Stone guards of the Olkha plateau. Olkha rocks The largest rivers of the region
Imagine a giant triangle on a map of an area. Which is located within three districts of the region: Irkutsk, Slyudyansky and Shelekhovsky. It is 50 km long from north to south and 30-80 km from west to east. From the south, this triangle borders on Baikal, along the coast of which the notorious Circum-Baikal Railway stretches. From the northeast, it borders on the Irkutsk reservoir, formed by the Irkutsk hydroelectric station. And from the northwest with the Irkut River. This triangle is called the Olkhinsky Plateau, a physical-geographical region between the Tunkinsky Goltsy and the Primorsky Range in the Irkutsk Region. It is named Olkhinsky in honor of the 37-kilometer river Bolshaya Olkha or simply Olkha. The Olkhinsky Plateau is a wooded upland abounding with remnant rocks, the most popular of which are: Vityaz, Idol, Mirrors and Starukha.
1. First of all, I went to the Raven (alternative name - Lizard), about 20 meters high. The rock is a free-standing rock. It is located farther from Irkutsk than other more popular rock climbs. To get to it, you need to get to the Podkamennaya station.
11. Another day was chosen for the trip to popular rock climbing. In the photo - Vityaz. This is the most popular and accessible rock of the Olkhinsky plateau, 30 meters high. Vityaz is of interest to both beginners and experienced climbers. They go to the rock from the Orlyonok station along the upper or lower path. The upper one is on foot and steeper on the way up. The lower one is longer than the upper one, but it can be driven by car.
12. View of Olkha.
14. Alder and camp site.
22. Burunduslik found something to stuff in his cheek for lunch.
24. Nuthatch.
26. Now I will show why this rock got its name. If you look closely at the top of the rock, you can see a semblance of a head, massive eyebrows, a large straight nose, squinted eyes, cheek and mouth. Together, it resembles the face of a warrior.
27. Skanik Polytechnic.
28. Along the path to the Idol grows a lot of lingonberry bushes.
29. Marsh rosemary. A useful plant that is used in the economy and medicine.
31. Moss carpets.
32. Old classic tablets. When I went here for the first time, I was guided by them.
33. Cowberry trail.
34. After I crossed the bridge over the Olkha, I decided not to turn off the path and walk a little along the river bank. After that I got into such a small kurumnik - a field of stones.
35. Reindeer moss grows in abundance between the stones. Hundreds of fluffy balls.
41. Idol. Height 20 meters. The southern part of the rock is an unusual remnant in the form of a stone pillar, consisting of separate blocks. The northern part is pillar-shaped, but much thicker, lower and less showy.
47. View of the rocky Sibiryak.
49. Skalnik Turtle - the first thing that meets on the way from the Idol to the Old Woman.
53. Observation rock on the trail Idol - Old Woman. From this rock you can see the rocks: Turtle, Idol, Siberian, Angarsk, Stone Shakhtai, Old Fortress, Mirrors.
54. Old woman. Here I was alone. The people who met me earlier did not come here. Moving on the Old Woman's head was pretty scary. Climbing is much easier than jumping at a height of 25 meters. Before the rock was called the Old Woman Izergil, it was called the Carriage - for the trapezoidal profile visible from afar against the background of the crest. Of the name Old Woman Izergil, only the first word stuck. Everyone calls this rock just the Old Woman. Near the main rock of the Old Woman there is a smaller rock. They call her Granddaughter.
55. The hook-shaped nose of the Old Woman is clearly visible.
58. After the old woman there was a long road to the Mirrors. Windbreak, bumps, dim lighting. Navigation problems.
59. This photo is concentrated pain, hatred and relief. It's almost seven in the evening. A dimly lit path strewn with autumn foliage. I stopped as soon as the rays of the sun broke through the branches in my direction. I looked to the left. I checked with the navigator. Yes, you have to turn off the road here. Here, behind the bushes, there is a small kurumnik, and behind them is a mirror rock. And everything is strewn with reindeer moss, which I like more than any reindeer (if there was a steppe here, it would be expanse for them). Somehow, my memory brought me here, satellite navigation and pictures of trails, of which there are too many. In some places I had to go through a windbreak, when the road literally went out from under my feet, dissolving in the forest thicket. Damn rock. Damned weeds. I was supposed to be here by sundown, but I miscalculated my time and energy. Twenty kilometers have already been covered. Ahead of me was another ten kilometers of running in the dark with a sprained foot two hours before the last train, a bruised knee, a tick-fellow traveler on my shoulder and a sore throat.
From mountain to mountain, from mountain to mountain. No more foot here. With your forest in your head, you don't go to someone else's forest.
61. Skalnik Mirrors. The last respite at a height of 16 meters. Skalnik is a group of rocks on a side ridge extending from the main ridge between Klyuch Zyryansky and Zyryansky second. It got its name due to the smooth walls on the eastern side of the rock.
