Natural beauty of the Sofia Gorge. From the Sofia Sedlo pass to the Kozhukhov pass The road to the Sofia Falls

Beginning tourists can also climb the Sofia Sedlo pass (n/k, altitude 2600 m). A good and convenient trail makes the climb not so difficult and allows you to enjoy the bird's eye view of the protected Kizgych valley and the top of the Marukh gorge.

The path runs from the “Glacier Farm” through the ridge of a short spur that protrudes from the Cheget-Chat massif. For two hundred meters the climb is quite steep, then the ridge of the spur smoothes out, and you smoothly emerge to alpine meadows located a little higher and to the left of the lowest point of the pass. During the ascent, which takes from 2 to 3 hours, the majestic Mount Sofia gradually rises in front of you. As you get closer, you can see many new features on the glacier and its summit dome.

Tourists who climb the pass are breathtaking from the beauty and grandeur of the panorama that opens. In front of you is the failure of the Kizgych valley with a sparkling ribbon of the river, which appears on gray pebble shallows and disappears into dark forests. The backdrop for this view is the Uzhum ridge, along whose steep spurs silvery waterfalls flow, framed by black wedges of fir forests. At its junction with the Main Ridge, the deep snowy saddle of the Kurella Pass and the sparkling Bugoichat glacier are visible. The final chord of this panorama is the formidable peaks of Kara-Kaya and Marukh-Bashi, visible in the background.

Unfortunately, there is no easy descent to the Kizgych River. Below you can only find deep mudflow ravines and steep rocks. The trail became heavily overgrown after a strict conservation regime was introduced in the valley. The further route lies somewhat to the left and amazes with its diversity. Near the top of the ridge the vegetation is rather poor, small areas of the rocky surface are covered with moss and sparse grass. Lower down the slope you already have to step on a continuous carpet of forbs, which is decorated with bright blue spots of hyacinths. The border of this splendor is framed by golden-white lilies, shading the bushes that extend further. In the crooked birch forest we take a little to the right and go out to the beginning of a steep serpentine road laid between huge fir trees. The entire descent from the pass to the reserve house (1570 m) in the Baga-Tala clearing takes about three hours.

Glacier Farm tract - Sophia Sedlo pass (2600 m, n/c). The length of the route is 6 km, the duration of the journey is 5 hours.

The glacier farm is located near the shaft of the last large moraine remaining from the retreating glacier, hanging from above in blue blocks. We start the path from the moraine in an easterly direction up a steep slope. It is better to climb the serpentine road in order to save energy for the further journey.
During the ascent, a beautiful view of the valley of the Sofia River opens up, right up to the Abishira-Ahuba ridge, which closes Arkhyz from the north with a flat wall.
Gradually, the slope becomes flatter and soon a small plateau of the Sofia Sedlo pass opens in front of us, located at an altitude of 2600 m. Turning to the east, you can see the narrow Kizgych valley, which is a mountain gorge between high steep rocks.
The flat bottom of the valley is silvered with numerous branches of the meandering river. Numerous white pebble islands look beautiful surrounded by steep slopes covered with dense forest. The striping of the forest cover is quite unusual. At the avalanche site, the place of brittle fir trees was taken by light green birch trees, the cheerful colors of which now alternate with dark fir needles and silvery stripes of waterfalls. From the east, the valley is limited by the Uzhum ridge, overgrown with birch forests on top.

Above the forest belt, the slopes become gentler, which, along with the climate, served as an ideal combination for the growth of subalpine and alpine meadows.

Closer to the top, on the Uzhum ridge, characteristic traces of glacier retreat are noticeable. In the southern part, where it abuts the Main Range, the Bugoychat Pass is clearly visible, and next to it is a glacier with the same name. Further, behind the Uzhum ridge, one can discern the sharp peaks of Marukh-Bashi and Kara-Kaya, which are part of the Main Ridge.

Just above the pass, on the southern side, you can see the Sofia Glacier, which has an area of ​​2.57 square meters. km, which is assigned the first category. The edges of the glacier were pierced by sharp teeth of rocks, and a steep ledge located on the edge of the ravine turned into a “ram’s forehead” after the passage of the glacier. A significant melting of the glacier was noticed by N.A. Bush back in 1904. Then its lower level was 60m below the current level.
The Sofia Sedlo pass owes its rich collection of flowers to its location in the area of ​​subalpine meadows.

