Route

The route is as follows.

  • From start in Biysk, following the Chuysky trakt, to Kosh-Agach.
  • From Kosh-Agach back to the north, through Ust-Sema to the bridge that crosses the Katun river near the Biruzovaya Katun resort.
  • Over the bridge, then to the Aya village.
  • From Aya village to Altayskoye village.
  • From Altayskoye through Nizhnekamenka, Rossoshi, and Starobelokurikha to the Belokurikha-2 resort.
  • From Belokurikha-2 to finish in Biysk.

The route is 1200 km long, the total ascent is approximately 10 km.

There may be minor changes to the route. Should they happen, we will announce that.

We have prepared the interactive track of the route that can be downloaded in various formats for use with electronic navigation devices.

Roads and terrain

All roads on the route are asphalted, and the average quality of surface is good. Roadworks are possible; usually one lane is closed for repairs and the traffic goes through the other one. We will notify riders about coming roadworks.

The valley of Katun from Gorno-Altaysk (Горно-Алтайск—for your convenience, we provide Cyrillic names that you may see on the road signs) to Ust-Sema (Усть-Сема) is a popular resort. There are many villages and camping grounds there, and hence the traffic may be significant.

On the figure below you can see a schematic altitude profile of the route. Riders will have to climb over three mountain passes (two of them—twice, once on the way to the south and once on the way back), ascent onto the plateau of the Chuya steppe, and climb the serpentine to the Belokurikha-2 resort.

Numbers refer to: 1. Seminsky pass. 2. Chike-Taman pass. 3. Kosh-Agach. 4. Chike-Taman pass. 5. Seminsky pass. 6. Biruksinsky pass. 7. Belokurikha-2.

The Seminsky pass is 1717 m above the sea level. The northern ascent is 9 km long, and the southern one is 11 km long, both without a serpentine. The ascent is approximately 500 m on both slopes, with the average gradient about 7%, and local gradients up to 10% on the northern slope and up to 12% on the southern one. The pass is close to the tree line. Air temperature may differ a lot between daytime and nighttime.

The Chike-Taman pass is 1295 m above the sea level. Both slopes are serpentines about 4 km long with average gradient of 10%.

The Chuya steppe is a mountain valley in the upper part of the Chuya river. The altitude near Kosh-Agach is around 1800 m above the sea level. The major part of the climb goes along the river and looks like a series of short climbs and descents, by which the road gradually goes higher and higher. Some local gradients are 12% and steeper. The Chuya steppe is slightly undulating plain; the climate there is rough.

The Biruksinsky pass is 600 m above the sea level. The climb is around 300 m high and 20 km long, starting in the Aya village. The pass has a "false" saddle and a short and steep (12%) piece just below the highest point.

The serpentine between Belokurikha village and Belokurikha-2 resort is 7 km long, with the total ascent of about 400 m. The highest point is approximately 700 m above the sea level.

Controls

There will be 11 controls, not including start and finish. Hot meals and drinks will be available at all controls except "Katun" (see details below). Most controls will be tent camps with places for sleep. Bag drops will be at "Yaloman" (350 and 751 km).

km Control Opens Closes  
0 Biysk

Detsky ekologo-turistichesky tsentr, ulitsa Tekhuchilishche, 14, posyolok Borovoy

Start on July 5, 2021, 9 a.m.  
135 Katun

The control is located between distance marks 479 and 480, to the west from Chuysky trakt (on the right hand side on the way to Kosh-Agach, and on the left hand side on the way to the finish), between the road and the Katun river, inside the tourist's camp "Splav Nikanorovicha" (Сплав Никаноровича). Near the road there will be a banner saying "Сплав Никаноровича", and just next to it, tents are set. To enter the control, turn to the dirt road and follow it for about 50 meters.

On Control 1, at the beginning of the event, no long stay is supposed here, and only snacks will be available. On Control 9, on the way to the finish, hot meals will be served, and there will be 10-15 places to sleep in small tents (2-3 people in each tent).

July 5, 2021, 1:30 p.m.July 5, 2021, 7:07 p.m.  
239 Seminsky

The control is located between distance marks 582 and 583, at the Uchebno-trenirovochny kompleks "Seminsky pereval" (учебно-тренировочный комплекс «Семинский перевал»).

On the top of the Seminsky pass, right in front of the obelisk, an asphalted secondary road goes to the control. The banner of Novosibirsk-marafon cycling club will be set near the turn. 800 meters down the road are the gates of the place, and right after them the tent of the control will be set. Sleeping place wil be in the hut, and dining place will be in the canteen, featuring hot meals.

July 5, 2021, 4:58 p.m.July 6, 2021, 2:55 a.m.  
350 Yaloman

The control is located between distance marks 692 and 693 on the Bolshoi Yaloman river (Большой Яломан), near the place where it joins the Katun river, on the camping site named Yalomanka (Яломанка). On the way to Kosh-Agach, turn right immediately after crossing B. Yaloman via the bridge; on the way to the finish, turn left just before entering the bridge.

The control will have 50 beds in huts (3-4 places in each hut) and ten tents (3 places in each one). The dining place will be in a house at night time, and in gazebos at day time.

It will be possible to charge electronic devices at this control. There will be power sockets and USB charging ports in the canteen, also there will be power sockets in the huts. There is mobile phone coverage for MTS and Megafon carriers; the connection is good at the road and in some points in the camp site.