62. Sunset over the red forest.
63. Who will lead you out of the forest, if the forest is you yourself?
The story ends hard, like Spanish post-metal, but with a happy ending. I miscalculated the time. And started the journey back to the station too late. I had only an hour left before the last train. Otherwise - night in a dark forest. I put on my forehead, ate my last apple, and started running. Ran non-stop, they were unacceptable. The pace changed depending on the elevation difference. Just before leaving the forest, I slipped and hurt my knee. I hobbled to the station. But I managed a few seconds before the arrival of the train. After such a run in the cold air, he lay with a cold, the palate became inflamed from swallowing cold air during shortness of breath. But he was at home, not in the forest. He also brought a tick on his shoulder.
On the territory of the Baikal region there are unique natural monuments - rocky outcrops formed as a result of weathering of rocks over hundreds of thousands of years. These stone sculptures, which are not inferior in their historical and cultural value to the famous Krasnoyarsk pillars, are hidden from prying eyes, although they are located only 60 km from the capital of Eastern Siberia - the city of Irkutsk.
The route to the rocks of the Olkhinsky plateau can be planned for one day off, or with an overnight stay. The plateau itself is a plateau between the valleys of the Angara and the Irkut with numerous remnant rocks.
Stone placers and lonely rocks on the flat tops of the mountains are the usual landscape of these places. Many original forms of rock shoes have beautiful names- Old fortress, Old Woman Izergil, Crow, Pharaoh, Cleopatra.
ROUTE FEATURES
Due to its accessibility, this route can be recommended as an excellent weekend activity in any season, but especially bright colors in autumn. More than half of the way the route runs along the bed of the picturesque river Olkha.
In the Soviet period, the most famous of the entire group of rock remains - the Vityaz rock was very popular with students and beginner climbers. Every Sunday, a crowded train delivered several hundred tourists to the Orlyonok station, who walked the distance of 8 km to this rock.
Climbing competitions were regularly held here. On Vityaz, 19 named routes 25-35 meters long of the most difficult categories V-VI are marked with hooks. Skala is an ideal climbing wall with shelves, plumb lines and monolithic sections. Now there are much fewer tourists, although a road leads to Vityaz, and nearby on the banks of the Olkha, next to the rock, there is a camp site with Mongolian felt yurts.
Every year in mid-September, in a clearing near the Vityaz rock, a traditional festival of bard songs is held, where performers from all over Siberia come together.
HOW TO GET TO
You can get to the stone guards of the Olkhinsky plateau by car right up to the foot of the rocks, but the part of the route from the Orlyonok station to the Vityaz rock (8 km) is much more interesting to overcome on foot or by bicycle. In winter, the route is easily overcome in 30-40 minutes on cross-country skis.
By car: from Irkutsk to the exit along the Kultuksky tract and further in Shelekhov, immediately after refueling the Rosneft gas station (on the right side), turn left to the settlements of Olkha and Bolshoi Lug. The asphalt highway runs along the railroad tracks through the settlements of Olkha and Bolshoy Lug. At the Orlyonok station, you can park your car and then, through the wooden masonry across the Olkha River, take a cycling or walking tour of no more than 7-8 km along a picturesque dirt road along the Olkha River.
ATTRACTION
The most famous and accessible rock climb is Vityaz.
The view that opens from this rock allows you to take in the view of the entire plateau and see the surrounding sights and neighboring rocks from a bird's eye view.
In the neighborhood popular among climbers rocks Idol, Turtle, Old Woman, Fortress. They got their names because of the characteristic contours. The 30-meter Idol resembles the famous stone idols of Easter Island - the same pillar-shaped stone monolith with a slab and a head-like stone at the top.
It takes about 30 minutes (2.5 km) to walk along the path from Vityaz to the rock Idol hidden in the forest. The places here are reminiscent of the famous Krasnoyarsk pillars, however, the rocks of the Olkhinsky plateau are less known, and are popular only among local rock climbers.
If you drive from the Bolshaya Olkha valley along the old roads up the Zyryansky 2nd stream to the top (923.7 meters), then you can walk (200 m) to the rocks of the Old Woman and the Fortress. The first is so named for its massive protruding "nose", angry "eyes" and wrinkled "face",
and the second - for the resemblance to a medieval castle.
The routes of climbers here are pierced with bolt hooks. Beautiful rocks, to which you can almost drive up close by car, are also in the area of st. Andriyanovskaya and in the upper reaches of the Zazara River. The rocks themselves are clearly visible from the Kultuk tract, and from the tops of some rocks, even the blue expanse of the lake is visible.
In order to have a complete picture of the location of rock remains and stone sights on the territory of the Olkhinsky plateau, I recommend looking at this map.
To have a complete picture of the beauty and uniqueness of these places, I propose to look
At the station Eaglet it was crowded that day. Not only tourists with backpacks, but dozens of picnickers gathered in the clearing in front of the bridge across the Bolshaya Alkha while we were fighting with a gas burner: it did not want to be friends with a cylinder of unknown Chinese origin, bought in Irkutsk. The first thought is "stuck". Fortunately, from the fragments of phrases heard, it became clear that the whole cheerful company was going to Knight- one of the most "promoted" places of rest for Irkutsk people. But we are not there today. Yes, and the burner started up: a small piece of stick, placed above the valve, ensured its work for the entire trip.
