Mountain sinyukha in the Altai region. Moss Lake, Sinyukha Mountain, White River Sinyukha Mountain ascent
Any mountain peak in Altai has unique history. Each one is surrounded by extraordinary beauty, looks powerful and mysterious.
Mount Sinyukha has long attracted attention, especially from adventure seekers. If you visit it at least once, you will want to immerse yourself in the local beauty again and will probably feel it as a sacred place.
Mount Sinyukha, Altai Territory The mountain is highest point
Kolyvansky ridge. Locals simply call it Sinyukha. If you look at it from afar, it gives off a slight blue color. That is why it received such a name. Mount Sinyukha, Altai region
has long been of interest to researchers. Nowadays people come here from all over the country. These are mainly geologists and natural scientists involved in the study.
Not far from it there is a stone cutting production. The fact is that back in the 18th century, rocks that were highly valued were mined here. I would like to hope that the mountainous hills will not lose their attractiveness due to the abundant work of the plant.
The height of the mountain is 1210 meters. It is located in the southernmost part of Altai. This explains its amazingly diverse world of vegetation. Here you can find plants that cannot be seen anywhere else.
Land of pilgrims
If you pay attention to the photo of Mount Sinyukha, you will be amazed by its beauty. However, she is famous not only for this. This is a place of pilgrimage for thousands of Orthodox Christians. Some believe that Mount Sinyukha is a temple located far from civilization. Here you can easily plunge into deep thoughts and think about the meaning of life. About twenty years ago, the top of the mountain was changed - a cross was installed on it. Very close by is a kind of natural bowl. It’s not for nothing that the mountain is called sacred. The fact is that the water in the bowl has powerful energy
. It is always fresh, clean and tasty.
Every year, pilgrims head here immediately after the end of Trinity. Anyone can climb the mountain to cleanse the soul and drink water from a source that is considered holy. Many are sure that this will help get rid of diseases and be healthy throughout the coming year.
If you want to climb the mountain, you will have a lot of fun. Three centuries ago, pioneers began to describe the slopes. If earlier the routes were quite difficult, now they are noticeably simplified and accessible to many.
First you should get to the village of Kolyvan, or the village of Eighth March. Then choose one of the routes – northwestern or northeastern.
The local population is of the opinion that everything around is subordinate to the spirits of nature who live on the top of the mountain. This is probably why the mountain has a capricious disposition, as if it were a woman. It can be clear and sunny, but after a few minutes it turns cold and gloomy. Then, towards evening, it regains its radiance.
Mount Sinyukha is the highest point of the Kolyvan ridge, located in the northwest Altai mountains. The mountain has been recognized as a natural monument since 1998 and is part of the Tigirek Nature Reserve. The Gornaya Kolyvan region stretches along the border with Kazakhstan.
The absolute height of Mount Sinyukha is 1,210 meters above sea level.
Every year, on one of the main Christian holidays - Trinity Sunday, Orthodox pilgrims ascend the mountain. The ascent is dedicated to the memory of the nuns of the convent that existed at the foot of the mountain at the beginning of the last century. With the help of believers, a worship cross was erected here.
The village of Kolyvanstroy was also built near the mountain for tungsten ore miners and their families. In 1960, the mine was closed and people began to leave. Now it is an abandoned village; since 1980, not a single resident has remained there.
It will also be interesting to visit the Kolyvan stone-cutting plant named after. And I. Polzunov and his museum in the village of Kolyvan, 8 km from Sinyukha. Further down the plant is another unusual one. natural object: A mountain called "Charming" that looks like a rocky monster's mouth.
Characteristics of the mountain
Sinyukha is located in the northern part of the Kolyvan ridge. Coming to the surface at the top of the mountain, granite forms unusual compositions. You can often find such compositions in a round or dome shape. On the top and slopes there are several granite bowls that arose here naturally. Many people believe that the water in them is holy. By northern slope a source of water flows down from such a bowl, and locals and tourists often come to it.
The slopes are covered with dense fir and pine forests. At the top there is weak rocky soil on which young trees do not take root well, so there is nothing there except granite rocks.
The mountain owes its name to the fir forest that covers its slopes—from a distance it glows blue.
The mountain is known for its rich flora and fauna. Here you can find plants from the Red Book of the Altai Territory. The diversity of flora and fauna is determined by favorable climatic conditions. Many eminent scientists and travelers visited the slopes of the mountain for research purposes.
