Guidebook: Trails of Northern Kirgisia. B. Marechek, 1968

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B. Marechek, 1968 by emailing to: asia@lostnomads.com

МАРШРУТЫ ПО СЕВЕРНОЙ КИРГИЗИИ, Б.Маречек, Ф.,"КЫРГЫЗСТАН" 1968
"От альпинистского лагеря "Ала-Арча" до курорта Иссык-Ата Продолжительность маршрута: 8 дней, протяженность: 135 км,
трудность: 2 категория сложности, вид туризма - горный.
Предлагаемый маршрут знакомит туристов со всеми природными зонами Киргизского Ала-Тоо и бальнеологическим курортом Иссык-Ата.

Пешеходная часть путешествия начинается от Воронцовского дома отдыха им. XX-летия Киргизской ССР. Затем необходимо пройти в сторону альпинистского лагеря "Ала-Арча" и заночевать в полутора - двух километpax выше в небольшой еловой роще на берегу реки Ак-Сай, впадающей в Ала-Арчу справа. До этих мест из Байтикской долины можно проехать и на автомашине. Если у вас большая группа, то следует обратиться за помощью на Фрунзенскую туристскую базу, где всегда можно заказать автобус.

На следующий день следовало бы ознакомиться с жизнью альпинистского лагеря, основанного в 1951 году, в порядке тренировки к предстоящему трудному путешествию, совершить экскурсии к водопадам в Ак-Сае, Шаркыратме и в противоположном ущелье Адыгене. После этого можно начинать само путешествие в сторону правого притока Туюк-Суу. Когда за устьем ручья Теке-Тер дорога по мосту переходит на левый берег Ала-Арчи, надо оставаться на правом и продолжать путь по тропам. Следите за ними, так как временами они уходят на осыпи и там их легко потерять.

DURATION: 1 day
TOTAL DISTANCE: 180 km
TREKKING ROUTE: 30 km
SEASON: year round
The backpackers will be transported to the start of the trekking trail by bus.

“There are about 130 springs in the area of the resort, half of which are thermal. The curing springs of Issyk Ata have been known for generations. One evidence of this is the image of Buddha on a giant bolder, which the archeologists suggest have been carved during the sasanid epoch - ca.II-VII. The first bathing building was erected here in 1892...A mile up the Issyk Ata, in a side valley called Marmara, there once was a marble mine. Four km further up the valley archa juniper woods start to emerge. There is a place in Issyk Ata where two large side river valleys- Chong Partak and Bala Partak converge in an eye-catching bubbling junction.“

- B. Marechek, Trails of Northern Kirghizia, 1968.

DURATION: 1 day
TOTAL DISTANCE: 100 km
TREKKING ROUTE: 30 km
SEASON: year round
The backpackers will be transported to the start of the trekking trail by bus.

“Follow the motorway that ascends into the Chunkurchak valley to the point where it stops climbing the Uzun-Kyr and heads west. Continue ascending the Uzun-Kyr. There is a vivid trail going atop of this ridge. You may descend into the Alamedin river valley from any point of this trail. With some luck you may descend right to the hot springs. While on the elevated ridge trail, look for the characteristic red granite rocks of the Alamedin river canyon.”

- B. Marechek, Trails of Northern Kirghizia, 1968.

The return should be easier - along the Alamedin river by our bus, which will meet the backpackers by the hot springs.

DURATION: 1-2 days
TOTAL DISTANCE: 260 km
BIKING ROUTE: 60 km
SEASON: summertime
The backpackers will be transported to the start of the trail by bus.

“Kel Ter is a side valley of a larger Kegety mountain gorge, mentioned in our other trails. Slopes of the Kel Ter valley are covered with scarce flora of archa juniper, russian olives, dog rose and barberries. In about eight km. further up the valley, the trail goes into the fur woods. It’s here that the Kel Ter river takes source from the joint Tamchi and Kel Ter springs. Look for a trail going up a ridge in serpantines. It leads to alpine meadows and keeps climbing the moraine hills until suddenly coming to a vast lake. You can picnic here. Further up the valley, there are several moraine lakes and the Kel Ter glacier. Reaching them, will take another full day hike. In this case make camp by the lake.”

- B. Marechek, Trails of Northern Kirghizia, 1968.

DURATION: 1-3 days
TOTAL DISTANCE: up to 150 km
TREKKING ROUTE: 45 km
SEASON: in good weather

This area offers challenging but spectacular climbing and hiking trails in the vicinity of Ala Archa National Park. “Climbing in the Ala Archa area has began over 40 years ago. The most elevated peaks of Kyrgyz Alatoo are grouped around the top of Ak Sai glacier and are often referred to as the “Ak Sai half horseshoe.” Rated routes of Ak Sai number around 80 and range from 1 to 6B. About 30 of these trails rate 5-6 on the difficulty range. This is due to some serious walls in this area. The following peaks have rock and ice walls of over 900 m.: Semenov Tian-Shanski (4875m); Corona (4860m); Svobodnaya Koreya (4740m); Bailian-Bashi (4700m); Simagina (4400m); Box (4240m).”

Alex Ruchkin, Risk Online Magazine 2003