The "conquest" of this mountain was remembered by me for the fact that not the slightest effort was made for this, the chair lift took us to it with ease and comfort. But the most important thing is that it happened on the first day of acquaintance with nature. Gorny Altai. The surrounding beauty fascinated, the lungs got used to the purest air - everything aroused delight.
Mount Sinyukha is located in the foothills of the Altai Mountains and is divided into two peaks: Bolshaya Sinyukha - 1218 meters and Malaya Sinyukha - 1196 meters. I visited Malaya. Acquaintance with it was facilitated by the fact that we lived practically at its foot. Local residents said that the mountain has an unusually strong energy, which gives a powerful boost of strength and vigor to everyone, and this has been known since ancient times. This is probably why it is so popular that it is included in many guided tours.
But, in my opinion, the whole Altai can be attributed to an unusual, beneficial effect on a person.
The mountain got its unusual name due to the fact that the air on its top is a little rarefied and it, covered with a virgin forest, acquires a slightly bluish tint.
And there is really a lot of vegetation on it. There is even a legend associated with it. There was a great famine in Altai. God threw a head of cheese from the sky to the hungry. Babyrgan and Sinyukha were the first to pick up this cheese, since they were taller than everyone else, and began to divide it among themselves. Everyone wanted to grab a piece more. A big quarrel began between them. Babyrgan uprooted trees and threw them into Sinyukha. In the end, these trees filled it all up. Before the quarrel, Sinyukha was covered with one grass, and after that a forest grew on it.
And Sinyukha, in response, threw stones at Babyrgan, they still cover his peak. While Babyrgan and Sinyukha were quarreling and throwing stones and trees at each other, the cheese was gone, and the angry Babyrgan and Sinyukha now send snow or rain to each other, they can’t calm down in any way.
Indigenous people compare this mountain with a capricious woman. Her mood can change several times a day. Then it is sunny and clear, and after a short period of time it already frowns and sheds tears, while it can rage, sending thunderclouds and wind towards the neighboring village. It is believed that the spirits that live at the top are to blame for this. It is worth offending them and bad weather is guaranteed. Therefore, you need to rise to it with a pure heart and good thoughts.
We have verified this for ourselves. During our stay near the mountain and on it itself, the bright sun shone, then it drizzled, which turned into a short downpour, and so on in a circle. But our thoughts were pure, so it did not cause us any inconvenience, but brought a sense of a little adventure.
Our first "ascent" took place on Sunday, so it was very crowded, many buses and cars from different cities and regions. I had to stand in line for the lift, but it moved quickly.
Finally, we were on our way. We were told that the travel time was about 30 minutes, which surprised us a little, it seemed that this was the top, very close. It turned out that this was only the beginning, a small hill, and behind it the real peak was already visible.
Leisurely moving admiring the surrounding nature. The slopes of the mountain are covered with a canopy of mighty cedars, pines, firs, adjacent to thin birches and shrubs, and the air is such that you cannot breathe. In spring, it is even more beautiful here, the rocks are decorated with flowering deer, wild rose, glades of orange lights.
Photo from the Internet
And in winter there are ski slopes, which are considered one of the best in the Altai Mountains, just below ski resort. At this time of the year, the lift works faster, delivers to the top in 15 minutes, but skiers are dropped off at the middle station, from where, in fact, the descent begins. The tracks here are of varying degrees of difficulty, but this is all in winter, and we had summer, although during the ascent we thought about skiers rushing down.
We imperceptibly reached the upper station, there is an observation deck, but we left it for later, and we ourselves went deeper into the surroundings. Finding yourself here you find yourself in the realm of legends and legends.
The mountain is sacred to the Altai people. It has long been a place of worship of shamans to the gods. And now a walking path leads to its top along which shamans climb to perform rituals. The holy place and a large number of tourists are somehow incomparable, in order to streamline the joint coexistence, a compromise was found - museum villages were built, historical paths, an observation deck were equipped. It turned out to be a small branch of the ethnic museum, where you can get acquainted with the life of small indigenous peoples of Altai, see household items and even try on national costumes.
