Where is Chersky Peak located? Holidays on Baikal

Khamar-Daban (Burk. Һamar dabaan from Bur. khamar - nut, dabaan - ridge, rise, pass) is a mountainous country in the south of Eastern Siberia in the southern Baikal region, mostly within the Republic of Buryatia. The Baikal Biosphere Reserve is located in the central part of Khamar-Daban. Khamar-Daban is the oldest massif on the planet, stretching from west to east for more than 350 km, with a width of 50-60 km, and forming a mountainous country south of Baikal. In the west, the Khamar-Daban watershed ridge begins at the lower right tributaries of the Zun-Muren River, then goes southeast to the upper reaches of the Khangarul and Snezhnaya rivers, where east of the Khangarul ridge it turns east and, then from the middle reaches of the Snezhnaya goes in the north -east-east to the Selenga River. Khamar-Daban is composed mainly of ancient crystalline rocks of the Archean and Proterozoic (gneisses, schists, limestones), igneous (granitoids) and volcanic rocks (Quaternary basalts). Characterized by modern tectonic uplifts, water erosion, mudflows, landslides, and collapses. Numerous traces of Quaternary glaciation have been preserved in the high mountain zone. Currently, many different tourist and ski routes have been laid along Khamar-Daban and partly along the Starokomarskaya road. Perhaps the most popular one goes from the city of Slyudyanka to the weather station, and then a variety of options - to Chersky Peak, Heart Lake, waterfalls, Devil's Lake, Chekanovsky Peak, etc. depending on the level of training, weather conditions, availability of equipment, time and desire. Having finished the route in the Barguzinsky ridge, we returned to Irkutsk. Within a couple of days they sent the guys “home”, and since we had tickets already for 08.08. There was nothing special to do, and even during the preparation period we considered the possibility, if there was time after the hike, to go to Khamar-Daban. There were 3 options: Chersky Peak, Porozhisty Peak, Sable Lakes. The most popular places in Khamar-Daban. In addition, I was there “one and a half times” in my youth, when I worked in Irkutsk after the Institute (1983-84). And during the period of preparation for the trip to the Barguzin Mountains, there was no time to particularly prepare for the trip to Khamar-Daban. Barguzin took everything. Relying on memory. So, 01.08. We take the morning train from Irkutsk to Slyudyanka. It takes 4 hours to get to the destination station. Just like in the past. While we were driving, the weather completely deteriorated. From the source of the Angara, a mass of clouds mixed with industrial smog pours into the waters of Lake Baikal and fogs the entire southern part of Lake Baikal. This is as long as the wind is from there. In Slyudyanka we go to a cafe and have lunch. We walk around the town for an hour. And we didn't get lost. On the way out we pass by the regional Emergency Ministry base, but do not register. We stop outside the village and change into hiking clothes. Further along the dirt road we stomp up the river valley. At the foot of the quarry dumps, at a rest stop, a married couple comes out to meet us. Locals, Irkutsk residents. But what struck me was that there was a cat with them. On a leash. It's in the picture. After 4 hours of walking we find ourselves in the Prival cafe. The hostess is just frying donuts. We also order a portion of donuts, with honey and condensed milk. Some tea... While we are waiting for the order, we look around. This was not the case in the 80s. True, even now the quality is “not a fountain”. “Hotel” - in the best traditions of Soviet times: bed, mattress. There are 4 beds in the room. Place for the night - 200 rub. Stream, backwater. There is a bathhouse above the creek. On wood. This is how they bribed us. For 2 hours - 500 RUR! On the wood! It's decided, we stop. At our request, the bathhouse is heated. We drink tea with donuts and settle down in a designated room. The bathhouse turned out to be very hot. Cooling off in the creek before the bathhouse is incomparable! And the room is clean, damp, but tolerable. 