Subalpine crops are primarily represented by tall cereals, which sway beautifully in the fresh wind. Brown reed grass and lilac variegated fescue create unforgettable waves of color, generously diluted with large bright flowers. White bunches of anemone inflorescences, pink knotweed and yellow Caucasian buttercups stand out noticeably. The lilac-pink heads of the capital capitula grandiflora and the light pink stars of astrantia are generously scattered around. From a distance you can see the inflorescences of the giant capitate. Particularly lucky ones may be lucky enough to see the rarest plant, the common lily.

Alpine meadows are located at the peaks of Cheget-Chat at an altitude of more than 2,000 m above sea level. The flora here is characterized by low growth, among which you can see squat fescue, bright blue gentian and yellow navel. The large corolla of Bieberstein's bluebell is adjacent to pink alpine aster, pale pink anemone and blue speedwell. Near the stones you can see the stars of Caucasian minuartia, cinquefoil and cat's foot flowers.

Near the snowfields there are unforgettable alpine lawns covered with bright primroses, corydalis, buttercups, forget-me-nots, hazel grouse, geraniums and dream grass.

You can visit the Kizgych valley, which has a strict conservation regime, only after obtaining permission from the reserve management. Plants and animals previously listed in the Red Book of the USSR are protected by law.

For me, travel usually starts on the train. At the very moment when the backpack is thrown up, the bed linen is made, the tea is brewed. You can sit on the bottom shelf, watch the fields and forests rush by outside the window, and understand: this is the real thing. You're already on your way.

Several trains awaited me this summer. The very first of them is the Kazan-Nevinnomysk train. One small but proud club of travelers and I went on a mountain hike to Arkhyz.

Arkhyz is a mountainous region of the Caucasus, the Republic of Karachay-Cherkessia. It is considered one of the most beautiful and accessible mountain routes.

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I didn’t expect anything from the trip in advance. I knew that we would have to see Mount Sofia and climb several passes. You could say it’s my habit to not expect anything from a trip other than beautiful views and good company. These two expectations are always fulfilled. The rest comes as a nice bonus.

Nevinnomysk is a familiar city. I’ve been there before; all our travels around the Caucasus begin here. The train arrives here, and from here we leave for the beginning of the route. For my next trip, I want to read about its history and attractions. Because it’s a mess: many times I come to this city, but I only know where the station is and the grocery store closest to the station.

Immediately after the train, we transferred to the ordered minibus and went to the Taulu clearing. Our route began from this clearing.

I don’t know about you, but when I heard the words “Taulu Glade,” I imagined a wide clearing in the middle of the forest. In fact, it turned out to be like a small village - souvenir stalls, horse rentals, summer houses where they cook delicious khychin.

Khychins are a different story. If you ever visit the Caucasus, be sure to try this dish. You will not regret. It would seem like just a flatbread with filling. What makes it so delicious? Mountains against which you eat it? The caring hands of the owner who baked it? To come to the Caucasus and not try Khychin and Karachay lemonade is to miss something very important. Each housewife has different khychins, you can try them endlessly.

We found a free place, set up tents, left our things there and went for a light walk to the Eaglet waterfall.

I am glad that such trails are appearing in the Caucasus. Not every traveler will look for information about the flora and fauna of the places they travel to, but here everything is shown and described.

We saw the waterfall from afar, but didn’t come close. Here, for the first time on this trip, we drank handfuls of water from a mountain river. Cold, until your teeth ache, crystal clear and clean.

Of course, there were some photos with the waterfall in the background.

The first day is always a little chaotic - photographers take pictures of everything, people who went to the mountains for the first time admire... Remembering my first mountains, I understand that it was the same with me before. There was delight, euphoria from the beauty that surrounds me on all sides.

Now, after several trips, I understand that the perception has changed. The euphoria went away, and the calm joy of the meeting came. On the morning of the second day, I stood in silence (I woke up early), looked at the peaks that were visible in the distance, and mentally said to them: “Hello. I'm back".

