Kyrgyz Hiking in City Boots and other fun!

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Peder
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Kyrgyz Hiking in City Boots and other fun!

Post by Peder » November 20th, 2014, 3:04 am

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Opening picture

I thought I would share another pleasant weekend of hiking with all those enjoying the frozen waterfalls back in Oregon. Saturday I hiked to the Ratseka Hut at 3,400 meters. As this was my third time on the trail, I just wandered up the 4,000' of EG in 3h30m closely followed by Tatiana.

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Tatiana - we started at the bottom of the valley.

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Just above the railing that figured in my earlier report (linked above).

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Tatiana spotted an ibex and its mother (I would have missed them completely!)

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We stopped on the moraine above the Ratseka Hut where the views are best. It was cold as we waited 25 minutes for the next people to arrive (and 1h30m for the last ones - but by then we had shelter!). It was about -10C (14F).

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Peak Urchitel 4,530m

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The main view with Peak Korona (4,860m) furthest left.

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We moved further up the moraine in an attempt to get into the sunshine. Here Andrey is crouched trying to make tea. A kind man came an invited us into his hut for tea - earlier I has seen him carrying a large board up from the glacier. Then we did the great sharing of food ceremony.

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With 4 -5 people in the upper bunk (not everybody has arrived yet), we all fit into the small hut.

http://youtu.be/QZV8-rG30VY
The whole crowd!

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Our host, Alexis, spends 6-7 months per year in this hut working as a mountain guide and with mountain rescue. I was very impressed with his boots, they had been resoled with what I assume is tire rubber! He said that he had a good grip with them. He told us that he was building a second hut that should host 50 Russian mountaineers and 7 instructors for two weeks of climbing over Christmas. He said that strong winds had blown some of his construction materials onto the glacier, so he was trying to retrieve them. We had a great time and spent 1h30m in the hut, deciding that 3 pm was the last decent time we could leave the hut and be sure to be down before dark.

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Outside Alexis' hut with his project. Imagine trying to build a hut at 11,000' in Oregon in November, everything would be buried under snow! Here the snowfall is less and the weather will be relatively dry till March.

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Peak Urchitel in the center

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Going down in city boots... I held her arm for a ways but then younger gentlemen kindly took over. As we did not have much margin, I had agreed with Andrey to remain at the back for the whole descent, making sure nobody got lost. Note the hand holding the hair to the side so that she can see!

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Other methods of descent were tested... (in jeans)

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These 5 ibex seemed amused by our passage.

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The best boots!

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Peak Urchitel on the right. We made it back to the bus about 5 minutes after sunset.

Sunday Hike in Alamedin Valley
Actually it was my third visit to this valley and this time the strawberries were long gone. I hiked on my own up the valley, following the opposite side of the valley. I had been there once before, where I bushwhacked over one mile wondering where the trail had gone. I had turn back when I came to a loose embankment that would have been iffy to down climb. This time I remained on the trail and found the I had turned around 10 meters from the trail on my previous hike! :(

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Frozen streams can be difficult to cross!

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It must be said that two of the participants on this hike had no form of bag or backpack! :shock:
Some people are really fit at eighty; thankfully I still have many years to get into shape…

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Peabody
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Re: Kyrgyz Hiking in City Boots and other fun!

Post by Peabody » November 20th, 2014, 5:14 am

Love the reports from "Pat I'd like to by a vowel - Kyrgyz"

Love the tire-screw-boots, although they have got to be a bit on the heavy side. Looks like Columbia doesn't stand a chance competing against good ole fashion Kyrgyz ingenuity.
"I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day.”
― E.B. White

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Don Nelsen
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Re: Kyrgyz Hiking in City Boots and other fun!

Post by Don Nelsen » November 20th, 2014, 8:36 am

Peder,

What an amazing place! I like the boot re-sole job - very imaginative. I tried a related idea years ago for a light and fast Mt. Hood climb by screwing golf shoe lugs into my running shoes. It worked pretty well until I got to the bergschrund and then not so well.

It's warmed up this morning and all threat of snow and ice is gone for the near future. Maybe you can bring some of that nice cold and dry weather back from Kyrgyzstan?

dn
"Everything works in the planning stage" - Kelly

"If you don't do it this year, you will be one year older when you do" - Warren Miller

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BurnsideBob
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Re: Kyrgyz Hiking in City Boots and other fun!

Post by BurnsideBob » November 20th, 2014, 11:17 am

Peder!

Thanks for sharing your most excellent Kyrgyzstani adventures. Some of the wildflowers featured in your past reports seemed crazy exotic for an austere continental climate.

Seems like your trips were done thru alpine hiking/mountaineering clubs, what with the buses, mixed experience level hiking partners, and, sometimes, guide. What will you miss about Kyrgyzstani hiking?

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I hope Alexis used snow tire tread for his boot resole!! :D
I keep making protein shakes but they always turn out like margaritas.

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Peder
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Re: Kyrgyz Hiking in City Boots and other fun!

Post by Peder » November 20th, 2014, 9:56 pm

Peabody wrote:Love the reports from "Pat I'd like to buy a vowel - Kyrgyz"
Yes! Reminds me of Doonesbury where you meet Trff Bmzklfrpz - President-for-Life of the Republic of Berzerkistan (now an ex-President and waiter). Here he is in his better days:
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BurnsideBob wrote:Seems like your trips were done thru alpine hiking/mountaineering clubs, what with the buses, mixed experience level hiking partners, and, sometimes, guide. What will you miss about Kyrgyzstani hiking?

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I hope Alexis used snow tire tread for his boot resole!! :D
The hiking is done through the Trekking Union of Kyrgyzstan. The organize 16 seater buses and a guide for $5 to $7 per trip! Regarding Alexis, I guess he is fine on snow/ice with crampons; I would be more concerned for him regarding his grip when climbing on rock.
Some people are really fit at eighty; thankfully I still have many years to get into shape…

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