Kuldura-Oyuk Valley and Kucherla Lake, Altay

Kucherla Lake, the gem of Katun' Range of Altay, is rarely if ever photographed from this vantage point above its East shore. We cut a steep upward traverse from the lake to get into the hanging valley of Riga-Turist Pass. Recrystallized snow and brush slowed us quite a bit, and we faced a choice of camping short of the pass, or trying to race sundown on descent. The answer was, to have a nice hot lunch in the sunshine near the timberline over Kucherla, then, if need be, hunker down for a cold night without fire if we can't make it all the way across. So a dry cedar has just been cut, and the fire is starting. Time for a slopeside timberline lunch. Day 9 of our March 1988 ski backpack across Altay