Ossetian Afsati is read in Russian like Afshati. Afshati is the Lord of the Hunt and patron of wild animals.
Alania or North Ossetia attract mountain hunters by the variety of its wildlife. But hunting is not the only thing why you need to visit this area.
This mountain country is the home for the descendants of ancient Alans. The name Ossetia and Ossets derived from the Georgian word “osi” or “ovsi” which derived in its turn from “asi”- the name of the group of Alans. It’d be right to call this small but proud nation -Alans.
Alans made a significant contribution to the culture of European nations in the period of the declining Roman Empire till Mid Ages. I talk about horses, bred specially for military actions, about their first usage in the wars, about Alan's hunting and attack dogs and military and horse equipment, harness and weapon.
Alans together with the Germanic and Sarmatian tribes won lots of victories in Europe. Their fighting spirit was raised to a cult. It was honor for an Alan to die in the fight. There is a legend that the King Arthur, who united the disjointed tribes on the British islands and started the British Empire, was from the Alans.
Not many people know, but the number of the Soviet Union Heroes to the total number of North Ossetia-Alania population is the highest among all other nationalities and nations of ex-USSR. It says a lot.
These reasons make me to feel responsibility during my stay there. I had to save face and tried not to do the wrong not to offend or to hurt the Highlands even if there was nothing vicious about it.
Moreover I had to conduct myself with dignity in the mountains. I was impressed by the local people endurance and felt deep respect to all of them. I think that trekking in the Caucasus is one of the most difficult activity. Hunting for a Dagestan Tur in the North Ossetia-Alania can be considered to be as the endurance criteria for the middle heights to 3000 m above sea level. Mountains there are rocky, steep and have a lot of unpleasant surprises.
The meeting.
I landed in the Vladikavkaz airport. That time I was accompanied by the passionate hunter from Kazakhstan Zhaisan Syzdykov. He flights from Almaty through Moscow.
My friend and partner Zara Sozanov met us at the airport and we drove the hunting base “Verkhnay Saniba”. It’s always pleasures to meet old friend whom you know for a long. We have a great rapport.
It was the end of August. The weather was unusually hot for the North Ossetia in that year. Vladikavkaz met us with heat and stuffiness. The thermometer was off the scale during day hours - 35 degrees! The locals said it was unusual for the end of summer and that area. We comprehended that It’ll create additional difficulties on our way to the trophy. We won’t have the opportunity to relax and recover after climbing in such weather. Fortunately, the house, where we accommodated, was built in the Soviet period and had thick walls. The temperature inside allowed to sleep well and to recover after the ascending.
In correspondence before hunting Zhaisan has written to me that the harder hunting is, the more interesting it is. That statement discouraged me. Not all people think this way. Lots of hunters want to take the big trophy but not ready to work hard for it. I call them the trophy gatherers. I was pleased to hear from the hunter that trophy is less important than the hunting process itself.
As for difficulties while getting the trophy, the Caucasus takes one of the first places or probably is on the top. There are all what you need to feel it: steep slopes, screes, snow and altitude about 3K masl and even more. Not all hunters can do it. The only good thing is that we feel much better on the altitude 3K masl there than on the same height in Pamir and don’t feel hypoxia. But it compensates by the steepness and danger of climbing.
The parable to be treat all mountains with respect, is very actual. You’ll never take mountains with a rush. You have to train physically and mentally. Good physical shape doesn’t guarantee your success. It’s no less important to dose your efforts between ascends and descends.
First day we spent in the camp and devoted on testing guns and gathering equipment.
The dinner was served in the traditional Ossetian style. Alania is one of the less places on our planet where the locals respect and honor the age-old traditions of their ancestors. The feast ritual is one of the best examples. It looks too complicated for the beginners but young people who are used to see them from their childhood, treat them self-evident. The Alans have never toastmaster but it's always the eldest man chosen among the most respected ones. The eldest man appoints two assistants who seat for both sides from him. They say toasts in a definite turn. The eldest allows to say toasts to his assistants and guests.
Tsara headed the table and pronounced a few toasts in honor of St. George, Afsai (pronounced as Afshati)- the Ossetian Lord of the Hunt, for health of all our relatives. There were traditional three Ossetian pies put on each other. They are round in shape and quite thin. Each of them has its own filling. One was filled with meat, another one by beet leaves, the third one was with Ossetian cheese. But the classical variant is three rounded pies with Ossetian cheese only. Each of them has its own sense. They embody sun, land and water. You can try each of them. If you don’t do it you’ll offend the hospitable hosts.
There are also lots of meat and vegetables on the table. You have to eat it all with the traditional drink - araka. Araka is a corn vodka with a strength of about 28 degrees. It is usually drunk hot, even in hot weather with hot pepper. This gives the drink a unique flavor and piquancy.
The variety of dishes and toasts don’t give you the opportunity to get drunk fast as it often happens in Russia when we seat at the table and drink vodka.
We tried not to eat and to drink much. The start was scheduled for early morning.
