How to go:
Pazar - Ayder - Mountains

Flight via Trabzon:
Fly to Trabzon. (1,5 hour flight from Istanbul) Take a bus to Pazar (65km.) which passes from the road near the airport. (The name of the bus company is Prenseskale) (possible to go by walking from Airport to the place where the bus passes-15 minutes)

Buy Bus to Pazar:
You can take a bus from Istanbul to Pazar. It takes more than 16 hours.

From Pazar to Ayder:
Take the small bus (dolmush) to Ayder. They are hourly. There are very nice small hotels in Ayder.

Privat Shuttles:
You can rent shutles (minibusses) to go to Kavran and Vercenik. If you are a group of 8 - 9 people this will be best way. According to distance the price is between 100 and 200 US dollars for the way between 1 hour and 4 hours. Some Phone numbers are given below:
Mr. Murat: 0090-536 799 76 42 (Ayder)
Mr. Yasar: 0090-536 894 30 09 (Camlihemsin)
Mr. Osman: 0090-535 644 50 49 (Camlihemsin)

Accommodation in Ayder:
Kardelen Pansiyon:Very simple, possible with tent, little out of Ayder (direction to Kackar Mountains)
Istanbul Pansiyon (simple, pretty old mountain lodge, 10 USD per person. (+90-464-651 70 68, mobile: +90-535 553 16 67, Missis Zeliha Ozcan)
Ahsap Pansiyon: Comfortable, with hot shower, restaurant nice view, (15 USD per person)

To Mountains:
Most popular mountains of the region are Kackar and Vercenik.

*To go to Kackar you have to go to Kavran. There are some dolmus (shared shuttle) in the morning from Ayder. You can rent a car as well.


Kavran Yayla (2200m.)
Photo: 2005 August

After Kavran you should walk up to valley always by the river. After 1-2 hours, a second branch of river meets the valley from left (east) side. You should leave the main canyon and follow up the river which comes from left side. (Mezovit river) After 2-3 hours walk you will reach Okuz Cayiri (Bull lawn) which is on the food of the Kackar Glacer.

Okuz Cayiri (3000m.)
Photo: Erhan Pekmen - 2005 August

There are two routes to the summit from Okuzcayiri. Classic Route is on the left, after you go to big galcer direction you should turn left (east) go further under small glacer, climb up stony slope until the neck, follow the climbing etage on the right side of the neck marked with stone towes. Climbing equipments are not neccessary. (III+) If it rains the climbing part can be dangers for unexperienced climbers.

The Glacer route is difficut just in the beggining. It is very dangers because of falling stones and rocks. You should pass this part very early. (Even at 5:00 AM the stones are falling) There are V splits and sometimes they are closed with snow. In 3500m. there is a big split.

Kackar Glacer Route
Photo: 2005 August

The entrance of Glacer. This is the short difficult part of Kackar Glacer. Most of the splits are here, you need ice pitons to belay for safer climb. This is the most dangerous part because of falling stones.
Photo: Erhan Pekmen - 2005 August

Erhan Pekmen passing Kackar Glacer split in 3500m. (easy to pass)
Photo: 2005 August

Acommodation in Senyuva
Firtina Pansiyon
www.firtinavadisi.com

Dolmus is going until Vercenik Yayla. From Vercenik Yayla you have to follow the canyon upwards by walking. You have to find the second bourn on the left side. The bourn on the left side reaches the river in canyon as(almost) half waterfall. So you have to leave the main canyon on the second waterfall. You have to walk up the waterfall. You will reach two lakes when you climb up. This is a wonderfull camp place on the food of Vercenik.

Kapili gol (2900m.) Camp place on Vercenik.
Photo: 2004 August

Vercenik view from the way (main canyon) South face
Photo: 2004 August

To climb up to Vercenik, I recommend you to have climbing equipments. (Roupe, perlonbands, hexantrics, stoppers, etc) Perlonbands are comfortable to leave on mountain in case you go down with rope.

First you should walk up to west direction from Kapiligol. There are mostly man made stone towers (called baba in Turkish) which mark the route until snowy valley. You can reach the norrow valley in 1-4 hours. In the valley you will climb up until the neck.(III,III+) It can be much easier if you have crampons and ice gear. You have to climb up from the neck to the right, to west direction. There are to possibilities. Whether you climb up from the top of the neck and travers to the right (west) until the chimney, or you go back down 10 or 15 meters and travers to the left (west). This travers is the key place of the route (IV) and reach to the chimney.

Vercenik key passage of traverse, on going back the route after chimney (Claude Favier - France) 3600m.
Photo: 2004 August

You have to climb up the chimney. This chimney wil guide you to the summit. (Almost 100m. IV-)

Vercenik Chimney (3600m.) (Erhan Pekmen on the route - IV)
Photo: 2005 August