This route is the most popular in Prikamye. In any season, in any weather, lovers of travel and adventure come here. In severe cold and sweltering heat, they ski and walk to see the famous Usva pillars, admire the beauty and grandeur of this unique natural monument.
Usva River
Shallow and meandering river has a fairly fast current. Rafting on it, you can see many miracles. The main accumulation of rocky stone formations is located on a fifteen-kilometer stretch, just outside the village of Usva. If you are lucky, you will find imprints of primitive mollusks and ancient flora in the surrounding rocks.
This small river has many islands that divide it into two branches. These channels can be dangerous, and travelers need to be extremely careful, especially in springtime, on high water. Trees often fall across the river and block a rather narrow channel.
Usva pillars (Permedge)
This striking natural monument on the Usva River, stretching for several kilometers in length and reaching a height of 120 meters, is very popular among fans of extreme recreation. Usva pillars (Perm Territory) are difficult to access in winter, however, it is not so easy to get here in summer either. How to do this, we will describe below. Nevertheless, the Usva Pillars are the visiting card of the Perm Territory, as well as the well-known Stone Town.
A bit of history
For the first time, the section Usva Pillars was studied by A. A. Krasnopolsky in 1889. Together with a group of colleagues, he determined the main components of the section, described the composition of the rocks in a scientific work. He attributed the limestones that make up the section to the upper section of the Carboniferous system (at that time, the two-term division of the Carboniferous was used).
G. A. Dutkevich agreed with this conclusion, describing the section in scientific works, and I. I. Gorsky. In 1965, the key sections of the Western Urals (Usva Pillars included) were studied by the VNIGRI thematic expedition led by A. A. Sultanaev.
Usva Pillars were recognized as a natural landscape monument of regional importance in 1965.
Array description
This is a huge stone massif, located on the right bank of the Usva, which is composed of limestone. There are imprints of brachiopods, ancient corals, and other fossils on the stones, which remind that there was a sea here millions of years ago.
We have already mentioned that the rocky area has an average120 meters high and stretches almost like a sheer wall for several kilometers. Only in some places several pillars protrude from the cliff into the river.
Usva pillars are also interesting from a historical point of view. The unique shape of the rock has attracted people to these places since ancient times. Numerous caves and grottoes also aroused considerable interest. Scientists were especially interested in those of them that served as a haven for ancient people in the distant past. For example, while climbing the rocks, tourists come across the Stolbovoy grotto, which still attracts adventure lovers.
Grotto Stolbovoy
This is a Paleolithic site and workshop of the ancient inhabitants of these places. Here were found the remains of weapons and alloys, as well as an ancient fire. Our contemporaries first learned about this grotto in 1965.
Then two friends, traveling in the forest, which covers the steep slope of the Usva Pillars, managed to find a large grotto at an altitude of more than a hundred meters above sea level. Its vault reached a height of about seven meters. In the summer of the same year, the grotto interested archaeologists. Here, excavations began on an area of more than twenty square meters. The work was supervised by a world-famous archaeologist - O. N. Bader.
The results of the research confirmed the scientist's version that there was a kind of workshop for the production of tools in the grotto. At the excavation site, pebble chippers with prints were foundblows on silicon nodules. Many researchers are sure that signal lights were lit at the top of the grotto in ancient times.
Fucking Finger
Regardless of weather conditions, thousands of tourists visit the Usva Pillars (Perm Territory). Many people who want to see this natural wonder do not know how to get here. In this article we will fill this gap, but a little later.
So what makes these places attractive? Most experienced travelers believe that the reason is in the Devil's Finger. A separate rock with such an interesting name, resembling a giant's finger in its shape, delights and fascinates with its beauty.
First of all, its structure and dimensions are impressive, and then the question arises for all tourists without exception: “How does it stay on such a thin base?”. A rock about seventy meters high seemed to have separated from the main massif, demonstrating impregnability and independence.
For lovers of rock climbing and mountaineering, this situation only fuels interest in the stone. They claim that it is difficult but possible to climb the rock. You can get to the top, where there is a flat area of very modest size, by several routes. But be warned: overcoming them requires skills and equipment.
Most recently, a flag of tourists was developing on the top of the cliff. He symbolized that the Devil's Finger was subdued. There is an opinion that this rock received its name, among other things, because of the large number of injuries and accidents that occurred during the climb.top. Despite everything, Devil's Finger is very popular with rock climbers today.
Panoramic stone, Large log, caves
Usvinskiye Pillars are located on the busy and popular water rafting route along Usva. From the top of the cliff, around the turn of the river, you can see another massif - the stones Bolshoi Log and Panoramic. If you happen to go rafting on this river, be sure to make a stop there.
Surely tourists will remember visiting the mysterious Pervomaiskaya cave, which is located on the right bank of Usva. It is not visible from the river, so it is not easy to find it during the rafting. The length of the cave is 160 meters. It consists of several grottoes. Please note that the walls of the last of them are covered with beautiful calcite outgrowths and smudges.
Omutnoy Stone
It rises on the right bank of the river, sixteen kilometers from the village of Usva. Its name is associated with a deep pool under it. Shallow throughout the Usva, here it forms a very deep pool (up to six meters). The water here is always very cold, which is explained by the many springs. In summer, small streams run from the stone, and in spring you can see magnificent waterfalls here. In winter, the rock is covered with picturesque ice floes.
Usva Pillars (Perm Territory): how to get there?
As a rule, tourists visit this unique natural complex while rafting down Usva, but there is a way to get here by land. To do this, you need to come to the village of Usva and go down under the railway bridge. Here you will seea hostel that needs to be bypassed.
Next, you should walk five kilometers along the river. In the summer, the path is well trodden, although sometimes there are obstacles in the form of fallen trees. After four kilometers you will find yourself at the river, and then continue along the coast. It is rocky, so make sure you wear comfortable shoes.
To the left are excellent places for camping tourists, but in the summer they are almost always busy. Your path will continue until the turn of the river. Here you will see a wooden gazebo, from which the fork begins. There are two paths leading to the very top - gentle, but longer, and steep, faster, but requiring good physical fitness.
We foresee the question of motorists who want to see the Usva pillars: "How to get there by car?". We want to warn you right away that the road (far from the highway) will submit only to off-road vehicles. From the village of Usva, before reaching the gravel slope, turn right along the second, narrower power line.
