CENTRAL
TIEN SHAN
Terskey
Ala Too range
All
The Hot Springs trekking
This route
crosses the nothern ridges of Terskey Ala Too ("Variegated mountains
turned away from the sun") range, Central Tien Shan, through 4 passes
of 1A CD and it is slightly different from the popular trekking route
(including extra rarely-visited North Jely-Suu pass). Travellers visit
an amazing high-altitude Alakel lake and well-known hot springs in Jeti-Ogyz,
Jely-Suu and Arashan valley. Medium trekking/pass hopping.
Route: Karakol
- Jeti-Ogyz hot spring - North Jely-Suu pass (3700 m, 1A CD) - descent
to Jely-Suu hot spring - Archa-Tor pass (3800 m, 1A CD) - descent
to Jeti-Oguz river - Telety pass (3800 m, 1A CD) - Ala Too mountaineering
camp site, Karakol river - ascent up to Orphan's Asilum - Alakel lake
- Alakel pass (3860 m, 1A CD) - descent to Altin Arashan hot springs
- Karakol. About 14 days. The short sub-route is also popular: Karakol
- Ala Too mountaineering camp site, Karakol river - ascent up to Orphan's
Asilum - Alakel lake - Alakel pass (3860 m, 1A CD) - descent to Altin
Arashan hot springs - Karakol. About 4-6 days.
Author: Igor
Fedyaev. Photos: Georgy Regetsiy, Igor Khanin.
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| On arrival to Karakol,
it is worth to stay overnight at the traditional Kyrghyz dwelling - yurt. |
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| The start of the
route takes place at Jeti Oguz - "Seven Bulls" - near picturesque
red cliffs, where the most known and "civilized" hot springs is
situated. However, small "wild" iron-sulfur spring is a bit away
from the resort directly on the road. |
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| The right gorge
steepy leads to the fir forest... |
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| ...and sub-alpine
and alpine meadows. There is small farm in the gorge, it is practically
forgotten by travellers and modern civilization, so you can obtain interesting
cultural experience. |
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| At
the upper part of the gorge, it splits into two ones. To find the right
way to the pass, keep right! To cross the pass, it is worth to camp overnight
at the upper part of the gorge, near moraine bank right from the rocky summit.
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| It looks like the
exact pass, but it is not more than miracle: after climbing the bank,...
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| ... you can see
the rocky plateau between the two ridges and the exact pass North Jely-Suu
is far upright. |
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| The ascent side
is very easy to climb... |
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| ...but the opposite
side is not too pleasant talus. Be careful and use telescopic axes or ice
axe for self-belay. |
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| In the case of
you're travelling in reverse order, bear in mind the right way to the pass
is to left gorge (the main gorge is splited as well at it's upper
part!). |
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