In the medieval historical shooting range "Arrow of the Sarmatians" (archery and crossbow shooting), you can shoot at targets, and an instructor dressed in national clothes will introduce you to small arms.
In the open-air complex "Legends of Altai", on the stands you can read Altai legends: "About the white she-wolf", "About the white deer". Nearby is the shaman's yurt and the Main Tambourine of Altai, which depicts the tree of life, which gives energy to fulfill the desired. And the skin of the bull, from which the tambourine is made, gives out a natural resonance for a person and stabilizes the human body.
So, walking, you can combine business with pleasure.
The legend about the white deer is interesting. "It was a long time ago, long ago and behind the past, when God created the Earth." The supreme god in Altai - Ulgen, as he created the Earth, began to create mountains and forests, rivers and deserts, animals and people. And the people were pure and blameless, like the creator himself. Admiring the beauty of that living, Ulgen calmed down and fell into a sound sleep.
But it was not there! The world was attacked by Delbegen - a terrible seven-headed cannibal on a blue bull. Upon learning of this, Ulgen sent his faithful servant, the White Maral, to help people. Only he was able to fight the evil cannibal. After forty days and nights, the maral defeated the enemy, and stopped evil on Earth.
One of the people suddenly wanted to get a beautiful white maral skin, and he shot an arrow right into the heart.
But he did not fall from a high cliff, and did not break on the stones, because Ulgen himself took him into his almighty hands. And Ulgen said that day to people that diseases and pestilence will remain on the earth until people become pure in their soul, as at the moment of their creation.
And then the White Maral will return to the earth, and the Golden Age will come on the earth.
Will we ever get this?!
At the very top of the mountain is the Wishing Well. According to popular beliefs, anyone who masters a steep climb will come to the well and, throwing a coin, make a wish, he will definitely wait for it to come true.
There is also a Spirit Tree. It can be immediately recognized by the many ribbons tied on its branches. Without thinking about whether it was right or not, she also began to look for improvised material to tie on a tree. Later I learned that this is a rather serious rite of tying Dyalam.
The meaning of tying these ribbons is that the one who ties the ribbon swears to protect the nature of Altai, to preserve the traditions and customs of the people, to be faithful to him. By tying a white ribbon, a person asks Altai for favors and expresses his love for the nature of the region. At the same time, there are certain rules that everyone who ties the ribbon must know and follow: it must be from a new, white fabric. This must be done seriously, without laughter, while a person must express his desire, a request to the owner of the mountain, ask for a happy journey, prosperity, health. If there is no tape prepared in advance, then it is better not to do this. On the tree you can see tied plastic bags, scraps of linen. What kind of holiness is that? In no case should you break branches on this tree.
There is another attraction here, to which the signs on the stands with the intriguing name Golden Woman refer. How not to look at this?! We find. And the woman, to be honest, surprised me ... While I was coming to my senses, not even thinking of photographing her yet, when I saw my camera, two of her "servants" shouted in one voice that the photo was paid and the pleasure was worth 50 rubles. Moreover, this was done with such anger, it is clear that many spoke negatively about such a service. I didn’t feel sorry for the money, but in response to this, I didn’t photograph this exhibit.
Nearby on the stands there are instructions on what you need to touch with a woman, so that you have happiness in your personal life. By the way, there were those who wanted to.
Photo from the Internet
According to legend, the Golden Baba is the mother of all living things, the patroness of fertility, wealth and fate. This idol has been worshiped by all pagan nations for many thousands of years. As the legend says, the newlyweds, who touched the Golden Baba, gain her patronage - the family will be strong and rich, the children will be healthy, smart and beautiful.
Various peoples have legends about how people survived during a great flood. All peoples who did not accept monotheism and remained pagans worshiped the idol of the Golden Baba, who saved her people from the flood, having managed to organize the construction of rafts, on which they sailed to the fertile land of Altai. And her name was Altyn-Ai.
After seeing the man-made sights, we went to observation deck look at the creations of nature. They are more impressed.
Breathtaking landscapes open up from the top of the mountain. Mountain ranges covered with forests stretch around. Winding between them, the beautiful Katun carries her turquoise waters. And at the foot of the mountain, the expanse of Lake Manzherok shines, to the left of the lake - the village of Ozernoye, along the bend of the Katun is the village of Manzherok.
