All about the rocks of Kush-Kai in Crimea

The Crimean peninsula has long been one of the favorite places for climbers. Of course, there is neither Mont Blanc nor Everest, but the local mountains are very diverse and allow you to conduct training in any conditions. However, people without special training can also enjoy the mountains of Crimea - hiking tours are widespread, and one of the most popular routes is considered to be the ascent to the peaks of Kush-Kai.

The peculiarity of the Crimean mountains lies in the fact that namesake peaks are considered quite common here. This happened with Kush-Kai - this name is immediately bearing 3 elevations erected by mother nature at a distance from each other, namely:

• over the Laspi valley;

• on Babugan-Yale;

• near the peak of the Falcon (near the New World).

Some Crimeans also mistakenly add the Upland of the Cat to this list, which is in Simeiz, although this is fundamentally wrong, since its Crimean Tatar name is heard more like Kosh-Kaya. Kush-kaya in translation means "Bird Mountain." Most likely, this definition is associated with a characteristic feature of such peaks - they are located next to the sea coast and represent a place of “halt” for flocks of migratory birds traveling to hot countries.

These mountains are relatively evenly located on the territory of Crimea - in the east, as well as in the southeast and southern part of Crimea relative to its center. The height of the peaks is different. The highest Babugan Kush-Kaya is 1339 m, just below the mountain near Laspi - its height is 664 m, and the peak in the Sokol rock rises to 476 m.

All these places are popular for travelers to visit - they offer amazingly beautiful views of the coast, the Black Sea and the Crimean mountains.On Kush-kai in Sokol and Laspi, mountaineering trails of various degrees of difficulty are also laid - from 1B to 5A. Let us dwell in more detail on the description of each of the mountains.

The most picturesque, by all accounts, is the one located near Sudak, in the territory of the New World. She is considered a symbol of the village, it is her most often captured in the photo. This peak is called Falcon. A narrow stony path leads to the upper plateau of the rock, originating from the Devil's finger.

Kush-Kaya on Babugan-Yail looks a bit like a human ear, as if listening to the measured sound of sea waves. You can get to it along the uncomplicated path leading from Paragilmen, for this you will not need any climbing special training and professional equipment. Climbing and descending to this peak is quite real in one daylight.

Kush-Kaya near the Laspi Bay became the most famous, it has average dimensions, but it faces the sea with its sheer wall, so the place has become the main platform for training and mountaineering competitions. In 2013, the place was shrouded in an ominous secret - then a message appeared about the mysterious disappearance of the tourist from the slope, her body was never found.

The most unusual versions were put forward - aliens on flying saucers were mentioned here, who took the girl for experiments, and the criminal online community that issued the difficult task of climbing to the top. The cellphone of the missing woman was also mentioned - supposedly something was removed on it, which ultimately led to the death of the tourist.

In a word, there were many assumptions, but experienced climbers unanimously declared that the girl herself was to blame for the incident - in beach shoes you should not climb steep stone slopes, where there are many slippery boulders. Unfortunately, accidents with such mountain climbers happen in any mountains. Nevertheless, the bodies were never found, so the legend only grew with new details, and each found its own version explaining the mysterious disappearance of the tourist.

Fans of mountain tourism should pay attention to Kush-Kai at the bay of Laspi - thanks to the landscape for climbers and climbers, there are many opportunities to hone their sports skills. There are several tracks of varying degrees of difficulty, so everyone can choose the right one taking into account their physical capabilities and level of training. Most often, climbers are engaged on the cliff of the lowest belt, but it should be noted that Professionals - this is a special “fraternity”, within which all organizational issues and security aspects are resolved fairly quickly.

Beginners should choose a route leading along the Great Sevastopol Trail - it represents a rather long section of the excursion path, in which Kush Kaya is only one section of a long route. The trail originates in Sevastopol, it is best to get on it from the Laspi pass. There are numerous signs here, so getting lost will be almost impossible. Nevertheless, even such a seemingly elementary path requires comfortable sports shoes, best of all sneakers, and good physical shape.

The tourist route passes by a small hunting estate. Wild animals live here in the paddock - the locals even joke that this high net does not protect animals from people, but vice versa.On the way to the top, you can also see the ruins of an ancient building with a wooden large cross.

According to the official version, there are the remains of the Cathedral of St. Elijah, which was erected in the Middle Ages, so the cross was erected here. But there are skeptics who believe that the composition of the adhesion solution directly indicates that the structure is much more modern - most likely, it used to be a military guard post in the navy.

The peak of Kush-Kai over the bay of Laspi has long been recognized as one of the most beautiful, from a height a beautiful view of amazing picturesque places - Cape Aya, as well as the tract Batiliman and the bay itself. These landscapes are considered one of the most spectacular on the entire Crimean peninsula. Many vacationers even come to these places for a couple of days with tents, so there is a camping near the foot where you can always get water and dry firewood.

From the top of Kush-Kai, along a narrow path, you can go to Cape Aya, where in the days of the USSR a military unit was located - the road there will take about an hour. Even 3 decades ago, there were outbuildings and barracks, and now there are only ruins.

In a more distant period - 600-700 years ago, Isar was located on Ayia, the walls of which are pretty well preserved, but the military in the last century dismantled the rocks into stones, which they later used for construction purposes. Immediately after Cape Ayia, an amazing view opens up - 400-meter sheer cliffs of reddish limestone seem to fall, bristling with the sharp corners of their landslides.

Further, the path goes past the cliff line for Balaclava itself. If you start from Kush-Kai in the morning, then by evening it is quite possible to walk along the Balaklava embankment. But keep in mind that qThe Orog is very insidious here, it branches and often leaves in the direction of the cliff. Not knowing the trail and not having any orienteering skills, it is better not to decide on such a transition, but if the desire to overcome the route does not leave you - hire an experienced guide.

See the next video about which route is better for hiking on the Kush-Kai rock in the Crimea.