Caving old woman
We deviate from the trodden "elephant" path to the right. Here begins the ascent to the rock Caving old woman, and at the same time - the real Siberian taiga. Blooming tiny irises, watersheds and ferns on the rocks brightened up the tedious ascent. And now the first rocks are already showing from the overgrown clearing.
Skalnik is called Speleostarukha not because of the presence of some caves there, but only because it has become a favorite training place for Irkutsk speleologists. But there is also a cave: a small natural grotto at the foot. The first delights, the first views from the top… Although this place turned out to be one of the most inexpressive among the Olkha rock climbers, and the impressions continued to grow, the first acquaintance impressed us.
old fortress
old fortress
The path winds along a small river seething between the stones, and soon ends completely, getting lost in the kurumnik. Heaps of stones require caution when moving: although boulders are not “alive” and do not walk underfoot, it is easy to stumble here and fall into the gap between them. Having overcome the first obstacle, we go to the other side ... and see a beautiful road parallel to our path. If they had immediately chosen the opposite coast, delays on the way could have been avoided.
"Old Fortress" Profile of a "Neanderthal" The sign at the fork in the road reads: Old fortress. This is a must see!". We believe, however, not the pointer, but the navigator - and soon we will go to a small pretty rock. It really resembles a fortress tower, but one of the walls has been sawn down: a few years ago, barbaric granite mining was carried out in these parts, and Irkutsk residents gathered rallies, defending the Old Fortress.
A feature of almost all the rocky massifs of Olkha is that even on the way to them in the taiga, small rocky outcrops, often of a bizarre shape, begin to come across. We came across one of these stones, mistaking it for the Fortress. It was followed by another one, and another ... And then we saw the main rock massif. It is difficult to describe the Old Fortress: it is not a single rock, but a huge complex of remnants, each of which, in turn, includes dozens of stone “sculptures”.
Mirrors
And again, the climbing rock is a "trick". Not really remembering what the Mirrors should look like, we gathered before dawn, and already early in the morning, having overcome the climb, we ran into a stone wall - smooth, as if made of flat stone blocks. Why not a mirror? And turning around its corner, we saw the final goal of the path, many times larger than the first rock in scale.
"Mirrors" The landscape here is reminiscent of the Arctic. Kurumnik from huge boulders, overgrown with reindeer moss and ferns, went into the distance, to a rocky ridge of almost triangular shape with a perfectly flat "facade". "Mirrors" rather resemble a huge fin and seem impregnable. However, having tumbled a lot on the kurumnik, we found a quite intelligible path that led up to the very ridge. Perhaps this is one of the most impressive rocks in the massif. There are a minimum of paths and traces of people here, and the views from above allow you to fully appreciate the scale of the Baikal taiga.
bear cubs
Winnie the Pooh with a pot of honey "Medvezhata" is a small but cute rocky rock, located a little further than the "Mirrors", if you go along the same road. It is perfectly visible already from the trail: a low compact remnant, located not even on a hill, but simply in the middle of the taiga. At first glance, the rocker does not live up to its name. But, if you go around it, in one place the figure of Winnie the Pooh with a pot of honey catches your eye. We never found the second bear cub.
Chimeras "Bears" Old Isergil
Profile of the Old Woman Dry trees scorched at the base by a fire, impenetrable windbreaks, a huge nest of a bird of prey on a dried cedar ... Baba Yaga's forest. And above him rises the wrinkled profile of the "hostess" with a hooked nose. This is the rock "Old Woman Izergil". And if you go up to a natural observation deck, a couple of hundred meters away you can see a completely different image: the ruins of a small fortress surrounded by a stone wall with a lonely tower overgrown with gnarled cedars. It even has an "entrance": a natural stone arch. This is the nearby rocky "Bastion". Although it seems that it is within easy reach, it takes quite a long time to climb stones, jump over cracks and wade through thorny thickets.
"Bastion" in the vicinity of the Old Woman The forest around is uncomfortable. The past few years of forest fires have killed most of the trees, and they rise above the freshly grown undergrowth with charred bases, ready to collapse at any moment: it is not worth pitching a tent here.
We did not meet people in these places, but shields and signs begin from the clearing in front of the Stakhukha, explaining the directions along the route "Skalniki Olkhinsky Plateau".
Despite the abundance of signs, the path from the Old Woman does not differ in constancy. Either it turns into a wide, trampled road, or it gets lost in the swamps. There are almost no flat sections on this path: climbs constantly alternate with descents from small nameless rocks. It seems that this path was laid, focusing not on convenience, but on the variety of views and panoramas.
Turtle and Idol
Skalnik "Turtle" Rock "Turtle" can be identified with the reptile of the same name, having only a very rich imagination. But the next monument - "Idol"- it's hard not to know. Many people compare the vertical pillar-idol with the sculptures of Easter Island, and this comparison is justified. Here you can already meet people even on weekdays, and you come across traces of their presence everywhere. Perhaps, the Idol is the only climbing rock on which no climbs were found - except, perhaps, for very categorical options. I had to admire them from below and go around.
