Arkhyz Sofia saddle waterfall glacier. Natural beauty of the Sofia Gorge. Video Report from Sofia Waterfalls

Part 3. Pass Sophia Saddle

From the border of the glacial farm, the removal of the Pass of the Sofia Saddle (2640 m) is clearly visible. Before it is about 6 km in a deep rocky hollow.

It may seem, the pass is high and difficult, but it produces such an impression if it looks at it from below in some distance. In fact, the passage of non-projectile (simple) and anyone can climb him.

A good and comfortable trail makes a rise not so complicated and allows you to enjoy the beautiful views of the Sofia Valley, the upper and the ridge of the Ridge with the Pass Sophia Saddle from the Valley of the Kizgich River.

So, we leave from the border of the glacier farm. The trail to Sofia waterfalls is laid through the left bank of Sofia, so you need to go the river. To the passage, the Sofia saddle trail goes to the left, leaving a stormy Sophia on the right along the way.

For two or three hours (and someone, perhaps, more), which you spend on a trip to the transfer point, you will all the time getting a "saddle" and gradually grow the majestic mountain Sofia (3640 m). As you approach it, you can see many new parts on the glacier and its vertex dome.

It is believed that the name of the mountain is based on the name of its own - Sufi (Turk.) Or Generic Abazin Surname Sofia. And those and others in Karachay-Cherkessia is enough. The name of the Karachai themselves, the name of this vertex - Topal-Kaya - "Rock of the Blowjob" (nickname of the hunter). Although they do not exclude that the name of the top and the river gave the Greek missionaries during the early Middle Ages, who wandered with their mission to spread Christianity in these places. Sofia translated from Greek means "wisdom", "wise". Whatever it was, but on topographic maps XIX century Top is indicated as Sofia. The Karachai Mountain Name of Topal-Kai has been preserved, only now is so called a cool rock, hanging between Sofia and the Sophia saddle.

Unusual for these places Name of Mount Sofia Tourists are associated with the fact that it has been reminded by the majestic Byzantine temple, and close to the massive stone throne with a glacier pillow, which is nothing but a big Sophia Glacier.

Unfortunately, the glacier melts and decreases in size. Since its first study and descriptions by the famous glaciologist N.A. Bush in 1896 (almost 120 years ago), it decreased by 60 meters vertically and continues to "be eaten", opening an increasingly 100 meter round of rocks from which "fringe" Waterfalls hang out, giving rise to the Sofia River.

To date, the "deeds" of the glacier is so: his tongue retreated much higher than the stage of the rocks and hid under the very top of the mountain of Sofia, losing a significant area of \u200b\u200bthe "Ice Field".

This affects the sizes of waterfalls. No need to be knowledgeable in glaciology to understand - the waterfalls are depleted not only because of the water regime. Some gutters are already empty (beds of water flows) and some of the rocks are completely dry, which indicates the presence of the former relics of the glacier.

It is sad and irreversible. If and then the global warming will go at such a pace, then the Supreme God Teii with the subordinate gods, about whom they like to tell the rest in Arkhyze, will have to seek another place to relax, instead of the top of Sofia.

And tell the following. The mighty Supreme God of Teii, somehow fluttering over the Caucasus, came to the thought: "And do not arrange in these fabulously beautiful places Recreation zone for gods? ". I thought and immediately commanded the subjects of the Divities to establish a sanctuary here, wherever he could relax and take gifts from people who worship him. The god of the Mountain Daulet raised the handful of the Earth and turned it into a dome of an impregnable top, deciding his shining silver with an ice shell. The God of Forests Myzetcho asked around the mountain of splashing fir and whittle birchs, decorated alpine meadows with multi-colored flowers and scattered on the berry slopes.

The patron of sheep and goats Aimush drove countless herds into the valley, so that none of the gods never needed in food or in the skin skins. When the sanctuary was ready, Teyri decided to celebrate the Great Feast's housewarming. A merry and noisy holiday was a success on the glory: the golden bowls were full of wine, guests danced, drumped loudly. But the feast ended the sorry between Teyi and the God of Lightning Eple (the instructive story for lovers to take more permissible). The way it ended and what is the result of this quarrel, who is interested, can find out in the story about Sofia waterfalls.

The subtle saddle is a small plateau located at an altitude of 2640 m. This is just over 700 meters above the gear farm.