We spent the night in the Taulu clearing. On the second day in the morning we collected our backpacks and went to the Glacier Farm tract. There must have been a real farm there before. Now it’s just a point on the map with an interesting name.

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Along the way we saw the majestic Mount Sofia - the first beauty of these places (height 3637 m).

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Day two is time to check your backpack. Is everything packed well? Does anything dangle when you walk? Do your shoes chafe? On the second day it’s easy - the vivid impressions outweigh the inconveniences. My back gets used to the backpack, my legs get used to the boots, my hands get used to the trekking poles. And the head at this time lives a separate life. Looks around. Catches impressions.

On the way to the Glacier Farm we had to cross several rivers. There were makeshift bridges everywhere, so we coped with this task easily.

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The evening brought with it clouds and fog. They set up the tents quickly, looking anxiously at the sky. Fortunately, the rain only “scared” us: it turned out to be light and ended quickly.

I want it to always be clear during the hike, but in the mountains you need to see different weather. Watch how the gray wisps of clouds slowly slide into the valley, how the rain knocks on the awning of the tent. Mountains have different faces. Sometimes affectionate, sometimes menacing.

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By nightfall the sky finally cleared. Another point that no camping trip is complete without: at night, before climbing into the tent, I look at the stars. In the mountains they look completely different. Brighter. The Milky Way is visible. If you know what to look for, you can find many constellations there. True, so far all I can do is find Cassiopeia, Ursa Major and Ursa Minor.

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The third day was a “radial” day. The main camp remained at the “Glacier Farm”, and we went for a light walk towards the Sofia Falls and the Sofia Saddle pass.

There are many Sofia waterfalls - a whole wall from which stormy streams flow. You can’t help but remember Hollywood films where heroes swim under a waterfall, standing right under the water jets... You can’t stand like that under the Sofia Falls. The water flows in a powerful stream. Even just stopping nearby, you instantly get wet to the skin from the small splashes that fly in different directions. Majestic and formidable element.

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We also didn’t manage to get over the waterfalls right away; we had to jump on pebbles. And then I realized the beauty of good shoes. With good trekking boots you can step in water and your boots will stay dry. The main thing is that the water does not overflow.

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A pass is a place where you can “cross” a mountain range. Simply put, a place through which you can cross from one mountain valley to another. Usually from the passes you have a very beautiful view of two valleys at once - the one from which you came and the one where you are descending.

The height of the Sofia Saddle pass is 2640 m. We went up there closer to lunch and found a “turik” with a note. This is a tradition of tourist groups: on many passes you can see towers made of stones - “turiks”, inside this “turik” there is a note from the previous group that visited the pass. You take this note and leave yours instead. Previously, when not every tourist group had a camera, such a note was a way to prove that you really climbed the pass. Now, among other things, this is a way to say hello to the group that climbed there a few hours, days or weeks after you.

View from the Sofia Saddle pass to the valley of the Sofia River (from where we came and where we will go down).

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View of another valley.

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From the pass we descended back into the valley of the Sofia River. We spent the night again at the Glacier Farm.

On the fourth day, we packed our backpacks and went to the Irkiz pass (altitude 2880 m). It is higher than the Sofia Col, but is also quite accessible for climbing. For example, several people in swimsuits and sandals walked past us. Let’s omit what concerns the safety of climbing over rocks in sandals, but the fact remains that anyone can climb the Irkiz Pass.

There is a myth that any mountain trekking is difficult. Yes, it’s difficult at times, but nothing beyond what an ordinary physically healthy person could do. I myself work in an office most of the year, but that doesn’t stop me from going to the mountains every summer.

Irkiz was not easy for me: climbing up under the scorching sun is tiring. Therefore, many groups try to leave as early as possible. Until the morning coolness leaves, the going is easier.

Finally, the hollow of the pass appeared... And the screams of those walking ahead were heard. The screams mean only one thing - the view from the pass is stunning. And so it turned out. From the Irkiz pass you can see the Sofia Lakes.

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Oh, these mountain lakes! If I could write poetry, I would definitely tell about them. The water in them comes in different colors. Sofia lakes are turquoise and sparkle in the sun like a precious stone. Cold ones are terrible!