Idol On a low tree on the edge of a cliff, a grown chick was seen, which was not at all afraid of people and was not going to fly away, willingly posing in front of the camera almost point-blank.
Siberian
After several days spent in the taiga on sublimates, you rejoice at any variety. Potatoes, left by previous tourists in the parking lot and already bitten by mice, became a real festive dinner. And the place itself was conducive to a leisurely rest in nature: beautiful nature, two steps from the river ...
Stone "bridge" of Sibiryak Skalnik "Sibiryak" in itself is of little interest: it is not too big, has rather simple forms, but powerful, monolithic: perhaps this was the reason for the name. The approaches to it are much more interesting, and especially the natural ford through the Olkha. Huge flat boulders form a natural bridge, almost a pavement, along which it is easy to cross to the other side.
Knight
On the way to Vityaz, the most famous and visited rock climb in the massif, the trail begins to change rapidly. It turns into a trampled road, and numerous shaky bridges and fords across the Olkha are replaced by almost capital bridges made of thick logs.
Vityaz profile Despite the cult of the place, in the clearing in front of the Vityaz we met only one person, and the rock was completely empty, and the profile of the hero towered lonely above the taiga. It looks impressive, although, compared to other rocks, the place is too cultivated and - as a result - littered. Under the sheer overhanging cornice - entertainment for climbers: a bell that you can ring (if you climb). But rock climbing is optional: a well-filled path goes up to a small platform, which offers magnificent views of the river and several other rock masses.
To fully enjoy nature, it is worth going here in the middle of the week: what happens on Vityaz on the weekend is not difficult to imagine, remembering the crowd getting off the train at the Orlyonok station.
Transfer to the massif Podkamennaya
Taiga horseflies Having dealt with the main massif of the Olkha rocks, it is most logical to return to Orlyonok, take the train and get to the Podkamennaya station, where several no less impressive and wilder monuments are hidden in the taiga. But we are not looking for easy ways, and therefore we decided to take a walk. At first, everything went fine: the road goes in the direction we need, the desired fork is slightly overgrown, but - nevertheless - we can easily pass. And then miracles began to happen along the way. In those places where, judging by the map, it was supposed to cross the Komuriasty key (a mixture of the words “mosquito and communal” was spinning in the language), the road first turned into an impassable clearing, and then completely lost in the swamps. There are no ruts, gates, and generally signs that since the time of the heroic Soviet surveyors who put it on the punishment, someone has used it.
In these impenetrable swamps, when a further path had not yet been found, we were attacked by horseflies. There was no escape from the huge, buzzing swarms of insects trailing behind each backpack. Repellents and mosquito nets helped very conditionally. Equally numerous ticks also caused concern, but caused much less inconvenience. In the end, they nevertheless decided to make a detour of several kilometers and go around a bad section along the road: there were no fewer insects, but it turned out to go much faster. And now - a ford through a swampy lowland with a clean (and tasty!) Spring, and behind it - a clearing and a fork in the trodden roads. With a pointer! Right in the taiga, in some places, signs with the local number of the Ministry of Emergency Situations and pointers to key settlements are hung on trees. Exhausted, we put up a tent and fall asleep: everything interesting is tomorrow.
White church
White church So, we are in the Podkamennaya massif. Yesterday's crossing was difficult, but you still need to get to the rocks. According to the navigator White church- right above us. Fortunately, it was not necessary to storm the mountainside: a good road was found, not marked on the map and leading to its top in a serpentine. Nothing resembling a path went to the rock itself: I had to wade through the taiga for the last half a kilometer.
Perhaps any beautiful view makes the greater impression, the more effort is expended to get to it. So it happened with the White Church. Another name for this complex is Shark Fins. And to me, when the first peak appeared over a forest clearing overgrown with weeds and thorns, strewn with rounded boulders, it reminded me of the bizarre mountains of China. Not even real mountains, but those that artists depict on classical creations of Chinese painting. And another miracle: from the highest point of the Church, the phone picked up a signal from some random tower. Despite the early morning (deep night in Moscow), we took this opportunity to contact our relatives.
The "church" is indeed almost white, and the contrast of its light-coloured rocks with the surrounding dark stones is difficult to explain. And all this - on top of a mountain overgrown with impenetrable taiga, with practically no paths and traces of people, except for a rusty brazier brought by someone among thorny bushes.
Shakhtai
Compared to the exhausting transition between the Orlyonka and Podkamennaya massifs, the path from Belaya Tserkov to the mountain Stone Shakhtai seems like an easy walk. It is difficult to call this place a full-fledged rock monument: rather, it is a picturesque viewpoint on the top of a mountain strewn with many rock fragments. Moving along them requires caution and skill: the gaps between the stones are wide and deep. But at the top - a place where from a single small platform you can shoot literally a few dozen impressive panoramas. However, we are already accustomed to the endless views of the taiga to the horizon, and therefore the walk did not take much time. When I got to Shakhtai for the first time, I would certainly spend several hours there.
