Siberia Trekking - discover Russian nature

Location: Khakassia (Hakasya), Siberia. West Sayan mountains.

On August 4 the 2007 year we left Abakan and travelled to the Tuva by minibus. Like the previous year we have an inter-regional membership - people from Abakan, Chernogorsk, Tomsk, Mezhdurechensk, Chernogolovka. Khakassian landscapes were changing outside the window of the minibus - steppe, hills, mountains covered with forest while we went to destination. Askiz, Tashtyp, Abaza...

The Khakass Republic differs from the neighbouring regions by its warm and precipitationless climate. Apricots, cherries, tomatos "bull's heart" are grown in the Minusinsk valey.

The clouds were gathering over us and the rain began drizzling,  when we had put off the minibus far kilometre away from the Tuva, far away from the civilisation, and began making our way westwards. At the begining of our way there is short slope to the mountain pass; the footpath was leading us through the cedar forest, larchs and alpine motley grass.

From the pass we were able to see the mountain mass of the Karatosh. Night was drawing on, so we directly made our way downward to the valley. It was almost midnight when we got to our first camp nearby shallow stream; we set up our tents and got to sleep.

The next morning, after the breakfast we made  our way off the camp. The weight of our backpacks was accelerating our movement downward, and we were briskly leaping over a logs. From time to time there was a rain, which cooled our team hoted by backpacks. Late in the day we got to the Ona river. Here many rafters start their trips, moreover there was many flat areas for tents. After some thinking we decided to establish our camp on the near bank and next morning cross the Ona river and Karatosh river.

Next day after getting somewhat drying we began gathering courage to force rivers. The footpath was going up dodging among bushes and fallen trees to the highest mountains of the Khakassia. Blackcurrant and a kuril's tea grows here. At the halfway the footpath again croosed the Karatosh river - the crossing was a real adventure. Soon the forest zone had finished and we were walking on the swampy highland tundra with a dwarf birch bushes. To lake Posarym - the purpose of our today's trip - we got at twilight.

The Posarym lake quite big, very beautiful, there are many comfortable camping places. Beside the lake we met many partidges, as scientists say there is a big population of the boar. Here the end of the footpath and further we had to walk without footpath. At the right side was visible Karatosh mountain mass, the peak was shot with a colour of the crow feather. There was many whortleberry and everyone made a feast of it. En route we had found a deer antler,  and seen many traces of the boar. The climbing to the 2,400 m. mountain was quite difficult since we were walking on a soft moss, getting over a wind-fallen trees and forcing ours way through the bushes. 

Beyond this mountain we went into a huge flat highland plateau almost without vegetation, two more kilometres and we got to the purpose of our trip - double-headed peak 2,969 m. It's surrounded by many tiny lakes, and we stayed overnight alongside one of them. The height was already felt and midnight was quite chilly. Maras said that he heard maral's heavy breathing but due to darkness he wasn't able to see anything.

  The climbing wasn't difficult - in two hours we got to the summit and glided a bit at snowfield. The sight from the top was tremendous, we were able to see many distant mountain ranges. From the one side we saw high m ountains of Tuva, on another side we saw notched peaks, and from the third side we saw smoothed mountains and many lakes - huge and tiny. Filled with energy we start downwarding. At a snowfiled we were gliding on boots like on skis :) 

At the foot of the mountain I and Maras went to see waterfall. While walking up I glanced at distant mountain range and suddenly I saw a deer at a distance like a tiny point. It was staying motionless and probably was taking a look at us. It was great! I had never seen a wild deer before.

  At the camp we were out of the gas so we moved stakes and start moving to the Posarym lake. We didn't get to the lake of course, but stoped at the beautiful clearing alongside the bushes of the whortleberry. The evening was warm and windless and we were sitting for a long time around a fire and under the stars. The clearing was  completely crossed in different dirrections by animal runs, but unfortunately we hadn't seen any animal.

  The weather gave us a treat and day's rest at the lake was quite good. It was possible to wash clothes or just relax. 

Then there  was rafting down the Ona river during 4 days. It was fun but cold and wet, and we went home tired and happy.

Evgeny Karachakov