02.08. In the morning we pack up and leave. Along the forest road, photographing the local flora (the fauna is hiding somewhere), we slowly go out to the weather station. Don't get lost. We had a snack. Next comes a sharp climb. The weather in the morning is cloudy and hazy. Everything is the same, bad weather comes from the source of the Angara. We come out to the crest of the ridge, the forest is below us. Thickets of dwarf cedar still remain. It's better not to lose the path. Along the way we go to the obelisk of Raisa Kirillina. The monument has stood here for a long time, but I have no information on this event and have not found it anywhere. The surrounding mountains are unique, but in any direction they are approximately the same. When you reach the ridge to Chersky Peak, Lake Heart opens on the right. Our goal today. It's cloudy all around, you can't really see anything. From the ridge, straight down, we begin our descent to the lake (we didn’t climb in Barguzin). The descent is very unpleasant. It’s steep, but not very steep, there’s loose powder crawling under your feet. After flattening, we find ourselves in thickets of bushes and grass. Interspersed with stones. Somehow we made our way down to the edge of the shore, where we found a path along the shore. Seryoga swore... A place for a tent was found only on the far edge of the lake. It turned out to be disgustingly dirty. I had to clean up first. We collected a decent amount. Everything was there. Right down to condoms. Here we stay for 2 days. In the meantime, we’re setting up a tent and preparing dinner. 03.08. We're not going anywhere today. Sunshine in the morning! We slowly have breakfast. And we spend the whole day walking around the neighborhood and taking photographs. We are standing at the bay from which the Mangutaika River flows. One of the tributaries of the Left Bezymyannaya River. After 20-30 meters it falls like a waterfall from a rocky step into the lower cirque of the valley. On the left bank we find some brushwood for a small fire. There are several russulas. We put them in soup. At about 3 pm a group appears on the slope above the lake, descending from Chersky Peak. They walk along the path, and the path leads to a belt of rocks. We shout, indicating that we need to go to the right (for them), into a couloir with red scree. They obey and go where they indicate. They descend safely. They stand on the other side and swim. By 17:00 local time we notice another group descending from Chersky Peak to the lake. Likewise, they go out onto the belt of rocks. We are trying to show where we need to go in order to descend properly, but the guys stubbornly climb the “wrong” way. They “crawl” along the slope for a long time, and in the end they find “their way.” 04.08. By nine o'clock we get ready and go out. We go along the path to the Four Pass. This is a little away from the path we took down to the lake. But along the path. Again Seryoga swears, remembers the descent... From the pass there is a new perspective on the lake and Chersky Peak. We “look” into the sources of the Podkomarnaya River. Enjoying the views. At the junction point we drop our backpacks and go to Chersky Peak. Again the comb. It doesn’t seem complicated, but it’s annoying. In some places there are stationary railings in the form of a steel cable. By one o'clock we reach the summit tour. There are no notes. There are a lot of people here, the summit is not difficult, the height is 2090. Irkutsk residents “run” here in 2 days (weekends), returning to Irkutsk by Sunday evening. Due to lack of time, notes are not written. And we didn’t write. From the peak, a group of Irkutsk residents leaves along the ridge to the lake. We have time to warn you how to descend so as not to go out onto the belt of rocks. We take pictures, panoramas in all directions, and go back. We pick up our backpacks along the way. On the descent we begin to “cut” the serpentine road (there is a path that straightens all the bends of the road). I fall behind Seryoga and lose sight of him. I'm trying to catch up, I'm accelerating. Please note that the slopes around us look a little different. I understand that somewhere I took a wrong turn and “went” to the right. I walk, and in the end, I go out onto the path, to the beginning of the climb to the weather station. Last takeoff, about 30 minutes. It seems like I cut a corner, but Seryoga will probably stop at the weather station and wait for me. I have to go upstairs... I'm going. At the place where we had a snack, when we were going there, we met. He was extremely surprised when I appeared on the wrong side. Let's go down. We reach the Prival cafe and are again tempted by donuts and a bathhouse. We stop. Let's rest. 05.08. Let's pack up and go out. By one o'clock in the afternoon we reach the outskirts of Slyudyanka. In the bushes, by the river, we change into “city clothes”, and again to the railway station. station we go on foot. Next to it we find a bus station. We find out that minibuses regularly go to Irkutsk. And not 4 hours, like trains, but 2.5. This is how we leave.

