Ushba

What Makes Ushba Peak Special?

The word Ushba means “stormy mountain” in Svan, which is not surprising, given the strong winds that seem to permanently assail the “two heads” of the peak.

Ushba is included on the list of the world’s hundred hardest peaks to climb. Due to its steep slopes and unique microclimate, mountain climbers consider it to be the most difficult peak to summit in the Caucasus. People who love extreme activities are drawn to Ushba by its secrets and inaccessibility.

English alpinists first attempted to climb Ushba in 1868, but were unsuccessful. The first ascent by the English group finally happened 20 years later, after three failures. In 1934, the first Georgian group, composed of the brother and sister Aliosha and Aleksandra Japaridze, Gio Niguriani, and Iagori Kazalikashvili made it to the top. Aleksandra was also the first woman to reach the peaks of Ushba.

Ushba has claimed many lives over the years, but this has not dissuaded ambitious mountain climbers from attempting to conquer the mountain. Ushba is especially beautiful in the winter, when it is wrapped in a perpetual cover of snow, and turns scarlet as the sun sets.