Located about 80 kilometers northeast of east Anatolian Erzurum province, the town of Uzundere has been making an international name for itself since it was recognized as a "slow city" by the Cittaslow Network in March of last year, hosting professional mountaineers from nearly 20 countries worldwide.Ice climbers everywhere - from Russia to Italy and Switzerland to Kyrgyzstan - flock to the city where they spend hours climbing to the a massive glacier or frozen waterfall. Now, the 3rd Emrah Özbay Ice Climbing Festival sponsored by the Turkish Mountaineering Federation (TDF), which began last weekend and set to run until Jan. 31, will welcome nearly 300 participants who arrived to Uzundere for the four-day festival.In preparation for the festival, some of Turkey's top climbers including Tunç Fındık, who has climbed more than 10 of the world's tallest mountains including Mount Everest, carved out climbing routes on frozen waterfalls around town using axes, ice picks and other equipment to carve routes for some of the most professional mountaineers in the world who will inch their way to the top of icy waterfalls reaching anywhere from 25 to 300 meters. Freezing temperatures, deep snow and dangerous glaciers add to the dangers of the high altitude environment."In Turkey, the history of ice climbing does not date back very far. With the exception of long alpine ice gullies at higher elevations, few ice climbs have ever been done and nowhere in Turkey is there a true ice climbing area. However, in eastern Turkey near the town of Uzundere in Erzurum province, the altitude is high, the winter season is generally cold and long and the terrain is mountainous - perfect conditions for waterfall ice buildup," Fındık stated in an article published in the American Alpine Journal (AAJ)."Ice climbing has become a reality thanks to Uzundere's extraordinary nature. For tourism, Turkey's warm and turquoise coasts, sandy beaches and hot summer days are what come to the mind at first thought. When we say ice climbing is possible in Turkey, it sounds strange," Fındık said. On the other hand, rock climbing is quite popular in certain areas of Turkey including Geyikbayırı and Olympos in Antalya. Here, you can find the largest developed rock-climbing area. While these areas are well-known among foreign tourists, ice climbing is a lesser-known sport. "More recently, this sport has become popular in Turkey through multiple initiatives to promote it," he said. The Erzurum Municipality sponsored the first international ice climbing festival in Uzundere back in 2015, hosting 25 foreign climbers along with more than 170 Turkish mountaineers. New ice routes were carved out in Uzundere since then, with the efforts of Tunç Fındık and Çetin Bayram, the head of the Atak Search and Rescue and Nature Sports Club, also a prominent climber in Turkey."We are planning to add new routes to the festival each year. We have also invited professional nature photographers," said Bayram.

Uzundere

Situated on a gatgeway between the Black Sea and eastern Anatolia, Uzundere has become a popular space for outdoor sports enthusiasts over the last few years. Lakes, mountains and waterfalls add attractive dimension to the region. There are alternative routes around Uzundere where hundreds of bird species and endemic plants can be found. Bird watching, trekking, cycling and ice climbing are among the region's most popular recreational activities.

Home to the historic Osvank Georgian Church and Üzgerek Castle, Uzundere is also home to the Tortum Waterfall, one of the world's largest waterfalls. Authorities aim to make Uzundere a rural tourism destination that offers more distinct natural beauties than any other "Cittaslow" city across Turkey; in other words tourists can discover Turkey's eastern highlands covered with snow almost year-round, as well as moorlands that display the country's greenery. If you want to discover Turkey's eastern provinces and its hidden treasures, the Cittaslow town Uzundere in Erzurum, awaits travelers.