6:00 - Coffee, tea, and nuked pizza being served in the kitchen. Still looking dark outside.
6:30- Clothing items located. Backpacks prepped. Water bottles filled.
6:50- Pulling out of Kemerovskaya and heading up towards Big Almaty Lake.
7:15 - Enjoying the newly conditioned road in Almarasan Valley.
7:45 - Noting that it has been years since we have actually DRIVEN up to the Big Almaty Lake instead of hiking up next to the pipe. The road has so many switch-backs, it is almost faster to walk. But we know we will appreciate having the car for the return trip.
8:10 - Arriving at Big Almaty Lake. Pulling out backpacks and starting our walk around the lake.
8:22- Feeling the COLD morning wind.
8:26 - Noting how high the lake water is today. In the summer, that little tower is often high and dry.
9:01 - Enjoying the early morning views as we hike around the lake and down the road.
9:25 - Checking out today's destination - the peak on the left. Thinking it looks a long way away. . .
10:01 - Gaining some altitude. . . lake is looking smaller!
10:28- Looking ahead - Peak Sovietov looming on the left there. . .
10:29- And looking back. . .
10:33- A little rest before heading onwards. . .
10:52 - Rocks, rocks, and more rocks. . .
11:59 - Elevensies at the base of Peak Sovietov, which is now hidden by those rock formations on the left. Nice to have some hot tea and to fill our water bottles before starting the ascent.
12:24 - Discovering just how deep the snow in the bowl really is. . . 
12:23 - Remarking how Masha matches the Big Almaty Lake in the distance. . .
12:47- Climbing up, up, up. . .
While Masha just couldn't resist. . .
12:57- Hurray! First view over the ridge. . .
1:04 - Enjoying the bird's-eye view of many valleys we have hiked before. . .
1:12 - Off again - hiking along the ascending ridge, avoiding the snow when possible.
1:24 - Making progress. . .
1:31 - And enjoying the view!
2:03 - Snack break - getting windy up there!
2:13- Feeling the altitude and wishing the peak didn't keep receding into the distance. . . Still hoping to make it by 3:00!
2:37. . . Snow flurries begin. . .
3:03- After 3:00 and we are still not there. . . ominous weather in the distance. . .
3:16 - Somewhere close to 14,000 feet, this stopped being so much fun. . . 
3:20 - Starting to question our decision to come on this adventure. Bundling up and digging in for our last push up the mountain. . . 3:50 - Hurray!!! We finally made it to the top!!!! And what an amazing panoramic view! We are on top of the world!!
GIRL POWER!!!
I must add this note - Allison and Masha were quite enthused by the fact that NOT MANY people have successfully done this hike in one day. Most groups (which successfully peak) take two days, spending the night at the base to have a fresh start. (This is really not a bad idea as the climb is a LONG one for starting at noon.) But the girls were pretty excited that they did something that few people can accomplish! True grit in these girls! Dan was so proud of them (us?) that he got all choked up when we finally made it. 
4:00 - Since time was NOT our friend and bad weather was brewing all around us, we only spent ten minutes reveling at the top before we started our descent. It took us three hours and fifty minutes to make it from base camp to peak. We were hoping our descent would be significantly quicker! Although the snow made our ascent more challenging, it actually assisted us on the downhill. Dan marked the trail, and we simply "skiied" down on our boots!
5:02 - Final section of "skiing" into the bowl before the rock fields.
5:07 - The first section was particularly steep. As a matter of fact, Allison lost her balance at one point and came sliding down the mountain at top speed. She took me with her and we were a two-man bobsled team for a while. Finally, we got untangled and turned around so we could dig in and stop our slide!
5:30 - Rain and hail began. Our boots were so wet that the girls joked about walking in our "personal puddles" (alliteration in both Russian and English). 6:00- We made it back to base camp -- one hour and fifty minute descent! Masha was first, so she quickly set up the tent and we warmed up as the rain increased in intensity. Dan got the water boiling so we could warm ourselves and have some nutrition before continuing. Masha had an altitude head-ache, so it was good to have a few minutes for the Advil to kick in.
6:55- Though we had a small flashlight, we knew we had to pack up and hurry to make it down the rocky section before dark.
7:45- And we ALMOST made it. In the dim light, we made it through the worst sections of rocks.
8:00- And then, a small disaster. In an effort to avoid the steep ravine on the right, Dan steered a little too far left, sending us back into a rocky field. We wandered around in the pitch dark for a while (oh, so thankful for that little flashlight), stumbling between boulders and large sections of gorse bushes. How happy we were to finally find THE ROAD!!
8:30 - Steady rain began. Despite our rain gear, we were wet and shivery, but moving steadily along the dark road and dreaming about making it to our warm jeep on the other side of the lake!
9:30- Hurray! We made it to the jeep!! Now to navigate down along that winding, half-repaired road, and keep the windshield from fogging, and not get car sick. . .
10:15 - Down to the Almarasan Valley again!
10:40 - Stopped in a random check by the police along Novayi. Dan's tale of mountain exhaustion allowed us to move along again quickly.
11:00 - Delighted to be home again and rid of those soaking boots and clothes. Hot tea and dry pajamas were first on the agenda.
11:45 - After checking to make sure Daniel was adequately packed for his big Budapest trip, we said good-bye and Dan delivered him to school.
12:20 - Lights out for this bunch of exhausted hikers!
2 comments:
You crazy.
Certifiable.
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