Chersky Peak, Khabar-Daman ridge, 2090 meters high, one of the most popular tourist peaks in the Irkutsk region.
One of the stages of the Russian Cup in skyrunning (high-altitude running) takes place there; the road takes more than 20 km, and the elevation rise is 1600 meters. Besides, it's incredibly beautiful there. Here are some photos from my one-day hike.

I was walking alone and for the first time, so I downloaded the track to my Garmin navigator in advance.
The road starts from the small town of Slyudyanka. From here to Irkutsk it is about 110 km, there are minibuses and electric trains, and a taxi with a good man Kostya took me for 1800 rubles. I start my journey from the RUDO management area.


The road is excellent, its differences from our Urals are sand and stones, almost no dirt, although it has recently rained.

The road crosses the Slyudanka River many times, through which volunteers from the Great Baikal Trail built bridges

Slyudanka is mountainous, swift, clean

I didn’t have any poles, but my friend, former Irkutsk resident, climber Sasha Yakovenko advised me to contact local skyrunner Sasha Gutentog, who kindly lent me her poles, for which I thank her very much.

The quarry dump, once the city-forming enterprise of Slyudanka, dazzles in the sun.


another bridge. I lost count, there are at least 7-8 of them

the higher, the faster the river

10 km covered, here is a small base, you can eat, spend the night and go to the bathhouse

Old women are being prepared in the kitchen

hot sweet tea with lemon and hot pancakes instantly restore strength


harsh Siberian tourists

After another few km there is a sign to the second base. Usually tourists reach it, spend the night and climb to the peak in the morning. But I don't have that much time.

Light snack. Altitude 1000 meters, 14 km covered, travel time 3 hours. The speed is lower than expected.
During this time, female skyrunners reach the top (the time for male winners is even less - 2 hours for 20 km!)

There is a beard on the spruce trees

I walk through magical valleys, a comfortable path, beauty, an unusually pleasant smell of pine needles and herbs in the air. Even the leaves don't move.


. I often overtake tourists who travel overnight and therefore carry huge backpacks.


Near the path there was this grass, unfamiliar to me, everywhere. upd This is "incense"


but Chemeritsa was often found in grandfather’s high-mountain mowing in the Southern Urals


Someone's horse is grazing!!


raindrops on branches


roots form fabulous steps


I go out to the Khamar-Daban radio station.


she's just like in the movies and books


The guys at the weather station are wonderful, I will write a separate, big post about them. By the way, the horse turned out to be from a weather station. It carries food.


I was treated to canned fish soup and tea. Just at that time it started to rain, I waited it out and moved on.

I climb up the mountain serpentine, the wet path soars under the peeking sun


at the fork there is a sacred tree, on it are various offerings to shamanic spirits. This was adopted by tourists from the Buryats.)


I climb the pass, then the clouds roll in and then disappear


family of tourists


the sign seems to warn

a sharp ridge, there is even insurance on it. It's a little scary because of the fog. How do people run marathons here?


The peak is very close, about 100 meters away


As soon as I reached the top, the clouds immediately cleared


and I was able to see the famous lake "Heart" so named because of its characteristic shape


there is still a piece of snow on the northern slope


and here is the path along which I came. Without fog it's not scary at all)


I walked 25 km, my time with photography, food and stops was a whopping 7 hours and 20 minutes!
I thought it would be less)

clouds at such a height flow up, down, sideways, fold and crumble in amazing shapes
Everything happens at great speed, just the sun and transparent distances, and after 3 minutes you are again in milk soup


A young man ran up the mountain, his name was Evgeniy, he was training for the skyrunner race on August 25th.
I treated him to Coca-Cola, used by skyrunners and triathletes to quickly restore strength.

We ran the way back together, chatted (Evgeniy is an engineer from Angarsk), and then he gave me a lift to Irkutsk.
Hello, Zhenya!!


test photo with a courageous face)


Valley below. Avalanches occur here in winter


Return trip. Do you see how the ridge clearly separates the fog?


facial expressions photo. Chipmunk, there are a lot of them there, they climb the trees like squirrels.


