Scheme of the walking trail to Paragilmen. Hike to Paragilmen
Mountain Lake this is the name of a small reservoir for watering vineyards among many generations of Alushta tourists. Like dozens of others, it was created by blocking off several mountain gullies with springs in the 1960s. Since it has long been a venue for tourist rallies and competitions for all schools in Greater Alushta, such a simple name was assigned to it. In the 1970s, the All-Union tourist routes, as well as seasonal routes for teenagers (high school students) tent camps and the "Karabakh" camp site. In modern local history literature it is called or Mountain Lake Kastel, or mountain lake Paragilmen. Of course, it does not have a historical Turkic or Greek name. It was created relatively recently. Officially, somewhere in the annals of the Massandra winemaking association this is reservoir number such and such.
Like any place with springs and meadows, this has been an important transport hub for “donkeys” since ancient times - mountain trails, along which goods have been transported on pack horses and donkeys since the time of the Tauri. The main routes are the most convenient for climbing to the highest point Crimean mountains trail directly from the Black Sea coast. And across it, at the foot of the Yayla cliffs, there are many gentle forest roads from Alushta and Izobilny (Korbek) to the town of Zaprudnoye (Degermenkoy), famous for its Yalta onions. By the way, there are several more reservoirs in the vicinity, the most beautiful of which is Turquoise Lake. But you can only get to it by jeep. But Mountain Lake is accessible even to unprepared tourists.
How to find and get there
Mount Kastel (it is dome-shaped, made of igneous rocks and resembles the famous Ayudag) east of Alushta, flaunts below the trolleybus to Yalta, and a little further, against the background of the sky on the right along the way, rises a large Yaylin outcast - Mt. Paragilmen. One of its ledges is Kush-kaya (Bird Rock, almost all ancient settlements of Crimea have such ritual places), mountain excursions are taken to it even for first-graders.
Paragilmen is a wooded mountain, 2 km north of the village of Maly Mayak, Bolshaya Alushta. The name of the mountain comes from the Greek “paraginome” - “to go beyond something”. In modern tourist folklore - “Money Mountain” (or rock), it’s difficult to say in what language)).
Paragilmen is the highest limestone outlier of the Main Ridge, 871 m above sea level. From the sea side, this mountain looks like a large trapezoid; it has steep slopes up to 60-80° and a flattened top, stretching from south to north for almost half a kilometer. About 30 species of trees and shrubs grow on Paragilmen, 10 of which are listed in the Red Book.
The landmark of Paragilmen are two large yew trees on the top of the mountain. The diameter of the trunk of one of them is about 70 centimeters, and the mighty branches spread out to the sides for 7-8 meters. This giant yew is probably one of the oldest trees in Crimea.
Paragilmen is a natural monument since 1964.
An ancient pack trail leads through this mountain, along which one of the popular routes to climb Mt. Roman-kosh(1525 m), the highest point of Crimea. The dirt road from the trolleybus route begins at the stop in the village of Vinogradnoye.
The village itself, or rather the estates scattered over relatively flat sections of the slope, are located along the old southern coastal highway. This is another option for lovers of walking and cycling along old mountain serpentines. Find on the map the asphalt road that begins in Alushta near the Crimean Dawns hotel and the Alushtinsky sanatorium. Then this old road crosses the trolleybus route at the monument to partisans and soldiers of the Great Patriotic War and smoothly bends deeper into the forest on the mountain slopes. Along this road, after all the houses in the village of Vinogradnoye, you come to a dirt road that leads from the Vinogradnoye stop up into the mountains. This will be the trail to Roman-kosh.
From here tourists go on foot, on horseback, on mountain bikes or jeeps. But most of They, especially the locals, prefer to relax near the picturesque Mountain Lake, the mirror of which reflects the light cliffs of Yayla and the dark greenery of majestic pine trees. There are many species of trees and shrubs, including fruit trees, medicinal herbs and mushrooms. Huge rounded boulders resemble the impact of glaciers in northern Europe, but the ancient glaciation of the Crimean mountains has not been proven, and the pebbles of Mount Paragilmen are also a mystery.
Tourists of Big Alushta hold their traditional rallies and competitions here, and filmmakers filmed romantic scenes here for adventure films, for example, “Hearts of Three.”