They say summer came late to these places. One of the Sofia lakes is still not completely cleared of ice.

Irkiz is a fairly visited pass. There were a lot of people here that day. A real conveyor belt - get up, take a photo, move to the side so as not to interfere with the next group. True, not everyone went down to the other side, to the lakes. We went down. We found a suitable place for tents and set up camp.

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The bravest and most frost-resistant went for a swim, but I just watched from the shore. Well, I’m not drawn to such feats, I’m not.

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All around is a paradox familiar to mountains. There is snow, but as long as the sun is shining, it’s hot, you can wear a T-shirt. You can even sunbathe, but few take the risk. There are reflective surfaces around - water, snow. You'll get burned and won't notice. In the evening, as soon as the sun disappears behind the peaks, it becomes so cold that it’s time to put on a warm jacket and hat. However, we were lucky - this night turned out to be warm.

When you go hiking regularly, you quietly develop your own little traditions. I have several of them, one of them is to definitely see the sunrise in the mountains.

The dawn of the fifth day was fabulous. The clouds descended, covered the mountain range that rose ahead, and left only the very tips of the peaks. It seemed that there was a white sea ahead, and the peaks were distant islands in this sea.

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Everything around became pink: clouds, snow, water, Sofia. The combination of mountains and clouds delights me, I can’t help it. This is probably one of those things that I can look at forever.

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We greeted the sun with songs and tea.

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They didn't go to bed anymore. We slowly prepared breakfast, got ready and went to the Karadzhash pass. It is even higher than Irkiz (its height is 2960 m), and the road to it is more difficult. There is some “powder” and snow. We met fewer people on this trail than when climbing Irkiz. Some groups overtook us, some were caught in front of us. Despite the O higher altitude, it was easier for me to climb Karadjash than Irkiz. Perhaps because it wasn't that hot that day. In addition, we spent the night quite high up, so the altitude gain that day was small.

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On Karajash we again found a “turik” and a note (it turned out to be in a champagne bottle), left ours in return and began to descend into the valley of the Psysh River.

View from the pass. We climbed up from this side.

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View from the pass to another valley.

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During the descent, it was no longer Sofia that stood in front of us, but other high peaks of this area - mountains Psysh (3535 m) and Pshish (3790 m).

We met several groups coming up to meet us from the valley of the Psysh River. They “delighted” us - the bridge over the Psysh River was washed away, we would have to ford. It's a shame, but there's no escape. There is no path along this shore.

When we descended a little from Karajash, a wide plateau unfolded in front of us - an almost flat space strewn with flowers. Summer in the Caucasus is beautiful - you walk through the mountains, and around you are flowers, flowers... Of all the things we encountered on the route, I recognized only rhododendrons and thyme. In general, there were a lot more flowers!

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After Karadzhash you can see Lake Kraternoe, but we never approached it: we were looking for a path down, and when we found it, we immediately began to go down. We will consider this a reason to return to Arkhyz again.

The descent down was long. Until you visit the mountains, you think that going down is easier than going up. After this descent, many said: “It would be better if we climbed Karajash again!”

There is a rather steep slope, first you go down along the plateau, then through the forest. We went down for almost two and a half hours. When you go down, you don’t lose your breath, but you still get tired. There are roots and stones around, you have to be doubly careful so as not to trip and not “kill” your knees. And this is where trekking poles come in handy. They reduce stress on the legs.

Finally, this endless descent ended, and we found ourselves on the banks of the Psysh River. And immediately the next test is a ford.

We decided to wander the river that same day and split into “walls” of four or five people. It’s difficult to pass through this stream alone - it will blow you away. A guy can still do it, but a girl – not always. We crossed in shoes - barefoot is dangerous. It is unknown that there, under water, it is easy to get hurt or slip. We crossed quite quickly, it took us longer to get ready than to walk.