We rose to the pass guaranteedly captures the spirit and not from the efforts spent on the steep rise of the last exercise site, but from the beauty and grandinality of the panorama that opened.

Directly before you fail the Kizgych valley with the sparkling ribbon of the Kizgich River - the territory of the reserve. You look at it from a bird's eye view.

In the forest proposals of the lawn, like light spots on the dark green cloth. At one of them, you can see the huge house.

And, according to some conductors of tourists on the horses, it can be fortunate enough to see a herd of bison, quietly grazing in the glades. It is so large animals that they can consider them and those who are not the owner of binoculars or eagle vision.

But there is no bison to see what. The Kizgych Valley lies between the ridges of the Uzhum and Cheget Chat with the Sofia Saddle Pass. According to the steep springs of the dummy, covered with a dark array of coniferous forest, flowing silver waterfalls. On his junction with the main Caucasian ridge A deep snowy saddle is seen by Korovella Pass and a sparkling glacier buga. In the background of this panorama, the terrible peaks of Kara-kaya and Maruh Bashi are sticking out - the tops of the Maruh Gorge.

Karachay village Arkhyz was founded on the site of the Alan settlement. This place was nicknamed five times: here the Valley of Big Zelechuk branches himself into many gorges and valleys, forming extensive glads.

The village surround the fir, filling the air with a healing aroma.

High mountain ranges reliably protect the valley from the winds: from the north this is the Ridge Abishira-Ahuba, from the East and West - perpendicular spots of the Chief Caucasus Range.

For each slope in Arkhyze, its type of vegetation is characteristic. The southern soy slope is covered with pines.

The northern grow predominantly fir; There are sections with seven-year trees with a thickness of one and a half or two meters reaching the height of 70m.

Fir forests have a huge environmental importance: they restrain crushing avalanches, stonepads, landslides, sat down. But, unfortunately, the deforestation of these forests continues.

In the Arkhyz Valley, the whole day is sunny: unlike most Caucasian valleys, it is elongated in the latitudinal direction.

The twelve-graded Sophia Valley is a southwest village. In the south and east, the valley closes the Cheget Chat Ridge, in the West - the Sofia Range, in the north - the River Dzesh. The valley flows the Sofia River.

At the top of the valley expands. Here is a farm, cats and a tent camp - Sofia Polyana. From this part of the valley can be climbed by the Pass Sofia Saddle, in the Valley of Ak-Ayra and Kashha-Ericchat.

View from the Sofia saddle (height 2600 m).

Under the Sofia saddle, even in the summer does not melt snow.

From the vertices of the Sofia saddle, the subalpine meadows, stretching at an altitude of 2-2.5 km above sea level, seem to be a motley carpet.

Mountain lily is one of the most striking representatives of the subalpine meadow.

Thanks to its memorable appearance, Mount Sofia (3640 meters) has become a kind of archex emblem.

Sofia waterfalls are the largest in Arkhyse.

And one of the most beautiful.

The large Sophia Glacier is almost unavailable, because the ice is standing over the wall and threaten an icy collapse every minute.

Numerous tent camps are located in the Sofia Valley, most hiking routes are running through it. We are going with us!

Traveling for me usually begins on the train. At that very moment when a backpack is thrown upstairs, covered bed linen, tea brewed. You can sit on the bottom shelf, see how the fields and forests are rushed outside the window, and understand: here it is present. You are already on the way.

This summer I was expected by several trains. The very first one is the train Kazan - Nevinnomysk. With one small, but proud club of travelers went to the mountain campaign on Arkhyz.

Arkhyz is mountain area Caucasus, Republic of Karachay-Cherkessia. It is considered one of the most beautiful and affordable mountain routes.

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From the trip in advance I did not wait for nothing. He knew that we had to see Mount Sofia and climb a few pass. You can say this is my habit - do not wait for anything from traveling, except for beautiful species and a good company. These two expectations are always executed. The rest goes like a pleasant bonus.

Nevinnomysk is a familiar city. I was in him before, all our travels in the Caucasus begin here. A train comes here, from here we go to the beginning of the route. To the next campaign I want to read about his history and attractions. Because disorder: Once I come to this city, I only know where the station and the nearest grocery store is located.

Immediately after the train, we moved to the ordered minibus and went to the Poland Taulu. From this glade and our route began.

I do not know how you, and to me, with the words of "Polyana Taulu", a broad glade was presented in the middle of the forest. In fact, it turned out to be similar to a small village - souvenir stalls, horses hire, summer houses, where they prepare delicious Hychini.

