Skalnik Vityaz: a weekend on the Olkhinsky Plateau! Stone guards of the Olkhinsky plateau Skalnik Vityaz height
60 km from Irkutsk, in the Irkutsk, Slyudyansk and Shelekhovsky districts, between the most beautiful peaks of the Tunkinsky goltsy widely known to tourists and the low Primorsky ridge, there is a unique area, the so-called Olkhinsky plateau.
On the maps, this area forms the shape of a regular triangle, it is limited from the south by the waters of Lake Baikal, the waters of the large Irkutsk reservoir and the Irkut valley. This is a hill covered with mixed forest with elevations of 500-800 m with unique granite rock outcrops up to 75 m, not inferior in their natural value to the Krasnoyarsk pillars, but not so popular among tourists.
The most famous remains on the Olkhinsky plateau are the Vityaz rock, 30 m high, the Idol rock, 20 m high, the Mirror rocks, 16 m high, a bizarre rock with a clearly visible face - the Old Woman Izergil, 25 m high. The plateau became the city of Stone Moigoty with a mark of 1222 m. The main rocks are located in the valley of the picturesque mountain river Bolshaya Olkha, which gave the name to this elevated orographic unit.
Vicinities of the Olkhinsky plateau
There are a lot of interesting natural and man-made objects in the vicinity of the Olkhinsky plateau rock formations. A very picturesque picture is the mountain river Bolshaya Olkha itself, on its banks you can have a pleasant rest on a day off, because it is located very close to Irkutsk. In the south, the plateau approaches closely, and abruptly breaks off to Baikal, forming picturesque rocky cliffs and steep cliffs.
At their foot there is a section of the Trans-Siberian Railway, often called the "golden buckle" or its Circum-Baikal section. From it, passengers can enjoy magnificent panoramas of Lake Baikal. Branch of the Circum-Baikal Railway from the station. Slyudyanka II to the village. Baikal, only 89 km away, is a state-protected monument of unique engineering structures.
There are 38 tunnels in the rocky coast of the lake with a total length of 9063 m. There are also 15 rock galleries with a length of 295 m, 3 reinforced concrete galleries, 248 bridges and high viaducts, up to 270 retaining walls strengthening the route. By the number of unique engineering structures, this section of the road has no analogues in the country.
From the very north-east of the Olkhon plateau in a south-western direction, the federal highway M-55 or P258 "Baikal" passes through its territory, on the canvas of which 296 bridges were built, the road is replete with sharp turns and serpentines. The Tunkinsky tract A333 departs from this highway to Mongolia and the Kyakhtinsky tract A340 to Buryatia.
See also: Hot springs of Baikal
Climate
The climate on the Olkhinsky Plateau belongs to a sharply continental type, with an average January temperature of -22°C, closer to the coast of Baikal it is noticeably warmer than -18°C. The temperature minimum on the plateau is -45оС. Since the end of October, snow has been falling here, its cover during the winter reaches 1 meter, but with the absence of steep slopes, there is no avalanche danger on the plateau.
The average July temperatures on the plateau are +18°C, on the Baikal coast in summer it is noticeably cooler than +15°C. The temperature maximum in summer reaches +33оС, +35оС. In addition to northwestern winds, with the general transport of air masses, dry winds often blow from the south from Mongolia, bringing moisture from Lake Baikal and the shores of the Irkutsk reservoir. Precipitation on the plateau falls annually 400-450 mm.
Weekend on the Olkhinsky Plateau
If the weekend is ahead, a fascinating trip to the stone idols of the Olkhinsky plateau in any season of the year will be a wonderful place to relax. This route, due to its saturation and accessibility, can become a wonderful active mountain adventure. More than half of the walking route from the Orlyonok station to the rock climbs runs along the Olkha River, which is beautiful at any time.
In the Soviet years, the granite remnant "Vityaz", known among all the rock climbers, was very popular with climbers and vacationing students. Every weekend, a crowded train brought up to several hundred tourists to the Orlyonok station, who enjoyed spending their free time on the plateau.
Here, on the Vityaz, rock climbing competitions were regularly held by local athletes. Hammered bolts are visible on the rock, indicating 19 climbing routes, their length is from 25 to 35 meters, the highest difficulty category is V and VI. "Vityaz" is a wonderful climbing wall with many monolithic sections, shelves and plumb lines. In September, a local bard festival, which has already become traditional, is held here near the rock.
The path to the "Vityaz"
On the platform, breathing in the clean coniferous air, perhaps with a group of fellow travelers, you should go to the bridge over the Olkha. At the beginning of the journey, you should familiarize yourself with the route at a special information stand. Behind the bridge there will be a fork of two mountain paths. Now you don’t need to be interested in the gentle “lower path” that goes straight along the logging road along the Olkha, it will be convenient to return to the bridge at the end of the journey along it.
A more difficult and spectacular route should be started from the "upper path" going to the right. The most difficult here will be the first ascent to the power line, but when it ends, you can enjoy a very picturesque descent along the ridge to the very foot of the Vityaz rock. On the route, it is very important not to make a mistake with the search for the right path near the power lines, the road here will go to the right, but you need to find the path that goes to the Vityaz ridge to the left. Having come out correctly on the ridge, you can safely go down to the foot of the rock for about 1.5 hours.
See also: Resources of the Kara Sea
If tourists have two or three days off in reserve, you can take your time to get acquainted with the surroundings and spend the night at the first rock in a log cabin or a felt yurt at the Vityaz camp site of the same name. 12 people can stay in two yurts at the same time, the cost of a daily stay at the base is 400 rubles per person.
