Climbing Munku-Sardyk (3491 m). Munku-sardyk - a traditional hike for the May holidays Climbing Munku

Route April 2018: Irkutsk - Mondy (A-164) - Munku-Sardyk.

The height of Munku-Sardyk is 3,491 meters above sea level, this is the highest high peak Eastern Saiyans. The mountain is located on the border of Buryatia (Russia) and Mongolia.

“Friends of the hikers” invited me to go on a hike to Munku-Sardyk; the dressage date was determined in advance. Since Munku-Sardyk is located on the Russian-Mongolian border, it is necessary to take care of obtaining a pass to the border zone in advance - applications from citizens of the Russian Federation are considered up to 30 days, foreigners - up to 60 days. You can submit an application remotely either through the government services website or by email. I ordered the pass through the State Services website, with delivery to the postal address, everything took 10 days and the pass was in my hands. Here you will find all the comprehensive information on obtaining a permit https://angara.net/forum/t106692

We got from Irkutsk to the border control point in Mondy in about 4 hours along a good asphalt road, it took half an hour for border control, after which the barrier was opened and we drove further to the bridge at the mouth of the Bely Irkut, where the trail to Munku-Sardyk begins. The cars were left next to the yurt in the parking lot, then from the bridge they walked to the spit (the confluence of the White Irkut and Muguvek rivers).

When collecting information on the Internet, I read many reviews and articles about Munku-Sardyk, stories about how the climb was very difficult mentally and physically, that the rarefied atmosphere caused some people to develop severe health problems, how sometimes there were accidents when people lost their tempers from steep slopes, about avalanches that periodically descend from mountain slopes. They make tourists feel terrible)). The information also varied on the time required for the ascent, some took 5 days, others managed to get up and down from the bridge in a day.

At the end of the article I will give my conclusion on all controversial issues.

We walked to the arrow with backpacks for 2 hours, set up a base camp on the spot and began climbing Munku-Sardyk in the morning.

A lot of snow fell overnight, and in the morning the snow still did not stop falling. The clouds hung very low; the top of Munku-Sardyk was not visible.

Climbing equipment is required to climb the glacier safely. I only rented crampons, I didn’t take an ice ax with me, trekking poles were enough for me. The climb up the mountain is very steep, and in some places it becomes very scary when you look down. It’s physically and mentally difficult, I personally saw this for myself and those around me, on the way I met a girl who had a fear of heights, she didn’t go further than the ridge (a section of 100 meters to the top), they were scared.

From the top of Munku-Sardyk you can see the Mongolian plains and Lake Khubsugul, and Lake Baikal on the north side. Unfortunately, due to heavy cloudiness, we were not able to contemplate all this beauty. At the top there is cellular coverage, but you need to be careful with roaming since the mountain is located on the border of two countries - step to the right Mongolia roaming, step to the left the Russian operator.

Descending from a mountain is much faster than climbing up a mountain, but the descent is no less dangerous. With me, the man decided to slide down the slope on his butt without taking off his crampons. I ended up twisting my ankle badly. The time to climb Munku Sardyk and descend is different for everyone, we managed it in two days, on the way back I met a group that was returning, they managed to go to Munku and return back in one daylight with backpacks from the bridge. It all depends on time, physical and psychological preparation, but if you don’t rush, 2.3 days will be required for the hike. Separately, I would like to express my gratitude to my “hiking friends” without whom my conquest of the peak would not have taken place.

Munku-Sardyk, the highest point of the Sayan Mountains, with a height of 3491 meters, is a cult peak for climbers of Buryatia and Irkutsk. Every year at the beginning of May hundreds of people who want to climb there come there, fortunately, a proven a tourist route

I had a desire to visit Munku-Sardyk a year ago, as soon as I started communicating with climbers and learned about the annual pilgrimage to this mountain. A year ago it didn’t work out for personal reasons, but this time I decided to visit Munku-Sardyk at all costs.

Preparation

Let me remind you that Munku-Sardyk is located on the border of Russia and Mongolia - beyond the reverse slope there is already the territory of a foreign state. Accordingly, it is a border zone, to enter which you need to issue a pass. I became concerned at the end of March and signed up for a standard one for a year, replacing the previous one, which was just about to expire.