The camping site provides paid showers and banya (Russian sauna). Site owners are going to sell Coca-Cola and snacks. There is also a place to bathe in the river; the water in July may be as warm as 12-16 degrees.

July 5, 2021, 8:40 p.m.July 6, 2021, 11:15 a.m. Bag drop
456 Rodnik

The control is located between distance marks 798 and 799, to the east from the road (on the left hand side when going to Kosh-Agach, and on the right hand side on the way to the finish) approximately 120 meters to the south of the spring near the road.

There will be 50 beds in tents (3-4 place in each one), the dining place in a large tent, the closet in the nearby camping.

The control will have limited capability for charging electronic devices: 6 power sockets and 5 charging USB ports. There will be mobile phone coverage for Beeline (weak) and MTS (very weak).

At this control will be volunteers speaking English, German, and a little Italian. Also there will be a bicycle mechanic with a basic set of tools and some spare parts.

July 6, 2021, 12:12 a.m.July 6, 2021, 7:12 p.m.  
550 Kosh-Agach

The control is located after the distance mark 892, in the centre of Kosh-Agach, inside the youth school of boxing.

There will be 25-30 places for sleeping inside the building. Bathrooms and closets will be outside.

The control will have limited capability for charging electronic devices: several power sockets and USB charging ports.

July 6, 2021, 3:20 a.m.July 7, 2021, 2:15 a.m.  
645 Rodnik

The control is located between distance marks 798 and 799, to the east from the road (on the left hand side when going to Kosh-Agach, and on the right hand side on the way to the finish) approximately 120 meters to the south of the spring near the road.

There will be 50 beds in tents (3-4 place in each one), the dining place in a large tent, the closet in the nearby camping.

The control will have limited capability for charging electronic devices: 6 power sockets and 5 charging USB ports. There will be mobile phone coverage for Beeline (weak) and MTS (very weak).

At this control will be volunteers speaking English, German, and a little Italian. Also there will be a bicycle mechanic with a basic set of tools and some spare parts.

July 6, 2021, 6:30 a.m.July 7, 2021, 9:23 a.m.  
751 Yaloman

The control is located between distance marks 692 and 693 on the Bolshoi Yaloman river (Большой Яломан), near the place where it joins the Katun river, on the camping site named Yalomanka (Яломанка). On the way to Kosh-Agach, turn right immediately after crossing B. Yaloman via the bridge; on the way to the finish, turn left just before entering the bridge.

The control will have 50 beds in huts (3-4 places in each hut) and ten tents (3 places in each one). The dining place will be in a house at night time, and in gazebos at day time.

It will be possible to charge electronic devices at this control. There will be power sockets and USB charging ports in the canteen, also there will be power sockets in the huts. There is mobile phone coverage for MTS and Megafon carriers; the connection is good at the road and in some points in the camp site.

The camping site provides paid showers and banya (Russian sauna). Site owners are going to sell Coca-Cola and snacks. There is also a place to bathe in the river; the water in July may be as warm as 12-16 degrees.

July 6, 2021, 10:02 a.m.July 7, 2021, 5:20 p.m. Bag drop
862 Seminsky

The control is located between distance marks 582 and 583, at the Uchebno-trenirovochny kompleks "Seminsky pereval" (учебно-тренировочный комплекс «Семинский перевал»).

On the top of the Seminsky pass, right in front of the obelisk, an asphalted secondary road goes to the control. The banner of Novosibirsk-marafon cycling club will be set near the turn. 800 meters down the road are the gates of the place, and right after them the tent of the control will be set. Sleeping place wil be in the hut, and dining place will be in the canteen, featuring hot meals.

July 6, 2021, 1:44 p.m.July 8, 2021, 1:39 a.m.  
966 Katun

The control is located between distance marks 479 and 480, to the west from Chuysky trakt (on the right hand side on the way to Kosh-Agach, and on the left hand side on the way to the finish), between the road and the Katun river, inside the tourist's camp "Splav Nikanorovicha" (Сплав Никаноровича). Near the road there will be a banner saying "Сплав Никаноровича", and just next to it, tents are set. To enter the control, turn to the dirt road and follow it for about 50 meters.

On Control 1, at the beginning of the event, no long stay is supposed here, and only snacks will be available. On Control 9, on the way to the finish, hot meals will be served, and there will be 10-15 places to sleep in small tents (2-3 people in each tent).

July 6, 2021, 5:12 p.m.July 8, 2021, 9:28 a.m.  
1040 Altayskoye

The control will be located on the stadium, on the bypass road of the Altayskoye village.

There will be 10 places for sleeping in the building and 4 places in a tent. The dining place will be in a tent. Shower and closet will be indoors.

The control will have power sockets for charging the electronic devices.

There will be a volunteer who speaks a little English and German. Also it will be possible to do simple repairs.

July 6, 2021, 7:40 p.m.July 8, 2021, 3:01 p.m.  
1108 Belokurikha

The control is located at the top of the road to Belokurikha-2 resort area.

There will be 10-12 places for sleeping in two tents. The dining place is in another tent.

Probably it will be possible to charge electronic devices (limited capability).

Volunteers will speak basic English and German.

July 6, 2021, 9:56 p.m.July 8, 2021, 8:07 p.m.  
1203 Biysk

Detsky ekologo-turistichesky tsentr, ulitsa Tekhuchilishche, 14, posyolok Borovoy

July 7, 2021, 1:06 a.m.July 9, 2021, 3:14 a.m.  

On the back: The valley of Chuya River

The valley of Chuya River. Photo by Alexey Zyryanov