If you are very fond of mountains, taiga, forest paths and a sea of snow, but for various reasons you cannot go far and for a long time - go to Borus and pump yourself up properly. Newslab spoke to a professional and put together a complete (but uncomplicated!) Guide to the three-day trip from Krasnoyarsk to this ridge.
Small Borus in the center. Right - Koshurnikov Peak
Borus - what is this mountain and where is it located?
The Borus ridge is located in the south of the Krasnoyarsk Territory near the border with Khakassia not far from the Sayano-Shushenskaya hydroelectric power station.Ridge is a part of the Western Sayan system and is distinguished by four peaks standing close to each other: the peak of the Cuban Revolutionaries (Peak Fools), Koshurnikov Peak, Maly Borus Peak and Poilov Peak (Bolshoy Borus). All peaks are located at an altitude of about 2,000 meters or slightly above sea level. The highest of them is Poilov Peak, which rises 2318 meters above sea level.
And what is Borus interesting for?
Why was Borus so named?
The origin of the name of the ridge has two variants. A beautiful Khakass legend says that the ridge is named after Borus or Burgus, who escaped on a raft during the Flood. After 40 days, his raft landed at the top of the mountain, where it is now in a petrified form. According to a more realistic version, the name of the ridge consists of parts of the two surnames of its first conquerors: Borisov and Rusanov.
Of course, the uniqueness of its taiga, forest paths, mighty stone boulders (they are also called kurumnik), along which you climb higher and higher, as well as the purest mountain air and magnificent panoramic views.
The place is also attractive because it will be interesting for both experienced tourists and beginners who want to get acquainted with the world of mountains. The first ones can live in their own tent under the very mountain, the second ones - in a cozy house on the cordon national park"Shushensky Bor". The cordon is located a stone's throw from civilization, which is also convenient. If you don't like it, you can always quickly get home.
By the way, in this sense Borus - good experience before trips to such serious mountains as Belukha, Elbrus, Munku-Sardyk and others, where the simplest routes already require certain climbing skills and appropriate equipment.
And you don't even have to go to the ridge itself! Some come with families in winter and live in the cordon. They also go to see the view up to the Pelekhov Pass, children ride from the mountain road on ice and buns. In general, the folk trail up the mountain never overgrows.
Road and costs
For a comfortable ascent to the main peak of Borus, taking into account arrival, accommodation and departure, it will take at least three days. You can, of course, do it in two days and one night, but such a non-stop, even for trained people, will be extremely difficult and will not leave any good impressions.
First of all, it is worth booking a house in advance. Especially if you are traveling for the weekend. To do this, you need to call the national park and agree on everything. The booking itself is free. About housing prices - a little lower.
Three days is enough for everyone: both bus and motorists. It is better to leave Krasnoyarsk by car at 6-7 am. Drive to Khakassia to Sayanogorsk, and from there - to the village of Cheryomushki towards the Sayano-Shushenskaya hydroelectric power station. There you will need to cross the only bridge in the village and, having passed the right turn immediately after the bridge, continue along the road, which itself will begin to turn to the right. On it you need to go to the left until the turnoff, where there will be a sign “ National park"Shushensky Bor" ". In any case, a navigator or a map in your phone will not let you get lost.
If you are traveling by bus, then it is better to leave Krasnoyarsk around midnight (at the beginning of the day of the first three days) immediately to Sayanogorsk or to Abakan, from where you can relatively quickly leave for Sayanogorsk. There you will need to change to buses No. 2 or No. 2a, which go to Cheryomushki, and go to the final stop, which is just at the desired bridge.
What is the best ride?
The entire journey by buses with luggage will cost one person about 3000 rubles from Krasnoyarsk to Cheryomushki and back. It will be cheaper by about 500 rubles or even more economical and also faster by car or with an auto-traveler. Another plus of driving a car is that you can use observation deck Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP. It is better to do this either on the way back, or if you have arrived at the bridge by noon. You can go to the hydroelectric power station in the evening after going on the vidage, which is described below. There is no point for bus workers to go to the hydroelectric power station.
Features of local hospitality
So, you turned off at the sign "Shushensky Bor National Park". After 200-300 meters a small hotel of the national park with a barrier will appear. This is the visitor center of the park, the passage through it is free. To get there by car, you need to find an administrator in the building who will raise the barrier.
You can stay overnight at the visitor center hotel. There are comfortable rooms, a warm toilet and a bathroom, but it will be much more expensive and will lengthen your walks by a couple of kilometers back and forth. I always go on to the Talovsky Log cordon, where it is more picturesque, although a little more severe. Walk for about 2.6 km on an almost level road.
View of the Talovsky Log cordon and its houses from the entrance
It is impossible to pass by the cordon - the road rests directly on it. The car can be parked either outside the cordon, or driven into a paid parking lot ( 50 RURkillper day) ... You can park for free in front of the cordon in the bath area. It is about 15-20 meters from the gate, but if the spaces are occupied, you will have to park further along the road.
Housing prices
At present, the prices for the houses of the Talovsky Log cordon are as follows:
- 2-bed house - 700 rubles (350 rubles per person). There are four such houses on the cordon now.
- 4-bed house - 2300 r. Now there is one such house on the cordon.
- 6-bed house - 3000 rub. Also only one house.