There was also the question of who to go with - an experienced escort was needed. Several familiar climbers were going to Munku-Sardyk, but no one was particularly eager to take them with them, citing the fact that sometimes even trained people cannot cope with the climb, but experienced athletes will go at a fast pace, and everyone will have too much time to tinker with a beginner. Only the head of the RiF club, Elena Badanova, agreed. But she, too, frightened me for a long time with stories about how people could not stand the journey, not even reaching the lake, how the rarefied atmosphere caused severe health problems for some, how sometimes there were accidents when people fell off steep slopes. What I heard was really creepy. But the cards are dealt, I can't back down.

The third issue is equipment. I had some things for a long time: thermal underwear, a fleece sweatshirt and trowel, synthetic padding pants, a membrane ski jacket, winter Merrell sneakers. But I also had to go shopping - I bought a headlamp and a supply of batteries, climbing gaiters, spare fleece gloves, and various small items. I also purchased a 150-liter “Relief” backpack. Of course, it is a long way from Nova tour products, but it is almost three times cheaper. At the same time, it fit everything: a sleeping bag, a tent, a change of clothes, a personal supply of food, etc. I also brought dark glasses so that the light reflected by the snow wouldn’t burn my eyes.

Road to hell

We left on April 30 around 23.00, plunging into the hired mikrik. Morning, the border of the Okinsky district, the path is blocked by a barrier. The border guard, looking into the salon, collects passports and passes, and takes them to a container house. “I went to apply for loans,” someone quipped. It took about half an hour to sort out the formalities, and finally we moved on. Then a stop near the border checkpoint, then further along the highway, then a dirt road. Finally, the mikrik stops near a roadside shop with a hexagonal roof. The establishment is located a hundred meters from the bridge over the White Irkut, here is a kind of starting point. We take out the things, throwing them into a pile, now we will distribute the load. The day is sunny, as hot as summer.

Although I tried to load the backpack with only the essentials, it still turned out to be quite heavy. In addition, I had to carry a share of the total load: cereals, sugar, pasta, and I was also entrusted with a responsible mission: to carry a camp cast-iron cauldron. The damned piece of iron weighs a fair amount, and as a result, my backpack turned out to be quite heavy. This does not inspire optimism at all - I already know very well that during a long journey, every extra gram becomes a heavy weight. Somehow I put him on my back, a pair of trekking poles in my hands, I stomp along the road to the bridge, there we go down to the river.

We walk at a fast pace along the rocky river bottom. The ice and snow have not yet completely melted. There are many off-road vehicles near the shores, and snowmobiles rush by from time to time. There are a lot of people, sometimes whole crowds, some are going up the canyon, some are walking towards them. In places where the coast is covered with forest, there are whole tent cities.

Remembering the instructions of one Krasnoyarsk traveler, after every sufficiently long segment of the journey I eat a piece or two of chocolate, a bar of which I prudently hid in my belt pouch. All the same, a heavy backpack significantly reduces your strength. It’s good that we still make short stops occasionally. The incline becomes higher the further you go.

Every now and then you have to jump over streams of water flowing over ice or rocks. I did get my feet wet, several times, but I gave up on it, letting my shoes dry as I went. From the slopes on the sides every now and then stones fall with noise.

We reached the place where the canyon branches in two, we turn into the left turn. The slope goes sharply upward, now instead of a flat bottom there are stepped rocky rapids covered with ice. Walking along it, especially with a load, is very inconvenient. Having stopped, I put on the crampons provided by Lena on my feet. I am used to them, they are like family to me - I crossed Baikal twice in them. Now walking on the ice has become easier.

Be careful, stones fall every now and then,” those returning from above warn us.

In addition to fatigue, during a long but intense trek the main scourge is thirst. Water losses are enormous, the body requires compensation. A couple of bottles of mineral water have long been exhausted. During the next stop, I threw off my backpack, scooped it straight from the stream murmuring among the ice and drank ice-cold water. I was tired as hell, my backpack was pressing on my shoulders, but I still had to go on and on. But I take all these difficulties calmly, because I expect the worst to come, when the ascent itself takes place.

Finally, I reached the designated point in the upper reaches of the river. The main part of the group had long been located in the “clearing” - a vast, gently sloping area covered with forest along the right bank of the canyon. Having gone upstairs, I throw my backpack off the larch and spread out the rug, falling on it with pleasure. However, everyone else is also resting.

After a long rest, we begin to set up camp. We pitch our tents, collect wood for the fire, and dry our wet shoes. After dinner, instructions are given, and beginners are given equipment - safety systems, ice axes, helmets.