How can you do without high-sounding words?!
Crawling clouds forced us to hurry down to the descent, but a short downpour still caught us on the road, although the sun was already shining brightly by the middle of the path.
The mountain is located 30 kilometers from the Gorno-Altaisk airport and 3 kilometers from the M-52 highway, in the Maiminsky district, near the village of Ozernoye.
Sinyukha is a sacred place for Orthodox Christians, it is considered an open-air temple. Mount Sinyukha is located in the south Altai Territory in the Kuryinsky district and is the highest point of the Kolyvan ridge (1210 m).
The regional center of Kurya is 56 km away, the village of Kolyvan is 8 km to the east, and the village of 8 March is 2 km away.
Mount Sinyukha got its name not by chance: from afar, the fir forest covering the slopes of the mountain really seems blue.
Sinyukha is a sacred place for Orthodox Christians, it is considered an open-air temple. In addition, the mountain has a unique relief and a unique flora and has always attracted scientists not only from Russia, but from all over the world with its plant and animal wealth and climatic features. Famous scientists and travelers visited the slopes of the mountain: K.F. Ledebour, A. Bunge, K. Mayer, D. Messerschmidt, G.F. Miller, P.N. Krylov.
Climbing to the top of Sinyukha can take a whole day. The southern and northern sides of the mountain are steep, so climbing the mountain is possible with two simple routes. The first one runs along the northwestern slope of Sinyukha through the Kolyvanstroy tract near the Loktevka River (where Demidov set up the first copper smelter in the 18th century, and from the 1930-1960s large-scale mining of strategic tungsten-molybdenum raw materials was carried out here) and near Lake Mokhovoye - a natural monument . There is an abandoned granite quarry on the pass.
From here open beautiful views on the slopes of mountains covered with black taiga. This route is considered the most interesting, the path goes first along an abandoned old road, then along a forest path.
The second route runs along the northeastern slope of the mountain and starts from Beloe Lake. The trail also goes through the forest, but the ascent is quite long. Not far from Lake Beloe, you can see a group of burial mounds (1st century BC - 1st century AD), as well as the archaeological site of the settlement "Podsinyushka" (III-II centuries BC) - the oldest settlement of metallurgists - Afanasyevtsy, III-II centuries BC; in our era, an Orthodox women's monastery arose in its place. The monastery was destroyed in Soviet times, and now there is a worship cross in its place.
In the middle of the way you will see the Holy Spring, which all Orthodox pilgrims must visit.
Climbing to the top of Sinyukha does not require skill and equipment. The only significant obstacle may be a typical daring wind, which can make climbing difficult. From the top of the mountain opens a beautiful panorama.
From the main massif Sinyukha diverges a number of low spurs of eastern and southern strike, cut by small rivers. To the north of Sinyukha, the boundless and sultry Kulunda steppes spread, and on the south side, the snow-white peaks of the Tigiretsky Range and the slopes of the mountains covered with black taiga.
In the upper part of Sinyukha and in the area of Lake Mokhovoe, you can see bizarre granite rocks, which, under the influence of natural forces, have acquired fantastic shapes. The mountain is dominated by rounded, dome-shaped forms and often there are rocky outcrops.
At the top of the mountain, some rocks form arches and columns, as well as something similar to ancient fortress walls - all the stones are fitted to one another, the masonry of giant "bricks" is high and powerful. Indeed, it looks like a kind of temple, the “walls” of which encircle the top in two semicircles. On the top and slopes of the mountain there are several natural granite bowls filled with water.
According to legend, this water is considered healing, healing wounds, curing many diseases. The top of the mountain served as a place of worship for the ancient pagans and has not lost its significance in Christian times. It is no coincidence that an Orthodox convent was built under Mount Sinyukha, which existed here until the 1930s.
And after the destruction of the monastery, the Orthodox communities of Altai and Kazakhstan secretly gathered on the top of the mountain, and thus, Sinyukha served them as an open-air temple for a long time.
