Ice skating trip. Baikal: ice skating trip
Meeting time and place
At 7:30 am (local time*) on the first day of the program at the Rolling Stones Hostel (Sukhbaatar St., 17) in Irkutsk.
You can get to the hostel from the airport and railway station by public transport or taxi. Organizational information with details will be sent to all participants in advance.
*In Irkutsk the time zone is +5 hours to Moscow
Age restrictions
The hike is suitable for active teenagers over 14 years old with travel experience (accompanied by adult relatives). The upper age limit is discussed individually.
Temperature
You need to be prepared for negative temperatures: -5-15 during the day, -20-25 at night.
It is extremely important to pay special attention to the selection of warm clothes and waterproof shoes for a comfortable stay in the cold.
The big advantage of this hike is that we won’t have to carry a backpack all the time - on the ice we will use drag sleighs, which will make our life much easier.
Participants will have to walk from 12 to 22 kilometers per day.
Moving on ice is safe and comfortable if you have ice access/drifts (special rubberized pads for shoes, sold in medical equipment stores, orthopedic goods stores, on aliexpress).
We will spend the night in warm tents with a stove, so we will not be afraid of the Siberian frosts.
Accommodations
1) 2 nights at a camp site (2-3 bed rooms)
2) In tents (the organizer provides a tent with a stove or regular tents with a skirt). There are 12 places in a tent with a stove; for groups with fewer participants we provide tents with 3-4 places.
How much extra money should I take with me?
Approximately 3000 rubles for additional food.
The cost of renting a drag sleigh is about 600 rubles.
10,000 rubles will be enough for you.
There is a Sberbank ATM in the village of Khuzhir, but it does not always work and does not always dispense cash. Payment by card is available in some cafes and shops, but not in all. If there is no card payment, then they usually allow you to make a transfer through Sberbank online.
You shouldn’t fully count on the possibility of paying by bank account.
Nutrition
1) 3 times
Breakfast - portioned oatmeal with dried fruits and condensed milk/jam, chocolate, cheese sandwich, tea.
Lunch - freeze-dried soup, chocolate bar, sandwich with processed cheese, sausage/lard.
Dinner - cereal/mashed potatoes with stewed meat, canned vegetables, bread, mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, sweets for tea.
2) 6 times in a cafe/canteen/restaurant in Khuzhir (200-400 rubles at a time).
Local cuisine is very hearty and tasty.
cellular
There is cellular communication in the village of Khuzhir. Not always in other places. Operators Tele2 and MTS work best.
Tickets
Plane tickets to Irkutsk must be purchased upon arrival 1 day before the start of the hike (to avoid delays due to a missed flight or lost luggage). Train tickets can be purchased upon arrival before 7 am by local time.
You can leave/fly back after 21:00 locally on the last day.
If the participant is late for the meeting by more than 1 hour, the wait for the transfer is 700 rubles per hour, but not more than 3 hours. In case of delay by more than 3 hours, the participant independently gets to the group (we will provide maximum assistance in this, but, unfortunately, at the expense of the participant).
We advise you to stay in Irkutsk for a day after the hike and leave later - wander around the city, go to the shore of Lake Baikal in the village of Listvyanka (here you can ride a husky, visit the most interesting limnological museum (dedicated to the study of Lake Baikal), a nerpinarium, take a short walk to the Chersky stone , from where a beautiful panorama of the lake opens, look into the unique ethnographic museum of Taltsy, etc. We will be happy to tell you how and where to get there.
If you are suddenly planning to go to Baikal and you don’t have time to read the entire report, scroll to the end of this article - there is a brief summary of useful information.
It's no secret that in winter you can find truly phenomenal ice on Lake Baikal: smooth, like a mirror, black, decorated with marble cracks. This amazing ice stands strong in February and sparkles in the sun until April. They say that when you drive on the perfect ice of Lake Baikal, you experience completely cosmic feelings...
- Do you want to go to Baikal? - Ksyusha, a seasoned tourist, organizer of hikes and participant in multi-races, once asked Arthur and me. - In a small group, at the very end of February-beginning of March?
This idea quickly took hold of the mind, and, fortunately, all the difficulties with the holidays were successfully resolved. The team was made up of water tourists who, however, were not experienced in winter tourism. Only Ksyusha and Katya went skiing together in the Arkhangelsk region last year; for the rest - me, Arthur, Igor and Olya - Baikal-17 was supposed to be the first winter trip. Everyone’s skating experience was also different: Olya was involved in figure skating, Arthur and I had a lot of roller skating, but, for example, Ksyusha tried ice skating for the first time during training. Therefore, we decided to keep it simple: if possible, spend the night at the bases and travel a relatively short (as it seemed to us) distance - 40 km a day: experienced ones even cover 120 km.
When developing the route, reports from a variety of groups were read, and they all promised: there is little snow around Olkhon and on the western coast from MRS (Sakhyurta) to Listvyanka, and if the vagaries of the weather happen, then soon the harsh Sarma and its brothers-winds Kultuk and Verkhovik will blow away I'll go to the eastern shore. We picked up equipment and organized rides on the courtyard skating rink, Sestroretsky Razliv and Ladoga (). The route they came up with was this: go around Olkhon from the MRS in 4 days, and then, after spending the night again at the MRS, walk south along the western shore to Buguldeika.