We get up at five in the morning, we’ll go out early to try to get ahead of everyone and not get caught in the traffic jam there,” says Lena. “By morning everyone should be ready, so all that’s left is to put on the backpack.”

Rising to Madness

Climb! - is heard outside the walls of the tent. But I actually already managed to wake up, I deliberately went to bed early, so that at the same time I could restore my strength. It's already dawn outside.

We set off, it was still twilight over the mountain tops. We march along a winding path stretching along the gorge along the river, the water roars, hitting the boulders. The ground under your feet is replaced either by stones or melted snow, or you have to walk straight on loose ice, under which a water stream roars. The slope is constantly increasing, it’s hard to walk uphill, although now the backpack weighs nothing compared to yesterday. I try to walk quickly so as not to fall behind the others, but I’m still trailing behind, while the main team has gone far ahead. Fortunately, Lena prudently ordered the RiF athletes to keep an eye on the newcomers.

At some point, the narrow gorge widens greatly, forming a vast depression. On the sides there are huge ridges rising into the sky. But Munku-Sardyk himself is not yet visible, he still has a long way to go. You need to climb the left slope, where a chain of figures with backpacks is already moving.

Is that a lake there? - I ask.

It’s still a long way off, says young RiFa climber Alexander. “We’ll have to climb even higher, then again, only then will it be there.”

At the top there is a vast valley among the snowy mountain slopes, we take a short break. I sit down on a stone so that it takes the weight of the backpack, and throw several pieces of chocolate into my mouth. Meanwhile, the others move on, and I, overcoming fatigue, follow them. We cross the valley, climb again on the left side, go around a huge rock, behind which a narrow gorge leads up, and a pile of stones forms something like a staircase. At the top there is again a flat space, in the middle of which is that very lake - the conditional middle of the path, at which it becomes clear whether a person can go further. Well, I still have strength. There are tents on the shore: someone decided to position themselves closer to the treasured peak.

Quickly crossing the frozen pond, we take pictures on the other side. Behind the lake there is a slope covered with rocks, gradually rising, and then sharply going up. Climbing it is simply torture. At the same time, heavy snow began to fall, and because of it, visibility became simply disgusting. I mentally measure the distance along the blackening stones in the snow. “Getting to this one, now to the next one, there, and it seems like it’s not far to the end of the climb.” Alexander and Purbo run briskly next to me, not showing the slightest sign of fatigue, and even taking part of my load. You can’t help but be surprised at their endurance, especially when you feel like you’re barely alive. Trying to put yourself into a trance, as during the Baikal crossings, does not help; you have to do everything with all your might.

With the last of my strength I climbed up this shoot. At the top there is a small flat patch. Tormented by thirst, I look for an untrodden place, scoop up the snow with my palm, and, squeezing it into a dense lump, I greedily bite into it.

Don’t touch the main “yellow” thing - laughs Purbo - The first rule of a climber: don’t eat “yellow snow”.

Behind the patch a new steep slope begins, covered with snow. I’m already crawling up like a zombie, overpowering myself. The snow underfoot is already deep, and Alexander gives the go-ahead to put on the crampons.

It’s already getting cold, I take my jacket out of my backpack. In general, the weather is still fine, they say there is a strong wind, and then the frost here is over thirty.

I want to sit still and relax, but I can’t, I have to hurry. Overpowering myself, I try to take it anyway, at least one or two extra steps up. The sky is covered with a gray veil of snowfall - the edge of the slope is no longer visible. By the way, the climbing gaiters turned out to be just a miracle - not a crumb of snow got into my boots.

Storm the sky

Exhausted like a dog, I finally climb to the top of the climb. A small snow-covered area, crowded with many people, appears again. This is the so-called “Pillow” - the place from where the ascent directly to the top already occurs.

I put on my harness, “reef man.” Chimit helps me tighten it correctly, secure the carabiner and the “mustache” - the safety rope. We, three newbies in the group, were ordered to be secured with a rope for insurance in case someone stumbled. I leave my backpack and trekking poles here and take an ice ax. They showed me ahead of time how to lean on it when climbing, and how to properly cling to it if you suddenly slip. Lena decided to change the route a little for us, and we did not go left along the main path, but straight, in order to climb the ridge extending from the peak and along it to get closer to the top.

New breakthrough. Again I was practically crawling up the steep snow-covered slope. It goes somewhere high up, the edge is not visible. I have almost no strength, I just want to lie down and not move.