I have long promised to write a review of the Arkhyz region on the Arkhyz website and to my friends. And I realized that I needed to do it in parts. Everything at once turns out too voluminous. As a result, it was possible to make an easy description of the ascent to Nadezhda Peak. Now I decided to start the part from the Sofia Sedlo pass to the Kozhukhov pass. I would like to warn you right away that the description does not claim to be the ultimate truth, but represents parts of my own experience in this area. Since everything described below was walked without descriptions, on a whim, it may not coincide with how others walked. Official descriptions from Zaporozhchenko fell into the hands of only two years ago. And I will illustrate the text with diagrams from the book “Arkhyz Mountaineer” because it was published in only 300 copies and finding this book is problematic.
The beginning of the Sofia ridge from the Sofia Saddle pass begins from a clearing and follows the path of the left bank of the river in the direction of the waterfalls. The trail is well packed with crowds of tourists and it’s hard to get lost. After the stone with the sign to the left of the path, we pass to a birch grove and below it we take a right along the rhododendron thickets. We see a couloir ahead. On the left its walls are steep slopes. Kislovodsk. On the right side of the couloir there is an old path. But in dry weather you can also climb along the slabs of the couloir. At the beginning of summer there may be snow in it. It's better to go down the path.
Having risen above the couloir onto a horizontal shelf, we turn left in the direction of a black wet crevice. To the left of it begins the horizontal shelf of the path above the sheep's foreheads. Here you need to choose the path very carefully so as not to end up in dumps.
After the stream, the path goes up and to the left. And after a while it drops sharply down to a large stone. The descent is usually quite wet. From the stone we move along the rhododendrons with a slight climb to the first large stream. The path through the rhododendrons is clearly visible. Animals often pass here. Cross the stream above a large rock on the left bank. Sometimes snow bridges remain at the top. Be sure to secure with a rope! Anyone who falls into the river will easily be carried to the waterfall; the consequences are not difficult to imagine.
After the crossing, we cross a small moraine and a second stream, along the right side of the stream we rise to the sheep's foreheads and along the shelves and slope we come out to the ridge of the old moraine. Behind him. A path goes up the ridge towards Sofia and a bridge between the peaks of Kislovodsk and Panagyurishte. Higher up on the moraine there is still room for a couple of tents. But it’s uncomfortable and windy there. And the gain in time is 20-30 minutes at most. Another parking lot can be organized near Topal-Kaya, but this is not for everyone.
You can clearly see it from the first parking lot. From this point there is reliable VHF communication with the base at Glacier Farm. The approach for those familiar with the trail and light backpacks takes about 3 hours.
The path up the moraine towards Sofia leads to the North-East Sofia Glacier. Routes 2A to Sofia and other circus peaks begin here. We are moving along the glacier in the direction of the peak of the 100th anniversary of the Liberation of Bulgaria. From here you can already see the long shelf of route 2A to Sofia. Having reached the flat part, you can move in the direction of the selected peaks. .
There are four routes to the top of Velingrad. Three are included in the classifier