Climbing uphill
There is a gentle path leading to the top of Sinyukha, which does not cause any inconvenience for beginners. Therefore, climbing does not require special skills or equipment. The rise will be have a nice walk By picturesque places with rocks of interesting shapes. You just need to take warm clothes with you, as there is a strong wind at the top. It is not recommended to visit after rain, when the washed out road can be dangerous.
At the foot of the mountain there are two lakes located on different slopes. The most common climbing routes follow them:
- through Moss Lake: The trail on the northwest slope follows an old abandoned road and then through the forest. Travelers advise lovers to choose the trail from Moshovoye Lake historical places. Since it goes through the Kolyvanstroy tract and here you can see abandoned adits. Over time, the moss lake becomes shallow and turns into a swamp. It is located at an altitude of about 600 meters in a tectonic basin. Its shores are surrounded by bizarre granite rocks, and it itself represents a unique ecosystem with 54 species of plants. The distance between the lake and the abandoned Kolyvanstroy mine is 4 km. In general, this route will take longer, so you can stop with a tent near the mountain.
- through White Lake : this is the road on the north-eastern slope, most of The route goes through the forest. Halfway through the journey you can enjoy clean water in the source. There is only one path here, it is well trodden, which prevents you from getting lost. White Lake is located near the village named after 8 March. The water there is clean, suitable for swimming and fishing; you can take a catamaran ride on the water. In the center of the lake there is a rocky outlier island, about which there are legends that there was a secret workshop there for the production of counterfeit silver coins. In the vicinity of the lake there is a tourist center and camping.
The entire path to the top is marked with peculiar signs - red ribbons tied on trees. There is a stunning panoramic view from the top. On one side you will see the beauty of the steppe, and on the other - the taiga and the peaks of the ridge. You should set aside a whole day to visit the mountain: the climb will take on average 3 hours.
How to get to Mount Sinyukha in the Altai Territory
The mountain is located in the Kurinsky district. You need to go to the village of Kolyvan when choosing a route through Moss Lake and to the village named after March 8 when climbing through White Lake. You can get to the villages in the following ways:
- by car move along the K-70 “Barnaul-Kolyvan” highway. Time on the road from Barnaul to the village named after. March 8 - about 4.5 hours. Mountain coordinates: 51.241502, 82.607288.
- on intercity bus in the direction "Barnaul-Kolyvan" from the Barnaul bus station. From the village of Kolyvan to the village of March 8, you will need to cover another 6 km. You can use the services of private taxi drivers.
If you take a taxi from Barnaul, you can use popular services: Yandex. Taxi, Gett, Taxi Lucky, Maxim. Intercity transportation is also carried out by taxi Authority, Alpha, Taxi-Mezhgorod.
Panoramic view from the top of Mount Sinyukha:
Video about the mountain:
Each of mountain peaks Altai is unique. They combine pristine beauty and mysterious power. Since ancient times, Mount Malaya Sinyukha has attracted not only travelers. Those who have visited it are sure that the peak is sacred. Why is this happening? What secret does Sinyukha (mountain) keep? We'll talk about this further.
general information
The highest point of the Kolyvan ridge in the Kurinsky district is popularly called Sinyukha. It’s not difficult to guess what this name is connected with. At an altitude of 1210 meters the air is already a little thin. Therefore, from a distance, a high hill covered with virgin forest takes on a slightly bluish tint.
Interest in the summit has been shown more than once. And now she hosts people of various classes. First of all, these are naturalists and geologists. Near the mountain there is a famous stone-cutting factory. Since the beginning of the 18th century, it has been known that the rock mined here is of particular value. They began to actively process it.
Mount Sinyukha (height - 1210 m) is located in the very south of the Altai Territory, which explains its unusually rich vegetable world. The fabulous relief never ceases to amaze. And you will not see those trees and flowers that are found on the slopes anywhere else. Most of them are very rare. They are listed in the Red Book of Russia.
Land of pilgrimage
But the most big secret Sinyukha hides in its depths. The mountain is a place of pilgrimage for hundreds of Orthodox believers. This is a kind of temple open air, allowing you not only to touch the heavens, but also to think about existence, admiring the surroundings from above.
In 1997, a holy cross was installed on the top. Here the rock protrudes in such a way that it forms an unusual granite bowl of regular round shape. The real Grail! And since the mountain is considered sacred, the water here has colossal energy. Despite the fact that it feeds on melted snow and rainfall, being in a stagnant state, the liquid never deteriorates or goes out. The granite bowl is large. But thanks to the crystal purity of the water, you can see its most hidden depths.