Today, the pilgrimage to the Holy Mountain continues - after the feast of the Trinity, traditionally, pilgrims from the Rubtsovsky, Aleisky and Barnaul deanery districts of the Barnaul-Altai diocese arrive to climb the mountain. A tent camp is set up on the side of the mountain. The climbers are parishioners of Orthodox parishes, mostly young people, and, of course, the clergy.
It is believed that if you drink holy water from the Holy Spring with a prayer and wash your face in a granite bowl, bow to the cross on top, then the soul will be cleansed and the heart will be light and calm for a whole year.
In botanical terms, Mount Sinyukha is interesting because there is a huge variety of herbs, shrubs, trees - a total of 541 species. The slopes are covered with relic fir-aspen forests with an admixture of birch and pine (the so-called black taiga). There is absolutely no cedar and larch here. Bird cherry, mountain ash, viburnum, spirea and caragana are widespread.
A large number of relic plants, preserved from ancient times, grow on Sinyukha (Pallas's mertensia, Krylov's forget-me-not, maral root, rosea rhodiola, golostebelny poppy, etc.). 18 species are listed in the Red Book (Altai onion, Siberian kandyk, multi-leaved tulip, venus slipper, Bunte primrose, etc.). Alpine spurge grows here, which marals and spotted deer love to eat.
The forests on the mountainside are home to many birds and animals. Of the birds there are: chickadee, Siberian chiffchaff, garden warbler, green warbler, nuthatch, whistling nightingale, blue nightingale, hazel grouse, gray warbler and curlicue, bluetail, bullfinch, kuksha, common buzzard; in some places nutcracker, shur, common redstart, capercaillie. Typical mammals of the black taiga live on Sinyukha: red-backed voles, shrews, East Asian mice, ground squirrels, red foxes, polecats, weasels, corsairs, lynx, and wolves. In addition, there are many butterflies and beetles.
In 2009, it was decided to create on the territory of Kolyvan the first in the Altai Territory national park"Mountain Kolyvan", which included such natural objects as the city of Sinyukha, lakes Beloye and Savvushki (Kolyvanskoye).
Not far from the city of Sinyukha there are several more attractions - an ancient sanctuary and an observatory on Charming Mountain, Vostrukha, Podsinyushka settlement, Kolyvan stone-cutting plant.
Kurinsky district ...
The history of the development of mining in Altai...
Mountain Kolyvan...
Why is Mount Sinyukha so interesting? And all because for a long time, and for more than one thousand years, Mount Sinyukha has been a cult place. Mount Sinyukha was an object of pilgrimage for pagans, and then Orthodox Christians. This is the first high mountain Altai from the side of the Kulunda steppe. It rises majestically above the surroundings.
Almost completely, except for the very top of Sinyukha, it is covered with forest. From this distance, it appears blue. Apparently that's why they named it that. The top itself is flat and there are boulders rising on its edges. It seems that this is an open-air temple. This is the temple we wanted to visit.
How to get to Mount Sinyukha
Mount Sinyukha we have already seen from afar. From Lake Beloye, on which we were on our last trip, Mount Sinyukha was clearly visible. That's where we planned to climb. We got from our camp on Lake Kolyvanskoye to Lake Beloe in a little over an hour. From the village of Savvushki, which is three kilometers from Lake Kolyvanskoye, along the highway to the village of Kurya, about twenty kilometers. In the village of Kurya, at the first large crossroads, we turn right and drive to the bridge over the river.
This is if you go from Zmeinogorsk, the village of Savvushki or Lake Kolyvanskoye. And if you go from Barnaul, then you need to go two hundred and fifty kilometers along the road to Rubtsovsk to the pointer to the village of Pospelikha. From it we go to the village of Kurya. Continue as written below.
Immediately after the bridge, in the village of Kurya, turn right. Road signs are everywhere. We are going to Kolyvan. And now we are driving forty kilometers on an asphalt road. She will take you to. We look at the signs to the village of March 8. We pass through the village of Kolyvan. Ten kilometers we drive along the road through a picturesque pine forest, along the Belaya River.
We drive into the village of March 8 and after the shop and cafe we turn off the main road to the right. We go up the hill along the road. After a kilometer we leave for. The village asked local residents how to get to Mount Sinyukha. They rounded Beloe Lake from the southwestern side. We drove along the lake along its elevated shores for a kilometer and a half. Then we turned right from Beloe Lake along a dirt road. 