. From the bridge between Topal-Kaya there is route 1B. Ascent to the col on steep snow on the right. At the end of summer there is ice and bergschrund in the middle part. According to the official description, the route goes along the ridge. In my opinion, it is more convenient to walk along the shelves on the left side of the ridge and move to the right side. Along the wide shelf below the ridge, approach the first key. In the description, this is a wall of 3-4 m and a steepness of 60°. The steepness coincides, . Walking on friction in boots is scary, but in galoshes it’s 1B!!! And after a breakdown, it’s still the same amount of time to fly below the belay point.
We go around the key to the right along the shelf and up to the ridge. Along the ridge to the summit gendarme and to the top. The second key in the description is on the right side of the outer corner with a height of 15 m and a steepness of 75-80° . Good "unit"! The peak of Velingrad is dome-shaped with steep walls in all directions. The Main Caucasus Range is clearly visible from the other side of the Kizgych gorge and up to Kara-Kai and Aksautov.
I had no desire to go down by climbing. That's why they abandoned the rappel. Someone's noose was already at the top. On the descent along the ridge to the first key, two more were found. Then we descended on foot. So don’t expect an easy “one”. The route is quite worthy of 2A. Just a short one. I won’t describe the threes. The diagram from Zaporozhchenko’s book is enough. The left three are quite serious, but the right one is not impressive. One of the climbing cases with pictures. The fourth route along the left buttress resulted from a reluctance to climb the bergschrund and “scrape your hooves on the ice.” As a result, from the middle of the snow we went along the left buttress almost to the middle of the “one”. The difficulty hasn't increased much.
The routes to Plovdiv and the 100th anniversary of the Liberation of Bulgaria are logical and clear from the diagrams: to Plovdiv (3230). Only 2A is more difficult than it seems. Very cool on the ice at first. And on the lintel there is a cornice. In general, the routes are not for beginners.
Well, let's move on to 2A on Sofia. It thunders constantly during the day. Along a well-defined shelf to the left towards the couloir. Along the couloir to the ridge. And further along the destroyed ridge to the very top. We tried to get around the shelf at the beginning of the climb along the middle of the eastern wall. Still throwing stones from the ridge. The route took about 6 hours to climb.
But most often people go to Sofia from the Ak-Ayry gorge. The path to the upper sites is described in the route to the summit of Nadezhda. From these so-called “Sandy sites” there are two routes to the top of Sofia: the first is classified as 3A and the second route, unclassified, is approximately 2A-2B. The path to both routes begins from overnight stays, through the moraine to the glacier. The lower part of the glacier is usually melted, with stones and you can move without crampons. But even in the afternoon on the descent it is better to wear crampons.
When moving towards the Kozhukhova Pass, where route 3A begins, the path is blocked by cracks. Usually you can find bridges on the left under the rocks. . Then there are two options. Or along the couloir into the crevice of the ridge leading from the Kozhukhov Pass. But the ice usually melts there at the end and lately pebbles have been pouring in. Or from the Kozhukhov Pass along the shelves on the right side of the ridge along the way to the gap under the yellow wall. Further along the shelf we move to the northern side of the ridge. By the way, it is possible to put up tents on the shelf.
The majority of climbers choose the route along the ridge between Sofia and peak 3184 (Pazardzhik). It is also called a "fence". First, they move in the direction of a narrow ridge from the top of Sofia. The last 100 meters of snow are usually fixed with railings on the ascent and descent as it is quite steep. Approximately in the middle of the shelf we cross the lower part of the couloir leading from under the notch on the western ridge. It is possible that there will be snow there. The shelf itself is wide enough and allows you to move at the same time. From the notch along a small couloir on the southern side of the ridge we emerge onto the ridge leading to the summit. Along the way, we go around the false peak on the left in the snow and go out to the main one .
On the descent after the notch, about 3 rappels are set up and along the shelf you walk. All this is true only in the case of dry weather. At the slightest drizzle, the rocks become slippery and you need to constantly secure yourself with a rope and hang a railing. The journey from overnight stays to the top takes about 5 hours.
And the fourth route leads along the southern buttress from the Kizgych gorge, to the ridge and further along route 2A. Zaporozhchenko’s book mentions that apparently the first ascent was made from there in 1935 by a group of mountain tourists from the Moscow House of Scientists. It is stated that the first was in 1933 the Georgian team of Kazalikashvili. I saw groups from Zaporozhye walking along it. But the only description I came across was . If anyone has anything to add, please join in. I think this will be interesting to everyone walking in Arkhyz.
Thanks to Alena Karlyuk and Vlad Erofeev for the photos provided.

PART 3. SOFIASKE SEDLO PASS

From the Glacier Farm tract, the excavation of the Sophia Sedlo pass (2640 m) is clearly visible. It is about 6 km along a deep rocky ravine.

The pass may seem high and difficult, but this is the impression it gives if you look at it from below at some distance. In fact, the pass is uncategorized (simple) and anyone can climb it.

A good and convenient trail makes the climb not so difficult and allows you to enjoy beautiful views of the Sofia Valley, the upper reaches of which are fenced off by the ridge with the Sofia Sedlo pass from the valley of the protected river Kizgych.

So, we leave the Glacier Farm tract. The path to the Sofia Waterfalls is laid along the left bank of Sofia, so you need to cross the river. Towards the Sofia Sedlo pass the trail goes to the left, leaving stormy Sofia on the right along the way.

During the two to three hours (and for some, perhaps more) that you spend traveling to the pass point, the “saddle” will always loom in front of you and the majestic Mount Sofia (3640 m) will gradually rise. As you approach it, you can see many new details on the glacier and its summit dome.