Vnew year weekend pricesyou will grow up - for example,2-bedthhousewill cost1 thous.Rkill(500 rkillper person).
This is what double houses look like
Which sleeping bag is better to take?
In winter, the autumn-spring version with a comfort temperature of about +5 C ° suits me. I go to sleep in thermal underwear directly on the sleeping bag, but gradually at night I climb into it and fasten myself. Girls in such a sleeping bag, perhaps, should also sleep in a sweater and warm socks (if you don't heat the stove in the middle of the night).
I have always lived only in a two-bed house, although there are also 4- and even 20-bed houses. The double house is quite comfortable, but it has its own nuances. The most important thing is the oven. The firewood in it burns out pretty quickly. Full masonry at night will burn out in two or three hours. Then the oven will gradually cool down. Either someone will have to get up at night for a second masonry, or just wrap themselves in a sleeping bag and sleep until morning.
In addition to the stove in the houses there are tables, stools or benches and bunks. There are shelves and hooks for clothes. There should be a bucket under the water, a saucepan (I prefer mine) and a poker. There is electricity and a socket. You provide yourself with water with the help of a bucket from a nearby forest stream. Where is the stream - check with the huntsman. There are several toilets here, all of them are outdoor.
By the way, the cleanliness of toilets depends on their popularity. Therefore, to make your visit more comfortable, you should find the least popular one. There is also a bathhouse at the cordon, for four people for 4 hours will cost 1500 rubles.
Inside a two-bed house
How to get to the sight
If you managed to get to the cordon by 14 o'clock, you do not need to relax. You still have time to go to the vid, which offers a beautiful view of the peaks of Borus.
Observation tower at vidovka
After entering the house, immediately put out unnecessary things from the backpack: a pad, sleeping bag, food, clothes. This can be done in parallel with a snack. Leave only a thermos, some food, a headlamp, and an extra warm jacket. You do not need to heat the stove, but be sure to prepare some bark, wood chips and firewood. It is better to bring them directly into the hut. The firewood is in a huge woodpile. You can take them in any quantity and for free.
It makes sense to go out for a vid no later than 15 hours in order to get there before dark and admire the view of the peaks of Borus and the neighboring peaks. The path to the vidovka is 4.7 km, the steepness is about the same as along the Laletinsky road to the pass of Central Stolby. A person with good physical condition can go there no more than an hour and a half. One wide road leads from the cordon to the vidyka itself, which after about 2.5 km goes to a fork, where you have to turn left. There may be a couple of branch paths along the way, but you should always stick to the wide main road.
The vidovka is a metal tower with floors, which can be reached by stairs. Next to it there is an unheated bivouac house where you can have a snack, hide from the wind and, in extreme cases, even spend the night, but without a sleeping bag it will be very cold in winter. There is also an outdoor toilet, a campfire site, and perhaps even a few logs.
In general, there are bivouacs along the entire length of the road to the Pelekhov Pass. Closed house - only in the vid. In other places, there are open tables with benches under the roof. There is almost always a place for a fire and logs nearby. They are specially prepared by the huntsmen, so that in extreme cases people can stop at such bivouacs, warm up and spend the night if it is impossible to go further.
Route to the top
Despite the fact that it is only 11 km from the cordon to Bolshoy Borus, it is best to go to the main peak no later than 6 in the morning. It is possible at 7, if you are able to move at a good pace with a backpack weighing 4-6 kg uphill. There will be very few descents and relatively gentle sections to the summit.
The first time I came here with my friend, we left at about 9 or 10 am. We walked slowly, took a lot of pictures. As a result, only by 16 o'clock we reached a plateau before climbing Maly Borus. By that time they were very tired and walked slowly. After another stop, we realized that we would not have time to climb to the top even before dark. I had to make a difficult decision to descend.
Separate gazebo on the way to the main summit
There is always a trail to the top of Bolshoy Borus, since the inhabitants of Cheryomushki and Sayanogorsk regularly walk up the mountain or to the Pelekhov pass. Even a heavy night snowfall is unlikely to completely cover the trail. In addition, there are colored markings in the trees along the trail, going up to the Pelekhov Pass. The route to the top from the cordon is the same as for the view, but at the first fork we go straight. At the same fork there will be a route map to Bolshoy Borus.
The scheme of the trails in the administrative house of the cordon "Talovskiy Log"
You need to go straight and up the path that goes behind the shield with this scheme. After about 150-200 meters there will be a second gazebo. After another 300 meters, there will be the next gazebo with a fork and a pointer: to the right - to the waterfall (it freezes until May), to the left - to the Pelekhov pass and the main peak. You can rest here for a few minutes. You can rest wherever you want, but the more stops, the longer the way up. If you are tired, then it is better to slow down, but go anyway.
All the way to the pass, the most difficult will be the last 150-200 meters, which will need to go steeply upward with a small horizontal passage in the middle. Despite the steepness, the ascent is quite pedestrian, but you need to be careful and not rush. The reward will be an excellent view from which you will see the Yenisei, the hills lying at your feet, and if you look closely, you can also see the observation deck tower.
