As the weather didn't look too hot for cycling out (i.e. cold and a bit rainy near 5 C at night), I decided to stay and head up into the mountains near Chimbulak ski resort. Supposedly the clouds lift in the mountains, but that was not so true this weekend. From Tas' place on Dostyk we were able to take a bus to Medeo, home of the skating track and cable car. Then we got a lift up to the ski resort after walking up a massive set of stairs from Medeo.
This should have been the first warning, since normally on a weekend one should be able to hitch a ride to the mountains as they are only 20 minutes from town. But we eventually caught a ride with a Kazakh couple who were going for a walk and ski. The guy had climbed some high 7000m peaks and had a pair of short skis that worked with his mountaineering boots. But his wife was the real character, running up the mountain at points. We met a Spanish/ Kazakh couple on the way to the glacier research station, and the Kazakh girl was going up to 3700 meters in running shoes.
With visibility around 10 meters, we grouped up and four of us climbed to the glacier and then onto the glacier. Roped up for a bit and did some rescue layouts, but luckily the crevasses were not open yet. Spend the night in a snow shower or two on the road at 3400 meters, and woke up to.... more clouds. So no climbing.
After descending trail, we met a few interesting folks on the way down who exemplify Kazakh outdoors folk. A guide, Nina, carrying 30+kg for a traverse with a young guy in tow. Two American skiers, Riley and ?, who were headed up to the glacier for a ski run or two. And the lawyer who ended up giving us a ride down. He was enthusiastic about exploring outside, but, like the Spaniard we met the day before, had trouble finding partners. He works for air Astana as well, so Tas and him made plans to take some cheap company flights and climb in Kyrgyzstan. Like most outdoors folk here in Almaty, many adventurers are spontaneous when planning trips, and go no matter the weather or season. And everyone knows Denis Urubko, Kazakhstan's top alpinist.
With visibility around 10 meters, we grouped up and four of us climbed to the glacier and then onto the glacier. Roped up for a bit and did some rescue layouts, but luckily the crevasses were not open yet. Spend the night in a snow shower or two on the road at 3400 meters, and woke up to.... more clouds. So no climbing.
After descending trail, we met a few interesting folks on the way down who exemplify Kazakh outdoors folk. A guide, Nina, carrying 30+kg for a traverse with a young guy in tow. Two American skiers, Riley and ?, who were headed up to the glacier for a ski run or two. And the lawyer who ended up giving us a ride down. He was enthusiastic about exploring outside, but, like the Spaniard we met the day before, had trouble finding partners. He works for air Astana as well, so Tas and him made plans to take some cheap company flights and climb in Kyrgyzstan. Like most outdoors folk here in Almaty, many adventurers are spontaneous when planning trips, and go no matter the weather or season. And everyone knows Denis Urubko, Kazakhstan's top alpinist.
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