For those who vacation at resorts
Paragilmen- this is one of the largest Yailin rejects of the South Coast (857 m). The name of the mountain comes from the Greek “paraginome” - “to go beyond something.”
The mountain is clearly visible from the trolleybus route against the backdrop of Babugan-yayla in the area of the village of Maly Mayak. From the sea side it looks like a large trapezoid; it has steep slopes of up to 60–80° and a flattened top, stretching from south to north for almost half a kilometer.
The mountain is composed of Upper Jurassic marbled limestones (sometimes conglomerates), which makes it similar to the Yaylin massif Babugan-yayly (with highest point Crimea - Mountain Roman-kosh, 1545 m), from which it broke away, moving down the slope in Quaternary time. In a small space of Mount Paragilmen, you can, as if in a natural-ecological museum, see and understand the picture of the formation of various relief forms: rocks, karst formations inherited from the yayla, deep crevices and scatterings of pebbles from layers of natural concrete - conglomerate.
The southern slopes of Paragilmen are rocky, like alpine walls. Here you can find tall juniper, very old specimens of yew berry and very rare endemics of the Crimea. On a patch of the upper plateau there is a well-preserved grove of old pear trees with half-meter-thick trunks. Its pubescent silvery leaves resemble a blooming crown on a hot summer day. Many species of Paragilmen flora are listed in the Red Book of Ukraine.
Paragilmen is a natural monument since 1964. In 1979, on Mount Paragilmen and the adjacent area of beech forest, a reserve of medicinal plants was organized, ten species of which are listed in the Red Books.
An ancient pack trail leads through Paragilmen, along which lies the popular route to climb Mount Roman-kosh (1545 m) - the highest point of Crimea. The dirt road from the trolleybus route begins at the village. Grape.
There are many legends about Paragilmen. Filmmakers have filmed romantic scenes here for adventure films such as Hearts of Three.
Attractions
The most interesting attraction of Paragilmen is two large yew trees nestled in a deep crevice at the top. The thickness of the trunk of one of them is about 70 cm, and the mighty branches spread out to the sides for 7–8 meters. This giant yew is not inferior in age to its thousand-year-old brother on Ai-Petri.
Rock climbing
There are climbing routes on Mount Paragilmen various categories Difficulties: the Paragilmen peak includes three dissimilar massifs. The western (left) is a heavily destroyed forested area. Only the far right part is relatively monolithic. Here, along a pronounced buttress, there is a route of the 1st category of difficulty. The central wall is bordered on both sides by two huge internal couloir corners. There are at least 4 routes on it, from the 2nd to the 4th category of difficulty. The right massif is very diverse: there are vertical walls, walls covered with ivy, local monolithic overhangs, and shelves strewn with stones. The length of the routes is about 250 m.
Derived from the Greek word "paraginome" - "to go beyond." They say this is due to the fact that the mountain “separated” from the Babugan mountain plateau. But the name can be considered symbolic - why don’t you go beyond your usual vacation by going to conquer Paragilmen?
- Mount Paragilmen is far from the highest in Crimea: only 871 meters above sea level. But from the outside it seems that this hill is inaccessible: the almost vertical rocky slopes are suitable only for training professional rock climbers! But in fact, even a tourist without special physical training can climb Paragilmen, you just need to choose the right route.
- In summer it is more difficult to conquer the mountain slopes due to the heat, but the top of the mountain is open and offers beautiful views. The best time to climb is late spring and early autumn. In early spring and winter, the flat top of the mountain is hidden in the clouds and, having climbed it, you will not be able to take a look at the surrounding landscapes.
- There are three popular routes to the flat top of the mountain. You can go down to it from Yaila Babugan or up from Turquoise Lake. But the easiest route to the top begins on the Alushta - Yalta highway. For a trained person, the entire route there and back will take no more than 1.5 hours; a tourist without sports training will have to spend more time and make more frequent rest stops.
Route 1: ascent from the Sharkha quarry
To start the climb, you need to get from Yalta or Alushta by trolleybus No. 52 or 53 to the Maly Mayak stop. It’s even better to get off in the Sharkha quarry area, before reaching Maly Mayak (from the Alushta side).
