Shumak Pass, Sayan Mountains, Buryatia, Aug. 1, 2004

Hike to the Shumak River Valley, Sayan Mountains, July 24 - Aug. 3, 2004

Buryatia, Russian Federation

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This is the view from the bottom (2500 m) of the Shumak Pass to the North toward the entry to the Shumak River Valley. Shumak River starts from the lake visible below the pass. The Shumak Pass is the highest point on the trail from Nilova Pustyn' to the Shumak River Valley, which is the home to an informal (self-organized) isolated-wilderness spa with well over hundred different mineral springs.

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From the pass I climbed still a few hundred meters higher to the highest point on the ridge just west of the bottom of the Shumak Pass, and took the above 360 degree panoramic view of the tops of the Sayan Mountains extending into Mongolia in the southwest. (For best view, download it, and view it in a 360-degree viewer. You can download one from here for the sole purpose of viewing this panorama.)

Taken on August 1, on day 9 of a 11-day round-trip 150-km hike from Nilova Pustyn' to the Shumak Valley wilderness spa.
Click here to view 149 other photos from this hike
When we (four people and three little dogs) crossed the pass the first time on July 27, on day 4 of our hike, it was snowing there, and the visibility was low. Actually, the weather was not very cooperative during the whole hike. Except for the first day, we got a lot of rain. The evening of August 1, after the second pass crossing, was especially bad. So bad, there was even no strength to try to take a picture of the deep mud we had to pass through. But the mountains around us were beautiful at all times!

Taken on August 1, on day 9 of a 11-day round-trip 150-km hike from Nilova Pustyn' to the Shumak Valley wilderness spa.

Click here to view 149 other photos from this hike

When we (four people and three little dogs) crossed the pass the first time on July 27, on day 4 of our hike, it was snowing there, and the visibility was low. Actually, the weather was not very cooperative during the whole hike. Except for the first day, we got a lot of rain. The evening of August 1, after the second pass crossing, was especially bad. So bad, there was even no strength to try to take a picture of the deep mud we had to pass through. But the mountains around us were beautiful at all times!