Found at last White Stone, rode to it through “Friendship” collective garden; only city area is rideable on the bicycle in this direction, further on the way there is need to lead it on the side or carry on the shoulder. Snowmobile and quad bike tracks lead to the West : somewhere through the forest, somewhere on the snowy roads; on the way I passed through Gremiha river, it is 2 – 2.5 m wide near the road, but to the side in around 100 m there is icy bridge, through which I walked with the bike on the other bank and to the technics tracks again. Walking on them I came to wide glade for high voltage electric line, walked on it in the North-West direction to the crossing with Gremiha river again and East-West glade and moved through it to the White Stone : it leads directly to the mountain roots. In some places there are unfrozen puddles and small pools.
On the way I first met 2 skiers, they told to me that ski track leads to the White Stone directly from ski base, near which I exercise myself, and another 4 skiers after them, snowmobiles pave tracks through the snowdrifts and skiers move on them, so I walked not through the waist deep snowdrifts, but on the easily walkable small road. It has small uphill tilt, that is similar to the way to Shunuth, whereas Berezovaya mountain has steep and short slope. Mountain is visible from the distance through the glade, near its roots large rock at once meet : they have around 20 m height on the Eastern side. I lifted bicycle higher, took my camera and walked to make photos and videos; on the uphill on the White Stone after high rocks in front higher rocks appear after them and there is need to walk attentively, because slope is steep and rocks are covered with ice and snow. To the South there is ability to see Berezovaya mountain, this day it was in the mist and only its silhouette was visible; somewhere there through the mist Shunuth stays in the West …
Rocky ridge of White Stone is quite narrow, but there is ability to walk, basing on the rocks and trees; there is even small stony arc, it seems, that it was formed due to erosion. After it there is ability to walk even further and higher on the ridge, but it is too narrow in that place, without rocks and trees for basement and with rocky slopes to the sides; so, I’ll walk there after snow melting on the dry stones. On the mountain I was for around 1 hour, this day quite strong wind blew from the south, it is not noticeable in the forest, but on the mountain even in -1 degrees on Celsius temperature hands freeze very fast. Admiring this view and big rocks, I descended to the bicycle, put my camera in the pocket and moved in the way back to home.
On the returning way I went on the ski tracks in the direction of ski base to see where tracks start; quite fast it became dark, so, first I walked in the dusk, seeing tracks for 3 – 5 m ahead, then it became completely dark and I moved by feel. On the way there are unfrozen puddles, skiers move through them without problems, but I with bicycle had to find basement points by touch, to not to go shin deep in the water : this day I did not drenched my boots and walked and rode to home with comfort. On the ski track I came to the road, it lead to the west to the light, track lead further to the north, so I walked on the road and came out of the forest approximately in the same place, in which I walked into it : on the hill with communication towers. On the way I met young lady, playing with the dog : there is ability to imagine what she thought seeing a man with bicycle in the darkness, walking from the forest in the snowdrifts. Then road to home, home businesses and going to sleep. Wish December and January frosts to pass faster; meet you in the next bicycle adventures!
You can see rest of photos here.