It turned out that on the ice of the skating rink, fishing sleds weighing 60-70 kg go with a bang, even if there are preschoolers in the harness. What can we say about the burly guys with ski poles!
The last pre-departure difficulty was resolved a day before departure and consisted of overcoming baggage restrictions imposed by Aeroflot. Firstly, ski poles can only be carried for free in a bag with skis, otherwise, according to the rules, they are oversized, which costs 5,000 rubles at best. There and back again. Secondly, the luggage itself should not exceed 158 cm in total dimensions. A winter tourist backpack, even tightly tied to a sled with a sling, barely fits into this limitation. In general, we left these problems to the discretion of the airport employees and we were right: 4 poles in a ski bag go well with “ski equipment”, and bulky cargo, if it does not weigh more than 23 kg, is also not subject to an additional fee.
And now behind us is an almost sleepless night, from which the flight eliminated 5 hours of the difference between the time in Irkutsk and St. Petersburg, running around the stores that had just opened in the morning for groceries and the latest equipment, and transfer to the base in MRS with half of the group on a minibus, and half - on the base owner's machine. Finally, it happened: the same great Baikal that we had been dreaming about for so long was revealed to our eyes! True, the bay near the base was almost completely covered with snow. But when we climbed the nearest hill, we saw it - that same mirror ice of Lake Baikal! It shone just a kilometer off the eastern shore of Olkhon. In the panorama it can be seen in the central strait between the island and the cape. 
But... this was the last mirror ice during our entire trip. Yes, yes, this happens: there is windless snowy weather on Lake Baikal. However, did you know that if you come to Baikal on the ideal dates, this can happen? Yeah, we didn't know either. And not only us - we met quite a few such “would-be hunters” for the ice of Lake Baikal during our trip.
Gathering things for the first trek was accompanied by snowfall. It intensified and then stopped, and even the sun, unusually bright for us St. Petersburgers, appeared.
After walking the first kilometers to the road, we change into skates. The procedure is not quick: take off your gaiters (shoe covers), then your boots, pack them in a bag, take out your skates, and replace them with boots... I calculated that at a driving speed of 10 km/h, during this time you can travel 2 km or even further.
Soon we found ourselves in a field of frozen slush, it became impossible to ride, so we dismounted again. As a result, we spent more than half of the daylight walking to Ogoy Island, famous for the Buddhist Stupa of Enlightenment. As is customary, we walked around it 8 times. I thought it would be easy to make a wish, but somehow I was thinking more about chafing knee pads and a fleece poorly tucked into my pants. And those things that I seemed to dream about in the city seemed pale and insignificant here. Even see the ice of Lake Baikal. There is a completely different dimension of things here, the passage of time, the perception of reality. The top of Ogoy Island, where the stupa stands, is ideally suited for peaceful contemplation without thoughts of mortal things.
Charged with spiritual and material energy, we went down to the drags. We chatted with Muscovites riding in white rented minibuses, and with a Khuzhir aborigine who has lived on the island all his life. It was nice that this man was in love with his small homeland, because this is not at all the case with residents of other beautiful places in our country.
There is a road along the western coast of Olkhon from Kurkut to Cape Khoboy, and we skated along it from Ogoy. Of course, this surface, scratched by tires, was the sought-after ice of Lake Baikal no more than formally. The different level of preparation of the group immediately affected: the guys and I and Olya took the lead, while Katya and Ksyusha found themselves in the rear.
All the way cars rushed past us, thanks to the wind from which there was no snow on the road. Drivers politely passed us, and many waved their hands and honked their horns in greeting. When the sun began to set, it became completely clear that the lagging behind were severely slowing down the group, and Igor and I took the sleds from them, coupling them with ours onto the train (photo from the second day of running). The situation improved, the speed increased to 8 km/h.
But in the end, the remaining kilometers to Khuzhir were completed in the dark, on stiff legs and in the piercing cold. When the whole group gathered on the pier, among the rusting ships thrown ashore, no one had the strength to repack the sleigh and put it on their shoulders, and we dragged them along the whitish main street of Khuzhir in the light of lanterns, welcomingly shining with the lights of the cafes, hotels and shops. But this was, of course, not a city glow, but a completely unique one, in the darkness reminiscent of an intuitive idea of the gold-bearing Klondike.
The next day it turned out that the sled was worn out in places to holes, because the road was not snow-covered at all, but only a slightly powdered primer. A more pleasant discovery was that after yesterday's marathon my legs could walk and roll.
After admiring the Shamanka rock and taking photographs of the idols, colored flags fluttering in the wind, we moved on to Cape Khoboy for our first cold overnight stay. Somewhere in the middle of the journey we met a tourist from our native St. Petersburg on Finnish skates. She talked about the hummock field in the Buguldeika area, which she and the group had been crossing all day, and that she still managed to see the fabulous ice.
And then photographers from Ulan-Ude in an Audi caught up with us, who, like us, were unsuccessfully hunting for mirror ice, and arranged a real photo shoot for us. 
The closer we went to the north, the worse the road became, and we walked the last section of it. Darkness caught the group about 5 km from Cape Khoboy, and we set up camp right on the ice, in a semicircular bay. Ksyusha found a cave and settled down there, warm, with burners and pots. 