Views from Shakhtai The main route is almost completed. Since the last stop turned out to be only four kilometers from Podkamennaya, we decided to stop here for the remaining days in order to walk radially light on the surrounding rocks and periodically run into the store: a modest assortment of general store now seemed to us a royal feast. At the same time, there was an opportunity to slowly catch the light and take pictures of the local vegetation, which somehow had not been reached before. Blooming Baikal taiga in June was worth it.
Vinegar and Raven Stone
View from the Vinegar The last two rocks Vinegar and Raven Stone- turned out to be within a radius of small walks from the place of our parking. Vinegar is interesting primarily for its views. The collapsed hunting hut at the foot only adds color. And the Raven Stone is interesting in itself: on one side, this vertical pillar really resembles the profile of a raven. It is also interesting from a climbing point of view: several routes have been carved on the rock, signed and with difficulty categories assigned to them - up to 7A+ inclusive. No simple ones were found among them, and we had to be content with the view from below.
Raven Stone Slyudyanka
Private museum in Slyudyanka The main part of the route is completed, you can pack up the tents and start a “quiet” vacation on Baikal. But it did not turn out to be calm: there are a lot of interesting things in the vicinity. For example, the Museum of Minerals in Slyudyanka. It started as a private collection, and today it is a unique and rather large collection, which is still maintained through the efforts of the founder. No less than the collection itself, the design of the museum is interesting. Space landscapes are depicted on the ceiling, and images of miners, crystals and views of the Wild West hang on the walls. You can even spend the night in the museum - more precisely, in the guest house on the side, overlooking the impressive "rock garden". What we, after daily transitions and overnight stays in a tent, took advantage of with pleasure.
A low, lonely mountain above Slyudyanka is just asking to be climbed. Despite the lack of views of the snow-capped peaks of Khamar-Daban, there is something to see there - primarily from the point of view of botany. There is no path to the top, but the climb is not difficult, and the local flora brings new surprises literally with every step. Some slipper orchids, which are very rare in our country, and the entire Khamar-Daban is literally overgrown with them, in one small area, several species and color forms were counted. The “embankment” of the Slyudyanka River, fenced off from the village by a dam from spills, is like a city park: it is quite crowded here. On a rock near the river there is a small homemade altar, and nearby is a scree, which we greedily attacked, being impressed by the Slyudyanka mineral collections from the museum. No rarities were found, but pretty calcite crystals and, of course, images of mica were added to the collection.
In Slyudyanka, houses are already beginning to be found that have a feature characteristic of Buryatia: their walls are covered with a kind of wooden tile resembling fish scales. Surprisingly, even Soviet-style five-story buildings are finished this way.
Baikal and Warm Lakes
Baikal is always beautiful. Despite the fact that a railway runs along the coast closest to our route, there is where to take a walk. Between Utulik and Baikalsk, the "piece of iron" moves away from the shore, and a practically undeveloped peninsula protrudes into the lake.
The water here is icy in June: in the fast mountain streams of the Olkha basin, it was even warmer. Therefore, you have to swim quickly. A leisurely walk Utulik-Baikalsk takes two or three hours. The landscapes around are pleasant, the coast is quite clean for the outskirts of the city, and we can easily pass a small ford through a river flowing about halfway.
Koryazhka In the very Baikalsk there is practically nothing to do (except for smoked omul). Although the pulp and paper mill has recently closed, and timid attempts are being made on the city's waterfront to make some semblance of a resort area, devastation and desolation are felt in the city. A park with rusty, non-working Soviet-era attractions only enhances the effect, and the brightly painted plaster "monument" to strawberries looks completely strange.
Weather reports made adjustments to future plans. It's cold and wet - what kind of Khamar-Daban is there ... Let's reschedule for a day. In the meantime, let's check if they are really warm Warm Lakes in such weather.
Warm lakes Three lakes - Emerald, Warm and Dead ("renamed" on many tourist resources into "Fairy Tale") are located near the Vydrino station. To get to them, you need to climb up the Snezhnaya River. The road is wide, automobile, and "civilian" vacationers are periodically brought along it. Without checking whether the entry to the Emerald checkpoint really had a fee for visiting, we turned onto the first forest path that came across, followed it - and soon found ourselves on the lakeshore in a place much more picturesque than the “civilian” part. On the other side of this, the most inhabited of the three lakes, stands a small brick chapel. There is no road to it - only a narrow path, and materials for construction were brought by water. Several wooden benches with angels are scattered along the banks, clearly the work of the same carver. The faces of all the sculptures are unusually alive.
Despite the accumulation of people on the “civilian” beach, the other two lakes turned out to be practically deserted: one could finally feel alone with nature. The shores of all three lakes are slightly swampy, and getting out after swimming on a pillow of soft sphagnum is an inexpressible feeling. The water in them is really warm - much warmer than you might expect. Despite this, there are no hot springs below: it’s just that the lakes are shallow and warm up well, and the Dead one freezes to the very bottom in winter, which is probably why it got its first name (and that’s why there is no fish in it).
