![Ascending Anik](https://magarticles.magzter.com/articles/4369/582433/600169a589cf7/Ascending-Anik.jpg)
And how do I feel? Elated! I am overjoyed that my modest dream has come true. Yet I am also utterly depleted after the emotional and physical effort it took to get here.
Why would you want to put yourself through all this, you ask? Was it worth the trouble? I’ll answer those questions with more questions: Why do people venture into the wilderness? Why are people drawn to nature? And, more generally, why do they set themselves goals that are difficult to achieve? The fact is, only by stepping outside your comfort zone can you feel truly alive. Furthermore, nature is not separate from us; it is a part of us. And, living in our concrete boxes, surrounded by our own kind, we tend to forget that.
But why specifically Anik? I’ve been exploring the wilds of my native Far East for more than 13 years: the vast Ussuri taiga, the majestic summits of the Sikhote-Alin mountain range, the jagged coastline of the Sea of Japan. And I have always been driven to explore places where nature is least touched by human hands, least trodden by human feet. Anik Mountain is just such a place, one of the most inaccessible summits. About 90 kilometers of wild taiga and mountain peaks devoid of roads or trails lie between it and the closest human habitation. What’s more, it is the highest point in Primorsky Krai, and aren’t we always drawn to the biggest, the highest, the most challenging?
The Little Dinosaur wrapped in fog.
Denne historien er fra January/February 2021-utgaven av Russian Life.
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Denne historien er fra January/February 2021-utgaven av Russian Life.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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![Sidewalk Art](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/4369/610362/6049d89408420/crp_Sidewalk-Art.jpg)
Sidewalk Art
The lamentable state of Russia’s roads and sidewalks has long been fertile ground for memes and jokes. Irkutsk artist Ivan Kravchenko decided to turn the problem into an art project. For over two years he has been patching ruts in city sidewalks with colorful ceramic tiles.
![Sputnik V: First Place or Long Shot?](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/4369/610362/6049e56335308/crp_Sputnik-V-First-Place-or-Long-Shot.jpg)
Sputnik V: First Place or Long Shot?
The Russian vaccine seems top-notch, but low public trust and a botched rollout remain formidable barriers to returning to normalcy.
the Valley of the Dead
On the Trail of a Russian Movie Star
![Food & Drink](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/4369/610362/6049e04a4cdf8/crp_Food-Drink.jpg)
Food & Drink
Food & Drink
POLAR YOUTH
Misha Smirnov has the day off. There are the traditional eggs for breakfast and the usual darkness out the window.
![Russian Chronicles](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/4369/610362/6049e259d56b0/crp_Russian-Chronicles.jpg)
Russian Chronicles
Russian Chronicles
A People on the Brink
Over the past century, the ancient people known as the Votes has been exiled twice, has seen its language banned, and has faced the threat of having its villages razed. Today, although teetering on the verge of extinction, it holds fast to one of the last rights it enjoys – the right to bear and to say its own name.
![Tenders of the Vine](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/4369/582433/60016f04e2a19/crp_Tenders-of-the-Vine.jpg)
Tenders of the Vine
Visiting Russia’s Nascent Wine Region
![Restoring the Future](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/4369/582433/60016ca4429d1/crp_Restoring-the-Future.jpg)
Restoring the Future
A Small Town Gets a Makeover
![Ascending Anik](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/4369/582433/600169a589cf7/crp_Ascending-Anik.jpg)
Ascending Anik
Here I stand, on the summit of Anik Mountain, drenched to the bone amid zero visibility, driving rain, and a fierce wind.