Igor went to cut the ice with an ax. Well, how did it go - ice is everywhere here.
The surface on which we walk, slabs of hummocks, huge splashes (sokui) on the rocks, stalactites in the cave. Some of this, I won’t say what exactly, soon ended up in the bowlers.
The moon came out and the frost cleared up. I remember how I wanted to add extra for dinner, having finished one bowl, and the pan with pasta was already covered in ice. We didn’t know the air temperature; the thermometer on the clock showed two dashes (colder than -10), but our hands and feet were thoroughly frozen.
In the morning I had dreams accompanied by the purr of Ladoga motorboats. Then it turned out: it was Khuzhir loaves that carried tourists to Khoboy.
Before leaving, we heated water in thermoses for a very long time - for tea and soup with sublimates. For a very long time, because two of the three gas burners refused to work: the cheap Chinese one had a dripping faucet, the other one just barely burned in the cold, although it was an expensive Covea, which, according to recommendations, successfully helped out on mountain routes.
We reached Khoboy already at noon.
And here we are at the place where numerous tourists flock. The hummocks here are higher than a meter, made of the purest, turquoise-tinged ice. They are impressive and terrifying: if it weren’t for the road, how would one even get through here? Our fair half of the team declared a “mutiny on the ship” and invited the stronger part of the team to go around Olkhon without her.
“Usually on my trips I invite people to sit and wait for me,” said Ksyusha, green glasses sparkling in the sun, “but now I’ll wait for you.”
I thought, not without regret, that it would be impossible to drag huge unliftable bales on drags over the hummocks if there was no detour road. Plus ice beyond Olkhon, if there is ice, is only half the distance (yesterday we looked at the satellite), but it is approximately 100 km. No, this is not for two days. Yes, and to be divided... something is wrong in this. And the guys and I decided to return to Khuzhir along the same road we came by. And the girls got into the UAZ and drove to the village to sit in a cafe and try poses (or, in Buryat, buuz), sort of big dumplings.
Along the way, we again found ourselves in the camera lenses of a professional photographer, met Swiss people on bicycles, Korean television, a Korean woman in crampons with a huge sled (Baikal 700 project) and an even larger number of our compatriots who excitedly asked how the ice was. I had to disappoint.
The hope for ice had not yet melted, but it was already weak. It's time for heavy artillery. Alexey Kostin, the head of the tourist club at our university, who supplied us with some of the equipment, gave us a couple of contacts in Irkutsk before the trip. One of Alexey’s acquaintances, Yuri, turned out to be a keen athlete, one of those who meets black ice on bais and sees off white ice on skis (report on one of his races).
In the evening I texted Yuri and found out that it was a snowy year. During the correspondence, the idea of going to Goloustnoye was born. At the end of January there was a gorgeous mirror there. If there is ice, we will go for a ride, if there is no ice, we will have time to walk the distance to Listvyanka without getting too tired, it is only about 50 km. Everyone liked the idea, and Ksyusha especially - even when planning the route, she was thinking about seeing this section of the coast.
Since there is no road from Khuzhir to Goloustnoye, we decided to return to Irkutsk to spend the night. In the evening we wandered around the city in the dark. The center is beautiful, well-kept, but only one block in size. There is a walking area on the embankment.
...The Istana stopped behind Bolshoi Goloustny, opposite a continuous snow field stretching to the horizon, where, 40 km across the width of Lake Baikal, a snowy ridge glows blue in the haze. No, we weren’t lucky with clear ice this year, but it’s still so beautiful here! 
It's not deserted here either. We crossed paths several times with the same commercial group - pedestrians dressed in ski and city jackets, pulling children's sleds with small bags by the rope.
Then tourists began to come across in serious equipment, snowmobiles, dog sleds, cars.
With two overnight stays at equipped parking lots along the Great Baikal Trail we reached Listvyanka. There Arthur and I hitchhiked to the ice-free source of the Angara and back. Unfortunately, there was not enough time for museums and the seal garden.
“It’s a pity that there was no ice,” Yuri wrote later. - This doesn't happen very often, but sometimes it happens that the entire west coast is covered in snow. Your timing was fine. You just need to choose a specific program depending on the situation. If the ice conditions are good, then roll the ice, of course. The situation is bad - you can go to the mountains for a walk part of the time.
We went to the mountains for the remaining 24 hours, finishing the route at the hot springs of the village of Vyshka (Pearl), in the vicinity of the Eastern Sayan.
The resort is a resort, but with a sophisticated rural flavor: the rooms are heated with potbelly stoves, cows and dogs roam the muddy roads. Cuteness.
Walking along the sunny streets, past the Ice Cream stalls, I somehow forgot that it’s not summer here, but winter. And at sunset we went to the Irkut valley to look at the mountains.
Then there was Irkutsk with the museum of the history of the city, a long flight home, analysis of things and the results of the trip.
As a result, we skated about 100 km along the preserved ice of the road along the western coast of Olkhon, and walked the rest of the route - more than 70 km. The sports plan of the hike - to cover 300 km in 8 walking days, of course, was not fulfilled. But kilometers are kilometers, but we received impressions for a long time. It's a pity that this wonderful lake is located so far from home.