Go ahead, don't stop! - Lena screams from the slope high above. Overcoming fatigue, I try to move higher at least two steps, time after time. Sometimes, when after a short stop my strength increases a little, I go up a meter or two for a jerk. The deep snow under my feet crumbles every now and then and I, losing my balance, fall. Two or three seconds of respite, but you have to climb higher.

Here we are on the ridge, and I sit down directly on the snow again with relief. On the reverse side there is a colorful panorama of snow-covered mountain range.

Can you go? - Lena asks. The question is very important - in unaccustomed people, after such a rise, hidden ailments often worsen and internal organs fail.

Can! - I answer. Although the load is almost maximum, I still feel the strength to move on.

There's not much left, do you see that rock? - says Alexander. The cliff sticking out in the sky seems really close, but estimating that it’s actually still quite a long way to climb up to it, optimism diminishes.

We carefully move along the narrow path, skirting cliffs sticking out in the snow. The slopes are very steep, the slope is probably seventy degrees; if you fall, there is a risk of rolling down and eventually crashing. The pace is no longer too high, there are much more opportunities to rest a little.

Be careful not to push the stones down, Lena warns. A warning is in order - there are a lot of people below, a stone rolling from such a height along such a slope will inevitably injure or kill the one it hits.

Before we had time to reach the middle of the ridge, a thick fog suddenly descended on the mountains, completely obscuring visibility. Below, everything is as if in milk, nothing is visible, only at a distance to the left you can discern a line of tourists climbing up the main path.

Stone! - from time to time a shout is heard when a small pebble rolls down the slope.

This stone is “living”, don’t cling to it, warns Alexander, walking along the cracked rock.

There are only the last meters left to the top, and the realization of this gives a surge of strength. I climb up the protruding rocks.

It’s already quite a bit - the “reef people”, who themselves have long since jumped up the stones, are encouraging me.

And so, the last push, and I’m at the top. That's it, I got there, the goal has been achieved. Wearily I sit down on a snow-covered stone, listening to congratulations from those accompanying me.

The top of Munku-Sardyk, as they said, turned out to be a rather cramped spot. Over there stands a worship cross, which, as I was told, was once dragged here by Chimit Tarmaev. Next to the cross is a pillar tied with “hii-morins”. There are a whole bunch of the same people around, it’s very crowded. I am surprised to meet friends who are in other groups. I look around: the damned fog has buried the hope of admiring the surrounding panorama from above. And it’s strange to realize that the territory of Mongolia already begins from this mountainside.

After sitting for a while and catching my breath, I remember about the flags that I promised myself to bring up at any cost. I take them out, my comrades willingly help stretch them so that I can take a photo. That's it, the mission is completely accomplished.

Return

Then there was a descent. On the one hand, it is easier - almost no effort is wasted, on the other hand, it is technically more difficult. I descended from the top, jumping down from rock to rock and holding on to the rope for insurance. Then we walked along the ridge again, fastened with a safety "mustache", then there was a descent along snowy slopes- here you need to walk face forward, stepping with your heels. The descent is certainly not an ascent - the distance was covered much faster. I walked back without much haste, at a pace that was comfortable for me. Everything around is in a shroud of fog; after a few meters only dim silhouettes are visible.

Having arrived at the camp and spent the night in a damp, frosty tent, in the morning I packed my things and moved down the canyon, where I was supposed to meet a climber from another group who was supposed to go to Ulan-Ude. This is how my ascent to Munku-Sardyk went.

Climbing Munku-Sardyk (from Buryat “eternal white char”)

We invite you to take part in the ascent to highest point Eastern Siberia- Munku-Sardyk (3491 m above sea level). The mountain is located on the territory of the Republic of Buryatia and, at the same time, Mongolia, since the border runs right along the top. Therefore, you will not only climb to the highest point of Eastern Siberia, but also visit Mongolia. The name of the mountain is translated from the Buryat language as eternally white char. This is actually true: the Munku-Sardyk massif is covered with a glacier, and even in summer there is snow here. At the foot, at an altitude of 2650, there is an incredibly beautiful lake. Absolutely round, framed majestic mountains Big Sayan, from above it resembles the eye of a dragon: in the summer it is bluish-green, and in the winter it is frozen from the cold and bound with ice.

Tour dates in 2019: from 05/01/19 to 05/05/19, from 05/09/19 to 05/12/19

Duration 5 days, 4 nights.

Cost of the trip per person 11,000 rubles.

Tour program

Day 1. Check-in.