Having rounded the hill, we saw a hefty three and a half meters cross. The cross was made from a wooden beam. On the horizontal crossbar it was inscribed in black letters - "Save and save." The cross was placed on the side of the road. Having passed the cross, we drove up to the foot of Mount Sinyukha. From the village of March 8 to Mount Sinyukha about three kilometers along the road.
A little about Mount Sinyukha
Having approached the foot of Mount Sinyukha, we ended up in a small valley. It is quite picturesque and surrounded by mountains on three sides. Mount Sinyukha rose majestically from the southwestern side of this valley. The height of Mount Sinyukha is one thousand two hundred and ten meters above sea level. This is the highest point of the Kolyvan ridge.
All slopes of Mount Sinyukha are overgrown with black taiga. The black taiga means a wild, untouched forest. Here grows mainly fir, comes across aspen, birch, pine. Lots of shrubs and very tall grass. In such a forest it is always black, that is, it is gloomy and it is very difficult to make your way through it.
The peak itself rises above the taiga with stone blocks. And so it beckons upward. Well, that's what we came for. There is no forest at the top. Only granite, gray peaks against the blue sky. But at the top there are whole thickets of juniper. But we learned about this later. And now before us was the majestic, mighty Mount Sinyukha.
Climbing Mount Sinyukha
We left the car in a clearing next to a stream at the foot of Mount Sinyukha. Everyone leaves their cars here. A wheeled area without vegetation formed near the road. There were already two cars parked there. And aside, on the edge of the clearing, there was a campground. Here live Orthodox pilgrims who come from nearby areas to climb Mount Sinyukha.
Not far from the parking lot, the forest begins and the path to 
Mount Sinyukha. In the place where the path enters the forest, there are wooden gods on both sides of it. The figurines are carved from tree trunks and are about two meters high. On one there is an inscription - "Perun guards the path." On the other is written - "Sinigarium".
The trail leads us through the birch forest. Let's go one 
stream, then, after a while, another. The path winds along the stream, then along one of its banks, then along the other. The forest is not yet very dense. There are many raspberries along the trail. We enjoy it from time to time. They say that the bears also eat here.
The trail gets steeper. The birch forest is changing to taiga. Raspberries disappear and are replaced along the path by blackcurrant and sour bushes. There are much more acids. Sometimes it comes across very sour. It is interesting that the stream also gurgles from time to time next to the path.
Walking becomes hard. The trail goes quite steeply up the side of the mountain. The inclination of the mountain by eye is thirty-five to forty degrees. At times there are steeper sections. You perceive the roots of trees as steps. My legs are tired, I start to run out of breath. And my son does not care about such an upsurge. Go playfully! Youth, what do you say?
Ahead is the murmur of a stream and conversation. There appears to be a source here. A small stream flows out of the stones. 
Surprisingly, because it is already almost under the top of Mount Sinyukha. Near the source is an Orthodox cross. Nearby is a book with prayers, pressed down on top by a stone. Tourists rest at the source. They also go up.
Get some water, drink and move on. It seems that 
strength returned. Walking became easier. Soon the forest ends. We start jumping over the rocks. There is a beautiful view to the northeast. You can see the village of March 8 and Lake Beloe. The first thickets of juniper are found. Sheer cliffs to the right and left. And we are walking along the stone river. Huge boulders in bulk lie under the very top.
Well, here's the top. Three hours of lifting behind. Great! 
An amazing view opens up to the surrounding Mount Sinyukha area. Far in the southwest, a white spot is visible. In the south, the snowy peaks of the Tigirek Range are visible. In the north you can see the village of Kolyvan, and a little to the east the village of March 8 and Lake Beloe. The spirit captures from beauty and spaciousness.
And the very top of Mount Sinyukha is interesting. Nearly 
the flat top of Sinyukha is surrounded by granite rocks ten meters high at the edges. It seems to be watchtowers. One of the rocks has an iron cross. For some reason, my heart is calm and joyful. But it's time to go down. The descent is a bit easier and the whole descent takes about one hour. On the way down they scared a flock of hazel grouse. Near the path we found several mushrooms.