In short, it’s not just Baikal) I sincerely recommend it to those who will be in the Irkutsk region to go to Chersky Peak.

In the south of Baikal in the mountainous country of Khamar-Daban there is Chersky Peak - a 2090-meter high mountain named after the geographer and famous explorer of Siberia Ivan Dementievich Chersky. The trail to the top of this mountain is an easy and popular route among tourists and local mountain hikers. Every year in August or September, a championship in speed climbing and skyrunning is even held here. The fastest participants cover the 20 kilometers of ascent in just over an hour and a half. So why leave the shores of beautiful Baikal for a while and go up there?

Overcome yourself

For a trained athlete or a person who has been involved in mountain trekking for a long time, walking the 20-kilometer route to Chersky Peak will not be difficult. But for travelers who are new to climbing, the climb will be a real challenge. The trail starts from the city of Slyudyanka and first passes through the river valley. Here it is more or less flat and does not foreshadow anything complicated. After a few kilometers you will come across a cafe, after which the trail sharply climbs upward, beginning a long climb. At 1500 meters above sea level, the trail ends at a weather station and a small camp site. Several hours of monotonous exercise are difficult; legs unaccustomed to the load eventually reach zen and, not listening to the owner, independently climb the last hundreds of meters to the goal. The only thing that saves you are breaks and beautiful views around - there is something to distract your attention.

If you get to the base, you're only halfway there. A good option would be to spend the night at a camp site and head to the peak itself at dawn. But if you feel strong enough, you can storm the peak right away. From the camp site to the peak the trail is noticeably more difficult. The climb is rapid until the trail takes you to the crest of the ridge. In September, this area will definitely require warm and waterproof clothes, a hat and good hard gloves. It is better to go with an experienced guide who knows the trail and understands the group’s capabilities. Our guide was Andrey Krasner, a member of the Russian Geographical Society and a professional in climbing. He immediately warned us that the last kilometer was the most difficult section, where the path was completely lost among the stones. You have to, holding on to the cable, overcome a narrow ledge, to the right and left of which there is a gaping abyss. After passing, I would not call this section dangerous, but the first time is a real test of not only physical capabilities, but also fortitude. Especially in bad weather conditions - strong winds and a snowstorm that settled on the summit, despite the fact that the team had been working hard the day before.

To make the ascent easier and faster, you can throw yourself several kilometers in a truck like this.

Admire the views of Khamar-Daban

The valley of the Slyudyanka River is replete with picturesque views. Cliffs with trees growing straight from rock crevices, snow-white spoil heaps of an old marble quarry, huge boulders covered with moss. With every kilometer of ascent, the views become wider and wider, and just before the weather station you can already see fog or clouds spreading somewhere below your feet.

At the camp site near the weather station there is an observation gazebo, which offers a large view of the surrounding mountains and a distant, barely noticeable waterfall.

But the most interesting viewpoints await you at the very top of Chersky and from the ridge on the way to it. From there you should have magnificent panoramas of Khamar-Daban, a view of the alpine Lake Heart and, they say, even a small piece of Baikal can be seen. “They must” because they were not revealed to us and I did not see them with my own eyes. Hoping to see the sunrise, we set out from the weather station to the peak in the dark, at 4 am. But the weather did not give in to us, and instead of a panoramic view we saw panoramic milky clouds. Nevertheless, the walk turned out to be very exciting, albeit exhausting.

In the mountains the weather changes quickly - by midday the sky cleared. Therefore, if you have time and the weather is not kind, you can wait for it to improve and then start climbing, so as not to miss a single view.

Walk along the "Great Tea Route"

The trail partially runs along the Old Komarskaya Road, a section of the Great Tea Route. In the 18th and 19th centuries, horse-drawn caravans loaded with tea traveled along it from China to Europe. The serpentine, which begins on the way to Chersky Peak immediately after the weather station, is part of that same road. Then the path went to the upper reaches of the Utulik River and continued to Kyakhta, now a city on the border with Mongolia.

If you are in those places, on Khamar-Daban, just stop, listen to the sounds around and imagine the times when tea merchants drove caravans here. These were multi-day and difficult treks through the mountains, in conditions that are now difficult to imagine.

