Tour: "To the top of the giant"

To the top of the giant

The route of this exotic tour runs from the coast deep inside the peninsula and crosses Kamchatka from South to North, bringing you from one climatic zone to another. In Central Kamchatka great volcanoes of Eurasia are situated. They are the very same high and active volcanoes, that made Kamchatka known as the 'Land of volcanoes'. The sightly panorama of the group of giant volcanoes is well seen from far away. The highest and best known one, Klutchevskoy volcano (4750 meters high) belongs there.
Frequent eruptions of the most active volcanoes of Kamchatka, the largest glaciers and the highest mountains make the area a most interesting and attractive for tourists and alpinists. Everyone can choose a rout he wants according to his ability and qualifications.

Some peculiarities of the area:
The area of Klutchevskaya Group belongs to the 'Klutchevskoy' Nature Park.
The town of Klutchy and the northern slopes of Klutchevskoy volcano are a part of the restricted area which means that foreigners need a spesial permit from the military to be there.
The farness of the area from roadways and populated localities is about 2-3 walking days.
The largest glaciers of Kamchatka stretch out from the volcanoes of the Group: Ermana, Bogdanovicha and Sredny.
The landscape is very scraggy: limbs of the volcanoes, frozen lava flows, deep gullies, dry streamways with bluff slopes, snowfields, glaciers, slag cones.
At elevations over 2000 meters eternal snow zone begins.
The weather changes really fast.
The air temperature may drop down from 30°C above in daytime to something below in nighttime.
In summer at an elevation over 800 meters wet snow with strong wind (up to 25 meters per second) are quite possible.
Bad weather sometimes lasts for 7-10 days.
When taking a tour, one should have 1 or 2 days extra.
Mountain sickness may happen at an elevation up to 2000 meters.
For an ascent a good physical shape and good enough qualification are required.
On Klutchevskoy volcano danger of rockfalls is very serious. It is always necessary to have helmets and to witch the slopes.
At an elevation over 800 meters there is no firewood, so portable stoves with enough amount fuel are needed.
At some shorter parts of the route there is no drinking water as well, so water containers are need, too.
There is regular bus communication between Petropavlovsk and Esso, Kozyrevsk and Klutchy. The bus starts off every morning. In case this mean of transportation is used, expenses for the tour may be somewhat brought down.

Most interesting nature sites:
       Kamchatka river
       Sukhaya ('Dry') Hapitsa river
       Klutchevskoy volcano 4750 m - 15322ft.
       Ushkovsky volcano 3903 m .- 12590ft.
       Krestovsky volcano 4057 m - 13087ft.
       Kamen volcano 4575 m - 14758ft.
       Bezymyanny volcano 2870 m - 9258ft.
       Plosky ('Flat') and Ostry ('Poited') Tolbatchik volcanoes
       Plotina ('the Stanch)

The following are several versions of the program whose goal is to ascend one of the highest volcanoes of the world - Klutchevskoy volcano.
The following are several versions of the program whose goal is to ascend one of the highest volcanoes of the world - Klutchevskoy volcano. A tour of this kind cannot be represented with only one version. All the variant are based on experience in organization of ascents of this volcano in particular, as well as other volcanoes of the group.

Version 1 (12 days)
The group is brought to Klutchevskoy volcano by helicopter.
From Petropavlovsk to Esso by bus, from Esso by helicopter to the plateau between Krestovsky, Ushkovsky and Klutchevskoy volcanoes. Ascent of Klutchevskoy from the Perevalny crater. Back to Esso by helicopter. Return to Petropavlovsk.
This is the most expensive way:
the basic expenses of the tour are increased with helicopter expenses. Total flight time from Esso to Klutchevskoy and back is between 2 hours 40 minutes to 3 hours.

Version 2 (11 days)
The group is brought to Klutchevskoy by truck.
From Petropavlovsk to Klutchy by bus. Then by truck from Klutchy to the volcanological and seismological station Apakhonchich. Ascent of Klutchevskoy from Apakhonchich through the pass between Klutchevskoy and Kamen volcanoes. Return to Petropavlovsk.

Version 3 (11 days)
The group is brought to Klutchevskoy by truck.
From Petropavlovsk to Klutchy by bus. Then by truck from Klutchy to the seismological station Podkova. Ascent of Klutchevskoy volcano from Podkova seismological station. Return to Petropavlovsk.

Version 4 (13 days)
On foot from Kozyrevsk village through Bezymyanny volcano.
From Petropavlovsk to Kozyrevsk village by bus. Truck eastwards to Kopyto mountain. Trekking to Studyonaya river, then to Bezymyanny volcano, to Plotina seismological station, then along the eastern slopes of Kamen volcano to Apakhonchich seismological station. Ascent of Klutchevskoy from Apakhonchich through the pass between Klutchevskoy and Kamen volcanoes. Back to Klutchy. Return to Petropavlovsk.

Version 5 (12 days)
On foot from Kozyrevsk village through Bogdanovicha glecier.
From Petropavlovsk to Kozyrevsk village by bus. Truck eastwards to Kopyto mountain. Then trekking to Bogdanovicha glacier under western slopes of Kamen volcano. Through Bogdanovicha glacier to the plateau between Krestovsky, Ushkovsky and Klutchevskoy volcanoes. Ascent of Ushkovsky volcano. Ascent of Klutchevskoy volcano from Perevalny crater. Then trekking north-east through Sredny glacier to Derzhavina lake. Back to Klutchy town. Return to Petropavlovsk.

Version 6 (14 days)
On foot from Klutchy town.
From Petropavlovsk to Kluchy town by bus. From Klutchy village trekking south-west through Dezhavina lake and Sredny glacier to the plateau between Krestovsky, Ushkovsky and Klutchevskoy volcanoes. Ascent of Klutchevskoy volcano from Perevalny crater. Back to Klutchy town the same way. Return to Petropavlovsk.

Prices for these tours are not definite, as all of them are rather single expeditions than regular tours. Each time the rout, number of persons in the group, equipment and other things have to be discussed separately.
The tour is available:
- on foot: later July through to August;
- if a truck is used: August;
- if a helicopter is used: May through to September.
What we can do for you in order to organize and hold a tour to Klutchevskaya volcanoes group:
- provide all necessary transportations for the tour, such as a truck or a helicopter;
- provide required number of guides for the ascent. Additional personal, which some groups may need such as bearers, cooks, translators;
- hotel reservations for staying in Petropavlovsk, Paratunka and other locations depending on the ptogram;
- processing of permits required for foreigners in certain areas;
- provide devices for Group-Petropavlovsk and Inside-Group communication;
- provide all necessary equipment and food.
Personal required:
- during the active part of the tour: two guides minimum;
- in town: a guide;
Accommodation (possible ways):
- in Petropavlovsk: hotel or apartment;
- in Paratunka: hotel or tents;
- in Klutchy: hotel, house or tents;
- in Esso: hotel or tents;
- in Kozyrevsk: hotel or tents;
Weather: air temperature: daytime - +5 to +25°C, nighttime -5 to +5°C. During ascent the temperature may drop down to -10°C. Strong wind, rain and snow are possible as well.
Items recommended to have: a backpack, sleeping bag, sleeping mat, runners, , boots (or rubber boots with firm soles) , windproof clothes , training suit, sweater, pants, coat with a hood, raincoat , spare socks, hat or cap, gloves, swimming items, personal hygienic items and first aid kit, matches or lighter, flashlight, sunglasses.
Additional items: crampons, helmet, ice-axe, main rope, a couple of ice hooks and spring hooks, a primus stove.