Hychiny is a separate story. If you ever visit the Caucasus, be sure to try this dish. You will not regret. It would seem - just a pellet with filling. What makes her so tasty? Mountains on the background of which you eat it? Thoughtful Hands of the Mistress, who baked her? To come to the Caucasus and do not try Hychin and Karachai Lemonade - to miss something very important. Every hitch hitch has different, you can try them infinitely.

We found a free place, put the tents, left things there and went to walk to the waterfall of Orlyonok.

I am glad that such trails appear in the Caucasus. Not every traveler will search for information about the flora and fauna of the places in which it is sent, and here everything is shown and painted.

We saw the waterfall from afar, did not fit closely. Immediately, for the first time during this journey, we drank water from a mountain river. Cold, to lobs in teeth, crystal clear and clean.

Of course, it was not without photographs against the background of the waterfall.

The first day is always a bit messy - photographers take pictures of everything, people who first went to the mountains, admire ... remembering their first mountains, I understand - before I was with me. There was a delight, euphoria from beauty that surrounds me from all sides.

Now, after a few campaigns, I understand that perception has changed. Euphoria left, a calm joy came from the meeting. In the morning of the second day I stood in silence (I woke up early), looked at the tops, which was visible in the distance, and mentally spoke to them: "Hello. I'm back".

Opened in the glade Towulu. On the second day, the backpacks were collected in the morning and went to the border of the "Glacial Farm". Previously there was probably a real farm. Now is just a point on the map with an interesting name.

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Drog saw majestic Mountain Sofia is the first beauty of these places (height 3637 m).

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The second day - time to check the backpack. Is everything well laid? Doesn't something hang out when walking? Do not shoes rub? On the second day it is easy - bright impressions outweigh inconvenience. The back is getting used to a backpack, legs - to shoes, hands - to trekking sticks. And the head at this time lives a separate life. Looks around. Catching impressions.

On the approach to the "glacier farm" we had to go through a few rivers. Everywhere there were homemade bridges, so we coped with this task easily.

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The evening brought clouds and fog with him. The tents put quickly, disturbingly looking at the sky. Fortunately, the rain is just "scared": it turned out to be weak and quickly ended.

I want to always be clear during the campaign, but in the mountains you need to see different weather. It is slowly sliding in the valley gray shreds of clouds, like rain knocks up tent tent. The mountains have a different face. Sometimes affectionate, sometimes terrible.

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By night, the sky finally cleared. Another point, without any hike, at night, before climbing the tent, I look at the stars. In the mountains, they look completely different. Brighter. The Milky Way is visible. If you know what to seek, there you can find a lot of constellations. True, so far everything is capable of is to find Cassiopeia, a big and small bear.

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The third day was the Day of Radiolets. The main camp remained at the "Ice Farm", and we went to walk in the direction of Sofia Waterfalls and Pass Sofia Saddle.

Sofia waterfalls a lot is a whole wall that flows stormy streams. Involuntarily remember Hollywood films, where the heroes are bathed under the waterfall, standing right under water jets ... in Sofia waterfalls you will not stand so much. Water beats a powerful stream. Even just stopping around, there is a migrated to the thread from small splashes, which will fly out in different directions. Majestic and terrible element.

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We also managed to move across the waterfalls, I didn't have to jump around the pebbles. And then I understood the beauty of good shoes. In good trekking shoes you can step into the water, and the boots will remain dry. The main thing is that the water is blown through the edge.

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Pass is a place where you can "translate" a mountain range. Simply put, a place through which you can go from one mountain valley to another. Usually, the pass opens very beautiful view On two valleys at once - on the one, where did you come from and where you go down.

The height of the pass Sofia saddle is 2640 m. We rose closer to dinner, found "Torc" with a note. This is the tradition of tourist groups: on many passes you can see turrets from stones - "tourics", inside this "tourics" - a note from the previous group, which visited the pass. Take this note, but instead you leave yours. Previously, when the camera was far from every tourist group, such a note was a way to prove that you really rose to the pass. Now, among other things, this is a way to transfer Hi to the group that I climbed there in a few hours, days or weeks after you.

View from the Sofia Saddle Pass on the Valley of the Sofia River (from there we came and we will go there).

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View of another valley.

