ÇAĞRANKAYA SNOW TREKKING

25 kilometers to the east of the Ikizdere borough of Rize, Çağrankaya Highlands welcome their visitors in winter as well: in the last weeks of February the “Snow Trekking Event” has become a local tradition.

25 kilometers to the east of the Ikizdere borough of Rize, Çağrankaya Highlands welcome their visitors in winter as well: in the last weeks of February the “Snow Trekking Event” has become a local tradition.

The choir formed of hundreds of people lined side by side over the snowwhite cover repeated the verses of their leader, standing before them, with great fervor:

“Setting out on the road each morn, Hail the clouds.

Greet the rocks, the birds, the horses, the grass

And the people.

Whatever you see greet’em.

Then take out the mirror from your pocket

And greet yourself.

Don’t feel sidetracked by all else

You also do exist on this earth! Parcel out your amity with your existence,

Let one part engulf you too just the same.”

These lines from Prof. Dr. Üstün Dökmen’s poem “Selam” (Greetings), on that day, were the oath sworn by over 500 people who poured in throngs to Ikizdere from all corners of the country. These people in multicolored clothes, in contrast to the white snow covering the ground, had become one voice, one heart, and, not minding February’s biting cold, marched step by step to become the winter visitors of the Çağrankaya Highlands.

Just as is the case for most regions in Anatolia, transhumance is a age-old tradition in Rize. Considering that the geography of the region is not particularly expedient to feeding animals, at the beginning of June, people tend to go to the highlands, located on the slopes of the Kaçkar Mountains. Here, as animals feed on the natural flora of the highlands that is dominated by all shades of green in summer, winter’s sustenance like butter and cheese is prepared. Even though livestock breeding is not favored as much as it used to in the olden days, the tradition of going to the highlands is continued. The highlands, chirpy as crickets during the festivities, bid their residents farewell with the coming of the cold weather and are cloaked in a snow-white

silence until the greeting of the next summer. The primeval paths, trodden by heavy loads for centuries, are lost under the snow and do not give passage to anyone until the following June.

Walking over snow

Twenty-five kilometers to the east of the Ikizdere borough of Rize, Çağrankaya Highlands welcome their visitors in winter as well: in the last weeks of February, the “Snow Trekking Event,” has become a local tradition. Çağrankaya (Calling Rocks) got its name from the echo of the slopes and rock faces surrounding the flat highland. The event held by the former residents of Ikizdere, who despite living elsewhere succumb to homesickness and come back to thread these paths, has in time started to host nature lovers, trekkers, athletes, and photographers from all around the country and even the world by dint of social media. The slogans that flooded social media such as “Come over to the mountains, and listen to the sound of silence”, “You can’t see it if you don’t come”, “Embrace your heritage”, “Leave your footstep on the mountains” have had an impact and enlisted participation for the 7th Çağrankaya Event, held this year on February 2325, has been above and beyond expectations. Ikizdere has embraced diverse human profiles -the likes of which it has never seen before- and all the hotels in its surrounding region are fully booked. The markets in the area liven up by trekkers making last-minute preparations for the 2-day trekking trip.

The organization committee has thought of everything to the minutest of details. Informative notes were shared for the transfer of those arriving, the walking track was threaded beforehand, and the paths that were lost under the snow were retraced. Kaçkarlar that

caught the attention with the harshness of winter was made more passable. The highland houses that would be used for accommodation were specified and the keys were obtained. The event was not limited to trekking and was enriched by conferences, photography exhibitions, and social responsibility projects. Finally, that hotly anticipated day arrived. A 23-kilometer-long road in the black frost of winter would be trekked over snow in 2 days, pushing human limits. Eyes clouded up with emotions, and the thrilled hearts were transferred in the early hours of the morning to the starting point. Not only trekkers, but also locals did not miss out on this festivity: some out of curiosity, others to fulfill their longing for the highland house they hadn’t been to since the summer. Despite coming from different geographies and social backgrounds, all hearts beat for one thing.

Snow was removed from the 20 kilometers of the 25-kilometerlong road that led from Ikizdere to the Great Highland, and the road was opened so that the gathering spot could be accessed by minibuses. Tea was drunk until the transfers were completed and selfies were taken -even the horon was danced to the unique music of the bagpipe. Then, the walk commenced. Every step over the mass of snow, which reached as high as 4 meters in places, took people away from their problems and the thoughts they’d like to leave behind. The snow-white cover affected the trekkers’ emotions much like the way it softened the sharp edges of Kaçkar Mountains, letting them experience a long-forgotten peace and quiet. The winding path of hundreds of people walking against the white background formed marvelous scenes under the reverse light of the sun.

With most of the path being a climb, everybody had run out of breath by the time they got to the Great Highland, at an altitude of 2,300 meters, after a 3-hour walk. But the air of festivity had not subsided. The roofs of the highland cottages clearly revealed the thickness of the snow that was hard to discern as you walked along. Snow had completely covered the entrance of most of the houses -even the ones that were sheltered. The trekkers took a small breather at the square and snacked on the provisions in their backpacks.

Most of the people, specifically the locals, remained here and returned by trailing back over the same road. Most of the trekkers, who would continue, gathered together to head westwards towards the Lower Highland at an altitude of

2,250 meters; a small number regrouped to head to Kurtlar Highland, at an altitude of 2,600 meters, following a harder trail to the north. The arduousness of the Kaçkar geography and the harshness of its climate revealed themselves more on this route. The weather got harsher at every step; a blizzard and a thick layer of fog made it difficult to see the footstep before you, while the sea of clouds that filled the valleys made it difficult to separate the earth from the sky. Limits were pushed, and some who thought that the road would never end started losing hope. Although people’s stamina and performance varied, there was the need to become one. The heavy bags were distributed to those who could carry them, and a shoulder was offered to those who’d grown tired. In the end, careful and persevering steps led the walkers to their target. All three highlands forming the Çağrankaya Highlands embraced their guests, who they were not used to seeing during the course of winter. They warmed their cold feet with the warmth of the cooking stove and provided them with a warm atmosphere for tea. Tables were set up with bread

and bryndza cheese, referred to as “minci,”taken out from the backpacks. The muhlama turned the meal into a feast. That night, Çağrankaya Highlands echoed with conversations that were hard to get enough of, boisterous laughter, and folk songs sung in the accompaniment of the kamancha and bagpipe until the wee hours of the morning. Despite being a descent, the return trip was more challenging. The whiteness stretching out before you as if it would never end, left you to your own devices and dissipated your thoughts. Contrary to the climb, each step left behind a winter’s tale instead of a path. The feeling of freedom was instilled by the mountains, even in that short time. The hospitality shown by the Black Sea people, enriched by mental agility, and the friendships that were formed along the way were unforgettable moments inscribed in the memory and in the hearts…

If you would like to have this unique experience, jot down the date of the trek this year: February 22-25. Let’s tell who do not know and come over again in even larger numbers…