Overview during the ascent to the Pelekhov Pass
If you reached the pass at 8-9 in the morning, this is a very good result. At the pass, a second halt is usually made. Further downhill to the right, towards the peaks of Maly and Bolshoy Borus. The trail goes along the last forest zone in front of the stone plateau. From the forest zone, the trail goes to a kurumnik (a pile of boulders), going up relatively steeply and leading to a plateau, from which you need to go to the ridge of Maly Borus. The plateau itself is not difficult, but one must remember about the possibility of falling into the snow. Falling into the snow is most depressing, since it takes a lot of energy to pull your foot out of the snow. Pull your leg carefully and slowly so that it does not get stuck in the stones.
Climbing the slope of Maly Borus to its summit is generally simple and does not require ropes and special climbing equipment. The trail goes approximately along the ridge, in some places moving away from the ridge to the right by no more than 3-4 meters. But still, be very careful and attentive!
During the ascent along the ridge to Maly Borus, it will seem a couple of times that this is the summit! But this, as often happens in the mountains, is only a snag-ledge, and the peak lies further away. Usually it is celebrated - the last time there were the remains of ski poles.
I'm at the top. What to do next?
So, congratulations - you are at the top of Maly Borus. Let the reward be 10-15 minutes of rest and a delicious snack with hot tea. You are almost there. The main peak is still an hour and a half away. The trail also follows the ridge. First, you need to descend 100 meters, and then a gradual ascent begins, no more difficult than to Maly Borus. Expect to be at the top of Bolshoy Borus no later than 15 hours. If you came there earlier, do not rush to run away. Walk from one edge of the top to the other. Find the plaques at the top. Inspect the slopes, look around the cardinal points. Enjoy - after all, this is what you came here for!
View from the top of Bolshoy Borus to Maly Borus and Koshurnikov peak
Leaving the summit, if possible, pick up someone else's garbage (although it almost never happens there) and in no case leave yours. Returning to the cordon follows the same road. If all is well and the weather is pleasant, then you will be at the cordon at 20 or 21. Keep in mind that in some sections the descent will be a little more difficult than the ascent.
When is the best time to go to Borus?
You can go to the ridge all year round, but I was there in January, March, April and May. To be honest, the photographs of summer Borus do not impress me. In winter, it’s like in big mountains! Best in March and April. In general, it is warm, but at the same time, in the morning, when climbing the mountain, the snow is quite dense, so you rarely fall through. In the afternoon, upon returning, you start to fall more often, but compared to May, you can say that you are walking along a well-packed trail.
What clothes and equipment should I take with me?
Dress like you're going on a weekend hike, depending on the season. But there are nuances. In winter (October - May), shoes should be warm, always well worn under insulated socks. In winter, it is necessary to put on gaiters (flashlights) on your feet to prevent snow from getting into your shoes.
Gloves will always be more advantageous than gloves. Additional protection face and head, if necessary, will provide a balaclava. You should wear one warm jacket. It makes sense to take thermal underwear. You should take spare mittens, warmed socks, and a warm jacket in your backpack as a reserve. It is advisable that you, if necessary, could put on socks on socks, a jacket on a jacket, etc. Some will ask: why are there so many extra things in a backpack? But they are taken just in case of emergency. It is almost always critically cold in the mountains at night.
View of the Yenisei from the top of Bolshoy Borus
You don't need any climbing equipment to climb the described (classical) route to the main peak of Borus. The maximum that you can take is trekking poles. Required: a headlamp with a spare set of batteries, matches and a lighter.
Important: some are so sensitive to the sun already at an altitude of just over 2 thousand meters above sea level that they need sunglasses and sunscreen. One of my companions in May, not even having time to reach the top of Maly Borus, began to burn in a matter of hours. The volume of the backpack, if you are by car - 40-50 liters, if by bus - 70-85 liters. Also, a first-aid kit with pain relievers, cold medicines, as well as indigestion, abrasions and simple wounds is required.
Borus is, although not the highest by the standards of mountaineering, but a real mountain with all the characteristic dangers (except for the glacier).
- at night in winter it is better not to stay on it without a tent and a sleeping bag.
- fog and darkness can knock you off the trail and lead to difficult areas with cliffs.
- squally wind can easily knock down a tired person and very quickly freeze his exposed parts of the body.
- if you move inadvertently, you can fall on the broomstick, getting a bruise or a fracture.
What dangers can you face?
There is mobile communication on the mountain, but not everywhere. For example, you can catch a good signal at the Pelekhov Pass itself. Rescuers will reach you even in good weather only a few hours after receiving a signal for help from you. It is important to register with the local Emergencies Ministry or at least at the rangers' cordon the time of your ascent to the mountain and the estimated time of return. On your return, do not forget to notify, otherwise they may start looking for you!
And when you feel that you know the area well, you have the right proven equipment and the right physical shape, you can try to go to the neighboring peaks: Koshurnikov Peak and Cuban Revolutionaries Peak (Fools Peak). From the last peak, you can also climb Bolshoy Borus, and then go down the classic route through Maly Borus.
Happy travels!
Denis Trufanov specially for,
photo from personal archive
A long-standing desire to go to Borus (this is part of the mountain range in the south of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, in the Western Sayan system) came true in the May holidays 2017.
1. You can get to Borus by train, bus or personal car... A budget and fast option is a car. You need to get to the village of Cheryomushki, and after the village turn left onto the bridge over the Yenisei. The road across the bridge will lead you to the visit-center of the Shushensky Bor National Park. A couple of kilometers from the visit center, a tent camp is located upstairs. I went as part of a large group of 13 people and a dog. Our company chose the option of accommodation in houses, rented the largest one for 17 people. 