Buildings appeared here quite recently, 5-6 years ago due to the great popularity of this route among the townspeople. When it is warm, you can set up a tent in a large clearing near the base and make radial exits to each of the rocks, explore lesser known groups of rocks, just enjoy being in nature.
Path to the Idol
The nearest rock along the route from the Vityaz is the graceful rock rock Idol, similar to Easter idols. This is a columnar 20-meter monolith visible from a distance with a characteristic more large slab top, resembling a headdress. It was for this accessory, which made the Siberian rock look like with overseas idols of Easter, that it got its name.
It is quite easy to walk from the Vityaz along a well-trodden, well-marked path that goes to the right to the Idol for about 3 km. In the middle of the path, after 1.5 km there will be a small wooden bridge, it can also serve as a guide. With a simple crossing, the path bifurcates again, to the left the path goes to the buildings of the Skazka winter hut, to the right you can go 1.5 km to the Idol. Very close to the "Idol" is another well-known rock "Turtle".
Path to the Old Woman
The path from the "Idol" to the rock "Old Woman" will not be so noticeable and you need to be more careful. Skalnik got its name for its resemblance to the face of an old woman, according to a clearly visible protruding "nose", angry "eyes" and a wrinkled "face". Having determined the further direction, it is necessary to prepare for the section of the path through the burnt forest. But on this 4.5 km trail, everyone will feel like the heroes of Tolkien's fantastic works because of the similarity of local landscapes.
Here it is important not to get lost and to accurately follow the marking red signs on the trees and special signs. It is from the "Old Woman", past the "Vityaz", along the "lower path" 10 km you can walk back to the station. "Eaglet". In total, the length of the ring route along the paths and rocks of the unique area will be 22 km.
On the territory of the Baikal region there are unique natural monuments - rocky outcrops formed as a result of weathering of rocks over hundreds of thousands of years. These stone sculptures, which are not inferior in their historical and cultural value to the famous Krasnoyarsk pillars, are hidden from prying eyes, although they are only 60 km from the capital Eastern Siberia- the city of Irkutsk.
The route to the rocks of the Olkhinsky plateau can be planned for one day off, or with an overnight stay. The plateau itself is a plateau between the valleys of the Angara and the Irkut with numerous remnant rocks.
Stone placers and lonely rocks on the flat tops of the mountains are the usual landscape of these places. Many original forms of rock shoes have beautiful names- Old fortress, Old Woman Izergil, Crow, Pharaoh, Cleopatra.
ROUTE FEATURES
Due to its accessibility, this route can be recommended as an excellent active rest for a day off in any season, but especially bright colors in the autumn. More than half of the way the route runs along the bed of the picturesque river Olkha.
In the Soviet period, the most famous of the entire group of rock remains - the Vityaz rock was very popular with students and beginner climbers. Every Sunday, a crowded train delivered several hundred tourists to the Orlyonok station, who walked the distance of 8 km to this rock.
Climbing competitions were regularly held here. On Vityaz, 19 named routes 25-35 meters long of the most difficult categories V-VI are marked with hooks. Skala is an ideal climbing wall with shelves, plumb lines and monolithic sections. Now there are much fewer tourists, although it leads to Vityaz highway, and nearby on the banks of the Olkha next to the rock there is a camp site with felt Mongolian yurts.
Every year in mid-September, in a clearing near the Vityaz rock, a traditional festival of bard songs is held, where performers from all over Siberia come together.
HOW TO GET TO
You can get to the stone guards of the Olkhinsky plateau by car right to the foot of the rocks, but the part of the route from the Orlyonok station to the Vityaz rock (8 km) is much more interesting to overcome on foot or by bicycle. In winter, the route is easily overcome in 30-40 minutes on cross-country skis.
By car: from Irkutsk to the exit along the Kultuksky tract and further in Shelekhov, immediately after refueling the Rosneft gas station (on the right side), turn left to the settlements of Olkha and Bolshoi Lug. The asphalt highway runs along the railroad tracks through the settlements of Olkha and Bolshoy Lug. At the Orlyonok station, you can park your car and then, through the wooden masonry across the Olkha River, take a cycling or walking tour of no more than 7-8 km along a picturesque dirt road along the Olkha River.
ATTRACTION
The most famous and accessible rock climb is Vityaz.
The view that opens from this rock allows you to take in the view of the entire plateau and see the surrounding sights and neighboring rocks from a bird's eye view.
In the neighborhood popular among climbers rocks Idol, Turtle, Old Woman, Fortress. They got their names because of the characteristic contours. The 30-meter Idol resembles the famous stone idols of Easter Island - the same pillar-shaped stone monolith with a slab and a head-like stone at the top.
It takes about 30 minutes (2.5 km) to walk along the path from Vityaz to the rock Idol hidden in the forest. The places here are reminiscent of the famous Krasnoyarsk pillars, however, the rocks of the Olkhinsky plateau are less known, and are popular only among local rock climbers.
If you drive from the Bolshaya Olkha valley along the old roads up the Zyryansky 2nd stream to the top (923.7 meters), then you can walk (200 m) to the rocks of the Old Woman and the Fortress. The first is so named for its massive protruding "nose", angry "eyes" and wrinkled "face",
and the second - for the resemblance to a medieval castle.
The routes of climbers here are pierced with bolt hooks. beautiful rocks, to which you can almost drive up close by car, there are also in the area of st. Andriyanovskaya and in the upper reaches of the Zazara River. The rocks themselves are clearly visible from the Kultuk tract, and from the tops of some rocks, even the blue expanse of the lake is visible.
In order to have a complete picture of the location of rock remains and stone sights on the territory of the Olkhinsky plateau, I recommend looking at this map.