Departure from Irkutsk. On the way by vehicle, we overcome the Andrianovsky Pass, upon descent from which a stunning view of the southern tip of Lake Baikal and the Khamar-Daban ridge with its snow-capped peaks opens up. Next we enter the territory of the Republic of Buryatia, and our path passes through the picturesque Tunka Valley, surrounded on two sides by mountains: on one side the old man Khamar-Daban, on the other - the pointed peaks of the Eastern Sayan rising to the sky. They, like stationary guards, will accompany us to the border village of Mondy, where we will make a short stop to receive a special pass to visit the border zone. After another twenty kilometers, the bus will take us to the White Irkut River, where the path upward will begin. Today we will walk about five kilometers to the confluence of the White Irkut and Muguvek rivers. The base camp is located here (1650 m above sea level). Dinner by the fire. Overnight in tents.

Day 2. Acclimatization.

After breakfast we go out to the first route - acclimatization. Today we have to climb to a peak called Obzornaya (2900 m above sea level). It offers views of the entire nearby mountainous region. Return to base camp in the evening. Dinner. Overnight in tents.

Day 3. Ice and snow activities / Acclimatization.

Breakfast. Today we will climb the peak of 60 years of October or “Katka-dura” (3065m above sea level)! Our route takes us up the White Irkut River to the Gorny Pass (3050 m above sea level), the difficulty category of which is 2A. From the saddle of the pass along a ridge of medium difficulty to the summit itself. In 2005, snow leopard tracks were seen on the pass! Here our future goal will open before us - Munku-Sardyk himself. Also from the top of the peak there is a stunning view of almost all the peaks and passes of this mountainous region. On the way back we will descend from the Gorny pass to the other side of the ridge and return to the camp along the Muguvek River. Dinner. Overnight in tents.

Day 4. Climbing Munku-Sardyk.

Early breakfast. Ascent along the Muguvek River to Lake Echoy, located at an altitude of 2650 m above sea level. Rest. Snack. Climbing Munku-Sardyk. From the top you can clearly see the Mongolian lake Khubsugul - the brother of Baikal, going far to the south. Here you can easily cross the border: step forward and you are in Mongolia, step back and you are in Russia. Rest. Snack. Descent to the lake. Return to base camp. Dinner by the fire. Overnight in tents.

Day 5.

Breakfast. A well-deserved rest. Camp gathering. Return to Irkutsk.

tour cost: 11,000 rubles per person.

Included in cost

• transfer Irkutsk city - Bely River Irkut - Irkutsk city;
• obtaining a pass to the border zone;
• support of experienced guides;
• accommodation in winter tent with a stove or in separate 2-3 person tents (to choose from);
• nutrition;
• rental of group equipment (bivouac and campfire equipment).

Rent of individual equipment (sleeping bags, backpacks, crampons, ice axes, etc.) is possible for an additional fee.

Notes

• the total length of the pedestrian part of the route is 40 km;
• Attention! Depending on the weather conditions and the state of the group, changes to the tour program are possible at the discretion of the instructor.

Required personal equipment

1. A cap;
2. Sunglasses (at least 3 degrees of protection, welding possible);
3. Down jacket;
4. Storm jacket and pants (windproof);
5. Mittens (1 pair of fleece, gaiter, 1 pair of spare);
6. Trekking or mountain boots (it is advisable to have a spare pair for being at the base camp);
7. Shoe covers (gaiters, flashlights);
8. Socks (2 pairs) + wool or thermal socks;
9. Backpack 80–100 liters;
10. Polyurethane foam mat (karimat);
11. Sleeping bag (with temperature range from -10° C);
12. Flashlight (preferably a headlamp);
13. Ice ax;
14. Cats;
15. KLMN (mug, spoon, bowl, knife).
16. Personal first aid kit.

ATTENTION!

To obtain passes to the border zone, documents must be submitted 3 weeks before the expected start date of the tour! For foreign citizens - 2 months in advance.

Mount Munku-Sardyk is located on the border of Russia and Mongolia and has been attracting me with its name alone for many years now. To get there, we need to drive through the border checkpoint in the village of Mondy (don’t forget about the pass!!!), turn left from the good asphalt leading to Mongolia, onto the gravel road towards the village of Orlik and drive about 23 km. And here we are almost there:

There are still 130 km to Orlik
back side sign - 22 km to the village. Mondy and 8.5 km to Mount Munku-Saridak

Let me make a reservation right away: we didn’t reach the mountain itself; we were unprepared and had a dog. Therefore, the article is called “unfinished gestalt”))) The height of Mount Munku-Sardyk, according to the signs, is 3491 meters, which is the largest peak in the Sayan Mountains.

