White Cross Loop near Turtle Lake

I continue to search for new paths Turtle Lake—and so far, so good. While walking along a familiar route and resting on a bench by the White Cross, I spotted a trail through the bushes downward. The map indicated that the slope fairly gentle, and a little further down, there was a path that led to the starting point. So, I went down.

The trail resembled an animal path, so I had to engage in my favorite form of hiking, hacking my way through bushes and thorns. The slope was generally gentle, although without proper footwear, I didn't feel very confident.

The trail down here is nice; I could go and head down to the river. Next time, I'll try climbing up the riverbed in the canyon.

Further along the trail, I came across an actual training camp. There was an impressive wood hovel, Georgian flags, training areas, fire pits, and plenty of camping gear. Everything was in order, but unfortunately, there were no people around. I wonder what this place is used for?

I walked past it and, after some time, came upon a wire fence with a convenient passage. Cross-referencing with the map, I just realized that I had entered the territory of the ethnographic museum. Not good, but there was no turning back.

The trail continued uphill to an abandoned cable car station, which I hadn't heard of before, and then to a Svan tower. Here, I successfully found a way around fences, gates, and guardhouses with security, which I learned about later.

It's nice that in familiar places you can discover not only new paths but also unexplored spots, camps, and canyons with streams. That's one of the reasons to love the mountains—they hide countless mysteries within their folds.

As always, there was no overnight stay here, so it's just a Walking. However, the walk isn't easy for several reasons, which should be evident from the description.