Aikuayvenchorr

Aikuayvenchorr is a mountain in the Khibiny range, one of the mountain massifs of the Kola Peninsula, in Murmansk Oblast. It stands on the outskirts of the town of Kirovsk, within the Kirovsk municipal district. The summit reaches 1,075 meters above sea level. The Aikuayvenyok River rises on its southern slope, one of the streams flowing down from the Khibiny slopes toward the town.

History

The mountain's name comes from the Sami language. The word "aik" denoted a female deity, the mother of god, so Aikuayvenchorr is translated as "mountain with the head of the mother of god." A looser, poetic rendering of the name is "Sleeping Beauty." Such names are common in the Khibiny: the Sami, the indigenous people of these lands, named mountains after their outlines and after their own legends.

On December 22, 1936, a massive avalanche came down the mountain's northern slope — one of the major avalanche events in the history of settling the Khibiny, which have been considered an avalanche-prone area ever since and remain one today for skiers and hikers alike.

Nature

Near the mountain lies the "Aikuayvenchorr Gorge" botanical nature monument, also known as the Blue Lakes gorge. In 2017 researchers studied the cyanoprokaryote species found in the gorge's small bodies of water. The combination of rock walls, snow patches and small lakes makes the gorge a notable natural feature next to the mountain and the town.

What to see

The slopes host the "Bolshoy Vudyavr" ski resort, with about 25 runs totaling roughly 30 kilometers — one of the largest and oldest ski centers in Murmansk Oblast. Ski jumps installed on the mountain host jumping competitions. Near the top station of the new lift there is a café with a panoramic view over the Khibiny ridges and the town of Kirovsk below. The slope also keeps an old, abandoned upper chairlift station — a trace of the resort's earlier history.

Getting there

A road leads from Kirovsk to the foot of the "Bolshoy Vudyavr" resort, where the runs and lifts begin. A roughly 3-kilometer hiking route leads to the old, abandoned upper chairlift station, running between the disused old lift and the operating new one.

Good to know

In winter, snowshoes are needed for hikes on the slope — deep snow makes it hard to go without them. Given the history of avalanches, including the 1936 event, it is worth checking conditions at the resort in advance and staying on marked runs and routes without proper gear and experience.