Sights of Mount Sinyukha and its environs
At the foot of Mount Sinyukha, a settlement of ancient blacksmiths was discovered. In its place at the beginning of the twentieth century there was a convent. The monastery existed until the mid-thirties. Then it was destroyed, like many other religious buildings. In its place, in 1997, the worship cross, which I spoke about above, was installed.
At the top of Mount Sinyukha there is a granite block, on the surface of which there is a recess of the correct, round shape. It is constantly filled with water. It's called a bowl. So, among the Orthodox it is believed that if you drink water from a source under the top of Mount Sinyukha with a prayer, wash your face with water from a granite bowl and pray to the cross on top, then the soul will be cleansed and the heart will be light and calm for a whole year.
Not far from Mount Sinyukha there is Lake Beloe. The water in this lake is amazingly clear. Almost exactly in the middle of the lake rises a small island. And there are a lot of fish in the White Lake. This is for fishing lovers.
In the village of Kolyvan, which is about a dozen kilometers from Mount Sinyukha, there is a stone-cutting factory. This plant has been in operation for over 300 years. His products are famous all over the world. You can go on a tour of the factory. You can visit the museum at the stone-cutting factory. Very interesting.
So the ascent to Mount Sinyukha, planned for this day, has ended. Tired and satisfied, we returned back to Lake Kolyvanskoe. There is something to remember and tell friends and acquaintances. There are also many photographs, some of which you can see here.
Mountain Sinyukha
natural attractioninformation updated: 05/17/2010
Information about the object Altai Territory, Kurinsky district, with. them. March 8
View of Mount Sinyukha On the top of the mountain
The mountain is located 56 km from the regional center of Kurya, 8 km east of the village of Kolyvan and 2 km from the village of 8 March. This is the highest mountain of the Kolyvan ridge, it is located on the northern tip of the ridge. Its height is 1210 m above sea level.
The mountain got its name not by chance: from afar, the fir forest covering the slopes of the mountain really looks blue.
Description of Mount Sinyukha
The top of the mountain is represented by rocks, devoid of any vegetation due to weak stony soil, on which young trees do not take root well. Rounded, dome-shaped forms predominate on the mountain, rocky outcrops are often found. From the top of the mountain opens a beautiful panorama. From the main massif Sinyukha diverges a number of low spurs of eastern and southern strike, cut by small rivers. The western tip of the ridge goes far into the steppe in small ridges. Through the efforts of water and winds, the most unexpected and interesting landforms have been created on Sinyukha: sometimes these are arches, sometimes columns, and sometimes fantastic animals. The slopes of the mountain are occupied by a fir forest, the flora of Mount Sinyukha includes 541 species of higher vascular plants, 18 of which are listed in the Red Book of the Altai Territory.
The mountain has always attracted scientists not only from Russia, but from all over the world with its plant and animal wealth and climatic features. Famous scientists and travelers visited the slopes of the mountain: K.F. Ledebour, A. Bunge, K. Mayer, D. Messerschmidt, G.F. Miller, P.N. Krylov.
Sinyukha
Mount Sinyukha has long been consideredplace of pilgrimage. On the top and slopes of the mountain there are several natural granite bowls filled, as many believe, with holy water. A holy spring flows on the northern slope of Mount Sinyukha. Many people, to this day, come here to drink from the holy spring.
At the beginning of the XX century. at the foot of the mountain there was a convent, now in its place there is a worship cross, established by believers in 1997. Here, after the feast of the Trinity, a tent camp is set up every year. Traditionally, pilgrims from the Rubtsovsky, Aleisky and Barnaul deanery districts of the Barnaul-Altai diocese arrive to climb the mountain. The climbers are parishioners of Orthodox parishes, mostly young people, and, of course, the clergy.
