Katunskiy (30.07-2.08.2013)

DSCN8317 bis cpy cover photo DSCN8193 It was a rainy night but the light at dawn was promising. DSCN8191 The park was not a reservation but rather 60'000 ha in which the native Altai people could express their identity: better to be a native person in the Soviet Union than in the USA DSCN8190 As in most Russian accommodations, there was a place where guests could cook their own food and consume it.
DSCN8192 This was a great kitchen with hot water. DSCN8194 The dining room was in a teepee shaped wooden house DSCN8195 that looked out on the picnic table where we had tea yesterday. DSCN8197 Natalia and Irena, the grandmother professors, getting the food organized
DSCN8198 Where we had cell service (quite frequently) we made good use of online translation programs DSCN8199 We drove 120+ km west before entering the town of Ust-Kan, established in 1876 (note the horse motif, just as in Naryn).. DSCN8200 and in some ways, still wating for the 20th century (though once again, there is electricity) DSCN8201 The neighboring town of Kan-Ozi has a totem pole on its shield. I felt that if I turned a corner I might find myself in the museum at Victoria, B.C.
DSCN8203 local folks headed down to the river DSCN8204 free range cows on the road south and then south-east to Ust-Koksa DSCN8206 beautiful meadows in the stream bottoms DSCN8207 hard to tell if the road was in process of being improved or just degrading on its own
DSCN8210 would-be ranches across the valley DSCN8211 local folks still use horses for transportation DSCN8212 but cell phones for commuication DSCN8215 wetland
DSCN8216 distant town and stream DSCN8217 free ranging cows bring their act right into town DSCN8219 the towns lose some of their charm as one goes through them DSCN8220 traditional form and Soviet power pole
DSCN8222 passing through Sougash DSCN8223 in something like 1950 DSCN8225 oat field and tree DSCN8230 yellow but not mustard
DSCN8231 long valley with high plateau-like ridges DSCN8233 fields DSCN8234 fields and forest DSCN8235 forest patterns
DSCN8236 we bunked at the best hotel in town. This was the back yard abutting the Katun River DSCN8237 The owner (who was also the Director of the Reserve that we were visiting) was building this (traditional?) log structure. DSCN8238 I had the De-Luxe room DSCN8239 with wifi
DSCN8241 and indoor plumbing DSCN8243 and dope outside (never figured this out...) DSCN8244 The rest of the town was somewhat less developed DSCN8247 Here was our first glance of the Super Mobile, a Russian knockoff of the M-B Unimog
DSCN8248 and this was where we were going - Katunskiy Reserve. DSCN8249 This was the Reserve's administration building-I have concluded from this and other evidence that the A-frame is a Russian motif DSCN8250 The back of the Super Mobile DSCN8252 Alexander, the Reserve Director, decided to be the driver
DSCN8253 In the back, Natalia, Tatiana and Galia DSCN8254 Andrei, chief ranger for this part of the reserve in front of a fence for a red deer ranch DSCN8255 We picked up a new member - Palia from Mosco - who was in Ust-Koksa for a year making a film DSCN8256 IN her tight black pants, designer top and extensive make-up she was an unlikely addition!
DSCN8257 Tatiana, the science officer for the Reserve, moved here from Moscow 12 years ago and loves it. DSCN8260 The mountains ahead DSCN8261 Palia documenting DSCN8263 we are parked here waiting for the Super Mobile to un-vapor lock.