2. This is how the tent camp "Talovskiy Log" looks like. There are double, quadruple houses with a stove. There is a bathhouse (I haven’t had a chance to visit it), a parking lot, toilets, a lot of firewood and clearing for tents. 
3. There is also 1 gazebo with a roof - an alternative to the common summer kitchen of small houses. Also 2 places with a fire pit and benches. 
4. Price list for the services provided by FSBI National Park "Shushensky Bor". Updated from January 14, 2017. All prices for services for renting houses, equipment rental, etc., can be considered. More relevant for vacationers on site tent camp"Talovsky Log". 
5. We have chosen one of the ways to visit Borus - living in a house, then getting up at 5 am, having breakfast and going to the side of the mountain. 
6. We took everything we needed to get up: a flashlight, matches, a snack, raincoats, trekking sticks and gaiters, if available and desired. Without fail, all participants in the hike treated their clothes with a tick repellent. In the evening, several people walked across the grass and immediately removed a couple of these harmful insects. 
7. We walked a couple of kilometers from the houses and got to the beginning ecological trail EcoBorus. 
8. Many people drive these kilometers by car. Here the road turns left to the observation tower, which can also be reached by car, but not by a puzoterke. 
9. At each stop it is useful to study the scheme of the hiking trails, although there is no sign on all the boards - "you are here". 
10. These trail map information boards are located along the entire ecological trail. 
11. The shield informs and warns. 
12. One of the stops at a fork. The path to the right leads to the waterfalls. We need to go straight up. 
13. Blooming wild rosemary in the Shushensky Bor national park. 
14. Magical forest paths with fabulous roots. 
15. On the way there are streams. Better to replenish drinking water supplies. 
16. Having passed the wet and winding paths with roots, we come to the kurumnik. 
17. Cloudy weather accompanies us all the way up. 
18. Having got out on the kurumnik, you can see the Sayano-Shushenskaya hydroelectric power station, the slope ski complex"Gladenkaya" already without snow, a quarry and the Sayanogorsk aluminum smelter. 
19. Having overcome the ascent along the kurum, we find ourselves at another place for people to stay - the valley of the Venice stream. 
20. The second option of visiting "Borus" is to drop into the valley with backpacks. Accommodation in tents, cooking on gas, and much less time to climb the peaks of small and large Borus. The option of parking here, it seems to me, is the most correct from the point of view of the success of the ascent to the top, since you can track the weather. 
21. All the peaks and peaks of the ridge in the clouds. 
22. An avalanche descended from here in our presence. 
23. A stream flowing out of Lake Venice. 
24. Having had a snack, our group crosses the stream and rushes to the top. 
25. In places the snow falls through and the participants go down knee-deep. 
26. Kurumnik. In inclement weather, movement on such stones is very dangerous, and requires maximum concentration from each participant in the hike so as not to be damaged. 
27. Cheerful participants on the route. 
28. Sayanogorsk Aluminum Smelter (SAZ). 
29. On this day, the weather did not let us to the top, which was caught by the clouds. At the finish line, the wind intensified, rain and hail began to irrigate, and then it was decided to go down to the camp. Some tour groups went up in such weather and dissolved in the clouds. In the photo on the left is a large, on the right is a small Borus. 
30. The next day we took a short walk to the Observation Deck. 
31. From the observation deck there is a view of the Fools Peak, Big Borus and Small Borus. If you are going to Borus, then you need to remember that the weather is changeable here, scorching sun can be replaced by pouring rain. Therefore, you should always be on full alert to meet the bad weather and equipped with everything you need to survive. 
32. View of the Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP. 
For the first time, the summit did not surrender to me. There is an incentive to go again to see a different Borus. You choose the options for visiting yourself: comfortably in a house or comfortably in a tent, it all depends on your preferences. You can reach the top from any point, only the travel time will differ. Thank you for the attention!
p.s .: how much does it cost to go to Borus from Krasnoyarsk? - you can answer this question yourself. Plus the price of the transfer (railway, bus or car round trip), the way of promotion (a house or a tent (almost free)), food (price category of products, layout, number of days and your taste preferences - this adds up to the amount for food ). The most economical option for a trip to Borus: by car for 4 people with accommodation in a tent.
In May, my mountaineering team and I climbed the Bolshoi Borus peak. The name sounds impressive, but climbing this mountain does not present any technical difficulties, although physically climbing it is rather exhausting. This ridge is not high, its highest peak, Bolshoi Borus, reaches 2318 m. It is a heap of medium and large barrows. In some places, these blocks of kurumnik become simply gigantic, but in the photographs the ridge looks neat and seems to be a group of small hills. It is actually quite neat, standing out clearly in satellite photos, surrounded by less tall, wooded mountains.
In May, we climbed Bolshoi Borus along the most popular and crowded path: from the camp at the headwaters of the Poilov brook we climbed a spur extending from the Maly Borus peak and representing a plateau from a kurumnik, along it we went up to the top of Maly Borus, and from they were already moving along the main ridge to Bolshoi Borus. It was a weekend in May, so there were a lot of people on the route and at the parking lot by the Poylovo stream: tourists and simply local and non-local people who decided to walk up the mountain and look at the world around them from its height.
