Leaving in the morning from Vladikavkaz, we're going with a local guide in the gorge. From the roads of Vladikavkaz in the Caucasus.
One Georgian military (IOP) in a westerly direction and military-Ossetian (WATER) to Kutaisi. During the war years, the Soviet army strongly defended this important Fort-post for Russia on the outskirts of the Caucasus. Here many soldiers were killed. Here on the right we pass the monument to Peter Barbashova, a little-known hero of the Soviet soldier, covering her Breasts the enemy's recess in the month of September. All somehow honor the memory of Matrosov, who repeated the feat Barbashev later, after 3 months. But <url> revered Russian hero and the monument Barbashev on the track once a year EN masse to lay flowers.
Pass by r. Giselle-don – a tributary of the Terek. With it is associated the memory of local residents about a case. Before the war, the local lands belonged to one rich Khan Kabosu. Once Giselle-don in a time of rapid melting of mountain snow tore down its rough waters of a large layer of earth, revealing historical artifacts belonging to the ancient culture of the Koban (Koban bronze). Caboc Khan as the owner of this site, not versed in scientific value, was to sell the artifacts to random people.
True, some items from the burial of a warrior of the Bronze age were in the museums of Moscow and St. Petersburg, and the rest mostly artifacts "sailed" abroad in private collections.
That infamous fork in the road for some time Karmadonskom gorge, on events when there is while shooting the film missing a group of people with Bodrov Junior, falling into the gorge when the avalanche. The road to the gorge is Karmadonskom of Dargavs. The right side of the road Kabardian plain; to the left, the gorge is a path in the mountains.
By the way, Karmadonskom gorge near Vladikavkaz, but we're going on to Fiercesome, because after recent developments in the mountains, when the crack was formed, people are still afraid to go there. Not sure what the mountains "calmed down", and Feardance often visited.
The first Wooded ridge covered with impenetrable forests, with a height of 1,3-1,4 thousand meters a Second ridge – Pasture. Then in the course overlooks the city of the Dining room (with the cut off top) and Kazbek, which are a symbol of Vladikavkaz.
This mountain ski Police gorge, considered the most brutal due to the accumulation of steep mountains, where 16 vertices thousanders.
Passing the second large monument to fallen soldiers during the second world war "Seven sons." It was established in memory of one Ossetian family, from which went to the front, all 7 sons and none have returned.
By the way all are born of the gorge from the plains and stretch from North to South, increasing the altitude ranges and the most respectable, as the town of Kazbegi (5033m), Jimara (4700m) is in the range of 5 thousand square Ossetians gorge called "zval", which means "throat"
Here we are moving in Feardance gorge. There are a lot of forest with mushrooms, medlar and other generous his gifts, where the locals flock EN masse in the summer, but it still does not lack. In this gorge the highest ranges reach 1800m. Layers of forests are around a single spot: forest lime, forest pine, and other forest spoil.
On the left, on the bottom of the gorge, twisting around Fiagdon river is the main river gorge. By the way, in North Ossetia, 110 of the rivers and they are fed by glaciers from the mountains in addition to two spring. They all fall, eventually, in the Terek river, which carries its waters on to Dagestan. Fiagdon river rich in trout.
Our first stop, village of Hussar, from which two paths: to Camaros and WATER. We collect the water and drink from a fountain that cascades flows down to the road.
The second stop in S. Jelgersma. it is noteworthy that in all the mountain villages adorn the stone towers of different sizes.
It turns out that the story of their origin is simple. Because of the abundance of stone in the highlands, Ossetians, clearing the scraps of space under construction, chose the stones and piled them due to saving space vertically. Besides, historically, in the mountain villages of stone piled initially multi-level guard tower, and there lodged guards to prevent enemy raids. On the flat roof of the tower was lit a fire. So fire or smoke, they warned the chain to the other upstream villages about the advancing danger. The rocks tend to slide, so the Ossetians were a tradition at a certain time they went to collect stones. So that is where I went a saying: "the time has Come to gather stones".
The third stop S. Samiti. From Sun valley once was the caravan road – horse road through the gorge. The horse here is the best friend of Ossetians. In the village is a monument to the horse of the warrior curtainsa is the cult of the horse. Well, of course, in all villages, even in very small there is a cult of Stalin, and no monument to him there is no settlement. In many villages there are already existing or abandoned mines, as in C. Samiti. Processing plants of zinc and lead are in the settlements grow larger, by the way, including in Vladikavkaz.
The fourth stop in the village Barical. By the way, a staple food in South Ossetian villages, as I understand it, it is Ossetian pies – large, thin tortillas with cheese, meat and supplements (garlic, onion). In this village we bought Ossetian pies on the wood. The landlady bakes them in the yard wood. Cakes are delicious, as sheep cheese, fat and they smell a fire. For us exotic.