I’ll show you a little road, which in itself is worth driving along:

People usually come here in large groups, leave their cars below, and further on the banks of the Irkut, closer to the main trails, they put up tents and go into battle around the surrounding area, wearing crampons.

We also went up the riverbed of the Irkut:

The weather is changeable - snow quickly gives way to spring sun. You won’t understand whether you’re cold or hot.

The ascents are long, the snow is icy crumbs, which digs painfully into the dog’s paws (we, unfortunately, didn’t think about this), it’s slippery in places, there are deep cracks. But, God, how cool it is here!!!

But here it was slippery:

So we reached the last point where walking without crampons and a helmet was no longer safe.

And the dots in the photo are climbers who climbed a frozen waterfall (they definitely have everything in order with their equipment))).

It's time to turn back, the road down is always easier and faster:

On the way back, we collected a lot of camel thorn, thickets of which we found on the banks of Irkut. I warn you, you need to wear thick gloves when cutting, otherwise you will get hurt.

Now I’ll tell you in more detail about the nuances:

1. If you are traveling for one day (as on an excursion), without equipment, a tent, etc., then it is better to stay somewhere in, - you will be less tired from the road - you will spend more time walking. In 2010, when we came here “just to look”, we drove directly from Angarsk, we arrived late, we felt tired from the road, while we were walking, it began to get dark. The second time, in 2015, we left Arshan and, feeling rested, ended up enjoying the trip more.

If you are traveling overnight, it is best to take a warm sleeping bag, a tent, and don’t forget about a rug and a burner—the nights in the mountains are cold. We saw people going up to set up camp on a large number of people - pulling huge sleds with luggage, brrr...

2. Passing is an important thing. You can submit a request to receive it in advance through the State Services website and then there are no problems, everything is done quickly, correctly - the issued pass simply arrives at your post office. That's what I did the last time. Or you can download the form, fill it out at home and apply for a pass at the border - it takes longer, there may be queues - that is, you waste time, this, I think, is inconvenient.

3. People come here mainly for May holidays, for inexperienced tourists this is a plus; if something happens, you won’t be left without help.

4. If you are planning to climb, you must register with the Ministry of Emergency Situations (available in Kyren).

I don’t know if I have the courage to go up there one day, but I will definitely come here again and again!

And finally, watch the video in our group

I have a cousin who is a climber. The last time we saw each other was about 20 years ago, when the brother was not yet a climber, but was a double bass player and was passing through Saratov from another camping trip with a walkie-talkie and a machine gun on his shoulders in the Chechen Republic. There he earned himself, in addition to preferential travel on the ID of a participant in combat operations, some metal staples in the spine, after which, in order to strengthen his back, he first took up rock climbing and then mountaineering. He also runs marathons, sometimes. Although we haven’t seen each other, the stump is clear, thanks social networks communicated. Several times he invited me to go with him to the mountains, then to Elbrus, then somewhere else, but somehow it didn’t work out. This year, he offered to go with him to “conquer” the highest point of the Eastern Sayan Mountains - Mount Munku-Sardyk in Buryatia. This time I signed up. Making this decision was facilitated by my brother’s assurances that Munku-Sardyk is a mountain for suckers, without categories, so it will be easy for me to climb it.

In general, now I will share my impressions. A number of travel agencies take tourists to Munku-Sardyk in an organized manner, so my writings may help someone make a decision whether to go or not to go.

But first I will say that I have never been a climber. From words in general and completely. Physical form is not the worst, but specifically leaves much to be desired. Favorite physical exercise is lying on your back on the sofa with a laptop on your stomach. IN hiking I went when I was a child and have already forgotten how to do it. If I had known what kind of fuss it would be, I would never have agreed. In general, in the phrase “ leisure“, regarding this event, the word “rest” is clearly a superfluous word. Everything that I will write below is the essence of the impressions of a teapot that got into the mountains for the first time, so professional hikers and climbers can safely leaf through my writings, because for them it will be boring.

In short, my task was to get to Irkutsk, with minimal equipment and clothes suitable for these purposes, where my brother and comrades were to pick me up in a car, take me to the Tunkinskaya Valley, to the mouth of the White Irkut, from where the ascent was actually supposed to begin. Yes... about a month before the trip, we received passes to the border zone, because Mount Munku-Sardyk is not only located there, the border with Mongolia runs right along its top.
Impressions began immediately upon arrival, when I saw what I had to drive.