Khamar-Daban. Peak Porozhisty
Bridge The Babkha River flows from the peaks of Khamar-Daban, sometimes flooding large areas, sometimes forming narrow rocky canyons. Passing up along it and its tributaries, you can go to one of the most beautiful peaks of this mountain range - Porozhisty Peak. The route, designed for two or three days, we decided to try to cover in a day, leaving the village of Utulik at dawn, in order to return well after midnight.
The snowy peaks are not visible yet, but the low mountains around, the taiga, numerous rocks and bridges over Babkha make the road very picturesque: the path to the start of the ascent is passed quickly. The dense taiga is replaced by high-mountain woodlands, and the lower branches of trees are increasingly overgrown with long beards of lichens: the mountain tundra will soon begin.
The ascent to the Porozhisty begins from a large alpine meadow surrounded by peaks, on which even in June snow is visible here and there. You can’t call it a “path”: a stream flows down the steep slope of the mountain, winding through the rubble of stone blocks. On these blockages, sometimes slippery and difficult to pass, you have to climb up, periodically using rock-climbing skills. This is the most difficult section of the route on the route.
The nature here is already different: the height affects, and the forest-tundra is replaced by rare heaps of elfin cedar; rhododendron blooms en masse, and there are more and more lichens on the stones. The first small snowfields appear and - to our dumb joy - streams of tasty drinking water (the Babkha with its tributaries has remained below for a long time). Behind the next turn, a view suddenly opens up of the entire journey made during the day, the great lake and the city of Baikalsk are shown, which seems to be very close (in fact, fifteen kilometers in a straight line to it).
Mountain Lake A long tedious ascent through the rubble ends with a relatively flat alpine meadow with small rocky islands. It is not as extensive as the circus at the foot, but much more picturesque. Around - impressive snowfields, from which many streams originate, the foothills of Khamar-Daban remaining at the bottom, bushes of flowering rhododendron and rocks going up to the very peak.
Vertex It's impossible to find a way out of here. It is not only perfectly visible, but also marked with stone tours: from each of these signs, the next one is visible. The best views of the entire route begin in this place and do not leave the traveler to the very top of the Porozhisty peak.
The path to the top passes along a narrow ridge, among the intertwining roots of the dwarf cedar. It constantly seems that it will end at the next bend, and then you will have to balance on the stones. Suddenly, a view opens down, onto a fairly large Mountain Lake. And soon the end point of the path is shown, crowned with a kind of sign of sticks and ribbons.
Views from the summit Here - the highest point of this section of the array. All the surrounding crusts remained below, you can enjoy the beautiful panorama, turn your face to the wind, admiringly turn your head in all directions and take a symbolic sip of cognac - for "taking" the peak.
The descent turned out to be easier: although several times we stopped at the edge of another sheer cliff and thought where to turn, in general the road turned out to be more obvious than up. Time was running out: having descended to the clearing of the base camp, we found a magical evening light, but he also said that it was not worth pulling downhill: there was no question of returning before dark, but at least going down to a well-trodden path - is a must. More than thirty kilometers a day in the mountains is no joke.
The next morning, after the forced march to the peak, we were no longer able to move independently over long distances: literally everything hurt. The owners of the guest house, Fedor and Natalya, offered us a sightseeing trip to Buryatia, to Arshan, famous for its mineral waters, looking into one of the Buddhist datsans and into the crater of an extinct volcano along the way. We agreed, although we were not interested in the opportunity to drink mineral water in a covered Soviet-style pavilion, but in nature - views of the Sayans, the river canyon and an impressive waterfall.
The scenery around is really worth seeing. Unless it's too crowded, and the most beautiful places of the route - the white rocks around the waterfall - turned out to be covered with many autographs of "civilized vacationers": I'm sure that such a thing would not have occurred to any "wild" tourist here. But in general - it turned out quite a worthy end to an interesting trip. At the end of the path, in the mouth of an extinct volcano, another “gift” was waiting for us: hundreds of bright bluebird butterflies, sitting in compact clusters, took a fancy to its foot. Early in the morning, before dawn - return train to Iruktsk.
And the low Primorsky ridge is a unique area, the so-called Olkhinsky plateau.
On the maps, this area forms the shape of a regular triangle, it is limited from the south by the waters of Lake Baikal, the waters of the large Irkutsk reservoir and the Irkut valley. This is a hill covered with mixed forests with elevations of 500-800 m with unique granite rock outcrops up to 75 m, not inferior in their natural value to the Krasnoyarsk pillars, but not so popular among tourists.
The most famous remains on the Olkhinsky plateau are the Vityaz rock, 30 m high, the Idol rock, 20 m high, the Mirror rocks, 16 m high, and the bizarre rock with a clearly visible face - the Old Woman Izergil, 25 m high. highest point the plateau became the city of Kamen Moigoty with a mark of 1222 m. The main rocks are located in the valley of the picturesque mountain river Bolshaya Olkha, which gave the name to this elevated orographic unit.
Vicinities of the Olkhinsky plateau
There are a lot of interesting natural and man-made objects in the vicinity of the Olkhinsky plateau rock formations. A very picturesque picture is the mountain river Bolshaya Olkha itself, on its banks you can have a pleasant rest on a day off, because it is located very close to Irkutsk. In the south, the plateau approaches closely, and abruptly breaks off to Baikal, forming picturesque rocky cliffs and steep cliffs.
