The Munzur Mountains in the Ovacık district of eastern Türkiye’s Tunceli province are offering rock climbers challenging and exhilarating new routes to explore.
Stretching about 130 kilometers (81 miles) from west to east between Erzincan and Tunceli, the Munzur range is home to nearly 50 peaks.
Offering different landscapes in every season, the mountains have significant potential for outdoor sports, with their valleys, highland meadows, waterfalls, glacial lakes and canyons.
Mountaineers visiting the region are carrying out daylong expeditions to identify new routes and explore opportunities for rock climbing.
After driving as close as possible to the foothills of the Munzur Mountains, climbers continue on foot toward their destinations. After several hours of hiking, they reach the climbing areas, where they examine the rock face to assess the difficulty of the route and prepare their helmets, climbing ropes, safety systems, specialized footwear and other equipment.
Once they reach the rock face, climbers begin their ascent while teammates secure them from below. They use natural protrusions and handholds in the rock to climb dozens of meters above the ground.
On steeper sections, climbers sometimes stop to rest, taking in the natural scenery surrounding the mountain peaks.
The climbs offer a different thrill at every step, while the mountaineers also have the chance to encounter wild goats roaming the high peaks.
Bülent Ak, Tunceli provincial representative of the Turkish Mountaineering Federation, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that the Munzur Mountains are an extension of the Taurus Mountains and are largely composed of limestone.
Ak said the range’s most prominent and highest peaks include Akbaba in Erzincan province and Gediktepe in Tunceli.
“The Munzur Mountains have suitable holds, steps and routes of varying difficulty for rock climbing. This potential should be developed,” he said.
Ak said climbers can reach Goman Plateau in the Gediktepe Valley after about a 1 1/2-hour hike, where they climb the area’s steep rock faces.
Describing the expedition as challenging, Ak said: “We completed a six-pitch, Grade 7 rock climb. The route was quite long and pushed us hard. Because of that, we had to descend at night. If mountain huts can be built in the Munzur Mountains, the area could be transformed into a climbing destination. We also aim to establish low-grade bolted routes in Çemişgezek for climbers who are just starting out in rock climbing.”
Şahin Akdağ said he has been involved in rock climbing for about seven years and has climbed in many parts of Türkiye.
Noting that Tunceli’s mountains are well suited to rock climbing, Akdağ said they had completed a six-pitch alpine route with relatively demanding grades.
“It was an enjoyable climb, and I invite the entire alpine climbing community to come and see the Munzur Mountains. There are many new lines, long walls and traditional routes here,” he said.
Akdağ said the climbs provided moments of intense excitement.
“Rock climbing is an addiction, and that happiness is impossible to describe,” he said. “When you reach the summit, it feels as if you are inside an endless expanse. When we reach the top and see the surrounding peaks, they become tempting as well. That is why I will return to the Tunceli region.”
