The best choice in winter Saturday

The best choice in winter Saturday is walking on fresh snow at dawn…and then unforgettable feeling of headlong flight on your board, when you draw twisting patterns on virgin snow-covered way.
The Butakov ravine – is very popular place among residents of Almaty in any season: for riding on horses in summer and skiing on gentle ski slope in winter.
But my aim is free riding on the slopes that are higher, steeper and absolutely untouched by man, where only tracks of animals can be found…
The sun is still behind the pass, but it is even better – it’s not so hot, only fresh freezing air that nips your face. Mighty firs flirtatiously show off against me with their snow adornment, rowans allure with crimson clusters of sweet berries. It’s amazing – real winter fairy-tale is so close to modern city!
So, I am on the pass, greeting the bright sun, taking in every quantum of warmth and light. Mentally I’m drawing the details of a route on sparkling white slope and darting down!

I’m flying down, arc after arc, jumping up at natural ski jumps, and, landing in the snow as like in feather bed. I stop for a moment, and admiring the trace, drawn with my board, like brush on the canvas. Then I sliding down from a slope. After a few more turns I’m skiing at full speed along the bank of frozen river, first on the narrow path then weaving along firs. There is small slope in front, but my board dislikes rigid surface, therefore I’m turning to the left to take the bypass round the line on fluffy snowdrifts, maneuvering between fragile bush stems, crown with umbels and burs.

I make a stop in front of little bridge over the river and after seeing around trajectory of the following motion along road border, smoothed with snowmobiles, leisurely, I’m sliding on gentle surface. It’s difficult to describe delight of new colors that appears after the sun’s appearance! I feel pleasant tiredness and slowly skiing to the car. And there is a whole winter with sea of snow and happiness ahead!

Summer, the sun, ice and snow

Where is better to run away from heat and stuffy city?

Of, course the best place is – mountains!
The Tuyuk su Glacier is already well known plays to us. It’s surface at this period of time resembles to sea slick. But the most interesting aspect is that after summer rain in the city, fresh untouched snow is waiting for us in the mountains.

We reach the meteorological station “Molodezhnaya” by car. We load backpacks and go on the beach. Yes-yes, you haven’t misheard – on the beach.

Ice megatons have processed granite rocks into dust for many thousand years. Then melt water has leveled that sand and owing to such process the results turned out rather pleasant.

Some time we climb on stones, pass over lots of brooks. Glacier tongues are already visible. We enter on fresh snow and start conquering the ice space. There are Molodyozhny Peak to the right and Tuyuksu glacier to the left, behind it – Igly Tuyuksu. But our aim is Pogrebetsky wall, and perhaps, even it’s peak, that will as lighthouse for us during our trip.

At last we are at the foot of the wall. I clasp my snowboard and jump down, drawing winding arcs.

A little later I stop for a while to wait for my friends, who are climbing down.

And, summer, the sun, ice and snow are still ahead!

Free ride in Komsomol glacier

Idea of skiing in Komsomol glacier appeared during our the last ascent in the peak of the same name.

The surface of the glacier, powdered with fresh July snow was so attractive that I even mentally started to draw route of the downhill.

So, all preparations have been made and our cheerful group is climbing up the Talgar pass. Panorama is wonderful- green slopes are lower the pass and severe snow-covered peaks are ahead.

From the end point of ski lift takes only couple of hour's walk. Well, we are in the right place, where we start setting up a camp. After that we go to Bogdanovich glacier, where annual backcountry festival is hold. After our return to the camp we start feasting, take photos and go to bed…

We pass by the Bogdanovich glacier, turn to the left and stand paralyzed with ice shining There is almost no usual snow, only glacier snow. Downhill is going to be extremely difficult! But we clamber anyway, first the left edge of glacier, then we pass to stone scree. More and more exciting sight is expecting us!
This time it’s impossible to overcome the Karlytau without grapples.

And again there is amazing panorama is opened for us from Komsomol pass: Talgar, mountain measuring at least five thousand meters in height, is spread out in front.

And seems that magnificent Aristov Peak is growing from that abyss. Camera can’t photograph such magnificence of nature. I fasten strappings and fly down, cutting into a little melt glacier’s back.