By Joseph Shekarabi
On May 14th 2011 Mike Pakizer and I sat in our newly completed climbing center debating what kind of turn out we would get the next day: our grand opening. Neither of us were prepared for the response we received. The following day we opened our doors at 1 pm. Locals turned out an hour early, packed the place out, and stayed until we finally closed our doors at 9 pm. We couldn’t believe it! Three months before we had been standing in an empty warehouse filled with grain, birds, rats, and their droppings. Now we were looking at a seven meter tall climbing wall literally crawling with excited foreigners and locals. To our knowledge, we had opened the second climbing wall ever in Azerbaijan and the first out side of Baku.
Opening Day
Getting Started
We are Azeri Mountain Adventures based out of Sheki, Azerbaian. We started in early 2010 with a simple idea:
Azerbaijan’s natural beauty + our passion for climbing & outdoor sports = a really great experience.
Mike, from Ohio, and my self, from Georgia (the USA one), spent months talking through many variations of adventure sports companies and researching possibilities. We finally boiled down our many thoughts and decided to focus on what we were good at: climbing. Azerbaijan is a country filled with climbing possibilities and Azeris are natural climbers, but few know the sport.
The Wall
Azeri Climber
So we began in February 2011 with a vacant warehouse, not including our feathered friends, and a simple design. That design quickly changed from one climbing wall with four ropes to an L shaped climbing area with 9 ropes, an incline route, a bouldering pit, and a large overhang for a more challenging climbing experience. For three months we worked in the freezing cold and short daylight of an Azerbaijani winter burning scrap wood to stay warm. Everyday we spent at least 30 minutes talking with curious onlookers, answering the question, “what is it?” Several hundred boards, 80 plywood panels, 700 rocks from the river, and an unhealthy amount of piroshkis later we had finished ‘The Wall’ and our curious neighbors finally understood, “what it is.” However, we quickly found that our work was far from over. We realized we needed other attractions to compliment our climbing center services. So we added table tennis, Foosball tables, and American board games to round it out. Then, two months after our initial opening, we added a conference room with seating for 30 people and a bathroom to better serve our customers.
Mike Watches the Horizon in Dash Uz
Specializing With Groups
Our facilities and skills provide a unique experience for groups who visit Sheki. Whether a client’s needs are for business or pleasure we are able to accommodate them. We’ve hosted several business conferences, providing food, tea, or pastries from local shops. We’ve also had frequent visits of large groups of children from local childrens’ homes, IDP communities, and humanitarian aid groups. These groups come for a day of fun, games, and a new sport that many excel at. Lastly, we are working to provide local and Baku based schools with a memorable educational experience. Indeed, we’ve already run a lockin and survival training course.
Exploring the Mountains
Greater Caucasus Mountains
Now we are looking outwards towards the massive mountains just behind the city. Many Azeris agree that God is an artist, especially when looking at the snow capped peaks of the Greater Caucasus Mountains, the mountains they grew up with. Mike and I felt like we were part of a privileged few who got to pursue our passions and climb those mountains. We wanted to give others the same opportunity, but where to begin? Mike and I began by taking test trips to the surrounding country side to find good spots for climbing. We found cliffs, caves, the ancient ruins of castles and churches, and villages full of excited children who acted as impromptu guides to the area surrounding their homes. We were looking for cliffs that could host top rope climbing. This form of climbing requires solid vertical rock faces with strong natural anchors at the top so that climbers can be safely belayed (held with safety rope) while climbing. This style of climbing is perfect for customers of all skill levels, especially those who are new to the sport. Unfortunately, much of the exposed rock in the Sheki area is brittle and not suitable for climbing. After months of searching we finally found what we were looking for: good solid rock. We were blessed to find several locations that are well suited for top rope climbing.
We Get to Call This Work!
Joe, Jeremy, Wade and Mike on a Climbing Trip
Then we took our friends and coworkers to practice our skills and hone our setup time. One day in July I was hanging 20 meters off the ground with my hands crammed into a crevice of a massive slab of rock in order to keep myself there. The sun was shining brightly, warming my shoulders, the roar of rushing water bounced off green covered slopes from the river nearby, and I couldn’t believe that I get to call this work. Azerbaijan is beautiful country filled with countless natural treasures, rock climbing is a truly unique way to experience it. Now we, Azeri Mountain Adventures, get to share it with others. Beginning spring 2012 we will be taking groups to the mountains to climb and experience Azerbaijan in a way they never have before. So if you find yourself in Sheki or are itching to get out of Baku, come by and see us. We’d love to help you make your next trip or event a memorable one.
If you would like more information please visit our website:
www.azerventures.com
