- Joined
- Dec 2, 2015
- Posts
- 24,995
Matt also goes to Japan… Maybe an easier sell?
-
For more information on how to avoid pop-up ads and still support SkiTalk click HERE.
International (Europe/Japan/Southern Hemisphere) 2024 Uzbekistan Trip Report
- Thread starter Mattadvproject
- Start date
Ya, no waffles in Uzbek. Or competition for powder…
Thread Starter
TS
Yep, hard to compete with those free waffles, $200 plus lift tickets and excessive lift lines!
Thread Starter
TS
Well, there were 4 other people in the sidecountry in Amirsoy one day, but they skinned up to Beldersay, so there was only competition on the traverse..... And we did see a random French dude on the skin up to the ridge above Chimgan, but he turned around and skied down the way he came up.....
- Joined
- Dec 2, 2015
- Posts
- 24,995
How’s the avy danger aspect? What are the chances of rescue out there? Do people get insurance from those companies that’ll come get you?
Thread Starter
TS
Thanks for the questions, @James . The avi danger is definitely something we take into account everyday, but a lot of any potential avalanche terrain can be mitigated by terrain choice. We ski a lot of stuff under 30 degrees and most of the lines are nice open, isolated ridgetops. Our local guide (Ilya) did a great job at giving us information on previous slide activity and historically, spots to avoid. Feeling around the snowpack in this area, the snowpack feels a lot less continental than I experienced in Kyrgyzstan (a lot less faceted and generally more stable), but my experience is only 2 trips. I'm definitely encouraged by what I am finding so far.
I did see some impressive old avalanche activity either side of the big ridge we skied halfway through the trip and that was consistent with what I witnessed back in 2022. There were some small cornice collapses that did not propagate and some old avalanche activity on some very steep south-facing slopes, but that is not out of the ordinary. I definitely don't want to get into any avalanches in Uzbekistan as I'm sure it would not be a rescue, more likely a recovery. Our groups are equipped and trained for self-rescue therefore. There is a decent ski patrol in Amirsoy resort but Beldersay (closed this season due to the construction of a new gondola) and Chimgan would probably involve the military (there is a small military base/training area in Chimgan).
I personally use and recommend Global Rescue which is a specialized US/overseas backcountry rescue service/policy as some insurance providers don't include insurance for additional backcountry rescue cover.
So more like Sugarloaf then? Got it.
Thread Starter
TS
Oh you guys.......
Thread Starter
TS
Finally finished editing some of the ski shots I took with my DSLR camera and I thought I'd share a few here...... These shots are from the 21st of Feb and our sidecountry day from one of the resorts. We skied two, high-quality runs. I had the whole group come on the first run and then two guests on the second run. You can see a marked change in the light on the second run. The second run was a fair bit quicker as the track for the hike out was already in place and I modified the skin track back to the resort, on the way back. Enjoy!
- Matt
- Matt
Thread Starter
TS
Some more edited shots from Uzbekistan, this time from the 22nd of February during our 4 hour 15 minute ski touring day. These are photos from two of the four pitches that we skied. This was a beautiful, long, isolated ridgeline with perfect snow on it. So far, this has consistently been the best line I have skied in Uzbekistan. It was the highlight of the trip in 2022 and then the highlight of the trip this time.
- Matt
- Matt