Near the stop, the highway is crossed by a bridge; to the right of it, an asphalt road begins, which goes up to an abandoned reinforced concrete structures factory. You can walk to the plant and then follow the road along the slope until you reach a stone with the inscription “Paragilmen”, and then to a white and green striped pillar marking the entrance to the territory of the natural reserve.
You can get to this point in another way - if you initially do not move towards the plant, but follow the road past the bridge and cypress alley. Here it is important not to turn left along the first path, but to reach the end of the stone curb and find another inconspicuous path. She will lead you to lavender field, through it - to the mountain and to the road left after the gas pipeline was laid. You need to move along the pipe and past the Paragilmen tourist parking lot along a barely noticeable path that will lead you to the spring located above near the asphalt road. Along this road you need to move to the right until the sign “To the mountains” on the asphalt. Follow the sign and turn left to the post marking the beginning of the reserve.
There are no tourist markings on your route, but when moving through the reserve, take left turns at all forks. Paths leading to the right will lead you to Yaila Babugan and other places. Without turning right and moving up the slope through the forest, you can easily climb the western part of the Paragilmen plateau in about an hour.
From the top of Paragilmen you can see Alushta, and after walking along the cliff to the right, you can reach a place from where you can see Ayu-Dag and Partenit. Even at the top you need to pay attention to two huge old yew trees growing near the cliff. The trunk diameter of one of them is approximately 70 meters. It is believed that these yews are many hundreds of years old and are among the oldest trees in Crimea.
Route 2: along the slopes from Vinogradnoye
Another option for a walk to Paragilmen, to Turquoise Lake, starts from the village of Vinogradnoye. You can get here by the same trolleybuses along the highway from Alushta to Yalta. From the Vinogradnoye stop, you need to walk through the village, turn right, and then, walking along the asphalt road along the blackberry thickets, turn left and up the first of two paths at a fork.
The path goes through deciduous and then beech forest. After about 5 kilometers it will again lead to a fork, which can be easily identified by a fallen pole. Of the three paths, you should choose the left one - the road to the Paragilmen nature reserve.
If you wish, you can deviate from the route and take the right path first to climb Mount Seraus, 629 meters above sea level. WITH observation deck There are beautiful views at the top of the mountain.
From the fork begins a difficult section of the road through forest thickets with an increase in height. Only after half an hour of travel, when you find yourself on the territory of the Paragilmen reserve, you will be able to take a little breath - the path will become flatter and straighter. In addition to the beeches, hornbeams will appear around, and then you will find yourself in pine forest. On the way you will meet many springs flowing into Turquoise Lake, which you will soon reach. A large and very picturesque reservoir is located at an altitude of 610 meters. Here you can take a break and take a break.
From the lake you will have to descend back to the highway, but you will have to return by a different route. The road will take you into a mixed forest, in the distance you will see the Ayu-Dag mountain range, and in front of it is the village of Zaprudnoye. After passing through the vineyards, you will find yourself near this settlement and go around it from the east, reaching the highway. To the left there will be a trolleybus stop to Yalta, on the opposite - to Alushta.
Horseback riding on the slopes of Paragilmen
Paragilmen can be conquered not only on foot: at the foot mountain range there is the same name horse base, where you can get across the bridge from the Sharkha Quarry stop and further along the road to the barrier (you must arrange your visit with the base employees in advance by contacting the Internet or by phone). Here you can organize horseback riding tours around the surrounding area, accompanied by instructors, lasting 2-5 hours.
On horseback you can go to Mountain Lake near the village of Vinogradnoye - the road passes through a blackberry field, through a beech and hornbeam forest, past the peaks of Paragilmen, Kush-Kaya and Babugan yayla. It's a short trip of a couple of hours. Much more interesting is the 20-kilometer route to Turquoise Lake. The trip takes 4 hours. You can also climb to the top of Money Mountain. Although this route only takes 2.5 hours, it is difficult and requires horse riding skills, and it is important that participants weigh no more than 90 kilograms, as the road is difficult for horses. The route to the artificial Ai-Yori waterfall, formed by spring water flowing down wooden beams, is also quite difficult.