It takes three days to climb the classic route to Bolshaya Borus from the place where the road ends, and return back. It is very convenient, you can quickly go there on the weekend, getting the feeling of visiting real mountains. The May weekend included four days, so we had one day left, which we spent on a radial walk to Lake Bonzaika, located just beyond the spur of Maly Borus.
There was still snow, but the sun had already begun to warm up in a completely spring-like manner, thawed patches and the first flowers appeared. Surprisingly, there was not a soul by the lake. The four of us sat on the shore, preparing dinner, enjoying the warmth of the spring sun and the sounds of the forest bordering the lake. I looked at the slopes on which the ascent route we had passed the day before lay, trying to imagine how many people there should have been now. The gaze moved further along the ridge to the peak of the Cuban Revolutionaries, which is right in front of me and must be completely deserted. And a new route was born in my head ...
Climbing Bolshoy Borus along the traditional route. Radial hike to Lake Bonsai (Bonsai).
We returned to Lake Bonzaika in June, during the June holidays, together with Misha. I didn't take my team with me, deciding to let this June weekend be a weekend for me too. For a long time already I had a closer relationship with Misha than with anyone else before. Therefore, it was very tempting to stay with him alone on a secluded picturesque lake surrounded by forest and mountains.
On the first day, we climbed a forest trail to the pass, crossed into the Poylova valley, had lunch there and made a transition across the plateau to Lake Bonzaika, where we set up a camp. All the crossings over the passes are overcoming the heaps of the barrow. On the first day, the barn is still not as annoying as after several days, but still, it is rather unpleasant: you need to look for places to put your foot, as a result of which it would not slip, this is not always possible. And if the kurumnik is large, then you have to climb over it, using the skills of rock climbing. On the first day, we walked 8.6 km, climbing 1020 meters, while we had heavy backpacks. Now we had to make the ascent, though light (this is a plus), but all the time along the kurumnik (this is a minus). 
1. Fields of a curum tree
2. Camp on the lake
We woke up at six, the sky was clear, infinitely blue, only over the top of Bolshoy Borus a foggy whirlwind whitened: the wind blew snow from the top. A shadow lay on the slope of the Cuban Revolutionary Peak. What a pity, we have to go up in the shade, and we wanted to be in the warmth of the sun as soon as possible! We began to climb up (the slope was quite steep) and the sun gradually caught up with us. 
3. Lake Bonzaika. View from the slope of the peak of the Cuban Revolutionaries.
There was no snow on the slope, it looks like it remained only at the top of Bolshoy Borus and in its darkest corridors. We climbed the sunny peak and were happy about it: a new mountain and a new peak. There is a memorial plate at the top, near which we took pictures.
Then, along the isthmus, we began the ascent to Bolshoi Borus. The ascent was not easy, it was necessary to overcome steep rocky ledges. There was no snow on the ridge anymore, but on either side of it there was still snow, in some places there was ice, and streams were running. On this route, except for us, there was no one else, but when we reached the top of Maly Borus, we saw people. 
4. At the top of Bolshoy Borus.
We walked back along the classic path: through Maly Borus, on the way we met a lot of people, and even several friends from Krasnoyarsk. At the top of Maly Borus, a large group had a picnic, loudly discussing the views that were opening up to them. It seemed that they would no longer go to Big Borus, and there was no need for them: after all, the view from it is the same as from the Small one.
The descent was familiar, long, boring and tiring. But in the evening we finally passed the plateau and went down to the right to our camp by the lake. We again found ourselves in solitude, because the rest of the strollers went down to the left to the parking lot near the Poilova stream. During this day we covered 7.5 km and gained over 1000 meters of altitude.
In the evening at dinner, I looked around the mountains around us and our route passing along them, and did not believe that we were able to pass it: the body still remembered the scale of this ridge, so deceptively underestimated by the eye. 
5. Lake Bonzaika at sunset.
We devoted the whole next day to rest on the sunny, flowering shore of the lake, and in the evening we went down to the car. 
6. Blooming wild rosemary.
7. Rhododendron.
I was pleased: we passed the route I had invented. Of course, I'm sure that besides me, other people invented and passed it, but for me and Misha it was new.
P.S.
Technical description the route "Lake Bonsai - the peak of the Cuban revolutionaries - the peak of Bolshoi Borus - the peak of Maly Borus - Lake Bonsai".
Climb: about 1000 m.Distance: 7.5 km. 
Our climb to the peak of the Cuban Revolutionaries began from south coast Lake Bonsai (1379 m) and walked along the southwestern slope. The slope is a large talus (kurumnik), the slope is about 30 degrees. The height of the peak is 1882 m (according to the navigator's data), the summit is double. A memorial plate is installed on one of the peaks (southern). The difference in height from the foot to the top is about 500 meters.
The passage to the top of Bolshoy Borus is carried out along the ridge. First, the path goes down to an altitude of 1840 meters along a medium-sized barrow. Then the ascent begins. Kurumnik grows in size, turning into sheer rocky ledges and walls two to three meters high. To the right and to the left of the ridge - snow, crumbling stones, streams, so we chose the path along the line of ledges, which were overcome by technically simple rock climbing. The height of the Bolshoi Borus peak is 2318 m.The climb in this section is about 450 m.