To have a complete picture of the beauty and uniqueness of these places, I propose to look
At the station Eaglet it was crowded that day. Not only tourists with backpacks, but also dozens of picnickers gathered in the clearing in front of the bridge over the Big Olkha while we were fighting gas burner: she did not want to be friends with a balloon of unknown Chinese origin, bought in Irkutsk. The first thought is "stuck". Fortunately, from the fragments of phrases heard, it became clear that the whole cheerful company was going to Knight- one of the most "promoted" places of rest for Irkutsk people. But we are not there today. Yes, and the burner started up: a small piece of stick, placed above the valve, ensured its work for the entire trip.
Caving old woman
We deviate from the trodden "elephant" path to the right. Here begins the ascent to the rock Caving old woman and at the same time the real Siberian taiga. Blooming tiny irises, watersheds and ferns on the rocks brightened up the tedious ascent. And now the first rocks are already showing from the overgrown clearing.
The rock is called the Speleo-Old Woman, not because of the presence of some caves there, but only because she became favorite place training of Irkutsk speleologists. But there is also a cave: a small natural grotto at the foot. The first delights, the first views from the top... Although this place turned out to be one of the most inexpressive among the Olkha rock climbers, and the impressions continued to grow, the first acquaintance impressed us.
old fortress
old fortress
The path winds along a small river seething between the stones, and soon ends completely, getting lost in the kurumnik. Heaps of stones require caution when moving: although boulders are not “alive” and do not walk underfoot, it is easy to stumble here and fall into the gap between them. Having overcome the first obstacle, we go to the other side ... and see a beautiful road parallel to our path. If they had immediately chosen the opposite coast, delays on the way could have been avoided.
"Old Fortress" Profile of a "Neanderthal" The sign at the fork in the road reads: Old fortress. This is a must see!". We believe, however, not the pointer, but the navigator - and soon we will go to a small pretty rock. It really resembles a fortress tower, but one of the walls has been sawn down: a few years ago, barbaric granite mining was carried out in these parts, and Irkutsk residents gathered rallies, defending the Old Fortress.
A feature of almost all the rocky massifs of Olkha is that even on the way to them in the taiga, small rocky outcrops, often of a bizarre shape, begin to come across. We came across one of these stones, mistaking it for the Fortress. It was followed by another one, and another ... And then we saw the main rock massif. It is difficult to describe the Old Fortress: it is not a single rock, but a huge complex of remnants, each of which, in turn, includes dozens of stone “sculptures”.
Mirrors
And again, the climbing rock is a "trick". Not really remembering what the Mirrors should look like, we gathered before dawn, and already early in the morning, having overcome the climb, we ran into a stone wall - smooth, as if made of flat stone blocks. Why not a mirror? And turning around its corner, we saw the final goal of the path, many times larger than the first rock in scale.
"Mirrors" The landscape here is reminiscent of the Arctic. Kurumnik from huge boulders, overgrown with reindeer moss and ferns, went into the distance, to a rocky ridge of almost triangular shape with a perfectly flat "facade". "Mirrors" rather resemble a huge fin and seem impregnable. However, having tumbled a lot on the kurumnik, we found a quite intelligible path that led up to the very ridge. Perhaps this is one of the most impressive rocks in the massif. There are a minimum of paths and traces of people here, and the views from above allow you to fully appreciate the scale of the Baikal taiga.
bear cubs
Winnie the Pooh with a pot of honey "Medvezhata" is a small but cute rocky rock, located a little further than the "Mirrors", if you go along the same road. It is perfectly visible already from the trail: a low compact remnant, located not even on a hill, but simply in the middle of the taiga. At first glance, the rocker does not live up to its name. But, if you go around it, in one place the figure of Winnie the Pooh with a pot of honey catches your eye. We never found the second bear cub.
Chimeras "Bears" Old Isergil
Profile of the Old Woman Dry trees scorched at the base by a fire, impenetrable windbreaks, a huge nest of a bird of prey on a dried cedar ... Baba Yaga's forest. And above him rises the wrinkled profile of the "hostess" with a hooked nose. This is the rock "Old Woman Izergil". And if you climb the natural observation deck, a couple of hundred meters away you can see a completely different image: the ruins of a small fortress surrounded by a stone wall with a lonely tower overgrown with gnarled cedars. It even has an "entrance": a natural stone arch. This is the nearby rocky "Bastion". Although it seems that it is within easy reach, it takes quite a long time to climb stones, jump over cracks and wade through thorny thickets.
"Bastion" in the vicinity of the Old Woman The forest around is uncomfortable. The past few years Forest fires most of the trees have been killed, and they rise above the freshly grown undergrowth with charred bases, ready to collapse at any moment: it is not worth pitching a tent here.
We did not meet people in these places, but shields and signs begin from the clearing in front of the Stakhukha, explaining the directions along the route "Skalniki Olkhinsky Plateau".
Despite the abundance of signs, the path from the Old Woman does not differ in constancy. Either it turns into a wide, trampled road, or it gets lost in the swamps. There are almost no flat sections on this path: climbs constantly alternate with descents from small nameless rocks. It seems that this path was laid, focusing not on convenience, but on the variety of views and panoramas.
Turtle and Idol
Skalnik "Turtle" rock "Turtle" can be identified with the reptile of the same name, having only a very rich imagination. But the next monument - "Idol"- it's hard not to know. Many people compare the vertical pillar-idol with the sculptures of Easter Island, and this comparison is justified. Here you can already meet people even on weekdays, and you come across traces of their presence everywhere. Perhaps, the Idol is the only climbing rock on which no climbs were found - except, perhaps, for very categorical options. I had to admire them from below and go around.
