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Report from a self-supported and self-organized trip to Kamchatka - a scenic wilderness of the Russian Far East. Lots of volcanos, bears, and mosquitos...

High volcanoes, and unknown bear paths - Kamtchatka, Russia

Waltraud
2004-03-05 18:25:32

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puddle. No drinking water… It is now mid afternoon, and we still have one-and-a-half full drinking bottles each, in addition to 1.5 L of water in one larger bottle. Shortly we estimate how far we still need to go: Didn't the locals mention an alpine camp 18 km after the third river? Water is supposed to be there. Let's go then – there's daylight until 11 p.m. so no worries…

Forest in ashes

The track up to the ash field is becoming steeper and steeper. In addition, we often have to cross fresh lava fields, with fist-sized rocks lying on the track. Riding uphill is extremely hard work – but pushing the bike is not much of a relief either. After steep sections we take short breaks, then we ride another 50 m, another break. It is 28°C and we need drink a lot. At some point we realize that 18 km can be bloody far to go.

Dead trees are silent witnesses of the last eruption of Tolbatschik in 1976. Several square meters of forest had burnt and were covered with a thick layer of volcanic ash. Now vegetation is coming back. Young poplar trees are starting to grow in the lava fields, and a reddish blooming pioneer herb covers wide areas. The colors are in great contrast to the blue sky and the white ice fields of the volcanoes, which we can now spot through the trees. For the first time, we now have full sight to the summit of Tolbatschik with its beautiful glacier. From a lava wall, we now can also have a sight to the ash field with the different side craters of Tolbatschik. Then the depressing sight: Like a thin line we can spot the track as it is leading through the ash field.

Soon we are only pushing our bikes, some sections even require two persons to push across. We are too tired, and also the track becomes very steep and is more and more consisting of fine volcanic ash. At the forest borderline (elevation about 700m), we decide to hide the bikes and continue our climb on foot. We had hoped to be able ...