Mount Grebenskaya (Orenburg)

Mount Grebenskaya (Grebeni) is the mountain with a ski slope closest to Orenburg, Russia, only 25 km from the city along the railway to Orsk. It is about 100 metres high. Together with the neighbouring Mount Verblyuzhya (Camel Mountain), 3 km away, it forms the "Grebeni Gate," a rocky narrows through which the Orenburg–Orsk railway passes. From the summit there is a view over the Sakmara River, the railway line and the surrounding villages.

Grebeni Ski Resort

The Grebeni ski resort is one of the oldest in Orenburg Oblast, founded in 1982. It operates in winter only: the lifts are put up for the season and taken down again in summer. The runs are short but steep and are considered more challenging than those at other resorts in the region. Local skiers say: "Whoever has learned to ski at Grebeni can handle any slope."

Facilities are minimal — there are no cafés or canteens, so food and drink have to be brought along. Changing rooms and equipment rental are available on site.

How to Get There

In winter the road to the mountain is unpaved and not cleared of snow, so even an off-road vehicle may not get through. The most reliable way is the commuter train from Orenburg to the "25 km" stop (on the outskirts of the village of Grebeni); from there it is a 2 km walk with your gear to the ski resort.

By car in summer: head east from Orenburg along the road toward Sakmara, then south to the village of Grebeni — about 25–30 km. The road is unpaved, so a vehicle with high clearance is recommended after rain.

The Legend of Pugachev's Treasure

A legend about Mount Grebenskaya was recorded by Pushkin himself. In September 1833, Pushkin and Dal visited Berdy, once Pugachev's headquarters. An old woman, a long-time resident, told them that an enormous treasure of Pugachev's was buried at Grebeni: the treasure, wrapped in a shirt, was covered with earth, and corpses were placed on top so that anyone who dug it up would think it was simply a burial site. The legend still draws treasure hunters today.

Nature

At the summit grows meadow grassland with small-leaved linden, birch, hawthorn, bird cherry and guelder rose. At the foot of the mountain is the village of Izvestkovoye with a handful of residents; beyond the railway are dacha settlements.