Idol On a low tree on the edge of a cliff, a grown chick was seen, which was not at all afraid of people and was not going to fly away, willingly posing in front of the camera almost point-blank.
Siberian
After several days spent in the taiga on sublimates, you rejoice at any variety. Potatoes, left by previous tourists in the parking lot and already bitten by mice, became a real festive dinner. And the place itself was conducive to a leisurely outdoor recreation: beautiful nature, two steps away from the river ...
Stone "bridge" of Sibiryak Skalnik "Sibiryak" in itself is of little interest: it is not too big, has rather simple forms, but powerful, monolithic: perhaps this was the reason for the name. The approaches to it are much more interesting, and especially the natural ford through the Olkha. Huge flat boulders form a natural bridge, almost a pavement, along which it is easy to cross to the other side.
Knight
On the way to Vityaz, the most famous and visited rock climb in the massif, the trail begins to change rapidly. It turns into a trampled road, and numerous shaky bridges and fords across the Olkha are replaced by almost capital bridges made of thick logs.
Vityaz profile Despite the cult of the place, in the clearing in front of the Vityaz we met only one person, and the rock was completely empty, and the profile of the hero towered lonely above the taiga. It looks impressive, although, compared to other rocks, the place is too cultivated and - as a result - littered. Under the sheer overhanging cornice - entertainment for climbers: a bell that you can ring (if you climb). But rock climbing is optional: a well-filled path goes up to a small platform, which offers magnificent views of the river and several other rock masses.
To fully enjoy nature, you should go here in the middle of the week: what happens on Vityaz on the weekend is not difficult to imagine, remembering the crowd getting off the train at the Orlyonok station.
Transfer to the massif Podkamennaya
Taiga horseflies Having dealt with the main massif of the Olkha rocks, it is most logical to return to Orlyonok, take the train and get to the Podkamennaya station, where several no less impressive and wilder monuments are hidden in the taiga. But we are not looking for easy ways, and therefore we decided to take a walk. At first, everything went fine: the road goes in the direction we need, the desired fork is slightly overgrown, but - nevertheless - we can easily pass. And then miracles began to happen along the way. In those places where, judging by the map, she was supposed to cross the Komuriasty key (a mixture of the words “mosquito and communal” was spinning in the language), the road first turned into an impassable clearing, and then completely lost in the swamps. There are no ruts, gates, and generally signs that since the time of the heroic Soviet surveyors who put it on the punishment, someone has used it.
In these impenetrable swamps, when a further path had not yet been found, we were attacked by horseflies. There was no escape from the huge, buzzing swarms of insects trailing behind each backpack. Repellents and mosquito nets helped very conditionally. Equally numerous ticks also caused concern, but caused much less inconvenience. In the end, they nevertheless decided to make a detour of several kilometers and go around a bad section along the road: there were no fewer insects, but it turned out to go much faster. And now - a ford through a swampy lowland with a clean (and tasty!) Spring, and behind it - a clearing and a fork in the trodden roads. With a pointer! Right in the taiga, in some places, there are signs with the local number of the Ministry of Emergency Situations and pointers to the key settlements. Exhausted, we put up a tent and fall asleep: everything interesting is tomorrow.
White church
White church So, we are in the Podkamennaya massif. Yesterday's crossing was difficult, but you still need to get to the rocks. According to the navigator White church- right above us. Fortunately, it was not necessary to storm the mountainside: a good road was found, not marked on the map and leading to its top in a serpentine. Nothing resembling a path went to the rock itself: we had to wade through the taiga for the last half a kilometer.
Perhaps any beautiful view makes the more impressive, the more effort expended to get to it. So it happened with the White Church. Another name for this complex is Shark Fins. And to me, when the first peak appeared over a forest glade overgrown with weeds and thorns, strewn with rounded boulders, it reminded me of the bizarre mountains of China. Not even real mountains, but those that artists depict on the classical creations of Chinese painting. And another miracle: from the highest point of the Church, the phone picked up a signal from some random tower. Despite the early morning (deep night in Moscow), we took this opportunity to contact our relatives.
The "church" is indeed almost white, and the contrast of its light-coloured rocks with the surrounding dark stones is difficult to explain. And all this - on top of a mountain overgrown with impenetrable taiga, with practically no paths and traces of people, except for a rusty brazier brought by someone among thorny bushes.
Shakhtai
Compared to the exhausting transition between the Orlyonka and Podkamennaya massifs, the path from Belaya Tserkov to the mountain Stone Shakhtai seems like an easy walk. It is difficult to call this place a full-fledged rock monument: rather, it is a picturesque viewpoint on the top of a mountain strewn with many rock fragments. Moving along them requires caution and skill: the gaps between the stones are wide and deep. But at the top - a place where from a single small platform you can shoot literally a few dozen impressive panoramas. However, to endless view we have already got used to the taiga to the very horizon, and therefore the walk did not take so much time. When I got to Shakhtai for the first time, I would certainly spend several hours there.
Views from Shakhtai The main route is almost completed. Since the last parking lot turned out to be only four kilometers from Podkamennaya, we decided to stop here for the remaining days in order to walk radially light on the surrounding rocky outcrops and periodically run into the store: a modest assortment of general store now seemed to us a royal feast. At the same time, there was an opportunity to slowly catch the light and take pictures of the local vegetation, which somehow had not been reached before. Blooming Baikal taiga in June was worth it.