Not far from Alushta on South Coast Crimea is located separately standing mountain with the unusual and beautiful name Paragilmen. This natural attraction is of particular interest to fans of mountain hiking routes and Crimean nature generally.
Interesting fact: This is the largest outlier mountain of the Main Range of the Crimean Mountains, stretching for almost half a kilometer from north to south. The height of Paragilmen is 857 meters above sea level, and the shape of the mountain resembles a large trapezoid with steep slopes of 60-80 degrees and a flat, forested top.
Photo gallery:
Origin of the mountain
It was formed in the Pliocene period (2-5 million years ago) from limestone rocks. At that time, it was not yet a separate mountain, but was part of Babugan-Yayla, the largest massif of the Crimean mountains. For reasons unknown to us, Paragilmen broke away from Babugan, and, turning about 20 degrees, slipped from the main massif and moved a distance of several kilometers.Meaning of the name
It is believed that the name of the mountain comes from the Greek word “paraginome”, which means “to go beyond something”. Despite the fact that this name suits it perfectly, in modern folklore there is another name for the mountain - “money rock”. It's hard to understand where this name comes from. There is a widespread belief that “paragilmen” means “go for the money.” And although this word is not translated this way from any known language, legends have appeared about a treasure buried on the top or slopes of the mountain.Video review:
More information about Mount Paragilmen
Paragilmen is a mountain with three sheer steep slopes and one gentle one, which stretches 500 meters towards the parent Babugan-Yayla massif. Top and northern slope covered with dense beech-hornbeam forest and juniper thickets.
Since 1964, the mountain and its surroundings have been declared a natural monument of regional significance. From a geological point of view, Paragilmen is interesting because of its unusual pellet boulders, which by external appearance are of glacial origin. But since icing Crimean peninsula not proven, their origin remains a mystery.
A little bit of history
Since 1979, the mountain has been a botanical reserve in which approximately 30 species of plants and trees grow, 10 of them are listed in the Red Book. Of great value is the endemic Crimean species - Smolevka Yailinskaya. Paragilmen is only one of three places in Crimea where this rare relict plant grows. A special pride is 2 huge ancient yew trees growing on the top of the mountain in a mountain cleft. The age of one of them exceeds a thousand years, it is one of the oldest trees in Crimea. In addition, the flora of the mountain is notable for its grove of pear trees and a huge number of tinder fungi.Routes to Mount Paragilmen
There are several climbing routes to the top of the mountain along the western, eastern massifs or the central wall. Some of them reach the 4th category of difficulty. Every climber should take into account that all routes along Paragilmen are very dangerous with rocks. The steep cliffs and numerous lichens add to the difficulty of the climb.
An ordinary tourist can get to Paragilmen along an ancient pack trail leading along a gentle slope. From the top of the mountain you can see Eastern Bank Crimea and Cape Meganom in the vicinity of Sudak. You can also admire the surrounding peaks: Ayu-Dag from the east, Mount Kastel, Chamny-Burun, Kush-Kaya, Ai-Yori from the west and north. Russian filmmakers also appreciated the picturesqueness of Paragilmen; it was here that the location shooting took place in the film “Hearts of Three.”
Note to tourists At the foot of the mountain there is a horse base, so another way to climb to the top of Paragilmen is to take a horseback ride. In the surrounding area there is a mountain lake, which is very popular among tourists and local residents.
How to get to Mount Paragilmen
The mountain is located next to the Yalta - Alushta highway not far from resort village Small Lighthouse. If you travel by public transport, you should get off at a stop near the village. The path begins near a bridge on the highway, from which a road leads to an abandoned factory. This is where the beginning is walking route to the foot of the mountain.It is possible to get to Paragilmen from the village of Vinogradny, but this route is more difficult and will take longer.
Mount Paragilmen on the map of Crimea
GPS Coordinates: 44°37’28″N, 34°20’15″E Latitude/Longitude
Mountaineers, local historians, filmmakers and simply lovers of beautiful landscapes are attracted to Mount Paragilmen in Crimea. There are steep cliffs and paths for romantics; from the top you can see famous cape Meganom, and yew trees grow nearby, well remembering Khan Mamai.
Where is the mountain located in Crimea?
