Climbing · Worth knowing

Ukrainian climbers have created a thriving outdoor culture centered on the Stoned Climbers festival in the Zhytomyr region, which grew from 150 attendees at its 2023 launch to over 500 this summer. Founded by friends inspired by Yosemite's climbing counterculture, the volunteer-run festival deliberately democratizes climbing by welcoming beginners and amateurs rather than positioning it as an elite sport, with instructors emphasizing how climbing develops both physical strength and stress management skills. Despite wartime conditions—including air raid alerts and travel restrictions that prevent Ukrainian climbers from accessing international climbing destinations—the festival has become a gathering place where people build community and sustain well-being through outdoor recreation, with each first-time climber's achievement celebrated by the growing climbing community.