The Katun River. Rafting on the Katun. Mountain Altai - Katun

The Altai river Katun is widely known in tourist circles. It enjoys equal respect both among fans of water rafting on various means, and among those who prefer less extreme kinds of rest on its coast.

Geographical information

The Katun River, the total length of which from the source on the slope of the greatest Altai summit, Belukha Mountain, to the confluence with the Biya River is 688 kilometers, is the main waterway of the Mountainous Altai. The river breaks its course downstream through many obstacles. This causes a large number of thresholds throughout the entire length of its upper and middle course. The Katun River in its entire length is divided into three main sections, differing in the force of the current, the width of the channel and the character of the surrounding terrain. Upper Katun - from the source on the Gebler Glacier on the southern slope of Belukha Mountain to the mouth of the Cox River . The length of the site is 210 kilometers. The middle Katun is a two-hundred-kilometer stretch from the mouth of the Coke to the mouth of the Smulta. And Lower Katun - 280 kilometers to the geographical point of Biya-Katun, the site of the confluence of two equally large rivers. This place is considered to be the beginning of the great Siberian river Ob, which has two sources. In the lower reaches, the Katun acquires a predominantly flat character.

Historical background

Mountainous Altai, Katun, like many other remote regions of Siberia, have traditionally been considered difficult to access areas. From capitals and large industrial centers, they were separated by large distances and the absence of main lines of communication. These circumstances significantly hampered the economic development of the region's wealth. And an unconditional positive consequence of this situation is the relatively favorable state of the natural environment, which the Altai region has at the beginning of the twenty-first century. To appreciate this, it is enough to compare it with the Urals. In the Soviet period of history, there were numerous plans to build dams and hydroelectric power stations on Katun. These plans aroused objections in the scientific community and protests from those who care about the ecology of their native land. And today one can only rejoice that the hydropower potential of the main Altaic river has remained undeveloped.

In the Altai

The Katun River traditionally attracted those who for various reasons sought to temporarily or permanently break their relationship with the civilized world. In past centuries, it was the Old Believers and other persecuted religious minorities. They fled to the Mountain Altai from persecution and founded their secluded settlements on the banks of the Katun. Traces of their existence can be found in Altai today. And now Katun attracts attention of various kinds of extreme tourists from all over the world, as well as ordinary connoisseurs of untouched nature civilization. Mountain Altai does not deceive the expectations of either one or the other. To make sure of this, it is enough to open any tourist mass media and read reviews. Katun is noted in the tourist forums with the most enthusiastic responses. It is difficult to find another similar route for travel, where the pristine nature on the coast serves as a background for extreme alloy through rapids and whirlpools.

For a dose of adrenaline

It is the lovers of extreme rafting on the mountain rivers that make up the most significant part of the flow of tourists, each summer rushing to the shores of the main waterway of the Altai. Rafting on the Katun is traditionally carried out in two ways. On light and maneuverable kayaks or on more stable (and less pivoting) inflatable multi-chamber rafts, called "rafts". In each of the two possible variants of the alloy there are advantages and disadvantages. Kayak is designed for a prepared rafter, who, before reaching the shore of the Katun, managed to pass more simple routes. This is a prerequisite. Without his performance, rafting across Katun has a high probability of becoming the last in a sports career. Therefore, most of the unskilled public is rafted on inflatable rafts, under the guidance of an experienced instructor in the group. Sometimes the alloy is carried out on catamarans, structures from two buildings. They are quite difficult to manage and require high coordination from the crew. But with any variant of the alloy, overcoming the rapids on the mountain river - it's very exciting. Those who have ever experienced this adventure, usually feel the desire to continue such extreme trips. And Gorny Altai traditionally pleases with a variety of routes of a possible rafting along its waterways.

What not to do?

You should not try to raft on Katun independently. And all the more alone. To do this can only cool extreme sportsmen, behind whose shoulders the experience of passing complex trails. But such people, firstly not so much, and secondly they do not need advice and certainly know the level of complexity of the rafting in Katun. For all other tourists such an adventure will be close to suicidal. Rafting in Katun is the very case when you should not save on the services of an experienced instructor, a group leader. The Katun River does not forgive a disdainful attitude, for many tourists rafting on it became the last. This is evidenced by memorial plates, which can be found on the coastal rocks. This should be remembered, going to Altai. Katun, by the way, is not the only dangerous river. Some of its tributaries are not inferior to the extreme nature of the main stream.

Katun, map of tourist routes

Any serious journey is taken to start with a visual route along the topographic map. In this case, the matter is complicated by the fact that the number of natural attractions and simply beautiful places on both banks of the river is difficult to calculate and map. But when rafting along the river, the location of rapids and other obstacles must be known without fail. This is vital, you should not rely solely on the alloy instructor. The good news is that all the thresholds on Katun have been thoroughly studied and mapped on the map with small details of approaches to them. This work was done by generations of tourists. In addition, the map shows significant natural objects on both banks, which should not be missed, carried away by overcoming obstacles in the riverbed. Also, do not neglect the advice of experienced people on the tactics of overcoming the rapids. Each of them requires an individual approach.

Average Katun

In the upper course of the river, the alloy is practically not carried out. In these hard-to-reach places are sent sometimes by foot groups of fans of untrodden paths. The main routes of the alloy are located in the middle course. It is here that most of the rapids that Katun is famous for are located. Photos, illustrating the overcoming of these obstacles, certainly saw everything. These bright visual images are familiar even to those who have not yet been fortunate enough to visit the Altai Mountains. Most of the tourist structures offering clients rafting on the Katun, under the guidance of experienced instructors, lay their routes precisely along the middle course of the river. Where, by the way, it is relatively easy to get to the starting point of the route, as well as to return home from the place of completion of the rafting. Those who are planning to rafting on Katun should remember that inflatable rafts do not even drown, but they even turn on steep rapids.

Lower Katun

In the lower reaches the river loses its turbulent mountain character and gradually becomes flat. It is even navigable throughout the thirty-kilometer section, from the confluence with Biya to the village of Shulginka. The calm nature of the current makes it possible to raft in kayaks and light boats. Despite the fact that the high mountain ranges with snow-white peaks were left behind, nature on the banks of the Katun is also expressive in its lower reaches. The places here are more habitable. Among the attractions should be noted the village of Srostki, home of the outstanding Russian writer and film director Vasily Shukshin. In the lower reaches of the river there is a significant number of recreation centers and tourist sites.

Chui highway, how to get to Katun

This is the main highway connecting the Altai Mountains with the outside world. The historic Chui highway, which is now part of the federal highway from Novosibirsk to the Mongolian border, extends in a significant distance in the immediate vicinity of Katun. It is on this road that the tourists-rafters come to the starting points of the route. And on her return to the city of Biysk, located on the Biya River, two dozen kilometers from the merger with Katun. Biysk is located on the railway, which is relatively easy to reach from anywhere in the Russian Federation. However, to do this, most likely, will have to change. Since Biysk is located on the periphery of the main directions. But in the city it is easy to find auto carriers specializing in the delivery of tourists in the direction of Gorny Altai. The travel time along the Chuysky tract to the starting point of the route along the Katun can be several hours.