I spent the last two months in my new apartment in Bishkek - it was quite the upgrade from the Soviet style digs where I stayed in winter and spring. All hikes, except one, are in the seen mountain range.
Alamedyn Gorge
Sometimes a hike grinds to a halt...
This was the cause!
Typical bridge.
Koltor Lake
Not lupine!
Kontor Lake
Chon-Kaindy Gorge
This was a bushwhack rather than a hike. The instruction were not quite clear on this point, so quite a few participants quickly dropped out.
Andrey checking out the first stream crossing.
Andrey helped all but two participants across!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCXVAHMeB0w
Andrey and a young woman actually took a tumble and got swept a little ways downstream. Sadly, as the woman screamed, my right index finger contracted and I stopped filming... So I missed out on some dramatic footage!
The wild apricots were excellent.
I got to lead long stretches, as Andrey was busy helping at the back.
We are now on the trail used by herders, to get here they cross the stream four times on horseback.
Andrey on another stream crossing to avoid the bushwhack back. A few refused to cross, so I got to bushwhack back with them.
Sokuluk Valley
Herders
Heading up to a popular waterfall
As we got close to this waterfall, the blast and the coldness was just amazing. Made Multnomah Falls seem like a trickle.
Locals adding beer to the boiling sausages
Looking up the valley - the waterfall is in the center
The bridge of doom?
Splintercat will say good maintenance is key!
Piece of cake!
On the way down the group stopped to buy fermented mares' milk (not pictured)
The big waterfall is located toward the head of the valley (not visible)
Ala-Archa Valley
This is only 20 miles from Bishkek.
We hiked up to the stream coming in from the left. On a later hike I worked out how to reach the knob to the left of the stream.
With skill you can drive to 9,000'! The river is forded twice by car...
Alex and I tried hard but failed to cross the side stream. A few weeks later I again failed to cross it...
At close to 10,000'
Looking back down the valley as the afternoon thunderstorms start.
Ak-Tuz Valley
Interestingly enough I found a whip just like the one in the picture during the hike.
Yurt
Yurt with solar panel
Yurts
If you see a small car with Kyrgyz license plates on the summit of Silver Star Mountain, do not be surprised as they can take their cars anywhere!
The main road
Issyk Ata Valley
We headed up to the start of the right hand valley
Crawling mandatory for everybody except DN and Superman
The stream
Our destination
Coming back down