Vinegar and Raven Stone
View from the Vinegar The last two rocks Vinegar And Raven Stone- turned out to be within a radius of small walks from the place of our parking. Vinegar is interesting primarily for its views. The collapsed hunting hut at the foot only adds color. And the Raven Stone is interesting in itself: on one side, this vertical pillar really resembles the profile of a raven. It is also interesting from a climbing point of view: several routes have been carved on the rock, signed and with difficulty categories assigned to them - up to 7A+ inclusive. No simple ones were found among them, and we had to be content with the view from below.
Raven Stone Slyudyanka
Private museum in Slyudyanka The main part of the route is completed, you can pack up the tents and start a “quiet” vacation on Baikal. But it did not turn out to be calm: there are a lot of interesting things in the vicinity. For example, the Museum of Minerals in Slyudyanka. It started as a private collection, and today it is a unique and rather large collection, which is still maintained through the efforts of the founder. No less than the collection itself, the design of the museum is interesting. Space landscapes are depicted on the ceiling, and images of miners, crystals and views of the Wild West hang on the walls. You can even spend the night in the museum - more precisely, in the guest house on the side, overlooking the impressive "rock garden". What we, after daily transitions and overnight stays in a tent, took advantage of with pleasure.
Low lonely standing mountain over Slyudyanka and asks to climb on it. Despite the lack of views of the snow-capped peaks of Khamar-Daban, there is something to see there - primarily from the point of view of botany. There is no path to the top, but the climb is not difficult, and the local flora brings new surprises literally with every step. Some slipper orchids, which are very rare in our country, and the entire Khamar-Daban is literally overgrown with them, in one small area, several species and color forms were counted. The “embankment” of the Slyudyanka River, fenced off from the village by a dam from spills, is like a city park: it is quite crowded here. On the rock by the river there is a small homemade altar, and nearby is a scree, which we greedily attacked, being impressed by the Slyudyanka mineral collections from the museum. No rarities were found, but pretty calcite crystals and, of course, images of mica were added to the collection.
In Slyudyanka, houses are already beginning to be found that have a feature characteristic of Buryatia: their walls are covered with a kind of wooden tile, reminiscent of fish scales. Surprisingly, even Soviet-style five-story buildings are finished this way.
Baikal and Warm Lakes
Baikal is always beautiful. Despite the fact that along the coast closest to our route there is Railway, take a walk is where. Between Utulik and Baikalsk, the "piece of iron" moves away from the shore, and a practically undeveloped peninsula protrudes into the lake.
The water here is icy in June: in the fast mountain streams of the Olkha basin, it was even warmer. Therefore, you have to swim quickly. A leisurely walk Utulik-Baikalsk takes two or three hours. The landscapes around are pleasant, the coast is quite clean for the outskirts of the city, and we can easily pass a small ford through a river flowing about halfway.
Koryazhka In the very Baikalsk there is practically nothing to do (except for smoked omul). Although the pulp and paper mill has recently closed, and timid attempts are being made on the city's waterfront to make some semblance of a resort area, devastation and desolation are felt in the city. A park with rusty, non-working Soviet-era attractions only enhances the effect, and the brightly painted plaster "monument" to strawberries looks completely strange.
Weather reports made adjustments to future plans. It's cold and wet - what kind of Khamar-Daban is there ... Let's reschedule for a day. In the meantime, let's check if they are really warm Warm Lakes in such weather.
Warm lakes Three lakes - Emerald, Warm and Dead ("renamed" on many tourist resources into "Fairy Tale") are located near the Vydrino station. To get to them, you need to climb up the Snezhnaya River. The road is wide, automobile, and "civilian" vacationers are periodically brought along it. Without checking whether the entry to the Emerald checkpoint really had a payment for visiting, we turned onto the first forest path that came across, followed it - and soon found ourselves on the lakeshore in a place much more picturesque than the “civilian” part. On the other side of this, the most inhabited of the three lakes, stands a small brick chapel. There is no road to it - only a narrow path, and materials for construction were brought by water. Several wooden benches with angels are scattered along the banks, clearly the work of the same carver. The faces of all the sculptures are unusually alive.
Despite the accumulation of people on the “civilian” beach, the other two lakes turned out to be practically deserted: one could finally feel alone with nature. The shores of all three lakes are slightly swampy, and getting out after swimming on a pillow of soft sphagnum is an inexpressible feeling. The water in them is really warm - much warmer than you might expect. Despite this, there are no hot springs below: it’s just that the lakes are shallow and warm up well, and the Dead one freezes to the very bottom in winter, which is probably why it got its first name (and that’s why there is no fish in it).
Khamar-Daban. Peak Porozhisty
Bridge The Babkha River flows from the peaks of Khamar-Daban, sometimes flooding large areas, sometimes forming narrow rocky canyons. Going up it and its tributaries, you can go to one of the most beautiful peaks of this mountain range- Porozhisty pike. The route, designed for two or three days, we decided to try to cover in a day, leaving the village of Utulik at dawn, in order to return well after midnight.
The snowy peaks are not visible yet, but the low mountains around, the taiga, numerous rocks and bridges over Babkha make the road very picturesque: the path to the start of the ascent is passed quickly. Dense taiga gives way to alpine light forests, and the lower branches of trees are increasingly overgrown with long beards of lichens: the mountain tundra will soon begin.
The ascent to the Porozhisty begins from a large alpine meadow surrounded by peaks, on which even in June snow is visible here and there. You can’t call it a “path”: a stream flows down the steep slope of the mountain, winding through the rubble of stone blocks. On these blockages, sometimes slippery and difficult to pass, you have to climb up, periodically using rock-climbing skills. This is the most difficult section of the route on the route.