At the top of the rock, under the influence of the wind, they acquired a completely unusual shape. From a distance it seems that these are real walls and columns. Some clergy even retell the legend of a deity who lived in this dilapidated “house”. Now the pilgrimage to the peak is carried out annually after the holiday of the Holy Trinity. Everyone, together with the clergy, climbs the mountain to cleanse the soul and drink from the holy spring. It is believed that after this there will be no illnesses for a whole year, and your soul will feel lighter.
Nature
Sinyukha boasts stunning flora: the mountain simply amazes with its vegetation. We can say that it has come to us since prehistoric times. Somewhere between the age of dinosaurs and Ice Age all Altai were covered with forests like those on the slope of Mount Sinyukha. These are unusual green areas. There are no usual larch and cedar here. But bird cherry, rowan, galangal and even the beautiful viburnum sprout in abundance. It is surprising that it is in this part that plants from that ancient era have been preserved. Now they are considered relict and need special protection. These are Pallas's mertensia, Krylov's forget-me-not, Rhodiola rosea, and poppy.
Climbing
Mount Sinyukha (Altai Territory) is attractive at any time of the year. Descriptions of its slopes are found in the works of pioneers back in the early 18th century. Now the routes are quite simple and do not pose much difficulty. You can get to the beginning of the walking path from the village of Kolyvan (8 km) or the village of 8 March (2 km). Then there are two route options - along the northwestern or northeastern slope. Mount Sinyukha (Altai) is located in the Kuryinsky district. How to get to the nearest villages? Arrive by bus or car. You can stay overnight at the “Kolyvan-tour” and “Bogomolets” camps. The Zagis campsite is located on the lake.
Northwestern route
The first path is considered more interesting. The route passes along several attractions. The Kolyvanstroy tract is the first to be encountered. The first factory specializing in copper smelting was located here in the 18th century. It existed until the 60s of the last century, mining tungsten and molybdenum. Further along the path there is beautiful lake Mokhovoe. Even higher is an abandoned granite quarry. Here tourists definitely take a break, because from this place you can admire the black taiga growing on the slopes of the mountains. The first path is very colorful. First you need to walk along an abandoned road, and then make your way along a narrow forest path through majestic trees and dense thicket.
Northeast route
This route begins its journey from Lake Belye. The road immediately leads into a virgin forest. The difficulty can only be created by the long climb that awaits beyond the lake. But for those who are accustomed to difficulties, this is not a problem. But here you can see several mounds. Their age dates back to the 3rd-1st century BC. This archaeological sites the first settlers who were engaged in the extraction and processing of metals in Altai. There was even the first village of artisans here.
In the Middle Ages, arose on the site of the settlement convent. It lasted until Soviet times. And at the beginning of the last century it was destroyed. Now there is a memorial sign in this place. Another important monument of sacred culture is the holy spring. It is located a little north of the monastery. This point is a must for pilgrims.
The power of spirits
Locals They are sure that all natural forces are controlled by spirits living on a peak called Sinyukha. The mountain is capricious, like a woman. In one day her mood changes several times. One moment it is sunny and clear, and half an hour later it is already gloomy and cold. By evening the peak shines again, but a bad word or look - and it is already raging, sending gusts of wind towards the village and
Therefore, residents of adjacent settlements very superstitious. They are sure that before starting the ascent it is necessary to appease the mountain by turning to the spirits. If you choose this weekend route, remember that your success depends on the power of prayer. Light a fire, brew a delicious lunch and hot tea, sing a song about happiness. And then luck and good weather will become faithful and reliable companions.
Report by Anna Yarusheva.
Pupils of the children's association “Your Peak”, whose leader is Olga Mikhailovna Yarusheva, took many photographs of the surroundings of the mountain during the ascent to Mount Sinyukha in May 2012. This excursion is the result of one of the stages of the long-term project “Peaks of the Altai Region”. Yarusheva Anna became a laureate of the regional tour guide competition in Barnaul in April 2013.
Mount Sinyukha 1379 m high, located in the spurs of the Cherginsky ridge, is one of the most beautiful places in the Altai region. This favorite place to visit by many travel lovers. But there is very little material about our mountain Sinyukha in the press, and on the Internet. I would like to know more about most beautiful places native Altai region and tell everyone about it!
Well, that's all, our trip is over,
The backpack is disassembled, the tent is drying.