Spend the night at altitude

Spend the night at an altitude of 1500 m in the huts of the camp site, or even higher, on the ridge in a tent. Light a fire, warm yourself by the crackling fire, boil water for aromatic herbal tea, prepare a camp dinner and enjoy the silence. It’s nice to relax after a long walk and calmly, without rushing, breathe in the clear mountain air.

At night, admire the starry sky and spot the Milky Way. The night sky here is dark and rich - no extraneous light interferes with observing it. In the morning, if you're lucky, you'll be one of the first to see the sunrise.

Drink water from a mountain river

Baikal has more fresh water reserves than any other lake in the world. It is supplied with water by hundreds of rivers and streams, and most of them are of exceptional purity.

Having previously consulted with local residents, you can take running water from rivers for cooking, and, if you are not afraid, even drink it raw. Experienced hikers claim that in Khamar-Daban it is completely safe.

We took a lot of bottled drinking water from the store with us on the route. Our guide advised us to drink water directly from the river, which runs parallel to the trail on the first part of the route. And the water turned out to be so tasty that I immediately replaced all the contents of my supplies with it.

See the change of seasons

Traveling in the off-season is sometimes more interesting than in the season. There are fewer people, more varied impressions. A trip to the mountains at the border of the seasons can confuse all your plans, but it can also give you a sea of ​​emotions. Here in a couple of days you can see three seasons at once. Below - autumn with golden foliage in the sun's rays off the shores of Lake Baikal. But the higher you rise, the less yellow it becomes - halfway up the trees are almost bare. At the weather station the temperature is about zero, and there are no deciduous trees at all and only pine needles around.

The next morning, hoping to see the dawn at the top, you begin your ascent and find yourself... in the pre-New Year time - snow is falling in large flakes, spruce trees stand in snow caps, only Christmas tree decorations are missing to complete the picture. At the very top, the snow is already knee-deep; a piercing wind and ice chips whip across your cheeks. Returning to the weather station, you will not recognize yesterday’s landscape - just yesterday it was autumn here, and today it is real winter. Do you want to see spring? Just go down to Baikal - the weather changes, the sun comes out, and the forest, full of spring smells, responds with drops. And then you won’t even notice how spring will turn into golden autumn again - such a journey through time.

Most of the hikes on Lake Baikal are closely connected with the mining town of Slyudyanka. From here, from Chersky Peak, located 20 km from the coast, weekend routes and lines of category hikes spread across the map of the formidable Khamar-Daban. Attendance at the trail drops in the off-season, but even in winter you can see many tourists here, not only on skis.

How to get to Slyudyanka

The easiest option is to take an electric train from Irkutsk or a train from Ulan-Ude. The train runs 4-5 times a day, the final station is Baikalsk or Vydrino. Several commuter buses also pass through Slyudyanka, the schedule of which can be checked at the Irkutsk bus station. The direct flight Irkutsk-Slyudyanka (route No. 541) does not depart at the most convenient time, but every half hour you can board a bus with the same route at the railway station (Chelnokova Street).

Not so convenient, but noticeably faster, you can get to the starting point by minibus, departing from the same bus station every 40-50 minutes. The cost does not yet exceed 200 rubles (regular bus - 130). The disadvantages of such movement are that there is often nowhere to put a large backpack, which is compensated by time (about 2 hours on the road). In order to drive your own car, you need to go to the Kultuksky tract (along Mayakovsky or Sergeev Street) and drive along this road all the way to Kultuk, which neighbors Slyudyanka on the shore of Lake Baikal.

Exit from Slyudyanka

The exit to the path to Chersky is the Slyudyanka River.

There are no paid parking lots in the village yet, but in Slyudyanka you can leave your car in the care of a guard from the Zhigalov Museum (36 on Slyudyanaya Street) or pay the owner a tour. bases. There are several hotels in the village where they can also look after your vehicle.

