Тескей Ала-Тоо, 天山 — Teskey Ala-Too, Tien Shan. A trek over quite a few high passes, based from Karakol on the shores of Issyk Köl Lake, Kyrgyzstan. August-September 2014.

The trek to the Teskey Ala-Too range of Tien Shan range was a part of our voyage to Kygyzstan which started with hiring a ruined (almost) Mitsubishi Delica just to get to Karakol for the trek start point and then delivering it after a few stressing days on Kyrgyz roads back in Bishkek with a big sigh of relief. Thanks to all the Kyrgyz repair shops on the way and the original Japanese(!) manga(!!) maintenance manual.

Our route in the mountains was somehow classical, we followed the trail done by many foreigners before and even using their GPS tracks, which was extremely helpful in quite a few cases… The difficulty of this route is that you go parallel to the main ridge and jump from a valley to a valley. As a result, one has to cross quite a few passes in the side ridges stretching from the main, high and glaciated Teskey Ala Too range, and then, in the side valleys to ford a few quite impressing mountain rivers. A lot of ascending high to the passes and descending low to the rushing rivers.

Our route was: a jeep transfer from Kalakol high up the Chong Kyzyl Suu Valley followed by a side trip to Ashuu Tor Valley, then via Chong Kyzyl Suu Valley to Karabaktak Valley and up the Archa Tor. Then down to the Dzheti Öguz valley with the horse-supported river crossing and up the Teleti valley to the Teleti pass descending to the main Karakol valley. Fighting the temptation of going back to Karakol on the direct way, we made the last jump over a side ridge, namely up the Kurgak Tor gorge to the famous turquoise Ala Köl lake and after a snowy bivouac climbed the high Ala Köl pass in order to descend to the Keldyke valley leading to the Arashan valley deep below, from where an exhausting jeep transfer back to Karakol was possible.