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With the pass, we went back to the valley of the Sofia River. Opened again at the "Ice Farm".

On the fourth day, we collected backpacks and went to Irkiz Pass (height 2880 m). It is higher than the Sophia saddle, but also quite accessible to climb. Past us, for example, passed several people in swimsuits and sandals. We will lower what concerns the safety of lifting on the stones in the sandals, but the fact remains a fact - everything can be climbed by Irkiz.

There is a myth that any mountain trips are difficult. Yes, sometimes it is not easy, but nothing is over what it would be under the power of an ordinary physically healthy person. I myself work most of the year in the office, but it does not prevent me from going to the mountains every summer.

Irkiz was not easy for me: climb up under the scorching sun tiring. Therefore, many groups try to go out as early as possible. Until the morning coolness left, it is easier.

Finally, a hoping of the pass appeared ... And the cries of those who walked ahead were heard. Crees mean only one thing - with the pass, a stunning look opens. So it turned out. Sofia lakes are visible from Irkiz Pass.

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Oh, these mountain lakes! If I knew how to compose poems, I would definitely told about them. Water in them is different colors. Sofia lakes - turquoise, sparkle in sun rays like gemstone. Cold - horror!

They say the summer in these places came late. One of the Sofia lakes was still not fully cleaned by ice from ice.

Irkiz is a fairly visited pass. The people on this day there were a lot here. This conveyor is to rise, take a picture, move away in the side not to interfere with the next group. True, descended on the other side, to the lakes, not all. We went down. Found appropriate place For tents and broke the camp.

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The most courageous and frost-resistant went to swim, I just watched from the shore. Well, I do not pull me for such feats, does not pull.

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Around - the usual paradox for the mountains. It is snow, but, while the sun shines, it is hot, you can walk in a T-shirt. You can even sunbathe, but few risks. Around reflective surfaces - water, snow. Burn and not notice. In the evening, barely sun hiding over the tops, it gets cold so much that it is time to wear a warm jacket and cap. However, we were lucky - this night was turned out to be warm.

When you go hiking regularly, you imperceptibly throw your own little traditions. I have several of them, one of them - certainly dawn in the mountains.

The dawn of the fifth day was fabulous. The clouds descended, closed the mountain range, which snatched ahead, and left the most tips of the vertices. It seemed that there was a white sea ahead, and the tops were distant islands in this sea.

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Everything around has become pink: clouds, snow, water, Sofia. The combination of mountains and clouds leads me to delight, I can do nothing with me. This is perhaps one of those things that I can watch infinitely long.

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We met the sun with songs and tea.

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Sleep no longer left. Breakfast slowly, gathered and went out to the Karadzash pass. He is even higher than the Irkiz (his height is 2960 m), and the road to it is more difficult. There is a "bulk" and snow. On this trail, we met less people than when climbing Irkiz. Some groups overtook us, some came to meet. Despite B. abouti was easier to climb to Karadzash, it was easier for Irkiz. Perhaps because on this day was not so hot. In addition, we spent the night high enough, so a set of heights on this day turned out to be small.

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On Karadzhache, we again found "Torc" and a note (it was in a bottle from under champagne), left in return and began to go down to the valley of the River River.

View from the pass. From this side we rose.

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View from the pass to another valley.

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During the descent, we were not already concerned about Sofia, but others high peaks of this area - Mountains Psisch (3535 m) and PSHICH (3790 m).

Met several groups that rose to us, from the River Valley Dzzish. They "delighted us" - the bridge over the river Dsisha washed, you will have to go to the Brod. Sorry, but you can not get anywhere. The trails along this shore is not.

When we descended a little from Karadzhash, a wide plateau unfolded before us - almost even space, covered with flowers. Summer in the Caucasus is perfect - you walk in the mountains, and there are flowers around you, flowers ... Of all that we met on the route, I identified only Rhododendrons and a chamber. In general, the colors were much more!

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After Karadzha, you can see the lake crater, but we didn't come to him: I was looking for a path down, and when they found, immediately began to go down. We will assume that this is a reason to return to the arcity again.

The descent turned out to be long. While you will not be in the mountains, you think that it is easier to descend than to climb. After this descent, many said: "It would be better if we climbed into Karadzhash!"

There is a rather steep slope, first descend on the plateau, then - through the forest. We descended almost two and a half hours. When you go down, breathing is not knocked down, but you still get tired. Around the roots and stones, you have to be doubly neat so as not to stumble and not to "kill" the knees. And here the trekking sticks are very useful. They reduce the load on their feet.