At the railway station (after looking at this amazing marble building) you need to climb onto the pedestrian bridge. From here, having examined the cold waters of Lake Baikal, move away from them (southwest) until you get to the street of the Paris Commune. The Paris Commune at the end of the village makes a small curtsy and transfers the traveler to Slyudyanaya Street, at the end of which the Ministry of Emergency Situations base is located and the trail to Chersky Peak begins. On your first visit, it is strongly recommended not to pass by the museum located here: you can learn a lot of interesting things about the stones lying on the path under your feet, about marble and lapis lazuli mining, about the construction of a geological road, etc.

Route to Chersky Peak

It is extremely difficult to miss the trail, but if this happens, you need to go to the Slyudyanka River and move up its current until you find a pedestrian bridge or trail. A wide, well-trodden path stretches along the river bank, periodically crossing it in places where the coastal slope becomes too steep.

You will have to cross the rapid current quite often (from 7 to 11 times), but there is nothing wrong with that. Several fords can be crossed without taking off your shoes, and at the most difficult crossings there are wooden walkways. However, you need to keep in mind that lightweight sneakers are not the best shoes for such obstacles, especially in the off-season or after prolonged rains. Cyclists can ride at least half the distance without getting out of the saddle.

A trip to Baikal means studying minerals along the way. In the southeastern part of Baikal and in the Slyudyansky region, in particular, small inclusions of lapis lazuli are still found.

Chersky Peak itself is impossible to see from the gorge formed by the river, but there is something to see along the way. Near the village itself, even before the first ford across Slyudyanka, you can see the turn to the Pereval quarry, which is currently being developed. Blocks of marble of different colors are scattered nearby, among the abundant Baikal mosses.

Thanks to the heavy rains that irrigate the northeastern side of Khamar-Daban, facing Lake Baikal, there are generally a lot of mosses here. In total, there are 470 species in the lake area, and on some terraces you can stumble upon sphagnum bogs. High humidity and a climate more similar to maritime than continental promote the growth of lingonberries and currants, and at the upper level - blueberry meadows. Along the trail, cedar and fir are more common, but an attentive traveler will notice relict poplars and oaks.

Bridge over a mountain river on Lake Baikal. The bridges across Slyudyanka were mostly built by enthusiasts and volunteers.

The picturesque valley is bordered by rocky ledges pressing onto the river, sometimes from the left, sometimes from the right. In the spring, along the way you can collect some “Chigir tea” - dried bergenia leaves that have undergone natural fermentation. The most interesting time for walking along the banks of this rapid mountain river is the beginning of summer, when the riot of grass leaves no room for gray colors. Autumn landscapes are no less attractive, but in September clouds begin to gather over Khamar-Daban and the weather becomes a little unpredictable.

More than half of the way, the route to Chersky Peak is in no hurry to climb the mountain, and only towards the end does a persistent climb up the rocks begin. The tourist base located at 8 km of the route can serve as a reference point, after which the gentle ascent will last another 3-4 km.

The last bridge across Slyudyanka consists of several logs, sometimes carried away by the river or moved by spring snow. From this place you need to walk another 1.5 km to Gorelya Polyana, where it is convenient to stop before the last part of the journey. At this point the trail finally says goodbye to the river and begins to climb up. Slyudyanka runs a little to the left, under the base of Chersky Peak, but getting to it after Gorelaya Pad will be quite difficult: the cliff is too steep.

Map of the area under Chersky Peak. Until the last ford, the trail to Chersky Peak is not difficult to navigate.

The next large clearing is very close, this is the Cossack glade, or rather a tract. The name is associated with the maintenance of the Komarsky tract: the Cossacks kept replacement horses in this place. Like Gorelaya Pad, the tract is swampy at one end, so here, not far into the forest, you can easily pick up berries. Wild sorrel and honeysuckle are often found in the bright part of the clearing. You can also stop at this place for a snack, but you can also stay overnight, especially since an ordinary tourist can spend the whole daylight hours climbing to this altitude. However, it is more convenient to stand a little further along the trail, making the last push-ascent to the weather station, since the Khamar-Daban weather station is located at the intersection of several important routes.

Radials from a weather station

You need to walk a short 2.5 km from the weather station house to Chersky Peak, but to climb it you need to gain another half a kilometer of altitude. The race to the peak is of great interest for those who are interested in active Baikal, since you need to climb up to two chars before the peak along a relatively flat road.