A ridge also leads from the top of Bolshoy Borus to Malyi Borus. The path follows a small and medium-sized barrow, the steepness of the slope is about 30 degrees. You can meet people here. Two thirds of the way between the peaks of Bolshoy and Maly Borus is a descent to an altitude of 2060 m, the remaining one third is an ascent to 2121 m. The summit of Maly Borus is double. We descended from it along a long ridge, similar to the tail of a dinosaur, which ends at the foot of the plateau. The ascent to the plateau is gentle, the climb is almost imperceptible physically. The plateau is wide and flat, consists of a medium and small kurumnik, from which you can see the distant mountains in a blue haze. The plateau looks like the deck of a ship sailing along the blue waves of the Sayan Mountains. Gradually, the angle of inclination changes to the opposite and the descent to the lake begins.
Borus is a multi-domed ridge of the Western Sayan, located near the Sayano-Shushenskaya hydroelectric power station, in the vicinity of Sayanogorsk.
The mountain is part of the Shushensky Bor National Park.
The ridge has clear outlines and several peaks: Maly and Bolshoy Borus, peaks Koshurnikov and Fools. Highest point, the top of Bolshoy Borus, is 2318 meters above sea level. The name of the ridge is made up of the initial letters of the names of the first sports climbers of the mountain - Borisov and Rusanov; geographically, the peak is called "Poilova Mountain", which, you see, is a little less romantic. I even heard something like God of the Rus :)
I was lucky, the Mining section of the Krasnoyarsk Territory traditionally every year on November holidays holds a training camp there. About 30 people gather, of which about 20 are students of the Siberian Federal University and the rest are mountain sportsmen. People are very keen on mountains, but comfort and safety, as you know, depends on the leader of the hike, and with Sergey we were very lucky :) A transfer was ordered in advance. intercity bus, purchased food and prepared public equipment: winter tents, stoves, axes and saws, boilers, ropes, etc.
Departure was scheduled for 11:00 pm, and the general collection at 19:00. While everyone is getting together, think for yourself how to divide the products equally among all, excluding, of course, the girls ?! In general, I have noticed for a long time that girls are more active in hiking than boys. At best, there are half of them, but as a rule there are more of them, although I have not yet heard that any of the guys would complain :) In short, the division of canned food was on the principle - this is a slice for a hedgehog, this slice for a beaver. It was easier with cereals and all sorts of goodies. Again, I noticed how mountain tourists are especially fond of all sorts of sweets, waffles, chocolate, in my life I do not eat even a tenth. They love to pamper themselves on the hike, I read the standard menu for the hike, that's where the delight for the gourmet is;) The explanation is simple - if the hike is for many days, then the food becomes boring, but you need to eat. heavy backpacks, picked up the bags and went to the exit. There was a large intercity bus on the street, they threw things into the luggage compartment and went up to the salon. What immediately pleased me, there is a lot of space, you can freely fall apart. The students immediately occupied the back of the bus, laid out, took out their guitars. They drove off, drove off under their cheerful and noisy hubbub. Drive a little more than 500 km, through our Mountain pass, across the steppe of Khakassia to the Sayano-Shushenskaya hydroelectric power station, one of the largest hydroelectric power stations in the world.
First day. Transfer to the camp.
We arrived at the hydroelectric power station in the early morning, it was not even dawn yet, we moved over the Yenisei and began to climb up the narrow road to the very cordon. The cordon is a post on the border of the reserve, several houses for the forester and guests. We got off the bus, took out our things .. It's cold brrrrr .. it's already November! A forester came out, gave us a lecture-instruction that we are in a nature reserve, take care of nature, do not offend bears, do not litter and do not cut down living trees. I’ll say right away that I haven’t seen a more reverent attitude towards nature like here - we brought all our trash from the campaign back, I myself saw how one leader collected candy wrappers for us and burned them. We dressed warmly, had a bite to eat, distributed public equipment such as axes-tents-cauldrons, turned on their headlamps and went up the trail. Why did you go so early in the dark, you ask? You need to come to the parking lot as early as possible, because the winter time and daylight hours are short, but you still need to find a place for a camp, clear it of snow, set up tents, find dead wood, cut it down and prepare firewood for all days, cook dinner. and at 17 o'clock it is getting dark ...
We walked through the dark, a flashlight beam at our feet, someone else was shining nearby, we walked together, but gradually our squad was stretched out and divided into leaders, the main group and the rear ones. The guides, as it should be, go from behind, closing the column. We hustle ahead, we reach the hut, at which the road ends and the path into the forest begins. We make the first halt, the whole group pulls up, it begins to dawn. We notice that very close to the path there are a lot of fallen trees, they were ripped out along with their roots, they lie like huge nails with large heads. It turned out that just recently, a few days ago, a strong hurricane passed here and tore these trees by the roots. It was lucky that it was on weekdays and no one was hurt.
But as it turned out, this was not the only attack on Borus that year. Stopping again at a halt, taking off my backpack, for the first time I experienced the feeling of weightlessness and the complete absence of gravity. We decided to walk to the famous waterfalls, and there we saw that a mudflow descended from the top of the ridge, which, like a giant bulldozer, plowed the forest, uprooted centuries-old trees and turned out multi-ton stones. The photo does not convey the scale of the destruction, but you stand as if at the bottom of a construction pit of some kind of autobahn.
