Multinskiye lakes

Far, far away, behind the expanse of the plains, behind the forested slopes and the rocky inaccessible mountains locates the emerald valley. There flow milk rivers and blossom unseen flowers, blow sweet winds and rest curly clouds. It is guarded by blue peak-giants with ice hats. Those who come here will find the beauty and harmony of the spirit. And the one who will continue the path to hidden lakes which lie around, hidden in the stone folds of the mountains - finds health and strength.

It could be the start of a tale told in the evening around the campfire. But in fact it is not at all embellished description of the real Uimon valley, situated at the foot of the Katun Ridge in Altai. Powerfully and easy flow between mountains mistress of waters, the river Katun, stormy rivers run to it, enveloped in white as milk foam. In Uimon found their Belovode hundreds of Old Believers who escaped from the central regions of Russia. During the Altai expedition stayed here and wrote dozens of etudes Nicholai Roerich. No wonder Uimon name is translated from ancient languages as a "place of the hidden wisdom."

But our path lies further outside the valley, up the river with a wonderful name Multa - "bird- cherry tree". To the cascade of mountain lakes.

Sacred Mirrors of Multa

The whole world knows the beauty of Multinskoye trio of lakes: Lower, Middle and Upper stretching each other in the river valley. Lower Multinskoye is huge and majestic. The bright greenish water reflects the larches, fir and cedar growing around, and far ahead there are peaks covered by snow and ice. In clear weather it is quietly and solemnly, only small waves rustle quiet, running against the placer of wild boulders.

On the shore the path goes to the Middle Multinskoye lake lying just above. Two brother-lakes are separated by an isthmus, properly washed with water; this place is called Noise, and a better name might not pick up. The set of streams, waving between the stones, escapes from the top down on the wide flat bridge, constantly ringing and rustling. From the slopes down the screes, and on the west bank looks in the lake mirror mountain Sleeping Beauty, whose outlines resemble the female silhouette. Small snowfields give rise to numerous streams with very pure and tasty water. And if you climb to the top of the mountain, closing the lake to the right, you can see the panoramic breathtaking view! When the sky is clear you can even see from here the peaks of Belukha, floating over the frozen sea of stone and ice.

Upper Multinskoe lake lies in a giant mountain bowl, surrounded by subalpine and alpine meadows and dark green of rare cedar. From all sides with stone rivers flow down the scree-kurumniki, on the surrounding peaks show white glaciers and eternal snow, the rivers jump on the rock ledges and go into the lake by multimeter waterfalls. There are few people and a lot of rest. And for those who seek even more privacy, you can spend half a day to reach the Poperechnoye lake: its not often visited by tourists, and the silence of surrounding mountains is broken only by ringing of small waterfalls. Tongues of snowfields almost touch the turquoise water, thickets of dwarf birch mix with squated cedars, the rainbow of alpine flowers is scattered on the slopes.

Mountain Lakes are compared with pearls not without reason: everything seems to be similar, and at the same time, each is unique and inimitable. In beauty, the emotional perception, the energy. Multinskiye lakes lie in a completely unpopulated reserved region, with a clean

environment, with a complete lack of material and astral fuss, so clogging modern urban life. The proximity of the sacred Belukha - Uch-Sumer imbues these places by force, directeded at restoring physical health and development of spiritual abilities.

Multinskiye lakes are quite remote region of Altai, its southern frontier. Drive from Barnaul takes the whole day, because it is necessary to overcome the six hundred kilometers of trails of varying quality. But the determination of travelers will pay off in more ways: by beauty of forest Yaboganskiy pass, by Martian landscapes of Kan steppe, so attracted to Helena Roerich, by unimaginable panorama from Big Gromotukha over the blue river Coxa. And at the end of the road it will be a wonderful Place of Power in the heart of the Altai Mountains.