Khibiny (the Kola Peninsula)

We get off at the Imandra station. The train is stop here for only 1 minute, so everything needs to be done quickly. Here we are met and at the same time escorted to the mountains by the half-abandoned village of Imandra. After the train ride, we smoothly adjust to the hiking rhythm. We have to walk about 10 km with a climb of 250 meters. We set up camp on the beautiful Emerald Lake, located in the Aku-Aku gorge. There is an opinion that the gorge got its name because of the similarity of many rocky ledges with stone statues on Easter Island in Chile, described in the book "Aku-Aku. The Mystery of Easter Island" by Thor Heyerdahl. Aku-aku is an Aboriginal deity, a guardian spirit who was cajoled with scraps. Anyway, the gorge is really beautiful. And in the foggy haze it looks quite mystical... And, by the way, we will not leave leftovers. It is forbidden to do this in tourist parking lots.

This day is somewhat more complicated than yesterday. We have to gain about 400 meters vertically and climb the first pass of our hike called Khibinpahchorr (780 meters above sea level). The pass is breathtaking from the majesty of the kingdom of stones. Here you begin to understand how insignificant a person is compared to the mountains. After passing the pass, a sharp drop in altitude and again a small set. We go to the second pass - Yumjekorr, which means "gorge of the dead". According to legend, at the end of the XVI century, Swedes who attacked local residents, the Sami, died here under the rubble. Passing through the passes, it will seem that we have got to another planet: to the Moon, and maybe even somewhere further... After the Yumjekorr pass, we go to the trail in the valley of the stream and smoothly dropping the height we go to the beautiful Goltsovka river. We cross it and camp in a beautiful parking lot in the forest area. The total mileage for the day is 8 km, the climb is 400 meters.

After breakfast, we continue along the trail towards the Southern Chorgorr pass. We go upstream of the Chasnayok River, to its source. The zone of a good dense forest will be replaced by dwarf birches, and closer to the pass the vegetation disappears altogether, only mosses and lichens characteristic of the tundra remain. Today we will walk only 5 km, but with a constant climb, about 400 meters. Around noon we will go out to a beautiful mountain lake located under the very pass. The purest water and harsh mountain landscapes - this is where we will set up camp. After lunch, we will make a radial exit to the pass. We will reconnoiter the ascent paths. It will not be superfluous to visit here light before overcoming the pass with backpacks.

We are going to storm the Southern Chorgorr pass. The climb is relatively small - 100 meters, but the climb is quite steep. Along the pile of huge stones, we slowly and carefully move up. Going out to the pass, we will pass by the obelisk of the deceased tourist. This is a small reminder that any, even not high mountains can be dangerous and do not underestimate them. After passing the pass, a long descent awaits us. After dropping 500 meters of altitude, we cross the Petrelius Creek and find ourselves on the western side of the Pauchvumchorr ridge. We set up camp on the bank of the stream. The total distance for today is 6 km horizontally.

After breakfast, from the parking lot we start a smooth climb again along a good mountain road. At 4.5 kilometers horizontally, we will gain 500 meters vertically and find ourselves at the Vostochny Petrelius Pass. The pass is named after a Finnish surveyor who took part in the study of the Kola Peninsula and the Khibiny tundra. The pass offers a view of the highest peak of the European Arctic of Russia and the source of the Malaya Belaya River. It is there, to the source of the river, that we have to go down today. The total distance for today is 7 km, the climb is 500 meters, the drop is 300 meters.

We wake up early in the morning. We have breakfast and without delay begin climbing Mount Yudychvumchorr - the highest peak of the European Arctic of Russia. We are not putting together a camp today. We leave all things in it and go light. Let's take only the necessary minimum. Despite the fact that today we are going without heavy backpacks, the day will not be easy. We will go to the ascent by the safest, but long route. The distance from the camp to the top is 13 km, while the climb is about 800 meters. The top of the mountain is a rather tricky plateau, therefore, in case of deterioration of visibility due to clouds (fog), I reserve the right to interrupt the ascent to the top and turn back. We return back to the camp by the same route.

We gather the camp and go through a narrow gorge towards the city of Kirovsk. In the gorge, despite the summer, there are snowfields. To the left and to the right are high rock overhangs. In cloudy weather it is very atmospheric here. Again, the feeling that you are on another planet. After the gorge, a beautiful path, smoothly drops the height. At the lake Maly Woodyavr, it turns into a road. The distance for today is about 10 km, the height drop is 500 meters. Next, we act according to the previously agreed plan (check in at the hotel / go to the train station, etc.). In Kirovsk, you can visit the beautiful stone museum and buy souvenirs.