The lone pillar
Like an upturned bottle.
Asankheia — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Kasimys — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Kasimys — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Ввкстар — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Mihagriha — CC BY-SA 4.0
The Manpupuner rock formations are a group of seven stone pillars west of the Ural Mountains in the Troitsko-Pechorsky District of the Komi Republic, about 169 km in a straight line south-east of the town of Troitsko-Pechorsk. They stand inside the Pechoro-Ilych Reserve on Mount Man-Pupu-Nyor, between the Ilych and Pechora rivers, and their Mansi name means «small idol mountain». The pillars are between 30 and 42 m tall. About 200 million years ago there were high mountains here, which rain, snow, wind, frost and heat slowly wore away, while these blocks of hard quartzite schist survived and the softer rock was carried off by water and wind into the hollows. One 34 m pillar stands a little apart from the rest and looks like an upturned bottle, while the other six line the edge of a cliff. The giant columns rise from a bare, grassy plateau that stretches to the horizon, and they are magical at sunset, under the northern lights and in deep winter snow; they were named one of the «Seven Wonders of Russia». The site is very far from any road, visits need a permit from the reserve, and visitors usually arrive by helicopter or on a trek of several days. The weather is harsh and changeable, so go only with an experienced operator. The UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to Russia, and non-Russian bank cards may not work, so read the current advice before you plan.
Like an upturned bottle.
To the horizon.
On winter nights.
Pechoro-Ilych Reserve, Komi Republic, Russia
By helicopter or a multi-day trek, with a permit.
Yes, from the Pechoro-Ilych Reserve.