Zhaisan and I thanked our hosts for the tasty dinner and we both went to bed. The guides asked us to be ready to spend next night or two in the mountains. I quickly packed everything I needed for a autonomous trekking in the backpack. There was a sleeping bag, a mat, some food, medicine kit, camera and other things I’d need while being out of civilization.
About clouds
Next day after a breakfast we left the camp. The trusty UAZ drove us along an empty road into the mountains. The early morning means light cool. But we didn't feel it at all. The temperatures was about 20C degrees and was growing as we were getting close to the starting point of the ascent.
We were not in a hurry because had enough time before the sunset. Turs moved actively near the sunset and we were going to the place, which the guides had examined before our arrival. Thus we had time and I decided to show Zhaisan the very interesting place. It was not far from the ascent beginning.
There is a one village in Ossetia - Dargavs. And not far from it there is one more place - called “The city of Dead”. It consists of a large number of small stone houses with only one small window. Each time I stop there to pay tribute to the courage of highlanders who have been coming there to die in these houses. Few centuries ago, cholera came to this area. It was incurable in that time. To prevent the spread of disease the natives built that “City of Dead” and sick people left their homes and went there to die. Sometimes whole families left. The relatives came there, knocked the only window and gave them food through it. When there was no answer, it meant that there was no one left alive inside. It helped them to prevented the spread of the disease what people couldn’t do in Europe.
We paid tribute to the courage of died people and drove to Dargvas where were going to take the local guide Atsamas , nicknamed "Grizzly". The foreign hunters had called him so because of his completion like the north American bear. He was 185 cm height, had huge broad shoulders, strong-willed large nose and heavy gray eyes, which contrasted with his appearance and made him looked like a huge bear. But like most of giants who was not so severe as you could think about him. It was his responsibility to approach animals. He regularly monitored animals’ movements and assured us that the males were on the place. We should follow him to the top of the Jimara Hoh mountain (Black mountain) as the Ossets called it.
It was easy to say! I’d been there and not once and knew how tough, thorny and long way to the top. But Zhaisan was going to meet the Caucasus mountains for the first time.
There were several other people in our group. Petro was a lean, blue-eyed, fit guide of venerable age and tremendous endurance. He was also more than 180 cm height. He often accompanies our guests in the mountains, moves well and felt himself perfect on the altitude. Atsamas and Petro had always been at our forefront. Elbrus, the guys called him Blu, insured the group. He was slightly above average height, well physically developed and always ready to help in a difficult moment. I can tell you a lot about physical form of the highlanders. I visited mountain republics many times and met different people of solid constitution who were in excellent physical form. Not many people can hardly follow them in the mountains, and for many visitors it is impossible at all.
We looked to the sky, took a deep breath and started.
The mountain foot was not steep and we quickly went around it and reached the steep part lead to the top. There were several ledges on our way where we could stop for a while to have rest.
The air warmed up to 25 degrees. I could hardly call those conditions to be comfortable because we had to climb with 15-20 kg backpacks. We removed our outer clothing and put it in the backpacks what made them even heavier. It's known that each gram in the mountains weights more and you feel each of them. We drank a lot though it didn’t bring relief rather the opposite. They say, water hits your legs. Legs are getting wobbly and it's getting harder to walk. I always recommend to the beginners not to drink much water in the mountains even if they are thirsty. It is better to rinse your mouth and take one sip.
Why it is so difficult to climb in the Caucasus mountains? All slopes there are covered by not high but durable grass. Sometimes you try to lean on the ground but the boot slides by such grass and you may fall down. I saw how it could be. Zhaisan’s leg began to slide but Blu put the stave in time and saved him from rolling down.
Another feature of movement in the mountains is the narrow passages in several places. And you don’t have the opportunity to go around that place. Thus, you have no choice but to move on all fours or on tiptoes holding on the rock ledges or to squeeze between huge stones on the edge of the gorge. There were several such sections on our way. That time there was no accidents except for one incident that occurred with the author.
We were overcoming one of the impassable places on the edge of the gorge when I snatched the big stone which laid on my shoulder height and tried to pull up. I was almost done and ready to move the center of gravity forward when the stone slowly moved, turned and cut by its sharp ribs along by left leg from the thigh to the shin. It didn't hurt me at first. I worried that didn’t have time to warn my fellows who went behind. Fortunately, it rolled down the gorge and nobody got hurt. The consequences of that case could be more serious than the pain in the leg, I felt later. I didn’t have time to think it over, we should have to climb.
In five hours, we reached the top 3000 masl. We all were drenched in sweat and tired. But it was the place from where we should see males and to make a shot. There on the top we immediately wore all clothes we packed in the backpacks. The sun was setting and not hot. It’s often windy on the top and the wind is bitterly cold.
We still had time and was not sure what to wait for that's why decided to have lunch.
Zhaisan passed the test of the first ascent in the Caucasian mountains with honor. He was in a good shape and ready to make the accurate shot. Atsamas and Petro monitored the surroundings and next ridges. We were asked to seat as silent as a mouse in a hole. Every movement or loud word could betray our presence to the sensitive and cautious animals.
To be continued.