We are talking, of course, about the Starokomarsky tract, which cut Khamar-Daban more than two centuries ago, when the Russian Empire needed a postal connection with Mongolia. Caravans moved along this road to Kyakhta for a long time, climbing up from the Kultuk station and gradually dropping the altitude to Utulik and the floodplain of the Snezhnaya River. After the construction of the railway tracks, the tract was abandoned, but is now actively used by tourists for a variety of hiking trips around Lake Baikal. By bike or on foot from here you can go down to Kultuk so as not to return to Slyudyanka along the same road.

On the way, a Baikal tourist can feed the crowberry (also known as bagnovka and crowberry).

If you are moving lightly, then it is not necessary to follow all the turns of the road: among the mighty cedars there are many paths that cut off turns along steep but surmountable slopes. You will need to retreat from the road at the moment when the vegetation gives way to dwarf vegetation and free clearings open to the eye on the elephant of a sloping hill called the First Char. From here you need to move upward, despite the fact that the Starokomarsky tract will not gain height but will move to the stream located further.

Climbing the First Char you can see Chersky Peak itself, the route to which, however, is still not completed. You don’t need to go directly, but cross the next “bare” hill, located a little to the right. A narrow isthmus, the Gendarme Pass, leads directly from it to the top, which has one unpleasant feature: it is crossed by a crack, which is highly not recommended for use as a climbing gym. The easiest and safest way to get around the gap is on the right side.

From the flat top of Chersky Peak, several paths lead to the southeast. These are the roads to Heart Lake. It is clearly visible from above, so the traveler can determine his strength and decide to descend. The descent and inspection of the lake will not take more than an hour, so you can allocate half a day for the entire visit to Komar Peak (the old name of the peak).

View from Mount Vtoroy Golets to the valley of Lake Heart at the time of flowering. Chersky Peak is to the left of the photographer.

From a height of 2090 m, if the weather is favorable, nature gives the tourist postcard views of the surrounding peak of various natural objects. The mountains, in the gaps of which the blue of Lake Baikal splashes, line up into a picture of stunning power. The breaks of the Komarinsky ridge are emphasized by the snow caps of the Tunkin Alps hanging above them. On the opposite side, Chekanovsky Peak, an unnamed height of 2009 meters, and the valleys of the Bystraya and Left Bezymyannaya rivers are clearly visible.

The Mangutaika stream, which falls from Lake Heart, also flows into the Left Nameless. If time permits, you can walk along its picturesque shore or climb from the lake to the Visitor ridge. No matter what time of summer you take such a walk, the vegetation of these places will not disappoint you: flowering bergenia and gentian, bright leaves of kashkara and dwarf juniper are multiplied by the lake, so the view of it is good from any height.

Panoramic view of Chersky Peak from the western edge of Chekanovsky Peak.

From the weather station you can go on an equally interesting journey to the Podkomannaya cascades (5-6 hours), and from Chersky Peak itself, the route can be continued with a hike to Chekanovsky Peak or access to the colorful valley of the Utulik River, to the Devil’s Gate pass (and Lake Chertovo). In a word, from here you can start a long hike around Lake Baikal or make several active forays into the ridges surrounding the peak in order to return back to Slyudyanka, which is 22.2 km from the peak.

Once upon a time, when I was still a child, my parents and I went to Baikal. For some reason, this trip remained in my memory, and I often had dreams about Baikal and dreamed of an unforgettable journey, vacation, and Lake Baikal seemed to be calling me after years and kilometers. School, studying at college and university... All this took quite a lot of time. But as soon as the opportunity arose, I immediately planned to go to this wonderful place. Now I’m again thinking about finding out how much a vacation on Lake Baikal will cost in 2019. In the meantime, I’ll tell you about my first independent trip.
As a source of inspiration, I chose a tour with a very beautiful name “New Year in Baikal style”. I knew for sure that my holiday on Lake Baikal should be active. Of course, it was important for me to know how much a vacation on Lake Baikal costs. As it turned out, not too expensive. I even got a discount for booking the tour early, which was especially nice.