Desperate people drove this pepelats all the way from near Yekaterinburg. This, by the way, is food for thought for those who whine that their life is boring and there is no money for adventure. This device, I think, costs a little more than the price tag for the Moscow-Irkutsk-Moscow flight. And with the help of it, people traveled halfway across Russia to Buryatia, and then they would go to Tuva, through Khakassia, climb Mount Mogun-Taiga, and then back to Joburg, spending the night in a tent and gobbling up food cooked on a gas stove. Yes... a rather specific pastime (far from Egypt with all-inclusive), but certainly not boring. The path lay through Slyudyanka (a town on the shores of Lake Baikal), but the “glorious sea” was not particularly impressive.

It was bitterly cold, Baikal was under ice, the shore in the Slyudyanka area was not particularly picturesque, at least at that time. The Tunka Valley itself turned out to be much more picturesque, which the Buryats declared entirely a national park. This meant that you had to pay money for entry (I think 100 rubles per person). I would like to note..., despite the fact that essentially the area where we were going was a hell hole, the quality of the roads was very decent. Compare with Saratov region(Europe, fuck!) I can say that the roads in Buryatia will be steeper.

Mount Munku-Sardyk is considered sacred by the locals, and therefore a significant number of leaflets have been posted in the surrounding area urging people to stop climbing. The Buryats themselves, it seems to me, are more than indifferent to this. At the beginning of May, a mass ascent of everyone, called the mountain festival, begins on Munka. At this time, you won’t be crowded with people, which is why we arrived there a few days earlier.

(the walking section starts from here)

When I saw how much equipment was being unloaded from the car, and mentally divided it by the number of participants in the hike, I was already somewhat depressed. Night in sleeping bag and the tent, which was snowed in at night, as well as the morning wash in the cold river, also somehow did not add optimism.
In the morning, when we scattered the equipment and food into our backpacks, it turned out that we would have to carry about 30 kg on ourselves. Bratelnik, as the leader of the sortie, was dragging a 120-liter backpack, which, according to my estimates, weighed about 40 kg. This despite the fact that he himself is 65 kg. weighs

The path to the mountain passes along the ice of the frozen bed of the White Irkut River. According to the map, from the bridge over Bolshaya Irkut to the top it is about 9 km. In reality, taking into account the zigzags of the walking path, it is about 14 km. For those who studied in the Soviet high school, I’ll add: the distance on the map is the essence of the leg, the second leg will be the difference in heights from the level of the starting point to the top, and therefore the conditional hypotenuse in the form of a rise will be several kilometers longer. But this still doesn’t reflect reality at all. While the ascent was more or less smooth, it was somehow still tolerable, but then, dammit, pebbles began to appear that we had to climb up. Sometimes climb.

Very soon I was covered in soap, sweat was getting into my eyes, mixing with the sunscreen, and my tongue was hanging out on my shoulder. Only complexes saved me from losing face. There was an auntie in the group who was carrying exactly the same backpack with an imperturbable expression on her face. Demanding rest stops and expressing one’s physical angst too clearly was somehow a bit weird. After 6 hours, when I was already tired of being tired, my brother gave the command to put up a tent and settle down for the night. I stuttered so much that after the meal I passed out instantly, despite the tea with sagan-dajlya (http://etochay.ru/etnicheskiy/dolgoletiya-sagan-dajlya.html), which we drank on the way. However, taking into account the 5 hour difference with Moscow in time and acclimatization, which made me more tired.

The next day, we had to climb to the very top. We left all the junk in the tent; we took with us only warm clothes in backpacks, a thermos of tea and safety harnesses. We left at 8:50 am. As before, if I had known how far I needed to go and which road to take, I would definitely have lost my way. Luckily for me, I didn’t imagine this, and the prospect of not having a heavy backpack while climbing gave me false hope.

Ass! We had not yet reached Lake Echoy, when I already wanted to go back to the tent, I was again in the soap and with my tongue on my shoulder. Bratelnik, apparently forgetting that there was a weak link in his group, set a very vigorous pace (he was the only one carrying a heavy backpack with equipment “just in case”). As a result, on the way to the top, almost no one overtook us, with the exception of a pretty young lady in some fashionable outfit, who, like a tractor, pushed up the mountain past us and met us at the top, already descending from it. Near the lake (it was under the snow) there were several tents and people hanging out. The wind started. I had to take out my snowboarding gear and warm myself up. The path, which had been trampled by previous climbing comrades, was swept away, so we had to climb almost knee-deep in snow.