Finally, this endless descent ended, and we were on the banks of the River Dzzish. And immediately the following test - Brod.

We decided to wander the river on the same day, crashed on the "walls" of four to five people. One through this flow is difficult to go - demolish. The guy can still, and the girl is not always. Crossed in shoes - barefoot dangerous. It is not known that there, under water, easy to hurt or slippage. They switched quickly quickly, they were going longer than they walked.

Thanks to the balanceway and the opportunity to drive on its own car, whose passability from our domestic "classics" and above, in a beautiful green and spacious Sofia Valley of the Different People at the end of July, it turned out simply not merry. Well, not in the whole valley, of course, and closer to the foot of the mountain Sofia. Literally camping on campsite. It is understandable. Sofiushka - the raisin of the valley, along with the glacier and waterfalls, allows you to view yourself directly from the camp.

Mount Sofia, 3640 m. Not fully overlooked from this angle. Right from the Sofia Glacier flows popular Sofia Waterfalls.

The first day we left the whole on the road from Krasnodar to the village. Arkhyz, receiving borderprokes, entrance to Taxi cargo from the village to the place of temporary dislocation and the equipment of the camp.

The camp equipped solid. Under the stretched awning put folding tables, chairs and stools. And I, naive, even vodka overflow into a plastic bottle to minimize weight and container. What there! The people gathered on the nature of fundamentally! They drove all literally boxes, and the clothes - Baulas. It would be electricity, then the refrigerators would have shuffle. It turned out a capital stationary bivouac at an altitude of about 1800-1900 m. The first evening was moderately sprinkled with a little hot, to soften the offensive action of acclimatization ...

Sofia Valley. View from the Pass Sofia Saddle, 2640 m. In the side of the village. Arkhyz.

The main backbone of our group consisted of mattresses with the legendary past. But everything was comfortable, because who walked where and as they wanted.

On the second, part-time, we rose to the Chegset Chat Ridge ( Cheget-mountain forest, chat - beam, with k / ball.) And the Sophia saddle went to pass. Then, with the pass, the Sofia Mountain Sophia was wuxated to the lower lending. Sofia waterfalls And returned to the camp.

The tea habit on the Chegset Chat Ridge.

After the prival, slightly descended from the ridge in the saddle, bordering the neighboring valleys. Vion with pass standing. Special attention was attracted by the strip of high mountains towards Georgia, in which the vertices of Kara-Kaya were distinguished ( Black cliff), 3620 m. And Maruh Bashi, ( Maruh - Sunny Mountain), 3798 m.

Exit to the Sofia Saddle, 2640 m. On the left below the view of the Kizgich Valley (compressed, the squeezed valley with karach.)

Kizgych Valley and Range Uzhum. Border I. reserved zone. Descent down to special discord

Feeling with the views, accompanied by soaring over our heads of mountain eagles, headed under the lower slopes of Sofia Mount to Sofia Waterfalls. People on waterfalls clearly added because the territory tent cursories From here was located not far away.

Creek itself large waterfall It was so stormy that I had to descend meters to 200 down and look for a trip.

Waterfalls are high, flow from under the Sofia Glacier. Too closely approaching them is dangerous, as often on top, along with water, the stones fly from Baranjah Sofia. Returned to the camp. The route turned out to be a ring, combining 2 objects at once: saddle and waterfalls.
The third day was devoted to the exit to Pokal-Aush, or Kozhukhov, 3400 m.

Valley Ak-Ayra (White Saddle). View in the direction of the Sofia River.

However, we were not destined to get to the pass from the fact that the path was blocked by a serious inclined glacier, and our mattress group had no cats and ropes. Therefore, rested on the shore of the Green Lake, turned back.

On the fourth day, the Lord again sent us wonderful weather again, despite the threat of weather forecasters. This made it possible to achieve the main cherished goal of our stay in Sofia and visit the upper Sophia lakes - The main nail of the program. After that, the probability of bad weather is no longer frightened. Lock and places with a steep rise to the Kelyl-Aush Pass (Lyzharny Pass, or Irkis), 2900 m., Takes a lot of strength. Vertical need to dial 1000-1100 meters. But those who overcome this obstacle is waiting for a real award. Three lakes located nearby, extraordinary beauty.
From the pass, the top of Mount Sofia is now fully overlooked, dominating in the Sofia Range, for which we are walking for the third day.

