible for a certain time (usually it's 6 hours). The
routes are spread out in a vast forest and a participant should be also
quite good at orienteering. The three-four moves routes span from very
easy to extremely difficult.
Some of them are for speed climbing. Such an unusual way of climbing competitions makes it to be real excitement
and fun for everyone. Year by year it attracts more and more people. To
get this rock massive at Yastrebinoye Lake takes 3 hours by car. Also
it's possible to take a train and walk along a path for 1.5 hours. Before
doing that make sure to have your passport ready for a border guard check
post and a permit letter. The latter can be received at your working office
or through your Russian friends.
Winter is the season of cross-country skiing and downhill skiing
in Kavgolovo village. Located in 40 minutes from the city center this
place is very popular in winter weekends. Some people rather prefer to
rent a house - "dacha" in this village to spend as much time as possible
there during weekend.
Late spring and autumn are the best time for rambling and biking on the Isthmus. Areas around Orekhovo, Lembolovo and Losevo are the most popular for their proximity, clear pine-tree's forests, crystal lakes and brooks and easy paths. There are many "off-road" biking routes here for one or two days, which would be very in the end of a hard working week.
See and read more about wild nature of Karelia and Karelian Isthmus
on sites:
Send e-mail to: Yegor@wildrussia.spb.ru
for questions, to request detailed
itinereries, or general information about adventure traveling in Karelia.
Our address: Mokhovaya 28, 10, St.Petersburg, 191028, Russia
TEL./FAX: #7 (812) 273 6514, #7 (812) 9402066
or contact Ned Rimmer,our representative
in UK
Address: Ballimore House, Kerrera, Oban, Scotland,
e-mail:RRi9521029@aol.com
TEL./FAX #441 (0631) 563 663
