ASCENT TO FALAZA AND DESCENT TO smol'nyye WATERFALLS

July, 2023
part 1

The thick enveloping fog, the intertwined roots of coniferous trees, the coolness from a mountain stream... We are back in the mountains. We feel, hear and see the forest.

Mount Falaza, aka Mount Litovka, is located in the southern Sikhote-Alin, separating the Shkotovsky and Partizansky districts of Primorsky Krai. The height of the mountain is 1279,4 m above sea level. Our route was built from Anisimovka village. At the beginning of the route we were dropped off at ski bases, which reduced the time for climbing. We walked the whole route with rucksacks, planning to cover the maximum distance and find a place to camp.

We were dropped off at a recreation centre. We walked about 2 kilometres and stood to rest on a stream. The brook that day was tinkling, cooling. It is the only source of water on the ascent to Falaza, not far from it is the first camp where you can pitch your tent.

On the ridge in the coniferous forest, all campsites were clean, with plenty of room for a tent at each one. You can camp in groups, plenty of places for a campfire. Nice place, but it is a long walk to the stream for water.

A path leads to the summit through the intertwined roots of the coniferous forest. More than once we met snakes, which probably live under the same roots. We reached the summit on the first day of the route at 2:15 p.m, all the peaks were hidden under thick clouds, only occasionally pieces of the mountain massif could be seen. Before descending to the Smol'nyye waterfalls we had lunch on the summit. The descent to the waterfalls is marked with blue paint. The path to the Smol'nyye waterfalls itself consists of endless small mobile kurumniks that move and crumble. The way to the gazebo near the waterfalls took the rest of the day.