Helpful information
Irkutsk has a well-developed Maxim taxi network; you can order a minivan to transport the backpacks of the entire group. Much cheaper than bombs at train stations: about 300 rubles.To order a car in Bolshoye Goloustnoye, they called Ivan, tel. 672-020, cost 5,500 rubles. (regular price, but you have to bargain). To Buguldeika a car usually costs 6,000 rubles. Regular transport was booked through the Avtovokzal-Online website (https://avtovokzal-on-line.ru/): minibuses from Listvyanka to Zhemchug. In Irkutsk, the bus station is arranged in this way: on one side of the road, behind the fence, there is an official one, with shuttle buses, on the other, a less official one, with taxi drivers and “Istans” to Olkhon.
In Khuzhir we stayed in different places, the most expensive of the ones we tried - Diana for 800 rubles per person - pleased us with a shower, a warm toilet and Wi-Fi.
A large selection of tourist equipment in Irkutsk is in the Fan store (Krasnykh Magyar St., 41), products were purchased in the Slata chain.
What would I change now in the route and preparation for it:
1. It’s better to spend the first day entirely in Irkutsk, without haste to buy everything you need, and in the remaining time to walk along the embankment, eat, and visit museums.
2. The backpack for the sled must be packed so that it can be put on the back for walking through a populated area or across hummocks. Yuri noted that the weight of his experienced winter personal and bivouac equipment is no more than 10 kg.
3. Hockey skates are an acceptable choice, but not the best. Yuri recommended taking baises (Nordic shoes) with ski bindings and skating boots with ankle support (if you ski, they won’t sit idle after the hike). Nordics can be rented at the sports service
From email correspondence:
Vitya, to hell with Spain! I want to go to Baikal. Are there still places on the team?
There are places, but you need to buy skates (from Finland), sleds, and sticks with carbide tips. Can you do it in a week?
No, I can't do it in a week. Apparently not fate :((
After three days:
Dima, one participant is not going. All the equipment is there. Are you with us? Buy a ticket. Now there are sales!
In two hours:
Vitya, I bought tickets! I'm on the Team!
Road to Khuzhir
It's good that despite all my love for planning, you can still find some wiggle room in life! So this time, having decided that I wanted a real outdoor adventure, and not a banal trip to Europe, I managed to jump on the departing train and ended up in a wonderful team of guys, led by Viktor Savelyev (Petzl-Russia).
There were two big “unusualities” for me on this trip. Firstly, we finally managed to carry out our school plans for a hike on the ice of Lake Baikal. It's great when dreams that are 20 years old come true! Well, secondly, I haven’t gone on a hike for a hundred years as a participant, and not as a leader. I’ll say, looking ahead, this is great! The head is freed from organizational issues to communicate with friends and Nature.
The story about this trip (see below) is the essence of collective creativity. The text was written by both me and my partners on the Baikal hike. ( Italicized). So, let's go!
Day 1: Moscow - Irkutsk - Olkhon Island
 |
 |
 |
 |
Day 2: Skating training and trip to Cape Sagan-Khushun
First cracks
At Cape Sagan-Khushun
 |
 |
Ice crystals
Summary of the day from Lena Savelyeva:
We woke up, had breakfast in the dining room and began preparing equipment for the training session on the ice. Holes were drilled in the sled to attach the rope and the skates were adjusted.
At 11 am, on two loaves of bread, we went to Cape Khoboy. For the first time we skated on the ice of Lake Baikal. 5 kilometers easy. Great! Further - an ice cave, hummocks, rocks. We went up and for the first time saw from above the Inland (Small) Sea and Big Baikal at the same time. It was, as usual, sunny and good visibility. Far, far away, at a distance of 150 kilometers, the Barguzinsky ridge was visible. After returning from the top, lunch right on the ice. They even ate from a crack in the Baikal water. Yummy!
The evening program was intense: sauna, sunset with a view of Lake Baikal, Madera.
Then continuation in the dining room: delicious fresh omul (g/h), vodka, Martini, Manchegorsk tincture :)
Well, of course, each participant was looking forward to the start of the hike. I really wanted to escape from civilization.
Day 3: First day of the hike. Ust-Anga - ice camp
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Installing the first ice camp
Camp setup is complete!
 |
 |
 |
 |
Our camp. Photo: (c) Jean-Philippe Birmele
 |
 |
Baikal crystal
Lena Savelyeva about this day:
Finally escaped from civilization!! At 11.00 am we unloaded from the car and went skating on the ice of Lake Baikal. Warm! Sun! At first we had to climb along the hummocks, going around the cape, but then there was perfect ice until we spent the night (and this is rare, as it turned out later :)). We rolled along the mirror of Lake Baikal and enjoyed it!
Overnight on ice near the cape?? It is impossible to imagine a more wonderful overnight stay. Multi-colored tents on ice screws, dinner on the stoves, and all around is the blue and white expanse of the lake. The luminous tents (and we have 7 of them) were reflected at night in the transparent ice, like a garland. The sunrise was amazing :)
 |
 |
Summary of the day, Dmitry Kovinov:
The day has started off well! There is excellent ice in the bay near Ust-Anga, where we begin our skating trip around Lake Baikal! Everyone is in anticipation, like horses before the start of a race. Before I had time to take a couple of shots, my friends and comrades disappeared over the horizon. However, this was not the case! The exit from the bay is blocked by real barricades made of ice fragments. The speed drops to 500 meters per hour! What's next? If such an ambush continues, then how will we cover the 200 kilometers planned for four days?
