Aksu Zhabagly: Day 3

Our final day at the Mountain House was a hang out day with no real plans. We had our usual hearty breakfast and enjoyed the warming morning sun. 

Sadie and Elvira became good friends over our visit...Elvira would squeal with delight when she saw Sadie. 

The view from the dining room. Asem made salted fresh cheese balls and set them out to dry and store for later. 

Ruslan owns a large swath of land around his Mountain House. He drove us to the edge of his property so we could hike and explore on our own. 

He has lots of "old" knowledge; here he's showing us a plant that lowers blood pressure when made into a tea. 

After Ruslan left us, we decided on a ridge up a saddle and began bushwhacking.  Before leaving the valley, we came across another patch of delicate Kaufman tulips. 

As we left tree line hiking up the mountain, I was amazed to see succulents growing from the rocky hills. 

High on the the hills there were even tiny tulip buds waiting to burst, only a few inches high. 

On the edges of the ridge I found wild iris. 

Looking up from our first ridge. 

Looking down from the second ridge to the valley. You can see the guys at the lip of the first ridge, and the Zhabagly River flood plain on the valley floor. 

Still more Kaufman tulips waiting to bloom, high above tree line and nearly to the snow line. 

After coming down the other side of the ridge, we followed this broad field back down to the Mountain House. It was dotted with wild onion, about to break open into purple pompoms. 

While the guys headed down for lunch, I stayed a bit to soak up the environment. The clouds where changing quickly, adjusting the shadows and lighting on the mountain's shoulders. 

Back at the Mountain House, there was still a show in the sky. I walked into the dining room just in time to have a steaming plate of potato dumplings served to me. 

A sophisticated crew at the park gates. 

We gave hugs and kisses to the family as we loaded the cars to go back to the train station. As we passed through the villages on the way, the shepherds were just brining the animals home for the night. Families were out, gates open, directing their animals from the huge herds taking over the roads. 

The station was full of activity as trains were passing through....ladies with fresh milk and kumis (fermented mare's milk) for sale strolled the platform. 

A swarm of vendors awaiting de-boarding passengers.

Large, fragrant strawberries at the ready. 

The guy in the next cabin down really wanted me to take his picture. 

As the train pulled out, we watched the village disappear.

The evening light was beautiful as we passed through the countryside...

...with the mountains we had just explored as a backdrop. 

Final light before sunset. 

First light over the outskirts of Almaty and the Tien Shan mountains that tower over the city as we pulled in. 

Aksu Zhabagly: Day 2

On our second day we woke to bright sun and clear views. We ate a hearty breakfast of yogurt and mixed berry jam, packed up and headed towards Aksu Canyon. 

After breakfast, pre-hike frisbee toss with a fantastic view. 

There was a steep, rocky and rutted road that lead to the high plateau above the valley...

...but once it leveled out it was stunning. Green upon green ending in a range of snow covered peaks. 

A small cemetery in the middle of the fields. 

We passed one village on our way. We were told they have electricity and water, but no gas. Here on the edge of the village some crows loiter on an old building foundation. 

We saw lots of baby horses, baby cows, baby goats and lambs, and even the fuzziest baby donkey you've ever seen. 

A stream ran near the village. Large plowed fields in the distance will be planted with wheat or safflower. 

It seemed like the fields would go on forever, until we took a left turn and found ourselves at the rim of the canyon. 

The rangers at this station have a pretty good set up...a yard full of blooming apple trees. 

At the rim of the canyon with the clear blue Aksu River flowing below. 

Wildflowers everywhere...

We hiked about half way down the canyon to a view point. This is a Swallowtail, an endangered butterfly. A few minutes after this photo, our guide nearly flung himself off the cliff trying to cup this lady in his hands. 

Fox tail lilies, glacial water and snowy mountains. Truly heavenly. 

Looking up the canyon. 

Ranger's horses graze during lunch time. 

Lunch at the ranger station. 

We had our own picnic near the station. 

Looking out from the ranger station over the plateau. 

We loaded back into the van to drive a bit further along the canyon rim. Before we had even gone a kilometer we stopped to photograph a patch of wildflowers. 

The driver told us that a bit further down there were even more flowers. Sure enough, we came upon a huge patch of gleaming red tulips. 

Photo proof of Nic frolicking. 

Another view looking down the canyon. 

Looking up canyon at the huge sculpted rock formations. 

Before arriving at our last stop, a few of us jumped out to walk the final stretch along the rim. Our guide showed us how to find blewit mushrooms growing in dark patches in the grass. 

Mushroom hunters. 

We found a bunch! At dinner, we gave them to Asem to cook. She fried them in butter and brought them to us as a post-dinner snack.

On the way back to the Mountain House we stopped in Zhabagly for a few minutes. School had just been released for the day, and lots of people were out enjoying the afternoon. 

These little guys posed for me. 

We ended the day back at the Mountain House soaking up the last rays of sun. Ruslan's father was around a lot, and it was so sweet to watch him care for his granddaughter Elvira while Ruslan and Asem scurried around.