Exploring the unknown. A few days of nice weahter in Cilo Dag Mountains, probably the most beatiful mountin range in Turkey.
„Nobody has skied there before, you can’t go alone, we rather show you the way“ the locals insisted so we had a guidance for the first part of the approach of the valley. And also a great picnic breakfast at a stream, which our two guides prepared for us. We continued further alone only accompanied with our beloved friends, heavy backpacks with stuff for 4-5 days. The Cennet Cehennem (“Heaven and Hell” in Kurdish) was hiding itself in the clouds. We pitched our tent on a meadow called Mergan yaylasi (approx. 2500m). In summer, you would meet here shepherds and possibly also some PKK fighters. In winter don’t expect to meet anybody here.
Next morning we could see Cilo in its beauty. We fully understand the “heaven” part of the name and hoped not to test the “hell” part during our climb of a couloir hidden in the west face above our camp. “The couloir surely leads the whole way up to the ridge and does not end in the face, what do you think?” Actually, it did lead the whole way up; however, the higher it got the more snow there was. Although, it’s a perfect training to dig oneself through thigh-deep snow, it makes one worried when such couloir is over 45degrees steep. As we reached the altitude of approximately 3300m (approximately 200 meters from the ridge) from the above several small avalanches started. Given the conditions we decided to turn-around.
Martin´s attempt to cut off the upper layer of snow in the couloir was successful – a 20 cm high layer slid down under his skis. Uff. Under the couloir, on the slopes above our camp, we could “enjoy” the view of a mid-size powder snow avalanche falling from the face behind us. The avalanche “performance” continued in the valley till dusk. “Ok, we should be even more careful.”
The next day, we skinned up the other valley (to the east). After the first 600 vertical metres it was clear to us that here was also too much fresh snow. Therefore, we didn’t go to one of the two nice couloirs we originally intended and decided to go to summit (3770m) on the ridge between Üşüyen Dag a Erinc Zirve. „Look, it doesn’t look that steep”. However, it was and we had to dig ourselves up through quite deep snow. Therefore, we climbed the rocks on the side of the couloir. The views from the ridge were superb. We could see the whole (guessing at least 900m high) east face of Resko – the highest peak of Cilo Dag. That would be something for the bigwall-freaks!
We started the descent very carefully. Fortunately, the snow in the couloir held. Its upped part was steep (a few metres above 50degrees), than around 45degrees, in between rocks towards slopes covered by avalanche fields from Üşüyen Dag. Than, we could enjoy some nice powder during the rest of the descent to our tent.
During the last half day of good weather, we decided to try a nice-looking steep 300metres hign couloir above our tent. “Surely, there won’t be that much snow, dude!” Actually, there was. However, it held also during the descent. For such a steep thing (the upper ramp 55degrees, the middle part before the narrow point 58degrees) we would prefer a bit less powder snow.
The sky was grey, the pressure decreasing, in a few hours the first thunder storm of the season would come, therefore we packed our stuff and skied down to the car and continued to Hakkari for some lahmacun and beer. However, we definitely need to come back to Cilo soon. Hopefully, the next time, the conditions, weather (and of course the political situation) would allow us to ski down some of the great lines which we have spotted.
Maybe because of the wild mountains, maybe because of the incredibly hospitable people living under them, we kind of fell in love with this region I am afraid.
#SkiToCloud
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„Where are you? I can see only a stone? „A stone cannot move its hands, dude!“