Ak-Sai Gorge

Ak-Sai Gorge. Ala-Archa gorge, Chui region. The Ak-Sai River is one of the largest tributaries of the Ala-Archa River. For many decades, the Ak-Sai area has been visited by novice climbers, as well as by competitors in high-level mountaineering competitions. Groups of travelers and climbers from many countries of the world come to Kyrgyzstan every year and make their way to this unique mountain area.
The trail to the high mountain part of the Ak-Sai region starts from the Ala-Archa gorge. It passes through the forest with pyramidal firs and blue juniper along the left side of the slopes and within three hours it leads to the foot of Ak-Sai glacier to Racek’s parking place. Here is a comfortable stone hut at an altitude of 3,380 m. Rocks, waterfall, creek, grass cover make a good rest after climbing in this picturesque place. Racek’s camp, one of the main bases of climbers and hikers. There are three other small huts within a few hours’ walk of Ratsek. One is on the moraine of the Uchitel Glacier below the walls of the first Corona Tower and the buttresses of the Semenov-Tyan-Shan Mountains. The other two, the “Korona” huts (3700 m), are located on the moraine where the Korona glacier flows into the Ak-Sai glacier. The high-altitude huts, located in different areas of the gorge, make the approaches to the routes short – less than one hour. The walls of Free Korea and Crown are the most attractive in the Ak-Sai Gorge.
The northern slope of the Ak-Sai Gorge is overgrown with tall Tien Shan firs. The mouth of the Ak-Sai River at its inflow into the Ala-Archa is a large mudflow removal cone. The Ak-Sai glacier largely determines the microclimate of the area, which is harsh and cold.
Ak-Sai Gorge has more than eighty skilled routes from 1 to 6B category of complexity. About 30 of them are routes of 5-6 categories of difficulty. It speaks about serious walls in the area. Rock-ice walls up to 900 meters have the following peaks: Semenov Tienshansky (4875 m) – the highest in the area; Korona (4860 m); Free Korea (4740); Baylan-Bashi (4700); Simagina (4400); Box (4240). Not less beautiful buttresses Baicekhekei (4515). The area is a unique training base.