Immediately after the hummocks, the skates began to fly off. So much for camping on bunks! The fastening straps don't hold at all! Together with Uncle Sasha (he is a remaster in our group) we tried all the options. Nothing helped! They even tried hanging it on strings - nonsense! In the end, having given up on everything, I decide to walk, fortunately I have a walkie-talkie, and I won’t be able to pass by the camp if I walk along the shore.
When two of the 19 people in our group remained on the horizon, it became clear that my speed on foot was several times lower than the speed of the group and something needed to be changed.
From the tenth option I come up with a working solution - I pass the front strap of the skate through the boot lace. Hooray!! Now the sock doesn't come off and you can go!
By lunchtime I caught up with the group, but I completely “killed” my hands, since they were still tormenting me - I rode almost exclusively on them. I skip lunch, I don’t want to fall behind, God knows what else these damn skates will do!
In the afternoon I even overtook five people and took several shots.
In the evening I “work as a photographer” while everyone is setting up tents. We dine with hot smoked omul, taken last night on Olkhon, and porridge. Lots of delicious drinks from 20 to 40 degrees. A crowd of 20 mouths easily consumes 1.5 liters of intoxicating drink. In the evening there are races and the sound of the wind, you can’t hear the ice breaking, the ice is warm and flexible!
Day 4: Ice camp - Buguldeika
Text: Irina Bolshakova
So, the first hiking morning of our hike on the ice of Lake Baikal. Early. The night was quite hectic for me, at first they blared Russian songs (scaring the French with their breadth of soul and range, is it really going to be like this every evening?), then the cold from under the rug didn’t let me sleep, that’s what it means to be unaccustomed to winter hiking and have old equipment for a long time I waited for the ice to start cracking, fell asleep... already in the morning, having decided to take a walk while it was still dark, I crawled out of the tent. It’s not at all as cold as I was afraid, it’s very quiet... I’m walking in slippery boots, and then it’s like WHAM!
No, in fact, the ice just thumped, but in the silence, darkness and hearing this for the first time... It seemed to me that the sound came right under my feet, I looked around frantically, saw a huge network of black cracks running away from me in different directions and I immediately forgot why I was actually going! She rushed towards the camp on weak legs. Already lying in my sleeping bag, I listened in horror (finally) to the sounds of Baikal, it crackled and thumped almost continuously, it’s surprising that in the evening nothing like that happened. My fuss woke up Sasha, he muttered that it seemed to me that I couldn’t hear anything at all, turned away and continued snoring. Dima and Katya also did not wake up. I couldn’t fall asleep for a long time, imagining how the crack, snaking and widening, stretched under our tent. I dozed off just before dawn, when one of the attendants shouted: “Guys, we’re getting up, it’s so sunny!”
Morning at the camp
Here is the key point: is it worth obeying? I've seen and seen these sunrises and sunsets, I just managed to doze off and get warm. But the choice was made for us, the man on duty simply opened the zippers of the tent and voila! All I had to do was open my eyes, stick my nose out of my sleeping bag and admire the foresight of Sasha, who set up the tent by the entrance at dawn. The silvery ray of sun that came running into the tent across the ice of Lake Baikal was worth the early morning fears!
In the light of day, all the open cracks around the camp turned out to be old and not at all scary, and under our tent there was black, durable ice. It was very easy to assemble, nothing gets lost or dirty on the ice. Yesterday’s smoked omul returned to my sled; after all, it’s a tasty thing, even in its “chilled” form. There are still about six left, out of forty carcasses.
Gypsies on Lake Baikal! =))
Sasha and I were, again for some reason, one of the last to go out. I grind my teeth, I hate walking at the back of the group. Today it’s a little easier than on the first walking day, I’m already better at choosing the road among the patches of “bad” white ice, it became clear that along the cracks, which I was very afraid of at the beginning of the journey, I can go many times faster, the ice here is almost black, which means it’s very smooth and durable. The water regime was also unusual for me; I had never drank so much on the route, although I think I just found a reason to rest a little longer.
We are gradually catching up with our guys, the group is very stretched, by a couple of kilometers, for sure. Only at a rest stop, when I saw Dima, did I remember about the camera. Still, the professionalism of the photographer is reflected in this, but I’m just too lazy to stop and take out the equipment so often.
Due to the fact that there is no set time for lunch, the middle of today’s journey is blurred, or rather blurred for several hours, I feel tired, I begin to look more often at the navigator, how far we have already walked, what is more important is how much is left to the reference point. The vanguard of the group radios that they are four kilometers from the planned overnight stay, but the ice is very bad, and the leaders decide to stay closer to the village. Buguldeika. We still have to stomp and stomp, or rather roll and roll, but skating is already difficult, the March Baikal ice has softened so much that the skates are constantly falling through on the white snow spots.
