From the city of Maykop (the capital of Adygea) on a clear day you can see a majestic mountain peak covered with eternal snows. This is Oshten - a mountain that is part of the Fisht-Oshten Range. It is separated from Mount Fisht by a deep gorge.
Origin of the name
From the Adyghe language the name of Mount Oshten is translated as "eternal snow". Largely due to these glaciers, located to the west and below other glaciers of the Caucasus Range, the mountain is known to lovers of mountain climbing in our country. It was the climbers who gave Oshten a second name - "the mountain where the ax is dropped." It is explained by the inaccessibility of its peaks.
Tourist routes are laid from the south and north near the mountain. There is something to see for both beginners and experienced climbers. In the north, Mount Oshten (you see the photo below) rises with picturesque stone ridges. And on its southern slopes, in addition to magnificent landscapes, you can meet graceful animals - Caucasian chamois, which in small herds move from one rock to another.
History
Besides the listed names, this mountain has several more. One of them is "the peak that collects rain and hail". Abadzekhs, who for centuries inhabited the mountainous territories of Adygea, were sun-worshippers. For them, Oshten was sacred. The mountain, or rather its top, became a sanctuary for them. There is a version that it could be named after Eshtan, the Hittite god of the sun.
Scientists say that millions of years ago there was the bottom of the sea, and the current mountains in those days were coral reefs. Therefore, today the former bottom of the sea - the Fisht-Oshtensky mountain range with the peaks of Oshten, Pshekho-Su and Fisht - is called the "coral island". This huge sandstone reef is pierced with coral branches, rising almost three kilometers in height.
Mount Oshten: where is it?
Mountain coordinates - 44°00' N. sh. and 39°56'E. e. It makes up a mountain range with Mount Fisht, with a wide peak torn into several parts. A path stretches along it, leading to the Shitlibsky or Belorechensky pass (1,905 m), to the valley of the Shakhe River, which extends to the Black Sea. Mountains Oshten and Fisht are the first peaks located from the west of the Caucasus Range, which rise to the height of the snow line.
Description of Oshten
This majestic mountain is the second highest peak of this mountain range. It is made up of limestone. The height of Mount Oshten is 2,804 meters. According to this indicator, it is quite a bit inferior to its neighbor - Mount Fisht, whose height is 2,867 meters. From the wide and flat top of Oshten, which can simultaneously accommodate about a hundred people, picturesque views of the snow-covered slopes of Pshekho-Su and Fisht,Fisht's tooth, his Small and Large glaciers.
Rivers
Alpine meadows of the Lago-Naki plateau, rocky ridges of mountain ranges and picturesque canyons of the Tsitse and Kurdzhips rivers, which carry their waters to the north, stretch from the northern side of the mountain.
The rivers Belaya, Teplyak and Armenian originate on the southern slopes. The Armenian woman is very popular among tourists who are attracted by the grandiose canyon and beautiful waterfalls. Trout is caught here, and the slopes are covered with blueberry bushes, which are unusual in these places: the bushes reach a height of two meters, and the berries are the size of a large grape.
Fauna
The slopes of the mountain are inhabited by Caucasian chamois. The locals call them black goats. This is a very rare species that is listed in the Red Book. The population of these animals has greatly decreased in recent years. They often fall prey to wolves or poachers.
Besides chamois, Sivertsev's goats lived here for many years. Nowadays, tourists can see them only in the zoo. But red deer can still be found here, however, quite rarely.
Oshten in winter
Before the very top, in the east, Oshten has a circus bowl. It is covered with packed layers of snow. In Soviet times, skiers from the USSR Olympic team quite often went down the slope of Lago-Naki. The snow cover here does not disappear even at the highest air temperatures. The length of the slope is about 400 meters.
Steep rocky ridges on the northern slope of the mountain, covered withsnow, amaze with their beauty. A sparkling fluffy blanket also covers a wide canyon to the east of the Oshten peak. It goes down at a steep slope, but the most desperate ski lovers ski down it.
Legends
Mt. Fisht and Mt. Oshten are covered with numerous folk tales and legends. Legends about them are passed down from generation to generation, and the watchmen gladly retell them to their guests. We will tell you one of them.
It happened in those ancient times, when proud and freedom-loving highlanders lived freely on the land of their ancestors. They sowed huge arable lands, grazed cattle, were engaged in fishing and hunting. And nothing foretold that trouble was approaching this peaceful people. But what to be - that cannot be avoided. And one day, like a black thundercloud, hordes of enemies, who were famous for their cruelty, moved to the land of the highlanders from the sea.
They began to kill helpless old people and young and strong men, and they drove women and children into slavery. And then the council of elders gathered to decide how to defeat the insidious enemy, how to free their native land. The old people thought for a long time and decided that they had only one way out: to fight to the last drop of blood.
But the wise elders did not want to throw all their forces into battle at once. They decided to divide them into three parts, so that each of them would become a formidable shaft that would roll on the enemy and put him to flight.
The first squad consisted of gray-haired elders, whothe battle was led by Fisht, an experienced warrior. The old fighters were no strangers to difficult campaigns and bloody battles, they had seen a lot in their lifetime. They were not afraid of the weight of the shields, and the sound of swords was like beautiful music to them. The old men fought desperately. Many enemies laid down their heads on the battlefield. But the forces were not equal, and the old people died, all of them.
Then a young squad came out against the enemy, led by the brave Oshten. The sons of the dead old men fought bravely. The battle went on for several days and nights. But Oshten's squad also fell in battle.
And then the hope remained only on the youngest warriors. The grandchildren of the dead old people were led to a military battle by young Lago. The young men fought long and fearlessly. Lago was mortally wounded in battle. The horse brought the body of the dying warrior to the house of his bride, the beautiful Naki. The brave girl put on the armor of her beloved and led the remnants of the squad to the enemy.
And the enemy could not stand such strength. He ran to the sea and never returned to this land. Since then, the gray-domed mountains Oshten and Fisht have been silently standing on the Adyghe land, and next to them is the young upland of Lago-Naki.
Oshten (mountain): climbing
You need to come to Maykop by train. Quite often, groups of those wishing to conquer the peak of Oshten form here. The mountain is not too high, so it is quite suitable for beginner climbers. Hiking this mountain is not a dangerous climb. Rather, it will become an exciting journey.
It won't take long to get up the mountain - just enoughone day. Therefore, tourists do not need to carry backpacks filled with provisions. The best time for such a trip is spring. Of course, if you wish, you can organize a trip in the cold season. But in this case, the novice climber will need an instructor who will secure on difficult sections.
There are several ways to climb Oshten peak. The mountain can be conquered by both tourists and professional climbers.
The most popular is the path from Yavorova Polyana. Tourists love it. The route stretches for 17 km.
If you want to admire the picturesque waterfalls and streams, then the road through Serpent's Lake is more suitable for you, which will lead you to Chopped Stream, where the unprecedented beauty of waterfalls will open before you. This route ends in a tent camp at Mount Blyam. One way distance - 11.5 km.
The longest way is through the Lago-Naki plateau. This route is usually chosen by travelers by car. On the plateau, for a very modest fee, huntsmen will guard your car while you storm the summit.