The nature here is already different: the height affects, and the forest-tundra is replaced by rare heaps of elfin cedar; rhododendron blooms en masse, and there are more and more lichens on the stones. The first small snowfields appear and - to our dumb joy - streams of tasty drinking water (the Babkha with its tributaries has remained below for a long time). Behind the next turn suddenly opens a view of the entire journey made during the day, shows the great lake and the city of Baikalsk, which seems to be very close (in fact, it is fifteen kilometers in a straight line).
Mountain Lake A long tedious ascent through the rubble ends with a relatively flat alpine meadow with small rocky islands. It is not as extensive as the circus at the foot, but much more picturesque. Around - impressive snowfields, from which many streams originate, the foothills of Khamar-Daban remaining at the bottom, bushes of flowering rhododendron and rocks going up to the very peak.
Vertex It's impossible to find a way out of here. It is not only perfectly visible, but also marked with stone tours: from each of these signs, the next one is visible. Best Views of the entire route start in this place and do not leave the traveler to the very top of the Porozhisty peak.
The path to the top passes along a narrow ridge, among the intertwining roots of the dwarf cedar. It constantly seems that it will end at the next bend, and then you will have to balance on the stones. Suddenly, a view opens down, onto a fairly large Mountain Lake. And soon the end point of the path is shown, crowned with a kind of sign of sticks and ribbons.
Views from the top Here - highest point this part of the array. All the surrounding crusts remained below, you can enjoy the beautiful panorama, turn your face to the wind, admiringly turn your head in all directions and take a symbolic sip of cognac - for "taking" the peak.
The descent turned out to be easier: although several times we stopped at the edge of another sheer cliff and thought where to turn, in general the road turned out to be more obvious than up. Time was running out: having descended to the clearing of the base camp, we found a magical evening light, but it also said that it was not worth pulling downhill: there was no question of returning before dark, but at least going down to a well-trodden path - is a must. More than thirty kilometers a day in the mountains is no joke.
The next morning, after the forced march to the peak, we were no longer able to move independently over long distances: literally everything hurt. The hosts of the guest house, Fedor and Natalya, offered us a sightseeing trip to Buryatia, famous for its mineral waters Arshan, looking along the way into one of the Buddhist datsans and into the crater extinct volcano. We agreed, although we were not interested in the opportunity to drink mineral water in a covered Soviet-style pavilion, but in nature - views of the Sayans, the river canyon and an impressive waterfall.
The scenery around is really worth seeing. Is that too crowded, but beautiful places the route - white rocks around the waterfall - turned out to be covered with many autographs of "civilized vacationers": I'm sure that such a thing would not have occurred to any "wild" tourist here. But in general - it turned out quite a worthy end to an interesting trip. At the end of the path, in the mouth of an extinct volcano, another “gift” was waiting for us: hundreds of bright bluebird butterflies, sitting in compact clusters, took a fancy to its foot. Early in the morning, before dawn - return train to Iruktsk.
The rocks of the Olkhinsky plateau are very famous in Irkutsk and beyond. At any time of the year, there are always visitors both adults and children near them. You can walk around them and visit them by bike, only in the second case you can see more rocks in a short time. This time we visited rock climbs on foot - not all of our group have the skills to ride a two-wheeler in winter.
How to get there? Of course, by train. One of the options - 9 hours. 39 min. from Akademicheskaya station. Take tickets to the Orlyonok station. The train leaves back at 15:00. 58 min. See the schedule on the BPPC.ru website.
Upon arrival, you cross the railway tracks and go down the steep stairs.
You turn from the stairs to the right, then immediately to the left, you see the path and follow it to the river, then through the bridge, in winter on the ice. A little later, the trail transforms into a road where cars can move (soon the bridge will collapse and they won’t be able to;)). On this road you have to go to the fork, where you will see the sign "Vityaz". We walked 5.2 km to it in 1 hour 08 minutes. The fork is large, wide, you will not mix it up. 
You turn away from the pointer in the direction in which it points (to the right). From the pointer, almost immediately there will be a cutoff of the road through the swamp, which operates only in winter. 
The cut leads again to the road, from which you soon turn onto another cut, now to the left into a pine-birch forest. The forest turns into a swamp, then again into the forest, only the forest is beautiful, spruce. In the summer we cycled through the swampy area, it was a little dirty, but in general it was not critical. In winter, the swamp is defined only by yellow spots of snow and smell.
On this cut you go to a huge stone, in the photo: 
When you get to him, you raise your head, op-pa, and here he is the Vityaz rock - the head and shoulders of a warrior in huge armor. Clickable. 
You look around - do you see the rynda at the top, on the rock? What about rock climbers? I can be wrong in the classification of these comrades hanging in clusters on a rock - correct in the comments.
The distance from the train to Vityaz is 6.8 km.
From the rock we look to the left - there are houses there, a football field, yurts - everything for recreation. They say that there you can warm up for a fee, drink tea. 
Near the houses there is a stand with a map of climbing shoes, on which it is clear where they are. Clickable. 
The next interesting rock is Idol. Behind the stand, the path to it begins. A narrow beautiful picturesque path goes past the Polytechnic and Angarsk rock climbs. 
If you meet on your way the BBT sign - the Great Baikal Trail and the new bridge, then you are on the right track) 
Behind the bridge the path bifurcates - straight - to the Idol, to the left - to the rocks with a swing. We go as if on my GPS-track - to the Idol.
The idol is impressive, isn't it? Estimate the size - by the person standing next to it. 
And if you get around it, then on the other hand it looks normal! 
The photo is also clickable. I draw attention to the inscription Biotex.