At their foot there is a section of the Trans-Siberian Railway, often called the "golden buckle" or its Circum-Baikal section. From it, passengers can enjoy magnificent panoramas of Lake Baikal. Branch from Art. Slyudyanka II to the village. Baikal, only 89 km away, is a state-protected monument of unique engineering structures.
There are 38 tunnels in the rocky coast of the lake with a total length of 9063 m. There are also 15 rock galleries with a length of 295 m, 3 reinforced concrete galleries, 248 bridges and high viaducts, up to 270 retaining walls strengthening the route. By the number of unique engineering structures, this section of the road has no analogues in the country.
From the very north-east of the Olkhon plateau in a south-western direction, the federal highway M-55 or P258 "Baikal" passes through its territory, on the canvas of which 296 bridges were built, the road is replete with sharp turns and serpentines. The Tunkinsky tract A333 departs from this highway to Mongolia and the Kyakhtinsky tract A340 to Buryatia.
Climate
The climate on the Olkhinsky Plateau belongs to a sharply continental type, with an average January temperature of -22°C, closer to the coast of Baikal it is noticeably warmer than -18°C. The temperature minimum on the plateau is -45оС. Since the end of October, snow has been falling here, its cover during the winter reaches 1 meter, but with the absence of steep slopes, there is no avalanche danger on the plateau.
The average July temperatures on the plateau are +18°C, on the Baikal coast in summer it is noticeably cooler than +15°C. The temperature maximum in summer reaches +33оС, +35оС. In addition to northwestern winds, with the general transport of air masses, dry winds often blow from the south from Mongolia, bringing moisture from Lake Baikal and the shores of the Irkutsk reservoir. Precipitation on the plateau falls annually 400-450 mm.
Weekend on the Olkhinsky Plateau
If the weekend is ahead, a fascinating trip to the stone idols of the Olkhinsky plateau in any season of the year will be a wonderful place to relax. This route, due to its saturation and accessibility, can become a wonderful active mountain adventure. More than half of the walking route from the Orlyonok station to the rock climbs runs along the Olkha River, which is beautiful at any time.
In the Soviet years, the granite remnant "Vityaz", known among all the rock climbers, was very popular with climbers and vacationing students. Every weekend, a crowded train brought up to several hundred tourists to the Orlyonok station, who enjoyed spending their free time on the plateau.
Here, on the Vityaz, rock climbing competitions were regularly held by local athletes. Hammered bolts are visible on the rock, indicating 19 climbing routes, their length is from 25 to 35 meters, the highest difficulty category is V and VI. "Vityaz" is a wonderful climbing wall with many monolithic sections, shelves and plumb lines. In September, a local bard festival, which has already become traditional, is held here near the rock.
The path to the "Vityaz"
On the platform, breathing in the clean coniferous air, perhaps with a group of fellow travelers, you should go to the bridge over the Olkha. At the beginning of the journey, you should familiarize yourself with the route at a special information stand. Behind the bridge there will be a fork of two mountain paths. Now you don’t need to be interested in the gentle “lower path” that goes straight along the logging road along the Olkha, it will be convenient to return to the bridge at the end of the journey along it.
A more difficult and spectacular route should be started from the "upper path" going to the right. The most difficult here will be the first ascent to the power line, but when it ends, you can enjoy a very picturesque descent along the ridge to the very foot of the Vityaz rock. On the route, it is very important not to make a mistake with the search for the right path near the power lines, the road here will go to the right, but you need to find the path that goes to the Vityaz ridge to the left. Having come out correctly on the ridge, you can safely go down to the foot of the rock for about 1.5 hours.
If tourists have two or three days off in reserve, you can take your time to get acquainted with the surroundings and spend the night at the first rock in a log cabin or a felt yurt at the Vityaz camp site of the same name. 12 people can stay in two yurts at the same time, the cost of a daily stay at the base is 400 rubles per person.
Buildings appeared here quite recently, 5-6 years ago due to the great popularity of this route among the townspeople. When it's warm, in a large clearing near the base, you can put up a tent and make radial exits to each of the rocks, explore lesser known groups of rocks, just enjoy being in nature.
Path to the Idol
The nearest rock along the route from the Vityaz is the graceful rock rock Idol, similar to Easter idols. It is a column-like 20-meter monolith visible from a distance with a characteristic larger slab on top, resembling a headdress. It was for this accessory, which made the Siberian rock look like with overseas idols of Easter, that it got its name.
It is quite easy to walk from the Vityaz along a well-trodden, well-marked path that goes to the right to the Idol for about 3 km. In the middle of the path, after 1.5 km there will be a small wooden bridge, it can also serve as a guide. With a simple crossing, the path bifurcates again, to the left the path goes to the buildings of the Skazka winter hut, to the right you can go 1.5 km to the Idol. Very close to the "Idol" is another well-known rock "Turtle".