Lake on the top of Mount Sinyukha Mount Sinyukha
Climbing to the top of Sinyukha does not require skill and equipment - there is a convenient gentle path to the top, surrounded by picturesque rocky outcrops of bizarre shapes. The only significant obstacle may be a typical daring wind. From the top of the mountain, a beautiful panorama opens up, surprising with natural contrasts: on the one hand, the Kulunda steppe, on the other hand, snow-capped mountain peaks. At the foot of the mountain there is a pine forest among granite placers, lakes Beloe and Mokhovoe, Charming rock. There are also interesting sites for fans of archaeological tourism: the settlement "Podsinyushka" (II-III centuries BC) and a group of mounds on the shores of Lake Beloye (I century BC).
In the vicinity of Mount Sinyukha, tourists can stay at the Gornaya Kolyvan camp site, the Bogomolov recreation center, the Kolyvan-tour camp site, the Skala dispensary, and the Zagis campsite.
Attracts with the uniqueness of the relief and flora, rich history, for Orthodox Christians, the mountain is a sacred place. Many famous travelers and connoisseurs of ore have visited here, and a stone-cutting factory has been operating nearby for 300 years.
Location of Mount Sinyukha, Altai Territory
Sinyukha is a mountain of the Kolyvan Range in the north-west of the Altai Mountains, located about 300 km from Barnaul. The height of Mount Sinyukha is 1210 km above sea level, this highest point ridge. From afar, the peak seems blue due to the fir forests covering its slopes - hence the name of the mountain.
Sinyukha is located in the Kurinsky district, 8 km from the village of Kolyvan and 2 km from the village of 8 March. Nearby is the river Loktevka and a natural monument - Moss Lake. The reservoir is quite small - about 22 by 33 m, it is not visible on the map of the Altai Territory near Mount Sinyukha. There is an opinion - having a swim in the lake, you can wash away the accumulated sins, and lovers of easy decisions willingly test the belief.
Here, tourists are pleased with the abundance of sunny days, excellent fishing, clean air with the aromas of medicinal herbs and acquaintance with the history of the region. Near Mount Sinyukha there are campsites "Kolyvan-tour" and "Bogomolov", camping "Zagis"; You can improve your health in the Skala dispensary.
However, the tourist infrastructure of the places lags behind their popularity so far. But for savages who prefer tent camps, the surroundings of Sinyukha are a real paradise. Many fans annually rush to Mount Sinyukha - camping here they call magnificent.
How to get to Mount Sinyukha? From Kolyvan - on foot or by car with good cross-country ability. It’s safer on foot - the road is abandoned, with bad weather conditions becomes dangerous.
It is 5 km to the east from Lake Beloe, a natural monument popular with tourists, to Kolyvan. The road is not bad, the path from Bely to Sinyukha is 11 km. You will have to walk part of the way, the only path to the mountain passes by Lake Mokhovoe.
Climbing Mount Sinyukha
The ascent does not seem difficult - the ascent is quite gentle, but it fully opens up picturesque panoramas of the surroundings. The boundless Kulunda steppe appears to travelers on the one hand, and the snow-capped peaks of the Tigiretsky Range on the other. The top of the mountain is bare rock and is accessible only to rock climbers. The northern and southern sides of the mountain are steep, tourist routes laid along the northwestern and northeastern slopes.
First, more interesting route, passes through the Kolyvanstroy tract, where in the 18th century the industrialist Demidov built a copper smelter, and subsequently there was the extraction of tungsten-molybdenum raw materials. Travelers also come across an abandoned granite quarry, where wonderful views of the mountains open up.
The starting point of the second route is Beloe Lake. The path also passes along the forest path, but it is more protracted. Near the lake there is a group of ancient mounds, an archaeological monument - the village of "Podsinyushka". In our era, there was an Orthodox nunnery in the same place, now a worship cross has been installed in its place. In the middle of the way to the top, there is a Holy Spring, especially revered by believers.
Tourists who made the ascent describe their experiences as follows:
- “The beauty that you see when you get upstairs is indescribable! It is breathtaking from these rocky ledges, as if fancifully laid out by someone on the top of the mountain”;
- “The view from the top is just amazing!”
Sinyukha - a sacred place
In the upper part of the mountain and on Lake Mokhovoe, outcrops of gray granite, having been formed over millennia, have acquired unique forms. At the top of the rocks form columns and arches - giant stones are flawlessly fitted by nature. A powerful masonry forms a kind of fortress walls, encircling the top of the mountain in semicircles, as if nature itself had built a universal temple here.
