Arkhyz Hosts Russia's First High-Altitude Phygital Competition
Participants climbed Smirnov Peak while combining a mountain ascent with QR code-based knowledge challenges, marking Russia's first high-altitude phygital competition.
The Tsifrovye Tropy Rossii (Digital Trails of Russia): Arkhyz high-altitude phygital competition took place at the year-round Arkhyz mountain resort in the Karachay-Cherkess Republic. According to the resort's press service, it was the first event of its kind in Russia.
Teams of two to four participants completed a 4.4-kilometer round-trip route along the historic trail leading to Smirnov Peak. Eight digital checkpoints equipped with QR codes were installed along the course. After scanning each code, participants answered questions about the resort's history, the region's geology, and local landmarks. Correct answers earned bonus minutes that were deducted from each team's total completion time. The team with the lowest adjusted time was declared the winner.
The competition marked the culmination of the Tsifrovaya transformatsiya prirodnogo parka (Digital Transformation of the Natural Park) field school. Participants included winners of specialized academic competitions, university students, and young professionals from across Russia, as well as visitors to the resort. The experience gained during the event will be used to develop recommendations for creating similar digital trails in other regions of Russia.