Put on your backpacks again and go! The forest path winds, the forest becomes more and more like a fairytale, you walk like a hobbit and expect an elf to come out just about :) We rise higher, snow began to appear, its more and more. The earthen path was replaced by stones, there is more and more snow and this is good - the pants are cleaner. Finally, we came to the extreme arbor in front of the pass. We rested until everyone pulled up, had a snack and again on the road.
Further, the ascent along the kurumnik begins - this is a chaotic pile of huge stones of various shapes. The passage along it resembles jumping with a backpack from a tubarette to a washing machine and then climbing over the refrigerator. At the same time, all this is covered with snow and you are afraid to slip and crash, or simply unsuccessfully stick your foot between the stones. I am with a young guy Misha going into the lead, but I immediately understand how wrong I was. He climbed the pass, took off his backpack and hurried downstairs to help the girls. We all lack such mutual assistance and a simple desire to help a comrade, reverent attitude towards the girl :) At the top of the pass we make a short halt. A beautiful view of the entire Borus ridge opens up, the semicircle of the ridge resembles a grandiose circus arena!
The sun has risen over the ridge, a wonderful day! We need to go down, into the forest, this is firewood, a stream flows there, and this is water :) In deep snow, there is no path, we go down. Our primary goal is to find space for two large tents, which is no easy task. Below, knee-deep snow fell, so you can't see what's underneath, a flat area or sharp stones. I was already here last year and had a vague idea of where to camp. Last year, a large clearing was occupied and we had to pitch our tents apart, one higher and the other farther away. Now we are lucky and we came to a large clearing by the very stream first! We mark the place with our feet, remove the hobs from the priests and begin to clear the area of snow, then we simply trample the snow, trying to get an even circle. We have one tent, it was set up quickly, but the second one ended up in the hands of the leaders, who had not yet approached. Without waiting for them, we take a saw and go to look for dead wood. This is a problem of problems. All the dead wood had long been cut down for firewood before us, so we had to wander in circles waist-deep in snow for a long time, because this wood was still being dragged to the camp. Finally, we convinced ourselves that there is a suitable forest on the side of the stream, we cut it down, dumped it, saw it up. They sent a guy for help, girls came :) we ask, thanks, of course, where are the guys? As a result, we drag the log to the camp, and there the guys are making a snowman :)
On that day, I sawed wood like never before in my life, As usual, due to the use of bad and inept force, they broke both the saw and the ax, it's good that the experienced leader took two pieces each :) All chain saws and folding hacksaws are all dumb marketing, only two-handed friendship and an ordinary ax save! The trick is that the stove in the tent is compact, so size matters. We cut the log into nickels, and the other guys chopped them up and dumped them in a common heap. This is our supply of heat for heating two tents for several days, and we still need to use something to cook food. Here the girls have tried. Fresh air, a fire and active work, but still the food itself was very tasty :)
Gradually people began to approach, new tents appeared nearby, fires were lit, guitars began to play. It became as bright as day, no one turned on the flashlights. I walked behind the circle of light and looked up and saw that the whole sky was illuminated by stars, there were so many of them that there was simply no blackness, satellites flew by very often, it turns out that space is already inhabited, you will not see such a thing in the city! Today lights out early, tomorrow will be a tough day. The students took care of the girls and heated their tent and soon the bainki went, we, the elders, went to ours. There are 13 of us in the tent, we lie tightly like a herring in a barrel. As usual, the question arose whether we would heat the stove or not. It seems that it is relatively warm outside, after all, it is still the beginning of November and there are snowdrifts only up to the roof of the tent :) many have warm sleeping bags, why smoke the air in the tent, they are not small, maybe we will not freeze anyway. We decided that who needs the one and drowns. Wake up at 7 in the morning .. While the stove seems to be heating up ...
Second day. Climbing.
I woke up early in the morning, it was cold in the tent, the stove was cold, I was reluctant to get out of the sleeping bag. Throwing back the canopy of the tent, the leader Sergey climbed up to us. Shaking his head reproachfully and sighing, he lit the stove and announced the rise. It immediately became warm, everyone began to unpack from their sleeping bags, dress and go out. It is still dark outside, we had a hearty breakfast with porridge, we will hold out on it until the evening. The caretaker gave out a snack: sausage, cheese, chocolates, halva-nuts, they poured all the thermos with hot tea (there is certainly never enough of it), threw it all into the assault backpacks and on the line. The manager examined us, whether everyone took what they needed, appointed the elders, gave us radios and sent us up the mountain :) The athletes were not interested in us, they put on helmets, tied themselves with ropes, put on some kind of iron-sort of punk-metal sailors and went to Koshurnikov Peak.
It was getting light, the morning was calm, the day promised to be sunny. There was no trail, but we already walked last year and knew the approximate direction. It was necessary to cross the stream, climb on a shoulder into the forest, cross an open stone field and go to the foot of the mountain. Jumping over the stream, we immediately cut into deep snow up to the waist and dashingly went up the hill. You immediately understand the importance of equipment. Ordinary urban trekking boots get wet, snow gets into them, jeans get wet, in like ski jackets and gloves the body sweats and freezes in the wind. It's good that I have clothes from OZONe! In such conditions, they climbed to the top of the shoulder, such dwarf gnarled pines grow there. The road became easier, we tried to walk along the stones so as not to fall into deep snow next to the trees. Here, blew strong wind and it grew stronger, the day did not promise to be sunny and quiet any more.
