With the snow finally improving in the Khibney Mountains Ilkka and I looked at the maps and decided to check out some steep couloirs about an hour and a half away from the car. The weather conditions were pretty bad visibility wise so we decided this would be the best place to go and be able to see. After a long mellow skin up a valley and to the base of the line before switching to bootpacking and making our way up.
Russia
Exploring the Khibney Mountains 2018 Part 1
This was my second time in the Khibney Mountains and I was fortunate to return with my good friend Ilkka who had been riding out here for the past decade and we had a week to explore. We arrived in the night and found ourselves at a condo right next to the resort for 12$ a day.
Exploring the Khibney Mountains of Russia 2017
I first learned about the Kola peninsula via Google Earth. I would scan the closest areas to where I live in Rovaniemi, Finland and as it seemed 5 hours East of us was the Murmansk Region of Russia. Simply put I had to go to Russia to check out this zone and my wife and I planned our Spring trip to and bought Visa’s to head there. After a two hour drive we were at the Sallas Border between Finland and Russia and going through the first check point. After about an hour of doing the paperwork and them checking the car we were through the first check point. After two more check points each about 20km’s after the other we were driving through the isolated arctic stretches to the Tiga before getting our first view of the Khibney Mountains, a massive range that has hundreds of big open peaks.
Soon enough we were in the small mining town Kirovsk which gave us access to two separate ski resorts and an endless amount of ski touring.
Kukisvumchorr (25kms) Powder Day
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Kukisvumchorr is the freeride centre of the Khibiny Mountains near Kirovsk. While Bigwood is the mains resort 25kms down the street is a far more aggressive ski hill. With only two Tbars that take you almost 1,500 feet to the summit there are no beginner slopes to the valley. Once on top it is alpine slopes all the way to the bottom. Add that most of the terrain is backcountry and you can easily understand why they call it the Freeride capital of the Kola Peninsula.
The storm had been going for 4 days straight with the snow adding up to over 30cms. By now the backcountry seemed to be unstable with the new snow so we needed to come up with something to do. Knowing that the lifts at Kukisvumchorr would be running we decided if there was any day to go there this was it.
Getting First Tracks at Kukisvumchorr
It was the final day of our week long trip to Russia and although the weather had been bad we were happy with snow on the ground. Leaving Kirovsk we arrived at Kukisvumchorr early with the hope of being the first people up the Tbar. Once the lifts started moving we made our way to the summit before traversing into the open bowls. Standing on top we made tracks with some locals to had the same plan.
After the first lap we went back up to ride a little bit skiers left of our previous line. By now the weather had started clearing up and the slopes around Kukisvumchorr were glowing in the early morning sun. By now there were about 10 people doing hot laps on the mountain.
Tahtarvumchorr Ridge Couloir
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Tahtarvumchorr Ridge is a wide summit plateau just a 30 minute drive from Kirovsk. Being situated within the Khibiny Mountains of Russia this area is loaded with steep couloirs. Being one of 3 major bowls it offers steep rock walled lines before an open apron below. Being technical climbing the area requires crampons and ice axes if conditions are firm. If you are looking for agressive lines while ski touring in the Kirovsk area then Tahtarvumchorr Ridge is the place to go.
Click here for a locals breakdown of the area
With the snow finally improving in the Khibney Mountains Ilkka and I looked at the maps and decided to check out Tahtarvumchorr Ridge. The area offered some steep couloirs within about an hour and a half away from the car. The weather conditions were pretty bad visibility wise so we decided this would be the best place to go couloir climbing near Kirovsk in the Khibiny Mountains.
Starting our Tour West of Kirovsk
We parked our car at the base of some snowmobile trails before starting off on our ski tour. Being two days into a storm we could barely see the faint outline of the summits in the distance. Leaving the snowmobile trails we started making our way towards Tahtarvumchorr Ridge which was still buried behind clouds.
Roadside ski touring near Kirovsk
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Driving on the road just outside of Kirovsk there is a nice looking mountain rising directly off the roadside. It dominated the the landscape with numerous chutes and a steep and direct climb all the way to the top. Being possibly the easiest access ski tour within the Khibiny Mountains it can be somewhat popular. While the South side is stacked with couloirs the east side is an avalanche swath which goes between trees. With a storm arriving and visibility being limited we decided to head for the east side. From my research this mountain has no name on maps so that is why I call it Roadside.
Walking up on day 3 of our trip to Kirovsk the weather had changed for the worse. What was semi clear the day before looked gray with clouds on the summits of the surrounding mountains. Looking at the maps we needed to find some tree skiing to be able to see anything. In the end we decided to head out to the Roadside mountain in hopes of finding powder on the East facing slopes.
Heading out to Roadside Mountain
Leaving the car we walked 5 minutes before things started getting interesting. Knowing that the terrain above us was technical we thew ice axes on our backpacks and put on crampons. Ilkka was familiar with the route so he led the way through tight trees before the terrain above us started to open up.
While we were in a storm the route forward was straightforward and the snow was starting to accumulate. In the distance we could see the faint shadows of the Khibiny Mountains barely being able to see Kirovsk.
Kirovsk and the Ski Touring Terrain
Kirovsk is a town located on the South edge go the Khibiny Mountains. Originally settled in 1929 this area is one of the main mining areas within all of Russia. With a population of just under 30,000 people situated just below the mountains this area was the first ski centre within Russia. Being on the … Read more
Kukisvumchorr (25 km) Ski Hill
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Kukisvumchorr is a small ski hill located 25 kilometres north of Kirovsk. There are only two tbars that take you 1,500 feet to a the top of a long ridge. The ski resort itself comprises of an open bowl with groomed runs down low. Just to the north is a long ridge with 4 big drainages that feet back to the base of the Tbar. The town was built for mining and the people built the hill to keep themselves entertained. After 10 minutes of being dragged up the hill it access some awesome terrain.
Driving to Kukisvumchorr
After a day of riding at Big Wood ski center we took a 30 minute drive out of Kirovsk to go check out another resort called Kukisvumchorr otherwise known as 25km. Making our way along the road we passed by some steep looking mountains. While the peaks weren’t the biggest they still had a bunch of different types of mountains. and check out some of the other potential ski touring mountains around the Khibiny Mountains of NW Russia.
The terrain that really caught my eye was the face that we drove under. There were two massive gullies that went all the way to the road.
Exploring Bigwood ski resort in NW Russia
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Bigwood ski resort is a small ski hill located within the Khibiny Mountains of Northwest Arctic Russia. On the West side of the resort based out of the town of Kirovsk is a Gondola that goes 1600 feet to a ridge that connects with the backside. From there you have a handful of T bars within the East Bowl. The main attraction is that you can walk up the ridge from the Gondola and ride from the summit. The main bowl is almost 1,500 vertical feet before arriving on the lower groomed trail. The town and ski resort are within the Southern edge of the Khibiny Mountain range and is the oldest ski centre in all of Russia. Back in the 60’s they bid for the winter Olympics but did not get chosen.
How I Learned about the Khibiny Mountains
I first learned about the Kola peninsula via Google Earth. I would scan the closest areas to where I live in Rovaniemi, Finland and as it seemed 5 hours East of us was the Murmansk Region of Russia. Simply put I had to go to Russia to check out this zone and my wife and I planned our Spring trip to and bought Visa’s to head there. The whole Kibney Mountains area was once a massive volcano but has been eroded away to a circle shaped mountain range with hundreds of bowls.