Mount Sofia

In the opposite direction, immediately from the ridge of the pass, lakes open.

Big Sofia

It seems as if there were paint in the water. Even the snowfield is painted in a bluish color. What kind of minerals are present here?

Second, average in size of the lake

It is lower

The smallest lake is located apart. It is not so blue as the two of its fellow, but more favorable for swimming, as water in it warms up stronger. Puffy came up and the lake immediately darkened.

Returned through the neighboring valley. It was undoubtedly more interesting. Several beautiful waterfalls passed.

On the way another lake hooked Aimatla Jagali Koyl(Lake with uneven edges) .

Aimatla has a stronger shade and is much lower than the upper Sofia lakes, so water is somewhat warmer. All participants have bathed in it.

Then a protracted descent to the Sofia Valley. On the fluid, but quite a tolerable crossing moved across the Sofia River.

On the fifth day, the weather began to noticeably deteriorate, but this was no longer worried about us, as what we wanted to see first of all, we saw. For the floor of the current day we managed to drive here this brave team

to this handsome waterfall

Just returned to the camp, drove a capital protracted rain with a hail. The valley immediately became damp, cold and uncomfortable. Due to the deterioration of the weather, the reserves of vodka in the camp in the evening dramatically exhausted. The rain then lied all night, exacerbating the action of strong sleep. And in the morning, doubt about the improvements in the weather only fastened. I understood - it's time and honor to lose. Fedya, together with his wife and dog, was just returned to Krasnodar than I safely and took advantage.

Conclusion: Nature in Sofia is worthy, there are no questions. But the number of people with traces of his vital activity is personally annoying me. I either for a purely wild stay (one on one with nature), or for a more or less civilized, where the needs of the wide popular mass is provided with the presence of at least the most necessary options. The lack of minimal infrastructure under these conditions naturally spawned the communication chaos (lowering the details). In a situation where demand has already obviously overrere over the proposal, completely incomprehensible to the complete inaction of local authorities, who and a penny could earn it.

In Arkhyz - Mountain District in Karachay-Cherkessia - we traveled in the fall of 2016, accompanying the school group, and rested there for several days. One of the days has taken a trip to the Sofia Gorge, which without exaggeration can be called one of the most beautiful and most picturesque gorges North Caucasus. There is a gorge a few kilometers from the village of Arkhyz, and the road to it (before it started) from the very village takes about 20 minutes. Half the way is a normal asphalt road, then ride 10 minutes - on the country road up to the river along the River Dzzush and Memorial "Shtyok", from where the gorge itself begins.

Why do you certainly go to the Sofia Gorge?

As our conductor Timur told us, the gorge consists of three parts: the first is the wide valley located between the mountains, which flows the River Dzesh; The second is a narrow, clamped part of the cliffs, stretching for 5 kilometers; The third is the most beautiful and extended - the Sofia Valley, which is located between the Sofia Range and the Schuge Chat Range and ends with the Pottal Sophia Saddle. Its name of the gorge and the valley, as well as the lakes located there and the waterfalls, received the name of Mount Sofia - the most high mountain The ridge of the same name.

Routes by Sofia Gorge

For tourists to choose from there are two routes - simpler (in the Sofia Valley - to the glacial farm, not reaching the Sofia saddle) and more complicated - actually, to Sofia lakes - in the mountains. As I have already written, we accompanied a small group of schoolchildren - from 5 to 11 classes that do not have tourist trainingTherefore, of course, they chose a lightweight route. An experienced tourists who have skills of mountain lifts probably will be more interesting to be the second route.

Review of the excursion in the Sofia Gorge

But let's start in order - from the very beginning. After overnight, on the ARHYZ "hostel in the morning, at 9 o'clock, we were expected to be our" all-terrain vehicle "(I don't understand such cars, but even I realized that it was a military car) on which we went to the gorge.

The first stop is to cross over the River Dynamus on the Big Polyana. Here is a small bazaar who for some reason is called the quantity. Here are sold traditional souvenirs for these places - honey, herbs fees, sheep wool products, etc. Here you can warm up a cup of hot tea or coffee, if you wish, you can have a snack. But this has not yet been included in our plans, although it was difficult to keep children from the desire to buy, at least half of the souvenirs was difficult. Also, there is a parking lot of cars, because it is possible to move on or on foot, or by car increased passability.