Our path continues through the gorge we climb higher and higher into the mountains, felt the pressure in my ears.
Next stop about Alan the Saviour monastery of the Dormition of the mountain monastery. The monastery itself was a remake, but made in the old style of Alan stone mountain construction. It was built near the old chapel of the Seven myrrh-bearers" - the first of the virgin-wife, who according to legend it was announced that Christ is risen.
Nearby are the remains of the watchtower of the fortress. Live in the monastery 17 novices. In the monastery there is an ancient icon, or rather list, of the virgin, written in Georgian style. The original icon was kept in Mozdok, but now lost her trail. The only list is stored in the Alanian monastery.
The Ossetians mostly belong to Christianity. Alania (6-7 century they adopted Christianity). On the one hand (South) Ossetia "AutoRecovery" for the introduction of Islam, and on the other (North) when asked Ossetia under the protection of Russia, the Alans came to Christianity. But Ossetia has its own traditional religion, they are called "traditionalists" who did not accept Christianity, because I think that this belief did not come from Byzantium (as it should), and New York).
Going Dolasku the valley, gaining altitude, making the ears even more.
Along the way we examine the remains of a fortress with a guard tower on a rocky sharply steep ledge over the gorge. I must say, thrills and delights this kind of reminiscent of the medieval stone castles. The Ossetians of the watchtower reached 22 meters, and next to it were built residential, which was smaller, to 15 m.
The towers were always built in late February - early March, yet not quite frozen ground. To carry the stones on the mountain in bad weather more difficult. Stones especially for her chopping. One squared stone which was equal to the cost of the sheep, and she built a tower corresponded to the cost of a large herd of sheep. Besides finishing the construction of the tower was followed necessarily in the course of the year, it's too late! It had to she was possessed by the ancestral spirit. The height of the tower varied, each class has its own, depending on its status. Than the status bar above the tower and they should be higher, same applies to ancestral crypts. Tower flat Ossetian and Georgian - pointed.
And we are climbing now Kurtatinsky gorge. The road is bad, almost "goat trail" and the car shakes, the ears snapping. And no wonder, the guide said we were at the height of 1870 m. If the bottom we admired the fog, raising his head up; mid rise felt its cool dampness of the rain and small rashes on yourself; it is at an altitude of about 2 thousand meters went snow flakes soft, "Hello, winter!". Well, that mountain forest is still bare, you can see from the window in the visual area of the arm of the mountain range shapes, shrouded in fog. On the sides of the visible ruins of the old mines for the extraction of ore. It is a pity that do not see all the beauty Kurchatovskogo of the gorge, but we believe the guide is that here in the area of 10-15 km there are 18 endangered waterfalls, descending the spurs of the ridge, which beat the key to multiple streams. Propelled by the rains, to witness such beauty should from late may to early September. At the end of September, there is already snow in the Blizzard. This place is called Memorabilia horseshoe. On the left, the mountain-cave Touched. On the Day of St. Elijah the court come many pilgrims. Their lead in the sacred cave dedicated to the priests of the genus Gulevich. There is also Ossetian nature reserve.
At the bottom is Dargavskaya basin. During the 15th and 16th centuries in the mountains, there is a constant collapses and all the water from the soil fell into the basin. Thus was formed the fertile valley. The first town, sacred grove Bolevyh. Further, S. Puzikov (long meadow). We descend to the altitude of 1300 meters on the mountain road, which was used during WWII to deliver the goods to the valley. Without this narrow mountain road a resident of the valley would be cut off from the world.
Well, here Dargavs – high rise settlement is located in the homonymous valley. Once big, now small. Modern fans of exotic here keep the house as farm-houses. The village has a primary school and study here for 2-3 people in the class, and after the 9th "go down" to the plains to study further.
In side, on the hill stands a watchtower, as in all other villages, and next to it the "City of dead"- the ancestral crypts of different heights depending on the status of the family. Now this old cemetery – a Museum under the open sky. In the 70-ies there started digging.60 tombs uncovered, and 40 left sealed descendants.
As in the years of plague in mountain crypts left families with all their expensive property. The villagers accessible brought times a day, leaving the death row meal. If food is not climbed, the relatives learned that they had slept in the crypt. The artifacts of the necropolis are now in museums Vladikavkaz (decorations, utensils, etc.). From this village you can get to Karmadonskom gorge on a narrow mountain road.
Unlike others, I personally looked into the vaults, where, according to witnesses, piled a lot of bones and skulls. I liked to stand near the watchtower and watch as lazy blobs of misty substance enveloped the tops of the mountains. As if noticing my interest, slowly start to reach my side of his lazy haze, trying to envelop me at the same time.
Speaking of corny, but I'm in awe of what he saw during the day, making the hike one of the gorges of the Caucasian mountains. Now I know why they win the hearts of their fans. The mountain is dangerous, but alluring beauty!