Finally we left the forest zone and entered the edge of an open field blown by all the winds. It is impossible to rest for a long time in the piercing wind, so they waited for the stragglers and, mustering their strength, rushed forward! This march was not quick and easy. The gusts of wind were so strong that we had to wait out them and only then with a quick jerk to overcome the distance. And so on until the next gust of wind. Nevertheless, we overcame this field and came to the foot of the mountain. They found a more or less suitable shelter there, hid there and decided to have a snack before the ascent.
Mount Borus, in my opinion, resembles a pyramid, the steps of which have collapsed from old age. There is no path, there is a simple upward direction. So we began to climb under the incessant wind. Sometimes, someone shouted wind and everyone pressed against the stones so that they would not be blown down. At some point, I looked down and saw a group of people who had just approached, they stood at the bottom, looked up and went back, did not risk it. We walked painfully and, as it seemed, for a long time, but we made it all! But this was only the peak of Maly Borus.
This is the predominant peak, therefore it is open to all winds, and with them we were not at all lucky today. It was necessary to somehow refresh myself, I took out sausage and cheese from my backpack, they were sliced, but frozen into one piece. I began to distribute to students, my hands quickly froze, I did not feel them, which made it possible to break pieces without feeling resistance. Having a quick bite, not to fat, maybe I would live, we are going to move on. After all, Maly Borus is not that peak, our goal is Bolshoi Borus, and before it we still need to cross the bridge. The main group hesitates to go further - they are cold and tired. Misha and I are leaving for the jumper and waiting for someone to come with us. Six more people made up their minds, the rest began to descend.
Along this edge, from the left to the right, a cliff of about a kilometer, we went further, to the top. for some reason the wind died down. It became possible to look around and it was worth it! The beauty there is simply unreal, it can be seen from the photograph. You walk like on the clouds that are right under your feet and you can not see anything else around except them. It was on such a minor note that we reached the top of Bolshoy Borus, where a strong wind rose again. Experienced climbers say correctly that the top of a mountain never submits to a person, it either gives him the opportunity to climb or not, and then simply erases his tracks. At the top, because of the wind, nothing is visible, we take a general photo. Because of the wind, we are hammered between the stones, we have another snack, we finish the last tea, here it was not enough for us on the way back: (and we are going to the descent.
Everything went back along the familiar path, the wind began to gradually subside. We went down for a long time, waited for the laggards, it’s the law, how many left the camp, so much should come back and all together. In my soul there was some kind of special joy from the goal achieved with such difficulty. We overcame all the burdens and hardships that fell on us that day, and this made our victory only sweeter! And only hot tea could be a real reward for us, but it was gone. So we crossed the bridge to Maly Borus and went down to the foot. They decided to go to the camp not by the same path, but immediately go down from the steep down to the frozen lake and return along the path. Again, there is no path, it is simply swept over right there, so you have to trample your way again. We go straight, then falling through to the waist, then jumping from stone to stone. We came to the edge of the steep, the descent is covered with a deep layer of snow. Hobu under the ass and forward, just not to run into a stone. We rode merrily, everyone was covered in snow, tired, wet, but happy. We are separated from the path by a kurumnik of huge stones, but we’re not afraid of anything, where jumping on all fours we overcome this last obstacle course and crawl out onto a trodden path - for us today it’s just Broadway! Having fun shaking off the snow and almost running we go to the camp. You need to understand that you are not returning to a warm apartment with a bathroom and a refrigerator for food, but to a cold tent, where dry but cold linen and boots are waiting for you, and the food still needs to be prepared by first kindling a fire. Arriving at the camp, we changed our clothes and had a quick snack with what was left in the backpack and drank hot tea. The body has already felt good and it wanted a bainka, but it is necessary to take care of the older comrades, who are still somewhere on the peak of Koshurnikov. They called the chief on the radio, reported that they had completed the program, everyone was safe and sound, and offered a choice of menu for the evening. The choice was predictable - pasta with meat :) In such trips, for some reason, simple hearty food is always in demand, you can't survive on pizza and sushi here. We promptly boiled a cauldron and cooked pasta just in time for their arrival. And it was already evening last day, tomorrow we will return to the city. Sergey was pleased with our 100% ascent, that everything went well with us, everyone is safe and sound, so the evening dragged on after midnight, especially since the weather improved, the wind died down and it was warm. Again a big fire was burning, they sang with a guitar, everyone said beautiful and correct words to each other, Borus lay there, pleased with himself, remembering how he patted us today, and billions of stars were shining in the sky, satellites were streaking and maybe even from above someone was watching us :)
Day three. Homecoming.
In the morning we woke up early again, because we need to dismantle the camp and quickly return to the cordon, there at 11 o'clock. the bus will be waiting for us. We got up, dressed, had breakfast, washed the cauldrons and began to dismantle the camp. In the fire, they burned all the garbage that burns, the rest were put in bags to be taken out to the cordon. When everyone gathered, packed, the leader Sergey walked through the parking lot, collected what we missed and we slowly moved on the way back. At night it snowed, our path was covered with snow, for us this is already familiar, we are walking along the landmarks. The road back is always easy and fast, more like feeling than real. I take off my windbreaker and in one sweater I walk downstairs with a brisk step. We reach the cordon, put our things on the bus and go home to Krasnoyarsk. Dear wife, I’m back, but I’ll just throw all my things off at my doorstep so that you don’t swear :)
