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.
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