I’m glad that we turn sharply towards the coast, which means there’s not much left. But my hands hurt a lot, because of the sudden stops of the skates on uneven surfaces, I have to rely more on poles, and I already have strong “calluses” on my palms from unsuccessful lanyards. Ahead, almost under the very shore, the figures of girls are visible, they have been standing in one place for a long time, either they are waiting for us, like signalmen, or something has happened. Skating has become really bad, you have to take off your skates and walk, which is not much easier, the ice, although covered with snow, is still slippery and very uneven.
For a couple of hours now there has been a discussion on the radio that one of the participants went too far into Lake Baikal, “more seaward”, and there is no connection with him. The radio is dead, he doesn’t have a navigator, the sun is already setting and it’s unclear whether he’ll make it to his campsite before dark. Sasha, Dima, and I barely have time to fall onto the sandy shore and the sun immediately disappears behind the coastal ridge.
 |
 |
The rest of the tents are already standing and only Katya is waiting for us on the shore, because our general tent is going to Sasha, and the group tents are going to Dima. The French are on duty today, they arrived a long time ago, the wood has been collected, the fire is burning. Dima rents out the canals and immediately runs off along the shore to photograph everyday life. Sasha is trying to persuade us to spend the night on the ice of Lake Baikal again, but after last night and the constant cracking of the ice during the day, I am categorically against it, even though there is almost no good place on the shore. Finally, the tent is on the shore, the sleeping bags are made and we crawl away to the fire to help the French prepare dinner. At this time, the lost participant Dima arrives, with the call sign “Omul”, who from that moment turns into “Sea Omul”. He is immediately given some hot tea left over from the route, dressed in a powder coat and sent to the fire.
Our leader calms down, the group spends the night, everyone is happy. And then screams are heard from the shore, more tourists are coming. It turns out that the guys from Moscow, Vitya and Misha, friends of the Savelyevs, caught up with us. We get all sorts of goodies: chartreuse, our northern lingonberry liqueur, homemade liqueur from pine cones, cut up surprise meats, sausage cheese (the French were very surprised by it) and by dinner everyone finally relaxes, a difficult day is over, no one is lost, people vying with each other to share their impressions of the day , the girls gasp at the mileage of the super-bisons Vitya and Misha, and Moristy Omul gives toast after toast “about the ice of Baikal and the vicissitudes of the journey.”
Bonfire in camp #2
The whole team is assembled!
Day 5: Buguldeika - Babushka Bay
Pine ice near our camp
Coming out of the bay we immediately find ourselves on bad ice. We're barely going. By lunchtime, under the gusts of a headwind, we go out to an iconic place - a beautiful rock-arch called Dyrovataya. We take a break with hot tea.
To get onto the ice you have to overcome a large crack. After twisting back and forth a little, we find a passage across the ice floe, which lies in the form of a bridge. The main thing here is not to fuss and do stupid things. I don’t want to swim in the icy water at all!
After a crack and a series of hummocks, I decide to try walking. It will probably not be faster, but at least you can look around. Otherwise, with such ice, you have to always look at your feet, and not around. You won’t even see Baikal! It feels like the speed will not be higher, but less effort should be spent!
And indeed, after an hour I notice that I am walking at the same speed as the guys on skates, who are riding a couple of hundred meters to the sea, on a parallel course to me.
Surprisingly, walking is great! On such ice this is definitely a good option. And in general, I like to walk. Minimum load - maximum pleasure! Bliss! I immediately remembered my recent solo hike in the Swiss Alps!
In the evening I notice that the guys walking ahead are starting to move towards the shore. Probably a camp! Indeed, a characteristic rock appears on the right, a photograph of which, even before the hike, Victor sent out as a guide for the next camp.
We go ashore at dusk! It was a working day, and in the evening Katya and I also had a change of duty. Cook potatoes with stew. The partners get drinks. Good evening;)
 |
 |
 |
 |
Lena Brechka about this day:
In the morning we woke up to the French call “Atable!!” (in official translation this is a call for lunch or dinner). And our French team prepared an excellent breakfast for us.
Our French friends and I diverged at this stage of the journey. They were leaving for home, but we had to continue our route along the ice of Lake Baikal according to the planned plan. After a well-thought-out farewell by Vitya Savelyev, staged like in hockey, we continued the route with slight sadness.
The day turned out to be excellent - sunny and without wind. True, good ice never appeared. It was a bit difficult to walk. After several treks we stopped for lunch. Vitya Dubitsky made us tea on gas. We had a good snack and relaxed by the beautiful coast in the rocks. At lunch, it was decided to go to the far parking lot, that is, another 14 kilometers.
The mood was excellent, a beautiful rock loomed ahead, where a parking lot in Babushka Bay awaited us.
By seven in the evening, having crossed the hummocks, someone entered and someone drove into the bay.
Babushka Bay is a beautiful sandy bay with pine trees. The rocks around are reminiscent of the Krasnoyarsk Pillars - “cliffs made of pine trees”. I remember the pine trees with aerial roots right on the sand. And in the evening - a great dinner with surprises. Liqueurs, delicious meat and canned fruits enhanced the impression of a beautiful camp near the fire right on the shore of Lake Baikal, an extraordinary starry sky and our warm and cozy company.
It was a wonderful day!