Gradually the hill became steep, if it weren’t for the crampons on my boots, my legs would have started to slip. For the last 150 meters (according to the altimeter) it became generally steep, and then it became completely steep. It was already necessary to climb using all four bridges. The problem was that citizens who had already been to the top periodically descended from above and it was very inconvenient to separate from them. Somewhere 30-40 meters from the peak, I came across a guy who was lying stupidly on the rocks, like a fish out of water. He was so tired that he could no longer climb up. Potz said that, like me, it was his first time in the mountains, and using obscene language, he wondered why the hell he had succeeded. As a result, he climbed to the top a little later and jumped there like a bunny. As for me, about 80 meters from the top, my body, apparently realizing that it would soon die, turned on the turbocharger, so I climbed up quite easily. An interesting detail... All the climbers we met politely greeted us (and we greeted them, of course). Having risen to the top, I seem to have caught up with the meaning of this. This is not just politeness..., you really need a lot of health, so wishing it once again to someone you meet is the right thing to do. Looking ahead a little, so that some readers don’t feel sorry for me so much, I’ll say that neither my legs nor my shoulders hurt or even chafed after this outing. The main problem is my breathing and my back, because, as I said before, I have never carried a 100-liter backpack in my life, and I shamefully avoided the deadlift.

We were very lucky, because about 20 minutes after we rose, the clouds were slightly blown away by the wind and we had the pleasure of seeing Lake Khubsugul, located on Mongolian territory, from above. Unexpectedly, my cellular connection started working (the phone had been offline for the third day), so I was able to show off to everyone I wanted, right from the spot.

It was much easier to go back down, the stump was clear, except in places with a very steep slope. In these sections it was harder to go down than to climb up. We returned to the tent 11 hours later, from the start of our trek.

The next day, having collected our junk and tent, we descended from the “circus”, where we were camping to the confluence of the White Irkut and Muguvek (the so-called “arrow”). There were already crowds of mountaineering and tourist people there, there were heaps of tents and they were even selling magnets.

We set up a tent, after which my brother solemnly announced that, given the weather, we managed to climb short time, BINGO!!!, bonus game!, as a bonus, we will also climb Mount Obzornaya, the path to which goes through the neighboring gorge. “FUCK!!!” - I thought, because I was already fed up with walking around in crampons and a helmet. I feebly tried to offer an alternative, in the form of an extra day on the plain with beer and a bathhouse, but I found myself in the minority. In short, we climbed to Obzornaya. The only thing that saved us from the decisive push to its top (however, the hill looked more like a hill) was that we left the camp after lunch and, directly at the foot of the mountain where this stone stands, found ourselves a little late.

The slopes were covered with concrete mud and it was beginning to snow. Having assessed all the pros and cons, we decided not to go in, which I was incredibly happy about.

On the way back (down), both that day and the next were somehow better photographed.

After spending the night at the Strelka, we went down to the bridge over Bolshaya Irkut, where we left the car, after which we moved to Arshan (a local resort). When we left, there were already huge crowds of people who had come to the festival. The space under the bridge was densely packed with cars.

Before I describe the final couple of days in Buryatia, I’ll say a few words about Putin’s notorious fighting Buryats (cat. PTN PNH), who, according to Svidomo statements, have left... or they are near some Ilovaisk.
I declare with authority that they exist. I saw many, maybe not the same ones, of course, in the vicinity of Munku-Sardyk. They come in two types. The first are Buryats with machine guns and in camouflage - border guards who checked our passports and passes to the border zone 5-6 times during the entire period. The second are crowds of people in climbing gear, pushing hefty backpacks up the mountain, absolutely on a voluntary basis, without any coercion or deception. Among them there were both minors and clearly elderly people of both sexes. Even grandfathers had beards. Some, in addition to a huge backpack, also dragged a snowboard or skis up. Unlike me, this was absolutely commonplace for them. People clearly enjoyed these outings.
In general, I would register such people at military registration and enlistment offices, as they used to do with personal vehicles, in case of mobilization. For a close-knit company of climbers who climb mountains with 40 kg. - with backpacks, spend the night in the snow in a tent and cook over a fire - this is a ready-made sabotage and reconnaissance detachment, you just need to train them a little in explosives, handling weapons and captive languages.