Usva is the name of a small river and a village, and for anyone who has seen photographs of Russia's most dramatic rafting trips, it also means the Usvinskiye Stolby, the Usva Pillars. These are great cliffs of limestone, rising up to a hundred metres from the water, standing along the river in jagged, grey, sometimes overhanging ranks, with caves in the base and pine trees clinging to the ledges. They are among the best known river landscapes in the Urals, and the rafting season in spring, when meltwater makes the Usva fast and cold, brings crowds of paddlers from across the region.
The river runs west from the mountains through a narrow valley, passing woods and meadows, and in places the cliffs close in so tightly that there is barely room for the water. The rock is Permian limestone, riddled with small caves and cracks, and in some places, there are overhangs that look ready to fall. Birds nest in the cliffs, including falcons, and in summer the surrounding forest is full of bird song. In autumn, the leaves turn gold and red, and the cliffs look even more dramatic.
The village is small, a handful of wooden houses and a few shops, in a lonely valley of the Perm region. Gubakha, about eighteen kilometres away, is the nearest town of any size, and Shumikhinsky, a few kilometres off, a small settlement with basic services. Do not expect much in the way of tourist infrastructure, though a few guest houses and camps operate in the rafting season, and local people are usually friendly and helpful.
Reaching it is part of the experience. The roads from Perm and Chusovoy run through quiet forest and farmland, with long, gentle sections and the occasional rough patch. Close to the river, the road can be gravel or dirt, and conditions change fast after rain, so a dual-sport bike is better than a heavy tourer. Watch for logging trucks, and for mud. Expect cool nights, even in summer, and be ready for rain at any time. May and June bring high water and the rafting crowds, while July and August are quieter.
Fuel is the main thing to plan. There is none in the village, so fill up in Gubakha before you go. Carry water, snacks, a basic repair kit, and a map. Spend a while looking at the cliffs from the bank. The scale is easy to underestimate until you see a raft beneath them.