Equestrian walks are offered. In the meadow, horses will immediately graze, accompanied by the conductor, you can make an equestrian walk. I do not know how safe it is, but there are enough coughs - several people went to the mountains.

Crossing through a quick mountain river is not very reliable to see the wooden bridge, therefore, for the purpose of safety, drivers of such large cars like ours are planted, moving through the bridge "empty", and passengers themselves pass on the bridge to the other side.

On the other side there is a small memorial dedicated to the defenders of the Caucasus during the Great Patriotic War, but I will tell you later, since we stayed here on the way back. Actually, from here and two routes open, about which I wrote above. Our "all-terrain" headed along the mountain road along a narrow gorge, at the bottom of which Sofia River proceeds. Several times we did the stop to admire the stunning views and make beautiful photos. Types, indeed, opens unmatched: ahead - snow-covered vertices, coniferous forest, a winding mountain road, down - a noisy raging river.

Next, we went to a small camp, which became the end point of our pass, is on foot. The camp is a few tents and "outly", a small wooden house on the shore of the lake, and several shopping stalls are all with the same honey, herbal gatherings, jam, woolen scarves, socks and mittens and other traditional souvenirs. Here we left our all-terrain vehicle and then went through the valley on foot.

They walked along the central part of the valley along the narrow mountain river. Several times had to jump over the river, in some places there are small bridges, in some places I had to jump from stone onto a stone. Very regretted those who did not listen to our conductor, who else from the evening warned that it was necessary to have waterproof shoes.

Our path lay between two mountain ridges. On the right side - the impressive view of the Sofia Range with the snow-covered vertex of Sofia and other vertices; Left - more gently fastened Cheget Chat; Ahead - between them - the Sophia Saddle passed. It is called so, because in form, indeed, resembles a saddle.

The road one way (up to that of the Ice Farm at the foot of the Sofia Saddle) took about 30 - 40 minutes. Despite the fact that there were no steep climbs along the way, still fatigue to the unprepared tourist sinking very quickly - makes itself felt the mountain air And a significant height above sea level, somewhere in the middle of the way, most of our defensions exhaled (and those that older), but will soon be "second breathing".

On the right, the Sofia Falls becomes better becoming better - there are several of them, they originate from the glaciers of the Sofia Range and, falling on its slope, form the Sofia River, which flows down the gorge. Lifting to waterfalls is not very complicated, but unprepared tourists Without a conductor, it is not recommended to rise. Unfortunately, when we arrived there (the beginning of November), the waterfalls had already frozen, in addition, the slopes were also covered with the finest ice, so it was noteworthy to rise there, especially with the children, it was not dangerous. So on the waterfalls we admired from the side. Although, according to our conductor, in the warm season, the waterfalls are raised without problems and school groupsnot having special training.

But at the end point of our path, children still waited for a small "attraction" in the form of the so-called trial stone. This is a huge boulder, with a completely smooth sheer side, which you need to climb upstairs. Of course, in children such an opportunity caused genuine delight. Some managed to climb themselves with the help of the councils of the conductor, for the rest of those who wish to test themselves through the boulder, the rope was transferred - one person kept her on the other side, the second - climbed to her up. All descended along the rope - face to stone.

Back, we walked on another road - along the slope of the Khugt Chat Ridge - to the observation site, from where it was possible to see all the beauty of the valley and waterfalls. Despite the fact that the road went to the mountain, the rise was gently, so the fatigue was not completely felt. View of S. observation deckTrue, the luxurious one has opened.

On the way there are huge bobbing shapes, under which you can do interesting photos - Present yourself atlas, as if you hold a huge stone on your back.

Memorial Complex

Having passed on the slope of the Cheget Chat Ridge, we returned to the parking lot and went back. On the way they did once again stopping at the meadow with a memorial. The memorial complex was created on the initiative of the employees of the Nevinnomyssian enterprise "Nitrogen", as evidenced by a memorable board, and he is dedicated to the defenders of the Caucasus in the years of the Great Patriotic. The complex grows stele in the form of a bayonet, to which steps lead. There are several tools of the time of war, a copy of clips and ducklings has been made. In the fraternal grave, the remains of the fallen soldiers found in the mountains nearby are buried.

Actually, on this our excursion ended. Despite the fact that we followed the lightweight route, the beauty of these places will remain for a long time in memory.