In the picturesque place of the Soloneshensky district of the Altai Territory there is a reserve, which has long had the official status of a natural monument. It is very popular among Russians and not only as a convenient and interesting place for lovers of eco-tourism. The main attraction of this region is the Shinok waterfall. It would be more correct to call it a cascade of waterfalls located in the vicinity of the village of Tog-Altai, which is 25 km south of the village of Topolnoe.
This territory has a state reserve with an area of more than 10,000 hectares, including almost 7,000 hectares of forests. It is located on a small hill, which is formed in this place by the Baschelak Range. Altitude ranges from 800m at its lowest to 2300m at its highest.
Soloneshensky district - geographical and climatic features
In addition to the forest, in the reserve of the Soloneshensky district there isa watershed plateau formed by the local mountain streams Chapsha, Bashchelak and Shchepeta. This territory received its status back in 1999, the main goal of the state is the protection of local nature. This includes the protection of animals that live here naturally, and plants of all natural ecosystems in this area (forest, swamp, water).
The climate in the Soloneshensky district of the Altai Territory belongs to the mountain type, but even for it, the humidity here is quite high and it is cool most of the time. The average temperature in a year does not exceed two degrees Celsius. Most often, frost reigns. In order to get to the waterfall at a time when they are not there, you will have to bow to nature and come only during the two months of the frost-free period allotted by it.
When is the best time to go to the Altai Mountains?
Despite the short period when there is no frost, there is enough active vegetation in the reserve, which is in the process of vegetation for about 3 months. If you want to look at the beauty of nature and especially the Shinok waterfall in the Altai Territory, you need to choose the time from about the end of April-beginning of May to the end of September. Already in the first days of October, the entire territory is covered with snow up to 50 cm thick, and it does not disappear until next spring.
It is possible to get under the snow in the area of the Shinok waterfall in summer. In these parts, summer snow has long been accustomed to, as well as powerful thunderstorms - they are also not uncommon.
The Shinok River, on which the waterfalls are located, -it is a tributary of another, larger river, called the Anui. Its origins are located here in the Soloneshensky region, however, on its very edge - where the border with the Ust-Kansky region of the Altai Republic passes on a swampy plateau. Translated from the local dialect, the word "shinok" means "impregnable", which is not at all surprising. With such a formidable cascade of waterfalls on the Shinok River, it is almost impossible to swim along it. It is also unlikely that you will be able to walk along the shore in dangerous places, because only a professional rock climber with special equipment can climb the steep cliffs surrounding the gorge where the Shinok flows.
Shinok Waterfall - description
Natural cascade on the Shinok River without warning and any hint starts from the biggest rapid. The first and most important place in it is occupied by a steep and high waterfall Sedoy, the water in which flies a distance of 70 m before reaching the ground. It is followed by a series of waterfalls. They call it the Steps. They, as it were, let down and prepare for the next steep descent - the Rassypnaya waterfall. The water here falls from a height of 25 m. This ceremonial procession of the water element is closed by the Gorka or Skaty waterfall. The water here falls at a slight angle of only 30 degrees, so it would not be entirely correct to call this phenomenon a waterfall (a waterfall is everything that is more than 45 degrees). However, the Hill consists of two slopes, which in total give a height difference of about 19 meters, which in essence is very close to a real waterfall. This whole complex as a whole is called Shinok Falls.
Ecotourism in the Altai Territory
In fact, this is not all the delights of the wild nature of this region. The most desperate and courageous tourists who go hiking in the Altai Mountains go upstream behind the very first and largest Sedoy waterfall. There is a gorge in which there are six more small waterfalls no more than 6 meters high. The landscapes here are simply amazing, but, we repeat, it is extremely difficult to get there. Only the very best go for it - those who come for extreme sports, people who are not looking for easy ways.
Now the whole area around is mapped and divided into routes with the designation of all trails, waterfalls, etc. Previously, tourists went on a tour of the Altai Mountains at their own peril and risk, exchanging useful information among themselves on overcoming the most difficult sections. Since those times, folk names have been fixed behind the bubbling rocky rapids. So, the Grey-haired waterfall received a number of exotic names: Giraffe, Beard, Silver. The Scattered waterfall that followed it became known as Yogi or Double Jump. The steps or waterfall after the first two waterfalls were affectionately named the Affectionate Mirage and Springboard. Such a number of names contributed to the spread of some confusion in tourist guides, as different compilers included different names in their cartographic notes.
Tourism in the area of the Shinok waterfall has been developed since time immemorial. In its modern form, it looks like a tourist camp with tents and car parks, from where hiking and climbing routes are organized. Above the mouth of the riverShinok created a similar camp, it is called "Wheel Ford". Even closer to the mouth there is a real campsite - "On Anui". The place is very convenient and popular with tourists for the reason that it is close to another natural monument - Denisova Cave.
Denisova Cave
It is located 50 km from the village of Soloneshnoye, upstream of the Anui River. It is 15 km from the Karama site. The nearest village is 6 km away and is called Black Anuy. Why is Denisova Cave famous? Neither more nor less, but scientists managed to identify a new subspecies of people who were called Denisovans. The first signs of life, according to the objects found during the excavations, date back to the 4th-3rd millennia BC, and this despite the fact that the area has been studied very little. So far, the appearance of the first pastoral tribes, who already practiced the mining of copper and gold, is attributed to this period.
Some more interesting facts from the history of the region
The objects found in the Soloneshensky region allowed scientists to conclude that the human foot walked on this earth about 800 thousand years ago. This was told by the Karama parking lot. It was found by archaeologists at the mouth of the river of the same name (the left tributary of the Anui). Most tours to the Altai Mountains necessarily include a visit to the parking lot, waterfalls, and Denisova Cave.
Hunting, fishing, or who can be seen in these places
It is forbidden to hunt wild animals in the reserve - for some this is a real punishment, because the animal world is quite rich here. Of the large artiodactyls, you canmeet roe deer, elk and wild deer. From predators: lynx, fox. There are also furs - Altai sable, squirrel, hare, mink, otter. However, all these species of the animal world are under state protection, as is the fish that is found in abundance in the Shinok River: grayling, burbot and taimen.
Shinok Waterfalls - how to get there?
The largest city in the region, through which you will definitely have to pass, is Biysk. Here you can rest before the last push for a distance of 220 km. Leaving Biysk, you need to follow the route to Smolenskoye, then to Soloneshnoye, and then to Topolnoye. And finally, the last point of the route is the cascade of Shinok waterfalls. But you can only get to it on foot, because. the car will not pass.
Of course, it's easier if the car has a navigator in which the coordinates of the Shinok waterfalls are set. In this case, a pleasant female voice will tell you how to get to them. GPS coordinates: 51.355717, 84.55581.
Today, these places not only welcome tourists with open arms, but also hold various trainings and competitions for them. Recently, ice climbing has become popular among extreme sportsmen. Every year in winter, when the waterfalls freeze, lovers of this dangerous sport gather here and arrange a real holiday for themselves.
