All the photos are here.
As always the trip was planned well in advance (people, tickets and route). There were 5 of us. The trip started from Moscow airport Sheremetyevo (hate this airport):
Before the flight we decided to have some supper (here you can see all my friends):
It was an excellent mood - weekdays, Moscow heat and smog were behind, but ahead only the fresh air, mountains and ocean of fun.
It was a long trip and after the 5,5 hours we arrived to Irkutsk city. The first place we always visit is a bistro "Kristina" that close to the airport.
This is the entrepot in a fact. After the long flight we have the last supper in the civilisation and form the backpacks.
Oh, I've forgotten to tell about our planned route:
1. The first we go to the Chersky peak.
2. Then maybe we'll go to Arshan (west Sayans mountains).
3. And in the end we planned to go to the Sobols lakes.
So in the first part we planned to see the mountains, then the mountains again and in the end of trip the deep forest (taiga).
.. back to the story. After the supper we was going to the train to Slyudyanka (a small town on the shores of lake Baikal) that was a start point in a route to Chersky peak.
I've forgotten to tell that the first thing I noticed after we landed in Irkutsk was that after the Moscow heat and smog we felt unreal air freshness with needles smell and a pleasant coolness.. Less than the day after when it's a cold and snow we'll remember the Moscow fug with love (there's a good russian saying: "The heat doesn't break the bones"). But I'm getting ahead of myself :)
When we arrived in Slyudyanka the first thing we've done we bought the hot smoked omul and went to the shores of Baikal:
In Slyudyanka we also visit the museum of minerals. Very interesting place:
So, after that we went to the mountains:
Our route was along a small mountain river. The water in it was even more delicious than in Baikal:
The way lay past the open marble mining (this is the same white mountain, which can be seen from the opposite side of Baikal):
Somewhere close to the mining we decided to make camp on our first rest. Everything was traditionally - have cooked porridge, drunk a little and talked under the starry sky near the campfire. In the morning moved on.
In course of route the clouds were getting closer:
Who was asking marble?
The river became smaller:
You can meet there such a sailors:
In the middle of way there is the last stronghold of gastronomy where you can buy some food for money. Hot pancakes and beer are the bestsellers:
Mountains..
Chipmunks..
If our first travel to the lake Baikal in far 2008 the year can be called of squirrel, this year was of chipmunk. This beasts out there everywhere and they are very insolent.
Also we've met the bigfoot near his cave:
On some altitude we had to stay for a long time by this reason:
The blueberries was so much that we couldn't stop eat till satiety (berries really was a lot).
It became more difficult to go - the wood became like jungles, the trail abruptly picked up and we often had to stop for the rest:
The last miles we were almost in clouds:
The target of the day was the altitude of Weather Station where diverged the trails to the ridges. We planned to make camp somewere close to the Station. In approaching to our goal the weather began to sour severely. First started drizzle that eventually turned into constant rain. Moreover, it was the autumn cold.
Raincoats immediately showed its unsuitability in woodland, heavy backpacks began to tear the film. The army GorTex suits remained dry much longer but eventually got wet too.
When we reached the Weather Station the rain was going permanently - then slacked, then began with new force. There was a lot of tents such tourists, as we. With the difficulty found the place for our tents. Then long we searched for firewood that had took far from camping (because the close surrounding area was combing by tourists that was before us). When in the final we brought firewood found out that they so crude that it was impossible to kindle fire. Therefore we warmed up the food on a dry fuel, drank not to get sick and crawled into the tents. Then dropped off the wet clothing and tried to fall asleep under the sounds of raindrops.
At such moments seems that the rain will go on forever (like in "Raven" movie). Panic and apathy was entrenched in the mind and even it was hard to think about the tomorrow. To go forward was no strength and possibility (all the clothing was wet and on the hight the wind is stronger and colder), if to return - so that mean surrender, but this is humiliating and more awful. With such thoughts we fell asleep, if a half-asleep state can be called a sleeping.. The morning was much closer and more horrible than we could imagine. But this will explain later.
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