In this weekend trip I tested thermal underwear Biotex Women's Bioflex Warm Long Sleeve Base Layer
What I noted from the positive aspects in the first place:
- silky fabric, very pleasant to the touch and on the body;
- seamlessness - when doing active sports, this is true, for example, under a backpack, the absence of seams is a pleasant moment;
- anatomical cut, which allows you not to feel the thermal underwear on the body - it does not pull anywhere, does not press and does not press;
- with a cold wind (the temperature was +2.8o that day and the wind was gusty), due to the tight fit of the thermal underwear to the body, I did not feel chilly.
- at first, the high stand-up collar, as it seemed to me, "strangled" me, but, probably, this is purely my feeling, which gradually passed, and then I realized that it covers the neck, and the wind does not cool it;
- and most importantly, why do we put on thermal underwear - the sweat was absorbed and discharged evenly, I did not feel either damp clothes or sweat on my body.
Guys, I draw your attention to such a moment as to the packaging - you will not be ashamed to present this gift to your lady in it! They send the goods in a very solid box, not in a bag!!!
By the way, the next day, opening the road season, and having rolled 50 kilometers, I also tested Biotex thermal underwear, which gave out the same wonderful characteristics even with a more intense load, as with a foot load. 
I return to our journey. On the path to the rock, Idol saw the phone of the Ministry of Emergency Situations - write to yourself just in case. Cases are different - you can simply twist your leg. There is a connection there. 
Having examined the Idol rock, you go back to a small fork in front of the bridge and the BBT inscription and leave along it. The trail will gradually go up to the winter quarters, near which there is a swing. From the height to which they will raise you, it is breathtaking, and the feeling of flying and hovering the body at a height of several meters above the ground causes a fabulous, magical feeling) 
It's time to get back on the train. We ran back from time to time, and we didn’t really swing on the swing, which we sincerely regretted, so I recommend returning from Orlyonok station on a later train than 15.58.
The total distance along this route was 20.26 km, the total time - from train to train - 4 hours 58 minutes, travel time - 4 hours. 11 min.
09/30/15 That day off I spent at the Olkhinsky rocks and adjacent taiga wilds in the Irkutsk region.
The train departed from Irkutsk-Passenger station at about half past eight in the morning, slowly swaying and banging comfortably on the rail joints.
The sunlight for the thirtieth of September was so pale, piercingly melancholic, transparent, which only happens at the beginning of autumn, when the variegation of the passing summer still lingers in someone's flower beds, in pots on windowsills and women's dresses. The controller just checked my ticket and I went to the window - reluctant to sit on the seat, lifted the upper half, which creaked in the grooves due to accumulated dust. We pass Irkutsk, already awake, but reluctantly moving, because today is Sunday and sleepy houses and cars shrouded in a pale yellowish light, like a picture from a book. The morning fog was in no hurry to float away into the bushes and trees and bridges hanging over the Angara River, because soon October and this is its territory, not like in summer, where the air temperature even in the morning approaches forty degrees and the night haze disappears, evaporates without any hint of existence. But now from the river pulled a real coolness. The Angara is the only river that flows out of Baikal and divides the city of Irkutsk in half. Somewhere approximately in the middle of the city, it merges with the Irkut River, from which, as you know, the name of the city came from, and carries its waters to the mighty Yenisei, and that to the Arctic Ocean.
Our electric train rolled out of the city to the plain. The summer forbs had shrunk and worn out a little, dried up under the inexorable August rays, but now, the grasses, soaked at dawn from the dew, emitted a pleasant, so tart and reminiscent of the steppe homeland aroma. Feather grass, shepherd's purse, yarrow, several types of wormwood, thyme, timothy and dozens of others, whose names I find it difficult to name, have created a real symphony of scents with hundreds of undertones and shades. In the fields, covered with scraps of blue banners and polyethylene, small piles of straw are waiting to be harvested. Jet swifts and boorish sparrows rush in the air, picking up already half-dead flies and clumsy horseflies on the fly.
We pass Shelekhov. The scenery outside the window is changing. The onset of autumn is not so noticeable in the city than in open nature. Here, all deciduous trees change in color. The place of the dying chlorophyll is gradually occupied by anthocyanin, which colors the leaves in orange, red and even purple colors with many transitions and shades. Yellow-green patches of vegetation with reddish veins contrast especially well with huge firs, cedars and larches protruding from the shade and half-uprooted giant stumps with clods of earth that have not fallen off, full of ants and fat larvae. Birches with aspens are the first to start trembling from the cold and throw off pieces of their clothes, although often even in dense and deep November cold and slush, they scratch the sky with unfallen dry leaves. But now they are wonderful. Birches and aspens, mountain ash, elderberry and pear with sour, darkened sweet and sour fruits, light spots shine against the background of conifers. And above all these clouds, shreds of heavenly fog, wiping from the already clear sky.
We drive past dachas, small villages, half-stations and solitary houses.
Mostly wooden, sun-roasted, saturated with wood smoke and steppe-cedar aroma, houses. In such it is good to close oneself from everything and drink tea with gingerbread. And cranberry jam. The Rossokha station swam to the left and the train again rolled further, towards the lake. The train makes a big turn, if you look out the right window in the direction of the train, you can see how all the cars are hiding behind the slope, approaching the next station. The next stop is the Orlyonok stopping point. For us, it's the end. Total, one and a half hours in the train from the station Irkutsk-Passenger.
Once upon a time, a pioneer camp of the same name took children here, it is somewhere very nearby. Now abandoned and taken apart for firewood, it was overgrown with grass and became a haven for magpies, squirrels, and quite possibly for someone larger. From a small but neat stopping point to the left and slightly upwards, a primer leaves, soon splitting into two, more modestly. A group of 5-6 cyclists who rushed forward disappeared from sight, and my friend and I slowly walked along the left road. The right one steeply climbed up and it was shorter, soon disappeared and practically lost sight of it, it jumped over streams, slippery boulders, dived between the roots. This path to the rocks was shorter, but we were not going to rush and moved along the left road, which cyclists had recently passed. We crossed a narrow bridge across the Malaya Olkha River, a small raging stream of water with mossy stones protruding from it, between which birch leaves and scraps of bark stuck together fluttered.