Day 6: Babushka Bay - camp “at the forest hut”
Morning in Babushka Bay
 |
 |
 |
 |
Typical view
 |
 |
On the route
 |
 |
Text: Dmitry Kovinov
The wonderful morning began with a short walk, this time without skates, to Peschanka Bay, adjacent to ours. The surrounding rocks are like the Krasnoyarsk pillars! In the morning the weather was so good that I didn’t feel like leaving at all. But we must move forward, there is no other way.
Almost from the very beginning, “bad” white ice began and, following yesterday’s example, I took off my skates and changed into trekking sneakers. It's good that I took them!
And indeed, it’s easy to walk, you can immediately look around! It’s just a pity that there are no cats, it would be absolutely great with them!
By the 12-hour communication session, I caught up on foot with a large group of tourists of twenty people. It turned out that this was a children's group from Moscow. Their method of movement is unique - instead of sleds, they carry backpacks on skis, and on their feet are regular figure or hockey skates. Ineffective. They walk no faster than me, a pedestrian.
At the next communication session, I received good news from Victor - if you take a couple of hundred more seaward, you can go out onto black ice. That’s why I was surprised why my partners went beyond the horizon so quickly!
I change my sneakers again to my high-altitude LaSportiva Spantik, put on skates on them, and going a little to the side I really go out onto the fields of pure ice. The speed instantly increases 3-5 times to 15-20 kilometers per hour! Now it’s clear why you need to skate on the ice of Lake Baikal!
On this high-speed section we catch up with another group, which also moves in an unusual way - sitting astride a sled and pushing with sticks. Having caught up with the first one, I start a conversation. It turns out that the guys are from Novosibirsk. I don’t have time to pull away when, on the right, as I move, I notice that my friends are turning sharply towards the shore. Are we already there? This is what “correct”, hard and fast ice means! We covered a huge distance in an hour! How far could you travel if there was always such ice?!
In the evening we go on a radial hike through the surrounding hills. In about 20 minutes, through a pine forest, we climbed a steep cliff on the shore of the lake-sea. Amazingly beautiful. Untouched protected nature. A sea of pine forest, heated by an unusually warm sun for this time of year, and ahead is the endless sea of Baikal. Excellent day!
Day 7: Camp “at the forest hut” - Bolshoye Goloustnoye village - Irkutsk
Khamar-Daban. 100 kilometers in a straight line.
Text: Lena Savelyeva
We got up at 7 am. The weather is wonderful - like autumn in Crimea. Khamar-Daban glows opposite. The hummocks glisten in the sun. The ice promises to be black (the highest category!!), so we are cheerful and cheerful. Moreover, the finish of our hike is only 15 km away.
Halfway there were games. Shore Track, curling, sledding. We practiced climbing out of the water onto the ice using special equipment :)
At 14:00, minute by minute, according to the hike plan, we loaded into the car in the village of Bolshoye Goloustnoye. Two hours - and we are in Irkutsk! And there it is as usual. Walking around the city, Angara embankment, Ussuri Balsam :)
It was a good hike. We must repeat!
Baikal ice in March. Classification.
During the hike, I saw more types of ice than I had ever seen in my entire life. I will try to classify the quality of ice for skating tourism.
- Black smooth ice. Perfect. Without much effort, having a sled behind you with equipment weighing about 15 kilograms, you can easily maintain a cruising speed of 10-15 km/h! It’s a pity that we only came across 15 kilometers of such ice (10% of the route).
- We walked most of the route (about 70%) on ice, which was located along small cracks filled with water, surrounded by fields (spots) of degrading ice. The main difficulty in moving on such ice is the need to constantly monitor such narrow strips of ice and jump from one such strip to another, constantly changing direction. In addition, when changing the line of movement, the sled moves by inertia, overtaking and tugging at you. In general, a rather nervous story. It’s very difficult to admire beauty on the go. It was for this reason that, especially when the stripes of “good ice” completely disappeared, it was easier to just walk, taking off your skates. Thank God that the top of my boots (LaSportiva Spantik) allowed me to walk more or less comfortably. My colleagues in plastic climbing boots found it much less comfortable to walk.
- Degrading ice of various formations. We have 15% of the route. The most brutal! Riding through such an ambush on skates is terrifying! The speed drops to 4-6 kilometers per hour (almost like walking), and you also need to work with poles! In my opinion, it’s not logical to skate through such an ambush - the speed is only a little faster, but the energy consumption is many times higher! To effectively navigate such surfaces, trekking shoes with mini crampons are ideal.
- Snow on ice. (less than 1% of the route). The popularity of traveling on the ice of Lake Baikal lies precisely in an amazing feature of the local nature - most of the snow is simply blown off the ice of the western shore of Lake Baikal. However, there were small pieces of shallow, 5-10 centimeters, snow. Their main trouble is that if you “fly” onto such an “island” at high speed, there is a high probability of falling, since the speed of movement along such areas instantly drops!
- Hummocks (less than 1% of the route). Going through hummocks is tough! The speed drops to 500 meters per hour, the loaded sled constantly turns over, and it’s easier to turn over yourself! There is only one reason when passing hummocks is justified - if you cannot go around them! It would be ideal to have photographs from the air in order to find the shortest path between the hummocks or their narrowest places, but of course there is no such possibility and we had to act on a whim. Fortunately, their height almost never exceeded 50-70 centimeters, and from the height of human growth it was quite possible to view the ships. Although we are lucky, the hummocks can reach 1.5-2 meters in height!! Experienced ice walkers on Lake Baikal advise always going around the hummocks “seaward”, i.e. not from the shore, but moving further from it. It is believed that the main hummocks are localized near the coast and prominent capes.