Everything seems fine, but only here
Sadness sneaked into my heart.Let someone twist their finger at their temple
And invites us to settle down,
But we won’t be able to live boringly until
We dream about the white snow of the peaks at night.And the hand reaches out to the map again,
And our heart strives upward again,
And we know for sure - to our backpacks
Not destined to gather dust in attics.
This excerpt from a poem by Sergei Legkodymov fully corresponds to the spirit of the children's tourist association “Your Top”.
My excursion is the result of one of the stages of the long-term project “Peaks of the Altai Region”, which our children’s association is working on. The main goal of this project is: climbing, observing and collecting information about the most high peaks Altai region, dissemination of the collected knowledge to a wide range of the public.
Sinyukha... What haven’t I found with this name! Sinyuha (photo 1) is a genus of plants of the cyanosis family (lat. Polemonium). There is a disease, popularly called cyanosis - cyanosis in medicine, caused by the bluish color of the skin due to the high content of reduced hemoglobin in the blood. And I want to talk about a magnificent mountain, whose name is Sinyukha.
Photo 1. Plants of the cyanaceae family.
There are many Sinyukh Mountains. I found three mountains bearing this name in the Altai Republic: in the Maiminsky, Turochaksky and Shebolinsky regions.
There are several mountains of the same name in the Altai Territory: in the Kytmanovsky district there is one of the peaks of the Salair Ridge. The very famous Sinyukha of the Kurinsky district of the Kolyvan ridge. And, of course, in the Altai region of the Cherginsky ridge. By the way, our Sinyukha (photo 2) is the second tallest of all those listed, after Shebalinskaya.
Photo 2. Mount Sinyukha of the Cherginsky ridge. The mountain got its name not by chance. Our group of the tourist association “Your Top” was convinced of this back in the village of Nikolskoye, where we arrived by bus from the village of Altaiskoye to make an exciting three-day trip in a group of 15 people under the leadership of Yarusheva O.M. to the top of the mountain. (photo 3) 
Photo 3. Children's association “Your Top”.
From a distance, the coniferous forest covering the slopes of the mountain really appears blue. (Photo 4)
Photo 4. Coniferous forest covering the slopes of Mount Sinyukha. If you, as a tourist, have the opportunity to climb, you will see with your own eyes all the beauty and splendor of this natural region.
There is no such person who would remain indifferent to the riot of colors of primrose flowers: glades of Red Book kandyks, checkerboard hazel grouse (photo 6), violets different types delight and remain in memory forever. A little later, the slopes of the mountains will light up with the bright flame of the Asian swimsuit (photo 7), and above the shady hollows will turn pink with an elegant marina root (photo 8).
Photo 6. Checkerboard hazel grouse. 
Photo 7. Flowers of the Asian swimsuit 
Photo 8. Maryin root flowers The path leading to the temple, where Mount Sinyukha reigns, is surrounded by a coniferous forest. Spruce and fir trees stretch out their prickly paws towards travelers (photo 9). There are also larches, and at the top there are still quite young but strong cedars (their correct name is “Siberian pine”). All these trees are "gray" from large quantity fruticose lichens (photo 10). Lichens grow only in areas where the air is perfectly clean. They are rightfully considered biological barometers of clean air. By the number of representatives of the lichen kingdom one can judge the weightless transparency and purity of the air of these fabulous places.
Photo 9. Spruce and fir stretch out their prickly paws 
Photo 10. Fruticose lichens All the decoration of Sinyukha Mountain is like in Baba Yaga’s fairy tale. It seems that behind the next huge rocky outcrop, her famous hut on chicken legs will appear before the eyes of travelers and turn its back to the forest, and its front to us. And the closer you get to the top, the stronger this feeling, because rounded dome-shaped rock outcrops made of granite, diorite and shales are becoming more and more common (photo 11). Most often, the rocks resemble huge layered pieces of cake or pancakes stacked in a neat stack. This is the result of the activity of water and wind. It took them many centuries, starting from the Devonian period, to create such unusual compositions (photo 12).
Photo 11. Rocky outcroppings on the slopes of Mount Sinyukha. 
Photo 12. Unusual compositions of rocks on Mount Sinyukha. From conversations with local residents and from the signs of life activity we saw, we learned that animal world in the area of Mount Sinyuhi is very diverse, because... The places here are quiet, clean, uncrowded. Deer and musk deer, wild boars, moose, badgers (photo 13), hares and wood grouse feel great here. Of course, there are also predators: foxes and wolves. Wolves are quite active in their management. On the way we came across the gnawed remains of a rather large animal. It was assumed that it was a calf. In the evening they burned a fire for a long time, sang songs loudly, trying to scare away uninvited guests. At night there was a blizzard, snow fell, and through the blizzard, the howling of wolves was heard - an eerie impression. Upon returning to the village, local residents told us that that night wolves dragged two sheep from the village, which were never found. And the third was so badly beaten that the owners had to kill her.
