In 1956 a lot was prohibited. For instance Mount Beshtau where a mine was. What did the mine there? A dendrologist to whom I happened to talk in Dombai told me that one day he saw his brother, a mining engineer having got an appointment to the Beshtau secret mine, and asked,
"So what are you mining there?"
The answer was strange,
"I do not know! America says it is uranium!"
One way or another, razor wire was everywhere and flood lamps were on at night. (Later the mine was mothballed, declassified and they started producing cement there.)
But I was interested not in uranium and not even in Beshtau but in the Mount Razvalka where, as I heard, was permafrost... and this at the 43rd parallel! So, I approached to the tourist center in Pyatigorsk. To my surprise, I was told,
"Ascent to Razvalka is prohibited. And we give no information on it. Geology students are trained there. The place is dangerous because of slip stones and landslides.
Well, if so I certainly must go there!
There is no doubt about it! One glance at that batholite mountain is enough to believe that it does not look friendly!