• • Gallery (122 images) Chong Kyzyl Suu Valley :: by the Karabaktal meteo stationChong Kyzyl Suu Valley :: above Karabaktal :: looking backChong Kyzyl Suu Valley :: Tien Shan sprucesChong Kyzyl Suu Valley :: upper parts of the main valleyThe entrance to Ashuutor valley :: looking towards the Kotor stream valleyThe entrance to Ashuutor valley :: looking up the side valleyThe Ashuu Tor Valley :: behind the ridge blocking the entrance to the Ashuu Tor side valley and looking backThe Ashuu Tor Valley :: the upper partsThe Ashuu Tor Valley :: the lower partsThe Ashuu Tor Valley :: the glaciated peak closing the Ashuu Tor valleyChong Kyzyl Suu Valley :: looking from the entrance to the Ashuutor valley towards the Kotor stream valleyChong Kyzyl Suu Valley :: returning from the Ashuu Tor valleyChong Kyzyl Suu Valley :: returning from the Ashuu Tor valley to the bivouac belowChong Kyzyl Suu Valley :: bivouac 1Chong Kyzyl Suu Valley :: bivouac 2Chong Kyzyl Suu Valley :: Karabaktak :: crossing the Chong Kyzyl Suu riverChong Kyzyl Suu Valley :: Karabaktak :: crossing the Chong Kyzyl Suu riverChong Kyzyl Suu Valley :: the view from the other side of the hong Kyzyl Suu river, looking upstreamKarabaktak Valley :: resting in the scarce shadowKarabaktak Valley :: the view up the valley just before turning to a side valley leading to Archa TorKarabaktak Valley :: the view up the valley towards Kashka TorTowards Archa Tor :: resting after the first steep ascend into the side valley towards the Archa Tor (pass)Towards Archa Tor :: the view down the Karabaktak valleyTowards Archa Tor :: the view up the Karabaktak valley towards Kashka TorTowards Archa Tor :: the way upwards the side valleyTowards Archa Tor :: the last view of the Karabaktak valley bottomBelow Archa Tor :: the pass just before us :: our way for tomorrowBelow Archa Tor :: looking back southwestBelow Archa Tor :: bivouac 3 :: slowly freezingArcha Tor :: our approach to the first high pass through gravel fields from the southwest :: the campsite well belowArcha Tor :: the first view behind the pass :: the Asan Tukum valley before usArcha Tor :: the hanging glacier of the peak southeast of the passArcha Tor :: a beautiful peak to the southArcha Tor :: on the middle pass saddle (the right pass to descend from is situated behind the small ridge)Archa Tor :: crevassesArcha Tor :: a letter for us!Archa Tor :: a letter for us!Archa Tor :: our descend route down steep gravel slopesBelow Archa Tor :: resting after the very steep descentBelow Archa Tor :: resting after the very steep descent :: the glaciated peak southeast of the passBelow Archa Tor :: resting after the very steep descent :: the main ridge white peaks zoomedBelow Archa Tor :: resting after the very steep descent :: the green Asan Tukum valley in reachThe Asan Tukum river valley :: bivouac 4 :: the Dzheti Öguz valley belowThe Asan Tukum river valley :: bivouac 4 :: the view towards Archa TorThe Dzheti Öguz valley :: leaving the Asan Tukum river side valley :: the view to the Öguz Bashi peakThe Dzheti Öguz valley :: the Öguz Bashi peak [renamed to... Pik Jeltsin...]The Dzheti Öguz valley :: the valley bottom :: the Öguz Bashi peak wall behindThe Dzheti Öguz valley :: the friendly yurt whose inhabitants offer horseback river crossingsThe Dzheti Öguz valley :: going downstream towards the Teleti valley entranceThe Dzheti Öguz valley :: going downstream towards the Teleti valley entranceThe Teleti valley :: bivouac 5, low in the forestThe Teleti valley :: bivouac 5 :: fuellingThe Teleti valley :: bivouac 5 :: the camp lifeThe Teleti valley :: the upper valley pasturesThe Teleti valley :: a side valley to the northeastThe Teleti valley :: the uppermost valley closureThe Teleti valley :: on the slope towards the side valley leading to the Teleti passThe Teleti valley :: the peak closing the main valleyBelow the Teleti pass :: bivouac 6 :: the weather is changingBelow the Teleti pass :: bivouac 6 :: the last sun rays :: the pass approach behind usBelow the Teleti pass :: bivouac 6Below the Teleti pass :: bivouac 6 :: back to the tents after the breakfast :: the rain comesBelow the Teleti pass :: bivouac 6 :: after the rainstormBelow the Teleti pass :: bivouac 6 :: getting better somehow, deciding to go upBelow the Teleti pass :: bivouac 6 packedTeleti pass :: M. approaching the pass saddle in snowfallTeleti pass :: searching for gloves...Teleti pass :: just before running down from the pass in a snowstormThe (Karakol side) Teleti valley :: crossing the snowline towards green bivouac placesThe (Karakol side) Teleti valley :: bivouac 7The (Karakol side) Teleti valley :: bivouac 7 :: looking back towards the snowed mountains we have just come fromThe (Karakol side) Teleti valley :: bivouac 7 :: here comes the sunThe (Karakol side) Teleti valley :: bivouac 7 :: a lazy breakfastThe (Karakol side) Teleti valley :: looking towards Panoramnyy Pass (the Ala Kol lake is just behind it)The (Karakol side) Teleti valley :: descending to the forest of the Karakol valleyThe Karakol valley :: down the main valleyThe Karakol valley :: by the Kel Tor side valley junctionKurgak Tor gorge :: looking west into the opening of the Ayu Tor valley just opposite of usKurgak Tor gorge :: crossing a huge rocky landslide towards the Sirota flatKurgak Tor gorge :: a greeny gravel slopeKurgak Tor gorge :: Sirota flats :: bivouac 8Kurgak Tor gorge :: Sirota flats :: bivouac 8 views westUpper Kurgak Tor gorge :: looking back towards Sirota, the Ayu Tor valley behindUpper Kurgak Tor gorge :: resting by the steep climb to Ala KolThe Ala Kol Lake :: the very first view of the lake just after crossing the morraineThe Ala Kol Lake :: the lake outflow to the Kurgak gorgeThe Ala Kol Lake :: watching the brave swimmersThe Ala Kol Lake :: I love my Tolino ebook readerThe Ala Kol Lake :: bivouac 9 :: just by the lakeThe Ala Kol Lake :: bivouac 9 :: the lake outflowThe Ala Kol Lake :: bivouac 9 :: the morning snowfall surpriseThe Ala Kol Lake :: bivouac 9 :: south shoresThe Ala Kol Lake :: bivouac 9 :: the tents just cleared of snowThe Ala Kol Pass approach :: going up while the snow is meltingThe Ala Kol Pass approach :: traversing Terim Tor scree slopes high above the lake and up towards the passThe Ala Kol Pass approach :: eastern Ala Kol Lake shores :: the glaciated Takyr Tor pass in sightThe Ala Kol Pass approach :: the Panoramnyy pass and a peak with an unspeakable communist nameThe Ala Kol Pass approach :: the last rest before the last pass of our routeThe Ala Kol Pass :: the main Teskey Ala Too range panorama to the southeast (1) :: three glaciated giantsThe Ala Kol Pass :: the main Teskey Ala Too range panorama to the southeast (2) :: ranges behind Öguz Bashi show upThe Ala Kol Pass :: the main Teskey Ala Too range panorama to the southeast (3) :: ridges north of the main ridgeThe Ala Kol Pass :: the (highest) Karakol Pik zoomedThe Ala Kol Pass :: the view just over the Panoramnyy pass :: our trek route passes almost in one lineThe Ala Kol Pass :: a beautiful peak just to the southThe Ala Kol Pass :: the Dzhigit PeakThe Ala Kol Pass :: the view along the ridge southeast of the pass :: eastern Teskey Ala Too ranges behindThe Ala Kol Pass :: the view towards the Ak-Suu rocky peaks in the upper parts of the Arashan valleyThe Ala Kol Pass :: the surrounding of the glaciated Takyr Tor passThe Ala Kol Pass :: the closing of the glaciated valley containing the Ala Kol lakeThe Ala Kol Pass :: the Ala Kol Lake eastern part and the central part of the panorama: Dzhigit, Karakol, Öguz BashiThe Ala Kol Pass :: the Ala Kol Lake western part and the ridges far to the west of Öguz BashiThe Ala Kol Pass :: the pass saddle with snow remnants, Tarim Ter range behindThe Ala Kol Pass :: the upper Keldyke valley we will steeply descend toThe Keldyke valley :: after scaling down the gravel descent from the passThe Keldyke valley :: a remarkable peak far away to the eastThe Keldyke valley :: dropping by a frendly British group just for five-o-clock-teaThe Keldyke valley :: bivouac 10 :: views of low ranges just to the eastThe Keldyke valley :: well below the tree line on the way downto the Arashan valleyThe Arashan valley :: the characteristic Palatka (Tent) peak dominating the valleyThe Arashan settlement :: waiting for a jeep to KarakolThe Arashan settlement :: houses and yurts by the hot springs :: and the Palatka peak

    of higher quality pictures.

  • Traditional gallery Teskey Ala-Too on pastvoyages.jankowski.org.
  • OpenStreetMap centered on our route.