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2007. KARAKOL VALLEY.
July 2007. Kirgizia (Kyrgyzstan). Trekking in Karakol valley.

July 2007. Kirgizia (Kyrgyzstan). Trekking in Karakol valley.

Starting from 2006 we were gathering for the trip to Kirgizia (Kyrgyzstan) for trying to climb at some beautiful summits of Karakol Valley (Tien-Shan) near Issyk-Kul Lake.

Initially this idea appeared in the mind of Quentin, the crazy Belgium guy, who decided to take a bike trip over the huge distance starting from Aral Sea in Kazakhstan to Tibet in China crossing the wild mountains of Kyrgyzstan on the way.

He contacted me (because he is a friend of my good friends with whom we had an unforgettable trip to Altai in Siberia in 2004) and I suggested him a few variants for the routes in Karakol, Ak-Suu and Djety-Oguz valleys. Quentin also invited three friends of him to join to this adventure.

In 6th of July everybody was in Karakol. Quentin arrived by bike, his friends had a flight from Brussels to Bishkek via Moscow and I had a train from Novosibirsk to Almaty and then taxi to Karakol. We had a first meeting at the base of Turkestan Company where guys were staying for the days when they were off the mountains.

The full list of our group was:
1. Quentin Moreau - BE
2. Gregoire de Hemptinne - BE
3. Erwin Frets - BE
4. Valerie Dupont - BE
5. Christine - FR (this girl joined us after Quentin met her in Bishkek)
6. Sergey (me) - RU

After we bought all necessary food for the trekking we started our way to Karakol valley area in 8th of July. Our trekking lasted seven days and we spent this week with great pleasure in spite of the cloudy, rainy and snowy weather for the most of the days. "Thanks" to this weather we couldn't reach our summits (Prjevalsky Peak 4271m and Djigit Peak 5173m), but we have got a lot of positive emotions, wonderful views of surrounding mountains and pleasant evening-morning friendly chats around the campfire with tea and coffee.

There are pictures from this trekking below. Every photo should have the comprehensible comments so you can feel that situation it was taken. We've visited the following places in Karakol valley: "Sirota" refuge (2800m), Terimtor or Terim-Tor pass (4000m), Uyuntor or Uu-Tor valley, Karakol glacier. The summits which unfortunately we could only observe: peaks Przhevalsky, Ayu-Tor, 30 years of L.Y.C.L.S.U. (means Leninist Young Communist League of the Soviet Union), Djigit, peak Karakol 5216m(the highest point of Terskey Ala-Too range).

Up

Peak Karakol 5216m is the highest point of Terskey Ala-Too range (Tien-Shan mountains). Our campsite was 1 km away from Karakol glacier. My tent was set at small sandy area found among the stones of morain.
Peak Karakol 5216m and Normal tent.
Edelweiss in Karakol Valley. 		The view of our camp from apart. The big tent of Greg, Valerie and Erwin, then campfire and cooking place, and my tent is visible a bit to the right amongs the bush and stones. The tent of Quentin and Christine was to the left part of the camp.
Our camp. Evening 11th July. 		That was a long day and everybody was tired. Before the night Valerie did some exercises for her legs. :-)
Evening exercises.
The weather changed in the night. We continued our route to the bottom of Djigit peak in the morning. At photo: beginning of Karakol glacier.
Approach to glacier. 		Starting our walk by Karakol glacier we found that weather becomes worse. Bad looking nebulosity moved forward to us from the lower part of Karakol valley.
Glacier beginning. 		After one hour of our glacier walking we understood that we cannot escape the bad weather coming from the valley to us. But in spite of this we continued our moving.
Higher and higher by glacier. 		We reached the point where we could see Djigit peak bottom. The summit of the peak was under the clouds. From this point we saw a lot of snow on the slopes of the peak and on the route we planned to go.
Djigit Peak is under the clouds.
Before we reached the middle morain of the glacier we were caught by the clouds.
Clouds caught us. 		When cloud covered us we decided to stop and have some rest, because fog brought gusty wind, wet snow and rain.
Rest in the fog. 		The view of Djigit peak bottom covered with clouds. A lot of snow on the slopes of these mountains in this year.
Near the bottom of Djigit Peak. 		Having a stopping not far from the bottom of Djigit peak we started to discuss our plans. Most of group members were skeptical about the further moving because of the bad weather and bad snow conditions. That was indeed risky to go to the deep slopes full of wet snow, moreover the clouds we coming more and more.
Plans discussing.
There is a sadness in the eyes of Erwin, in my opinion.
Erwin. 		Greg is describing to Valerie some features of the route... maybe...
Greg's arguments. 		After Greg's arguments Valerie is full of toughts about something...
Valerie is indulging in reveries... 		After discussion we decided to go back. The weather wasn't better and we moved down by glacier from peak Djigit.
Going down by the glacier
We left the glacier behind us and decided to have some rest and discuss about where should we set our camp for tonight. At photo: Quentin against a background of Karakol Peak.
Quentin and Karakol peak. 		While we were talking about the plans Christine was slumbering a little.
Christine is slumbering. 		Such a view we observed in 12th of July 2007. Peak Karakol (5216m) - the highest point of Terskey Ala-Too. The view from our campsite.
Evening view of Karakol Peak. 		The weather became to be better to the evening, but clouds still flies in both sides of the valley. At photo: Me and Karakol Peak. 12th July 2007.
Me and Karakol Peak.
The sky became clear to the night. Still was cloudy in the lower part of Karakol Valley - but that could be a smoke from the campfire of the big camp set by Tomsk group of mountaineers.
The clouds in the lower part of valley. 		Our camp was set near the small lake and sometimes, when that was very quiet, Peak Karakol reflection was very stable in the water.
Peak Karakol reflection in the lake. 		Morning of 13th of July 2007. Upper part of Karakol Valley. Valerie, me and Greg are ready to start our way down by Karakol Valley. The good view of peak '30 years of VLKSM' and Uyuntor river valley is behind us.
Valerie, me and Greg are ready to start. 		Next morning we had an early start. Our plan was to reach the closest place down in Karakol valley. The weatehr was good, our mood was wonderful and we started our way with crossing a wide valley of the river flowing from the glacier of Peak Karakol.
Crossing the valley.
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