It is believed that the name of the mountain may be based on a proper name - Sufi (Turkic) or the Abaza surname Sophia. There are enough of both of them in Karachay-Cherkessia. Among the Karachais themselves, the name of this peak is Topal-Kaya - “fingerless rock” (the nickname of the hunter). Although it is possible that the name of the peak and the river was given by Greek missionaries back in the early Middle Ages, who wandered with their mission of spreading Christianity in these places. Sophia translated from Greek means “wisdom”, “wise”. Be that as it may, on topographic maps of the 19th century the peak is designated as Sofia. The Karachay name of Mount Topal-Kaya has also been preserved, only now this is the name for the steep rock hanging between Sofia and the Sofia Saddle pass.

Tourists associate the unusual name of Mount Sofia for these places with the fact that from a distance it resembles a majestic Byzantine temple, and up close - a massive stone throne with a glacial cushion, which is none other than the Great Sofia Glacier.

Unfortunately, the glacier is melting and shrinking in size. Since its first study and description by the famous glaciologist N.A. Bush in 1896 (almost 120 years ago), it has decreased by 60 meters vertically and continues to “shrink”, revealing an increasingly 100-meter step of rocks from which “fringe” overhanging waterfalls that give rise to the Sofia River.

Today, the “things” of the glacier are as follows: its tongue has retreated much higher than the steps of the rocks and hid under the very top of Mount Sofia, having lost a significant area of ​​the “ice field”.

This also affects the size of the waterfalls. You don’t have to be knowledgeable in glaciology to understand that waterfalls are depleted not only because of the water regime. Already now, some gutters (beds of water flows) are empty and part of the rock is completely dry, which indicates the presence of the former power of the glacier.

This is sad and irreversible. If global warming continues at this rate, then the Supreme God Teiri with his subordinate gods, about whom vacationers in Arkhyz are so fond of telling stories, will have to look for another place to relax, instead of the top of Sofia.

And they say the following. The powerful Supreme God Teiri, once flying over the Caucasus, came to the idea: “Shouldn’t we arrange a recreation area for the gods in these fabulously beautiful places?” He thought about it and immediately ordered his subjects to establish a sanctuary here, where he could rest and receive gifts from the people who worshiped him. The god of the mountains, Daulet, lifted a handful of earth and turned it into the dome of an impregnable peak, decorating it with a shining silver ice shell. The god of the forest, Myzetkho, planted spreading fir and white-trunked birch trees around the mountain, decorated the alpine meadows with colorful flowers and scattered berries along the slopes.

The patron of sheep and goats, Aimush, drove countless herds into the valley so that none of the gods would ever need either food or skins for clothing. When the sanctuary was ready, Tairi decided to celebrate the housewarming with a great feast. The cheerful and noisy holiday was a great success: golden bowls were full of wine, guests danced, drums beat loudly. But the feast ended with a quarrel between Teiri and the lightning god Eple (a cautionary tale for those who like to take more than is allowed on their chest). Those who are interested can find out how it ended and what the result of this quarrel was in the story about the Sofia Falls.

The Pass Saddle is a small plateau located at an altitude of 2640 m. It is just over 700 meters above the Glacier Farm tract.

Those who climb the pass are guaranteed to take their breath away, not from the efforts expended on the steep climb of the last pre-pass section, but from the beauty and grandeur of the panorama that opens.

Right in front of you is the failure of the Kizgych valley with the sparkling ribbon of the Kizgych River - the territory of the reserve. You look at it from a bird's eye view.

In the forest's bald spots there are lawns, like light spots on dark green cloth. On one of them you can see the huntsman's house.

And, according to some guides for horseback excursionists, you may be lucky enough to see a herd of bison calmly grazing in the clearings. These are such large animals that even those who do not have binoculars or eagle vision can see them.

But even without bison there is something to see. The Kizgych valley lies between the Uzhum and Cheget-chat ridges with the Sofia Sedlo pass. Silvery waterfalls flow along the steep spurs of Uzhum, covered with a dark massif of coniferous forest. At its junction with the Main Caucasian Range one can see the deep snowy saddle of the Kurella Pass and the sparkling Bugoichat glacier. In the background of this panorama stick out the formidable peaks of Kara-Kaya and Marukh-Bashi - the peaks of the Marukh gorge.