Hut-Based Backcountry Camp In Ketmen Ridge
About this tour
Challenging and authentic backcountry adventure in the heart of wild and impressive Ketmen ridge with accommodation in the wooden hut. The caravan of horses will be carrying your stuff to the hut while you’ll be skinning up to the wild, picturesque and peaceful mountains. Exciting ski runs every day in new locations and no other human souls for many kilometers around. Fantastic starry sky will add a special dreamlike atmosphere, and hot Russian bathhouse will help to relax and recover after backcountry.
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1: Almaty, Kazakhstan to Ketpen, Kazakhstan
Meeting the guide in your hotel at 5 a.m. Departure to Ketpen settlement by comfortable vehicle. The way will take about 4 hours (336 km). Arrival to the small farm near the village for packing horses, which carry all heavy stuff to the mountain hut. Breakfast in the local family’s house. Transfer by old soviet truck to the start point of backcountry route (12 km). Skinning up to the hut through the pass (2650 m) with stunning panorama to the closest ridges. Distance – 7 km, elevation gain 630 meters, elevation loss – 450 meters. After getting to the hut lunch and rest. Dinner and overnight in the hut.
Day 2: Ketmen', Kazakhstan
Breakfast at 7.30 a.m. Preparing for the route. At 9 a.m. start skinning up to the nearest spots with lines of different complexity according to the group’s experience. Daily elevation gain: ~1000-1500 meters. Length of descents: ~400-2000 meters. Slopes steepness: ~15-35 degrees. After skiing day coming back to the hut in the afternoon, late lunch. Rest, free time. Dinner. Overnight in the hut.
Day 3: Ketmen', Kazakhstan
Breakfast at 7.30 a.m. Preparing for the route. At 9 a.m. start skinning up to the nearest spots with lines of different complexity according to the group’s experience. Daily elevation gain: ~1000-1500 meters. Length of descents: ~400-2000 meters. Slopes steepness: ~15-35 degrees. After skiing day coming back to the hut in the afternoon, late lunch. Rest, free time. Evening bath-house. Dinner. Overnight in the hut.
Day 4: Ketmen', Kazakhstan
Breakfast at 7.30 a.m. Preparing for the route. At 9 a.m. start skinning up to the nearest spots with lines of different complexity according to the group’s experience. Daily elevation gain: ~1000-1500 meters. Length of descents: ~400-2000 meters. Slopes steepness: ~15-35 degrees. After skiing day coming back to the hut in the afternoon, late lunch. Rest, free time. Dinner. Overnight in the hut.
Day 5: Ketpen, Kazakhstan to Almaty, Kazakhstan
Breakfast at 7 a.m. Packing personal stuff and loading the horses. Coming back to Ketpen settlement. Distance overcome on skis/snowboards – 7 km. Elevation gain 450 meters. Elevation loss – 630 meters. The rest 12 km to Ketpen village will be overcome by truck. After coming back to the village lunch and short rest in the local family's house. Transfer to the resort with mineral hot-springs. (40 km) Relaxing in the open-air and indoor swimming pools with hot mineral water. Transfer back to Almaty (296 km). Dinner on the way in Baiseit Uigur settlement. Arrival in Almaty approx. at 10.00 p.m.
What's included
1. Accommodation in backcountry hut for 4 nights. 2. Transfer Almaty - Ketpen - Almaty by comfortable vehicle. 3. Transfer Ketpen - backcountry hut - Ketpen by truck. 4. Cargo horses rental. 5. English-speaking skiing guide services. 6. Drinking water. 7. Ecological and environmental fees. 8. Meals according to the program. 9. Bath-house on Day 3. 10. Entrance to the hot-springs resort.
1. Accommodation in Almaty before or after the tour. 2. Rental of ski and avalanche equipment (available upon request). 3. Meals not indicated in the program and/or not included into the tour price. 4. Visa support and registration on the territory of Kazakhstan, if required. 5. Personal expenses and other expenses not indicated in the program. 6. Insurance policy.
What to know
Required equipment and clothing. Safety: - Avalanche equipment (air bag system and avalanche safety kit: shovel, probe, transceiver) - Freeride backpack with ski/snowboard fixation - Helmet - Goggles with a spare lens for bright sunlight and cloudy weather Personal clothing and accessories - Comfortable functional clothing for riding downhill and skinning up the hill (base layer - thermal underwear, gore-tex jacket and pants, additional layers of clothing for insulation, downy sweater or vest) - Extra set of warm clothing, extra pair of shoes (sneakers or lightweight trekking shoes) - Sleeping bag with temperature rate 0C - +5C degrees in comfort zone - Two pairs of gloves or mittens - Warm hat, light cap, neck gaiter - Sunscreen - Sunglasses - Swimsuit, towel and flip-flops for visiting hot-springs - Personal AID kit - Thermos for the hot tea, - Water tank - Head torch - Personal hygiene stuff Equipment - Ski/snowboard boots (for skiers with system of switching to walking mode) - Proper freeride skis/snowboard with touring bindings - Snowshoes (for snowboarders without splitboard) - Climbing skins - Poles - Ski/splitboard crampons Food - Snacks (energy and protein bars, muesli, dry fruits and nuts, special mount nutrition)
Route & locations
Almaty, Kazakhstan to Ketpen, Kazakhstan