DSCN8264 It looks good but seems to be less than the sum of its appearances DSCN8265 It has a four cylinder engine amidship DSCN8266 A herd of mares, very pregnant, and colts came to investigate DSCN8267 as Palia filmed, they decided that we were less interesting than they thought
DSCN8268 Just a bit later as we were rolling over ruts I heard a distinct "ping" as of shearing steel, and Alexander lost his steering DSCN8269 While waiting for the next step, the ladies made lunch DSCN8270 sure enough, a pivot in the steering had sheared off DSCN8273 Alexander radio'd ahead and ordered some pack horses down from the station
DSCN8274 and we took off on foot toward the lakes DSCN8276 It was a jolly time at the start! DSCN8277 Up through the meadows DSCN8279 but soon we found that the road was all torn up ("no road, just directions")
DSCN8282 the horses soon seemed to have a lot of advantages DSCN8283 there is a veritable industry of carting tourists to the lake with these 4WD vehicles DSCN8287 but they really make a mess of the place DSCN8291 They sink in deep
DSCN8294 and make it very hard for us pedestrians DSCN8295 Because we had no vehicle we had to ford streams DSCN8297 Irena crossed using her hiking shoes DSCN8298 Natalia rolled up her cuffs but also wore her hiking shoes
DSCN8299 but they made it! I was given a pair of rubber boots which protected my feet but as they were rather short they filled completely with water. DSCN8301 Palia, in her Russian Army boots and tight pants (and camera bag), tried to cross on a log that was high above the stream. But it was too high... DSCN8302 and she crossed the river after removing her pants, without any foot protection ( I was trying to shuttle my rubber boots back to her), carrying valubles in each hand! DSCN8305 We finally arrive at the end of the first lake
DSCN8307 but our destination is the far end of the second lake, the outlet of which you can see in the distance DSCN8309 Coleman camping is quite popular in Russia DSCN8311 The trail along the first lake was awful! Natalia was squishing along in her wet shoes DSCN8313 The view from the second lake
DSCN8314 mountains DSCN8315 glaciers DSCN8316 summits DSCN8317 reflections
DSCN8317 bis reflections 2 DSCN8318 it feels like wilderness DSCN8319 reflections 3 DSCN8320 we await the boat that will take us the length of the second lake
DSCN8322 silly me, I thought that it would be a power boat! DSCN8324 The Good Ship Lollipop shoves off with six passengers DSCN8328 smoke rises from the campers at the lake edge DSCN8330 Irena, Palia, and Natalia
DSCN8331 reflection 4 DSCN8332 reflection 5 DSCN8338 droplets and hand made oars DSCN8340 the Ranger Station at last!
DSCN8342 and so we set up around the smoking cooking fire, the living room for the next few days DSCN8343 Galia starts cooking with Natalia and Oleg DSCN8346 The common table near the fire DSCN8348 the evening's soup with drying shoes
DSCN8349 the next morning Galia, Andrei and Oleg are still around the fire DSCN8351 smoke wafting DSCN8352 checking out the tea DSCN8353 my coffee, biscuits and "waffli"
DSCN8354 the trusty Ranger horses DSCN8355 Groups of hikers came through, headed into the heart of the Reserve DSCN8356 Everyone's pack was huge! DSCN8357 Galia, Oleg and I set off a dead run it seemed up the valley in order to retrieve data loggers set out a year or two ago.
DSCN8358 It would be a very long day, and a very wet one DSCN8360 The meadows were very wet and streams ran everywhere DSCN8363 Sometimes there were bigger streams coming out of side valleys DSCN8364 the falls upstream, as seen luckily from a bridge
DSCN8365 It was beautiful if you could take your eyes off the muddy slippery trail long enough to look around. DSCN8366 Vista DSCN8369 flower and pollinator DSCN8370 After running up valley about 6 km it was time to starting fording streams. This was Oleg's solution
DSCN8371 An old snow guage from the Soviet times when they read them from helicopters DSCN8372 Oleg starting acoss, with Galia in front DSCN8374 the water was fast, deep and cold. I nearly dunked here but instead merely jammed my fingers in the stream bed DSCN8376 Just when you think that no one's been here before you stumble on tumble down log cabin where a famous geologist summered with his family in the 60's!
DSCN8378 After slogging for a km through soggy streamside we emerged on a talus slope to start the climb toward the glacier and the data loggers DSCN8379 Oleg starting up DSCN8380 Above the talus was a very steep slope covered with deep herbaceous vegetation and above that a forest on a rocky spine DSCN8384 When Oleg finally arrived, he said that he wasn't feeling well and that Galia and I should go on without him. I objected but he said that there were bears in the area and he didn't want Galia to go alone.
DSCN8386 So Galia and I headed further up the moment and indeed we saw bear sign. DSCN8387 The first temperature data logger was in this tree at the top of the second talus slope. DSCN8388 We head quite a view toward the third Multa Lake DSCN8389 The glacier was however still quite a ways above us. It was 2:30 PM and we had already been going strong for 5.5 hours. Galia said that we didn't have time to get to the next data logger.
DSCN8391 I was fine with this decision,and we started back down this slope of large and mostly stable boulders DSCN8393 It took a while to negotiate this DSCN8394 The lake below DSCN8397 Siberian stone pines
DSCN8398 Hard to capture in a photo but this was the route we had made up through the deep and slippery veg DSCN8399 Galia disappearing into the high grass! DSCN8400 a picturesque larch DSCN8402 a old growth Siberian stone pine on a good site in the valley bottom. These forests merit Jerry Franklin's attention
DSCN8495 The forest floor is a spongy mass of mosses and ground covers over decaying wood debris that still cracks as you walk over it. It is amazing - like walking on a mattress! DSCN8404 Although not in Switzerland, there is a giant cross on this tree. DSCN8407 We have crossed our streams and are now headed back down the long valley DSCN8408 meadow vegetation
DSCN8410 summits and stone pines DSCN8411 summits, stone pines and herbs DSCN8413 big mountains DSCN8414 deep greenery!