It is located in the Big Alushta area. Closest to her settlements– the villages of Vinogradnoye and Maly Mayak. Nearby you will see another interesting tourist site– Mount Kush-Kaya (one of three in Crimea with that name). And you can also see Alushtinsky right below the hill cement factory and mixed with other forbs.
Paragilmen on the map of Crimea
History of appearance and interesting facts
Called Paragilmen, it is an outlier (fragment) of the Main Range mountain range. Presumably, it was formed in Jurassic times - this is evidenced by the geological composition (limestone, gradually turning into marble). The mountain is slowly but surely sliding towards the sea. From the side of the mentioned ridge you can get here - the height is 871 m above sea level - quite easily, but the other slopes are almost vertical. On the map, the mountain resembles a trapezoid in shape with a rise (mathematical, not above the soil) of about half a kilometer.
Overcoming yourself
The mysterious name Paragilmen is of Greek origin. Its ancestor is a philosophical term meaning “going beyond”, “violating the limits of something.” Perhaps the Greeks wanted to emphasize the height by this, but modern climbers may not agree with them. This mountain is an excellent and dangerous training ground. The one who conquers it will go beyond the limits of his past self, overcome the limits of his own inability, and argue with fate.
In Crimea there is a song, full of black humor, about a rock climber who fell into an abyss, whose friend, while studying the features of the fall, tried to calculate the height of the cliff where the accident occurred. There will definitely be someone who will claim that this is written about Paragilmen. But athletes still come here - in such places you can really understand what the price is for whom.
The mountain also attracts treasure seekers. Legends on this topic are inaccurate, but the surrounding population is sure that the treasure of a certain ancient rich man should be waiting in the wings on Paragilmen. “Kopankas” of idle admirers of “Treasure Island” can be seen along all the hiking trails leading to the mountain.
The unusual, wild appearance of the surroundings of Paragilmen and the lush vegetation at its foot attracted the attention of filmmakers. Outstanding Ukrainian geographer E.T. Palienko recommended this place to director, actor and producer Sergei Zhigunov for filming landscapes “ lost world" in film . And only those who knew exactly the essence of the issue began to suspect that this was not exactly Latin America. And numerous photos of Mount Paragilmen adorn calendars and advertising posters, looking wonderful on them.
Routes to Paragilmen: climbing features
Routes to Mount Paragilmen are laid out for both trained climbers and ordinary tourists. The latter just need to be healthy - getting up will not be difficult. The most famous of these routes begins at the Maly Mayak minibus stop. You can hike it without equipment or experience in rock climbing. Experienced travelers warn beginners that in cases where there is no special sign at a fork in the trail, they should turn left.
Along the way you will come across a spring, and near the top there are two very old yew trees, the trunk of one is 70 cm in diameter, which suggests that it is approximately 700 years old. 
It is one of the oldest trees of Taurida. The presence of this old-timer and 30 other (including rare) plant species on the slopes forced the authorities to declare Paragilmen a natural monument in 1964.
From the side of the village of Vinogradnoye, along the Main Ridge, tourists are offered and. It is somewhat longer (although the trails are short), but along the way you can also admire a small mountain lake. From the peak it is easy to see not only the surrounding villages and, but also near Sudak (as experienced people say).
At the foot of the mountain, closer to the steep rocky ledges, the Paragilmen camp is located. But for the elite it is a meeting place for real climbers, those for whom the world always sparkles. emerald ice still unconquered heights. From here they go on their own routes of varying difficulty levels, here they share news and meet friends.
Local historians, nature lovers and representatives of other categories of people lagging behind also meet on Paragilmen. modern life people for whom there are things incomparably more valuable than cars and smartphones.
How to get there (get there)?
By car or public transport, following the South Coast Highway, you will need to drive to the village. Maly Mayak, where a lot of routes start. The total distance that will need to be covered from this village is 4.5 km. On the map the pedestrian route looks like this:
Note to tourists
- Address: Alushta city district, Crimea, Russia.
- GPS coordinates: 44.6213, 34.3378.
And in the summer, people who dream of conquering themselves go to Crimea. Mount Paragilmen provides them with an excellent opportunity to find out their worth. Once at the top after climbing a sheer cliff, the winners can actually try to grab the stars from the sky! In conclusion, we offer a short video report about the ascent, enjoy watching.
