Kaya Bazhi cascade

Long ago after one of my first visits to France, Pavel Shabalin asked me about good falls in Altai area. My first thought was the Chulyshman river valley and at right a strong desire to investigate the region and to try to climb something ice there appeared.

But other interests, remoteness of the area in winter condition until recently, some complexities to whip up a good company - due to all of these factors our trip was postponed. But, as they say, sooner or later if fruit isn't rotten it will ripe. And now we are driving in a comfortable vehicle approaching Ulagan. Then we changed the car to an UAZ (a Russian jeep) and after 4 hours of rough pounding we got a point where a descent from the Katu-Jaryk pass in the fertile Chulyshman river valley. The panorama is really impressing. Directly opposite the pass on the right we can see two powerful and big falls. Unfortunately the afternoon was well along and we made a decision to set a bivy for spending the night.

Nizhny Kylyzun, central part

All the next day we devoted to make a reco: the valley and falls and approaches to them. On a site of 15 km downwards the river from the pass we counted about ten falls. But to a huge regret, it is problematic to climb some of them at this time due to the right bank of Southwest exposition and late March in the weather.

Finally we chose Nizhny Kuluzun cascade on the right bank of the Chulyshman, at 48th km of Ulagan-Balykcha road.

The cascade represents 100-150 meters of ice about 80-90 degrees, and then in an abrupt canyon some walls of 20 - 40 meters. The quit out the canyon on the right orographical slope and descent are rather easy.

.

Nizhny Kylyzun cascade

Nizhny Kylyzun

Nizhny Kylyzun, top part

Kaya Bazhi

The fourth day of our adventure we devoted to sending Kaya-Bazhi cascade located on the left bank of the Chulyshman river, 35th km of the road. The approach under the fall is 1 - 1,5 hours through the bush. The bottom part of the fall is about 150 meters of an average steepness of 45-50 degrees, further a wall of 50 meters, 85 degrees, an inclined ledge of about 60 meters and at last a vertical site of 50 meters. On the right slope through 150 meters we left to shepherd's shelter: he was surprised very much. From parking there is 500 m up to the road. You can get to the Chulyshman valley on it. The second, shorter descent route goes on a horse trailway that runs along a cable line.

Graylings of the Chulyshman river

Recommendations:

- Optimum time for climbing is second half of February - beginning of March
- Be ready to spend the night in a tent (preferably with a stove)
- In the valley there is not everywhere fire wood, therefore you should have a gas or petrol stove
- For your peace of mind and safety it would be better to be accompanied by authoritative local experienced guides which will fish graylings with pleasure near base camp.