In another reality...

About six months after payment, I finally got to Lake Baikal, the vacation spot where the group was accommodated was incredibly cozy. I liked our estate from afar. A wonderful place surrounded by coniferous trees and with a beautiful canvas of pure white snow greeted me so warmly and cordially that it felt like I was at home. A completely logical question arose: why do we need these Egypt, Turkey and other foreign countries? Here it is, happiness: vacation on Lake Baikal.
Coming to Baikal and not seeing everything this amazing lake offers seemed like a crime to me. That’s why I went to study everything that was on the estate.
Coming out of the room, I saw areas for Internet access, a library, a gym and, my favorite, a game of tennis that lifted my mood to the skies! I spent the entire time until lunch playing at the tennis table. For food, we were offered simple, but at the same time, delicious food, prepared only from natural products. In general, whatever you say, the dinner was quite a success.

Walk around the area.

Since I had little time to relax on Lake Baikal, I decided to break away from my sports research and went for a walk around the outskirts of this quiet, magnificent and unique region.
First I walked to the lake itself. Beauty... How much happiness is in every sip of this healing air... And the ice! The purest, providing the opportunity to experience a huge portion of adrenaline while walking along it. You won’t believe it – it took your breath away, and yet there are also cars driving along it. I especially liked watching the mesmerizing stone patterns of the Baikal bottom, which can be seen on the shallows in the bay. You can see it perfectly, because the ice is absolutely transparent! In general, I didn’t go anywhere else that day - I had to go back for dinner.
On the second day, my Baikal vacation continued actively. An excursion to a mountainous country called Tunkinskaya Valley awaited us. First we visited the amazing village of Arshan, located at the foot of the mountain peaks. Thermal mineral springs and fabulous landscapes awaited us here. After lunch we went to the hot springs of Baikal with the interesting name Pearl. Divided into two parts, they emitted a nice steam with a feeling of warmth from a long distance. Two guys were swimming in one part, and a couple of girls were swimming in the other. After changing in the locker room, I ran across the ice and plunged into the spring. Warmth, bliss and relaxation throughout the body instantly spread inside. I stayed here for about two hours and went to change clothes. And soon the whole group returned to the estate.

"Baikal-Sugrob-mega-party"

There were two days of drive ahead! We visited the ski resort in Baikalsk, where we were able to have a lot of fun!
I went skiing for the first time. On the first day I never managed to move down the mountain; all the time was spent on training and preparation. We had a simply wonderful instructor who inspired me to perform a feat on the second day. I didn’t just slide down the mountain, but got a lot of impressions and positive emotions from it. Mount Sobolinaya has steep slopes, clean air and crazy drive. Simply unforgettable! We were delighted with this part of the tour and came up with a very appropriate name for this vacation “Baikal-snowdrift-mega-party”!

It's a pity that it all ends someday...

On the last day, I saw Lake Baikal in all its splendor from the window of the excursion train. The Circum-Baikal Express took us along the golden buckle to the village of Listvyanka, where we were accommodated in a fairly good hotel. Our vacation in Listvyanka was very short, but active! In addition to visiting a unique museum dedicated to Lake Baikal, I had the opportunity to ride a snowmobile on the smooth and incredibly transparent ice of Lake Baikal. The holiday was a success! It was great! I spent 6 days on Baikal, and my journey was exciting, active and very positive. And taking into account the fact that I had a vacation on Lake Baikal in winter, the prices turned out to be quite reasonable (unlike the summer season). After this, the preparations and flight home began.
Having arrived home, I felt an inexorable desire to return back - to that fairy tale, to that dream. The only pity is that the winter holiday has come to an end. But I firmly believe: next time I will definitely come back. By the way, a holiday on Baikal 2019 is an ideal solution for celebrating the New Year and Christmas. For those who are considering various options for a celebration, I will boldly say - do not hesitate: Lake Baikal, vacation, photos, prices - all this will forever remain pleasant memories in your heart, especially since the Baikal vacation 2019 involves discounts and the most convenient conditions for flights to this wonderful land.