Path to the Old Woman
The path from the "Idol" to the rock "Old Woman" will not be so noticeable and you need to be more careful. Skalnik got its name for its resemblance to the face of an old woman, according to a clearly visible protruding "nose", angry "eyes" and a wrinkled "face". Having determined the further direction, it is necessary to prepare for the section of the path through the burnt forest. But on this 4.5 km trail, everyone will feel like the heroes of Tolkien's fantastic works because of the similarity of local landscapes.
Here it is important not to get lost and to accurately follow the marking red signs on the trees and special signs. It is from the "Old Woman", past the "Vityaz", along the "lower path" 10 km you can walk back to the station. "Eaglet". In total, the length of the ring route along the paths and rocks of the unique area will be 22 km.
By car to Vityaz
Among the members of local car clubs, the difficult road to the Vityaz rock has long been known. You can go to the famous rocks here on all-wheel drive cars. From Bolshoy Lug to the rock can be reached by forest inconspicuous roads with many fords 20.5 km, but be sure to take a guide. Numerous forest forks can easily confuse even experienced motorists.
From the village it is necessary to move to the southeast past the garbage dump in the valley of Molta. After 4 and 11 km, at well-marked forks, you need to turn right, and only at the third fork, after 12 km, turn left uphill to the pass. Along the road everywhere lie blocks of stones with holes drilled into them.
13 km after the start of the descent from the pass, you need to move to the right downhill and go along the large Zyryansky stream. After the next 14 km, turn right again and move 2 km to a small concrete bridge across the Olkha River. Having overcome the bridge, you should follow the signs “to Vityaz”, and a little later on the 19th km turn off the knurled road downhill to the foot of the rock.
How to get to the Olkhinsky plateau
From Irkutsk to the Olkhinsky plateau, you should move along the Kultuksky tract to the city of Shelekhov, here turn left at the Rosneft gas station in the direction of the villages of Bolshoi Lug and Olkha. The highway runs along the railway track through these settlements to the Orlyonok station. At the station, you can leave your car in a special parking lot and walk, or take a pleasant bike ride of 7-8 km along the Olkha riverbed to the loaches themselves.
You can go from Irkutsk to the Orlyonok station by train from the Irkutsk-Passenger station in the direction of Temnaya Pad, the journey takes up to 1.5 hours. Upon arrival at Orlyonok, you can get into an organized group or take a walk on your own to the Vityaz rock climb, which is popular here. Along the well-trodden path 2.5 km into the forest to the beautiful rock "Idol", similar to the idols of Easter Island.
This material is intended to Guide to help, first of all, beginners to explore the Olkha plateau.
For ease of use in the text, the key fork points are indicated with their serial numbers(in blue). These numbers, together with the points, are indicated on the maps, with tracks marked on them. In addition, all key points are listed in the final section - Appendix, and also with serial numbers highlighted in blue.
The number of tourists using GPS navigation in one form or another is growing, I hope this material will be especially useful for them, and others will be encouraged to use the already very widespread programs for navigation and training.
We will focus primarily on cross-country skiing routes. Of course, in the taiga, sometimes the amount of snow is such that wider skis than cross-country skis may be needed ... Nevertheless, after someone passes and tramples the ski track, participants on ordinary cross-country shoes will follow this "hero".
If you put on the map most of the famous ski routes, you get a very tangled tangle, which only an experienced tourist can unravel. Our goal is to help everyone who yearns for the wild, quiet taiga and soft, sometimes their own, ski tracks master all the interesting paths.
To complete the picture, we will consider all popular starting and finishing starting points, famous forest roads and winter roads, as well as the main nodal points - intersections and forks, some special interesting places- rock climbs, passes, camp sites, etc.
If the description is approached formally, the start of the ski route through the Olkhinsky plateau can be the city of Irkutsk, and the finish line - the city of Slyudyanka. At least one example of such a heroic day trip is known to me. However, this is completely exotic, and in fact it is already a super marathon with elements of survival. We will limit ourselves to one-day crossings of a maximum of 70-80 km, no more.
From Irkutsk you can get to the Olkhinskoye plateau on skis along the well-known route Akadem-Bolshoy Lug. Once it was very popular, there were competitions, and even night ones. However, due to intensive cottage development and the development of the road network, the route has lost its attractiveness, although it is still supported by enthusiasts.
The most convenient way to get to the Olkhinsky plateau in winter is by train.
Most popular stops: Rassokha , Eaglet , Lights , Difficult , Podkamennaya , Sanatorium , Deep , Moving. These are both starting and finishing points. Rassokha, Orlyonok, Ogonki can also be reached by car. However, road conditions can be very different. This is especially true for Ogonki, where you should not go by car without all-wheel drive. There may also be problems with passing in the presence of oncoming traffic. To Podkamennaya, Glubokaya and Pereezd - no problem by car, but what will you do next? Routes from these points are non-circular.
So, let's start unraveling the tangle from the Glubokaya station. We do not consider moving, since these are primarily routes to Baikal and Slyudyanka, or towards Irkut and, for example, to Shamanka. There are also routes towards Irkut from Glubokaya and Podkamennaya stations, they are not considered here. Relevant topics can be found on Angara.Net.