DSCN8415 the valley is a series of moraine complexes creating a series of wetlands DSCN8416 finally we reach a bridge - only 5 km more to go! DSCN8418 evening light DSCN8419 a look back
DSCN8420 our colleagues, pretty much where we left them DSCN8426 I bunked in a log cabin DSCN8427 the door to my cozy little room DSCN8422 with a desk and a solar powered lamp
DSCN8423 the mattress was a bit thin, so like an Indian home stay DSCN8425 but I had a little stove and lots of clothes line DSCN8428 and a front deck DSCN8433 lumber milled on site, no doubt
DSCN8434 log cabin joinery DSCN8431 barbeque for dinner DSCN8432 Russians like Army Surplus. The cushions are a real innovation DSCN8435 Firewood and saddle
DSCN8438 stand-alone sink DSCN8439 the inside of the Ranger Station - tidy! DSCN8440 the inside of the banya DSCN8441 more firewood, right to the rafters
DSCN8443 As we left, everyone wanted a group photo. DSC01509 One result DSCN8444 The monster packs of my colleagues were loaded on a horse but I carried my stuff DSCN8445 By now the trails had dried out and it was very pleasant
DSCN8446 We hiked down the eastside of the second lake DSCN8447 while others availed themselves of the boat. Palia rowing was certainly just for a short time and just for bragging rights! DSCN8450 The outlet from the lake was between us and the trail DSCN8452 and so we waited for the boat to take us across the lake
DSCN8453 The ranger has a novel way of rowing DSCN8454 Oleg tries it but DSCN8456 the Ranger quickly displaces him DSCN8457 Galia's hair clip: how she stayed so clean is a mystery to me!
DSCN8458 Natalia DSCN8462 We bide adieu to the Ranger who promptly started bailing out his craft DSCN8467 We walked down to the first lake DSCN8469 Will this tree survive!
DSCN8470 This lake reminded me of Fallen Leaf or maybe Donner Lake DSCN8471 Flower art DSCN8472 Flower art DSCN8473 Flower art
DSCN8474 Flower art DSCN8475 Flower art DSCN8501 Flower art DSCN8477 as we approached the end of the lake we saw more tourists
DSCN8478 not surprising given what a beautiful day it was! Maybe it was all worth it... DSCN8479 The path along the end of the lake DSCN8480 from whence we came DSCN8481 the Coleman Campers were still there
DSCN8482 and there were a lot of vehicles at the trail head, including the Super Mobile! DSCN8484 A true parking lot DSCN8486 4WD clubs in Russia DSCN8487 some colleagues has come up with the Super Mobile and were headed into the Reserve with the obligatory enormous packs
DSCN8488 the slight fellow in the middle will carry this pack which probably weighs 60 -70 pounds! DSCN8490 The steering linkage of the Super Mobile has been repaired somehow DSCN8491 but the driver didn't make very good choices I thought DSCN8492 here he has regained the main road after almost wedging the vehicle against a tree
DSCN8493 then he left the main track again and got totally mired down in this bog. DSCN8494 The wheels are nearly 5 feet high and he was just spinning them in the mud, descending lower and lower DSCN8497 he finally used the winch to extract himself.Luckily there was a well-anchored tree nearby DSCN8499 Palia got it all on her video cam
DSCN8503 But then we started to lose air from the rear tires. This was a sign... DSCN8504 of a crack in the suspension. At the next mudhole, the left rear wheel snapped right off! DSCN8505 We took our bags out of the back and started walking again. DSCN8506 It was a beautiful day for a walk
DSCN8507 but it was a long way back to town DSCN8510 After awhile we were rescued by a Russian Jeep and an UAZ, who had been convoked by the Super Mobile driver via radio DSCN8511 Two different conceptions: USSR and Russia - the drivers of the rescue vehicles DSCN8513 The drivers dropped us off in the town of Multa which was accessible to our pavement queen minibus
DSCN8514 There was electricity and thus ice cream bars! DSCN8515 Rural Russia DSCN8518 Rustic DSCN8519 Somewhat more formal but the lawn needs help
DSCN8520 house deco and lawnmover DSCN8521 the ag economy is relatively advanced DSCN8523 bring in the hay for the winter from the meadows DSCN8522 Montana circa ??