Photo 13. Badger hole This has long been Dreamland attracted people with her energy. Local residents willingly tell what they know themselves and what they heard from the older generation. Cherenev Prokopiy Egorovich, an old resident of the village born in 1927, told us the following story:
“The monk Ivan lived in those places. The place where he lived is still named after him - Ivan the Stone. He settled there in the 20s of the last century. He built himself a hut. Rumor has it that he was a Kolchakite. All our women ran to him to pray every weekend. They took food supplies with them. I don’t remember how long he lived there. Then the village men burned his hut, and no one saw Ivan again.”
No one knows for sure about the reasons that prompted the villagers to burn the hut. We can only guess and figure this out for ourselves. strange story. There is now a legend going around from generation to generation, which was told to us by a native of the village. Nikolskoye Olga Chereneva:
“Kolchak’s gold is buried in that place. Many hunters have been looking for him, but no one can find him. Not every seeker will find a place; gold will not fall into the hands of the first person he meets. But there is, according to legend, a person to whom that place will be revealed and the gold will go to him on its own. Only this chosen one has not yet been found.
And the spirit of the monk walks through the forests, guards the peace of the mountain, maintains order, and protects animals. None of the locals hunt in the vicinity of the peak, for fear of angering Ivan’s spirit. The women were very worried about the disappearance of the monk. Under the Palkin cliff they poured out their grief. Since then, a clear, clean spring has been flowing in that place.”
We didn’t find it ourselves, but the residents said that they were looking under the wrong rock.
There is also a legend about our beautiful Sinyukha, you can read it yourself in the collection “Legends and Myths of Altai - 3” by our local historian Vladimir Mikhailovich Afanasyev.
In the process of collecting materials, we found out that Wikipedia does not have an article about our Sinyukha. The next stage of the long-term project will be to systematize the collected material to write an article for Wikipedia.
On this topic
- Khan Babyrgan is calling! Hike in spring 2014 On a visit to the rocky masses of the majestic Babyrgan, the hero of many legends Gorny Altai
- Altai legends about Mount Babyrgan The peak is located on the border of the mountain and steppe zones of Altai, which has given rise to many myths
- Altai Sinegorye A short photo report about the hike to the unnamed pointed peak of Altai
For several years in a row, coming to observe the deep clear starry sky in Savvushki, our attention was attracted by Mount Sinyukha. We tried to make radial trips in cars with the goal of storming these mountains. The bald peak with rocks beckoned! But our trips were always full of adventures and ended in failure. And the roads in those places are broken up by timber trucks, and the taiga is dense with sharp rocky roads.
And then one day, purposefully going to Sinyukha, the assault was still a success. I wasn’t on that trip, but there were still plenty of people who wanted to climb Sinyukha, and the decision was made to return there again!
Because the first assault was accompanied by heavy fog, dew and almost rain. The participants, walking along the path blindly, did not know when they would finally reach the top; they were all wet from head to toe and pretty frozen, and they also did not take food or water with them. Having already learned from experience, we prepared for the worst: cold, wetness and heavy climbs. But this time we waited longer, hoping that the dew would dry. After all, the grass there is waist-deep, and if you go down or up, it means it can be higher than your head.
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| Moss lake in the mountains |
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| The peak of Sinyukha is visible ahead |
Since I was more busy climbing the mountain, here is a photo right from the top. And below there are photos on the descent, because it was easier this way - to overtake everyone and go down first.
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| View towards the Tigireksky reserve |
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| At the very peak there is a cross that can be seen from below |
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| We start our descent from the top |
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| Descent from the top |
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| Descent from the top |
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| Sometimes the path seems to disappear |
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| Descent along the path |
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| The tall grass is already raging below |
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| Steep descents |
Based on physical strength, anyone can climb the mountain. I don’t remember exactly from this parking lot, but the route is about 3 km. It is complicated by changes and elevation gain. The route is safe and does not require special skills. The main thing is not to have problems with joints. But if your car can’t get that close, you’ll have to walk another 3-5 km along the road with a climb.
It is always windy at the top and very beautiful.
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| Overnight under the starry sky |