A huge natural cut in granite, located near the top, is a real miracle of nature! A large hemisphere in which water accumulates has a diameter of about a meter and a depth of about half a meter. Water is considered healing, able to heal any wounds. Amazed tourists tirelessly take pictures of the miraculous bowl, successful pictures complement the set of photos of Sinyukha Mountain in the Altai Territory.
The mountain was worshiped by both ancient pagans and Orthodox Christians - it is no coincidence that a monastery was erected at the foot of the peak, which existed until the 30s of the last century. The Orthodox communities of Kazakhstan and Altai used to gather on the top of Sinyukha, which served them as a temple. The pilgrimage continues even now: after the Trinity, the traditional ascent of believers and clergy to the Holy Mountain takes place.
Pilgrims pray, drink the water of the Holy Spring, wash their faces in a wonderful bowl and worship the cross on the top of Sinyukha, erected in 1997. So people purify the soul, find peace and tranquility.
Natural resources of Sinyukha
The vegetation of the mountain is very diverse - 541 species of trees, shrubs and herbs are found here. The slopes of Sinyukha are covered with a rather rare black taiga in our time - fir-aspen forests with pines and birches. Often there are viburnum and mountain ash, bird cherry and spirea. Larch and cedar are not here.
There are also relic plants on Sinyukha - maral root, Krylov's forget-me-not, Palassa mertensia, rosea rhodiola and others. 18 plant species are listed in the Red Books of the Altai Territory and Russia.
The inhabitants of the forest zones of the mountain include a wide variety of birds and mammals - lynxes and wolves, red foxes and ferrets, ground squirrels and many other animals are found here. Pleases with the beauty and abundance of butterflies.
Wonderful nature here suffers from man too - thousands of tourists pull out the rarest plants and flowers, the golden and maral roots are especially quickly exterminated. Since 2009, it is planned to create the Gornaya Kolyvan park in order to preserve rare nature.
Attractions in the vicinity of Sinyukha
The tourist attraction of Sinyukha is also explained by the sights near the mountain. Having visited Sinyukha, tourists usually do not deprive them of attention.
Kolyvan lake
From a considerable height, the lake is very similar to a two-humped camel with a large head. The reservoir is surrounded by rocks honed by the winds, among them are the likeness of animals, rocks, castles. The rarest water chestnut chilim has been preserved here, shaped like a bizarre devil's head.
The lake is known for its beautiful beaches with good sand and a gradual increase in depth. The pond is small, calm, with the purest water. Tourists live in tents or numerous equipped campsites.
Kolyvan stone-cutting plant
The plant is considered the soul of a wonderful region - Kolyvan. Famous stone-cutters in Russia have long worked here, the craftsmen created the Queen of the Vase from jasper - the current decoration of the Hermitage with a height of more than 2.5 m and a weight of 19 tons. The cup, as a symbol of dignity and courage, adorns the coat of arms of the Altai Territory.
The Kolyvan Museum of Stone-cutting is also interesting. The atmosphere in it is magical - you can touch ancient objects, collected with love and carefully transferred to the museum by local residents.
Mount Revnyukha
Sight federal significance charms with beauty and surprises with rich history. There is a unique jasper deposit here.
From a block 11 m long, the world's greatest vase "Queen" was made in the 19th century, craftsmen embodied the strength and spirit of man in stone. From the stone of the deposit, the craftsmen also made the columns of the Moscow Cathedral of Christ the Savior.
Mount Charming
A low mountain (600 m) is located 5 km from the settlement of Kolyvan. At the top there are unusual rock formations - boulders and grottoes, which probably served as a sanctuary for the sorcery of shamans and an ancient observatory.
It doesn't take much time to explore the mountain. Impressions from the beauty of nature and mysterious stone structures of fantastic shape are usually very vivid.
Mount Sinyukha and its environs - interesting place Altai Territory, where you can have a good rest and enrich yourself with the knowledge of the history of your country. By casually looking at your photo of Mount Sinyukha, you will plunge into the world of the most pleasant memories.