Twenty minutes later we stopped in a small birch-aspen forest to drink tea. He took water in one of the small lakes, which are enough here, hung it over the fire to boil. The bonfire is neat, tidy - there were no bottles, cigarette butts, candy wrappers, only at the table, which was also there, an apple half-eaten by someone dried up, from which, like threads of a cobweb, paths of red ants stretched to a low anthill. The water in the kettle boiled, we threw tea - between the white trunks and the granite remnants hewn by the wind, the aromas of Sri Lanka or the province of Yunnan, tart tea aromas, stretched out.
The branches under the low alder tree stirred in surprise, something whistled softly from behind a driftwood, and a shaggy shadow flopped into the water. The tea was as always tastier than at home.
After eating and drinking tea, we moved on. Kolya asked me what we would do if a bear came out now. Of course, people sometimes pass through here, sometimes even rush through, during the holiday season. After all, here at the most visited rock-climb Vityaz, which is already very close, there is a small, I would even say a small base "Vityaz", which grows with tents and tents of rock climbers, children who came on an excursion and just tourists. Now, the main tourist season has already ended, and only occasionally single visitors go to the rocks, and fellow bears come out of the deep taiga more boldly. They, eaten over the summer, fattening up for hibernation, should not be aggressive. But if suddenly a bear comes out on the path close to you, he can attack. So we just talked - bears get scared by loud noises. You do not need to shout, but sometimes make it clear to potential predators that people are walking along the path. The claws of an adult bear are very long and a blow with a huge paw on the head or throat can instantly cut off the cries of an unfortunate tourist, so he should not suffer for long, but still it’s better not to risk it. If special bear pipes, somewhat reminiscent of those of sports fans, are very effective in preventing attacks. In Irkutsk, in an animal nursery, Asya lives, an elderly bear with small brown eyes and a faded matted coat. It was this celebrity who starred in the film "Peculiarities of the National Hunt". I saw these claws, these 10-12 cm blades on decrepit paws, though already worn out and rather reduced in length, very quickly, simply with lightning speed, turn into a weapon, albeit in eating apples, watermelons and cakes. It is impossible to be frivolous in moving around the taiga and it is desirable to walk in a group, adhering to simple rules.
The fate of the hunter Hugh Glass passed us, fortunately, and we finally reached the first rock. This is Vityaz, a forty-meter block of granite, towering over a spacious clearing, along the perimeter of which, at its southern side, there were houses of a camp site, now empty.
The rock is called the Vityaz, because if you look at it from the side of the river, it resembles a warrior in a helmet. To the left of the houses, the turbulent Olkha River flows, which merges with Malaya Olkha not far from here, forming the Big Olkha.
If you look up at the rock from the clearing at the bottom left, you will see a granite wall with many hammered hooks and rare marks - there are trails for practicing climbers and rock climbers, and a little lower there are small but ridged sections for enthusiastic boulderers.
To the right and above all this is an observation deck, which is difficult to get to for those walking head-on from left to right along a narrow cornice, or vice versa easily along the path that goes around the rocky outcrop from behind. For inexperienced climbers or for people who don't need an adrenaline rush, I recommend the second option.
The first one is also possible, but in case of an error, your remains will not lie down for long - there is someone to feast on them.
The Olkhinsky rocks are named after the river and plateau of the same name. There are many of them, but the most popular are the Knight, the Idol, the Old Woman and more distant ones: the Lizard, the Pharaoh, the Lion, the Mirrors, the White Church.
But not all of them are easily accessible. Some thickets are so thick that you have to break through the thickets to them, leaving shreds of clothes on the branches of sharp thorns and dead wood. The paths to them are completely overgrown, due to the remoteness from the main path.
Skalnik "Idol" in April
After admiring the beauty from the top of the Vityaz, we went to the southeast to the Staruha rock. This is just one of the remote granite exits, to which the paths have grown overgrown.
Finally, we got to the Old Woman (I still hope that it was exactly the rock we were looking for), behind which there was a huge fall of trees, an innumerable number of fallen trunks reminded me of a similar fall of the forest, which can be remembered from photographs and documentary newsreels at the site of the fall of the famous Tunguska meteorite(also in the Irkutsk region). As if you are standing on the edge of something unknown and incomprehensible, the emotionality of this moment rolls over. Just imagine that you are walking along the taiga off-road, making your way through the fallen thick trunks, climbing, jumping from stone to stone, seeing a maximum of thirty meters ahead of you, and then there is such a sharp space. Kolya, of course, visited the Olkhinsky plateau more than once, he did not see such a fall. Space place, I tell you.
An additional bonus to this was a huge clearing of lingonberries, brown-red bittersweet berries, which were very difficult to stop eating. There were so many that it was impossible to move without stepping on a bush, which is why bright scarlet drops scattered from under the boots.
It was possible to collect on the road, but there was no time. We had to catch the train that would take us back to the city.
We descended back to the river, adhering to the planned landmarks, tired but satisfied, filled with impressions to the very ears. It was evening. The air was filled with the chirping of insects and the distant cries of evening birds. The smell of rotting leaves intensified, mixed with the smell of mushrooms and freshly eaten lingonberries.
Soon the water murmured below and we went out onto the path. We crossed the now empty clearing with the Vityaz base, turned onto the dirt road and moved to Orlyonok.