- Cracks. Despite the abnormally warm weather there were not many cracks. On average, there is one crack every 2-5 kilometers. Where it was not far to go around them (move along them until they end), we did this. When there is no opportunity, we crossed them. Cracks differ in width and “degree of openness.” The widest crack we came across was about 70 centimeters wide. To cross it, we brought the sled to the very edge, thereby giving slack for the rope, and stepped over it without taking off our skates. Most often, we found areas where a crack was blocked by some kind of ice floe, and we simply moved along this ice floe to the other side. The vast majority of open cracks were between 10 and 30 centimeters wide. We crossed such cracks on the move, almost without slowing down, simply stepping over them in a skating motion (similar to the technique of roller skating when driving onto a curb, for example).
And this also happens (the guys walked parallel to us, on the same days, but on bicycles)
Already on the second day of the hike, we realized that due to the warm weather and scorching sun, the ice condition worsened sharply after 14-15 hours. Skates, especially those of participants with a large weight and a short blade length, began to crush even black ice!!! The correct tactics in such cases are early departures in order to cover the planned distance for the day before lunch (similar to the tactics of spring hiking in the forest, when the speed of movement on the morning crust is several times higher than the speed of movement in the afternoon, when the snow “releases”).
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
- Plan your hike in late February - early March, the ice is still good, the days are longer and warmer.
- Take it further out to sea, the ice is usually better further from the coast.
- Don't go solo (crack)
- Have a supply of gas in case of bad weather and overnight stays on ice
- Walkie-talkies are very useful!
- Have several backup exit points on your route in case of bad weather and unforeseen conditions
our team
 Dmitry Shepelev |
 Jean-Philippe Birmele |
 |
 |
 Dimitri Medvedieff |
 |
 Sebastien Teysseyre |
 Arnaud Tisserant & Sophie Ayche |
Conclusions on a skating trip on the ice of Lake Baikal
A small comic trailer about our skating trip on the ice of Lake Baikal. Parts of the video were shot on an iPhone 5, and I'm still planning to edit a more serious film. But my hands haven’t gotten around to it yet... Shot on an iPhone 5 camera. Cameraman: Dmitry Kovinov. Sound - Apple.
Or just an awesome video about what ice is like in Sweden!
And this is just a beautiful video about Baikal!
Second ice skating trip:
The most important thing is to realize that everything is possible and not to be afraid to make your dreams come true. After which you need to properly plan your route, prepare your equipment, prepare physically, find reliable travel companions, learn to skate confidently, and then you will get great pleasure from hiking around Lake Baikal - the world’s largest ice skating rink.
When to go?
By mid-January, the north of Baikal and the Small Sea usually freeze, and by early February the remaining part of Baikal is covered with ice, leaving only a small area near the source of the Angara unfrozen. Deadlines may vary. It begins to become free of ice in late April-early May.
You can skate on ice from mid-January to April (again, it depends on the location - north or south, in April it becomes dangerous). At the same time, you should not go out on the ice immediately after Baikal has frozen - the ice is still thin and is constantly cracking and tearing. In the same way, you should not go out on the ice when, after warming, it changes its structure, losing its strength.
In my opinion, the best time to travel around Baikal is the end of February - beginning of March. It is not yet too warm for the ice to begin to deteriorate (it becomes cloudy and lace cracks form), and it is not too cold.
The ice thickness at this time can reach 50-100 cm or more.
Where to go?
You can get to Irkutsk by train (long) or by plane (expensive). If you are very lucky, you can buy plane tickets for 10 thousand rubles. round trip (Moscow-Irkutsk-Moscow). We were unlucky - tickets started to rise in price and we bought them for 7 thousand rubles. one way, and then tickets dropped in price for a few days to 5 tr.
There are some nuances to visiting nature reserves and national parks.
— Pribaikalsky National Park. The water border is a few meters from the shore.
Recently, an anti-people law was passed obliging people to obtain a paid permit to visit the national park. We did not have any problems with the national park employees, but according to information from here, this will soon be corrected, and there will be problems.
— Baikal-Lena Nature Reserve. A few meters from the shore.
— Transbaikal National Park. The border (according to the diagram from the official website) is several kilometers from the coast. Protected areas - Holy Nose (southern and northern ends) and Ushkany Islands.
Many people agree to spend the night at the cordons of national parks/reserves, or at weather stations.
If you want warm overnight stays, you can spend the night at camp sites, in winter huts (you just need to find out in advance whether the winter hut marked on the map really exists). Firewood is available almost everywhere (problems with firewood can arise from Ust-Anga to Olkhon and on Olkhon itself. Look at the maps for treeless areas.
When planning a route, it is best to use maps of the General Staff or maps from here (although the location of many objects is inaccurate).
If you drive without straining and look at everything along the way, then you can plan 25-30 km a day. Moreover, there is a possibility of snowfall, bad ice, and hummocks. All this slows down the movement greatly. Dragging through the snow noticeably slows down.
If I were traveling alone, I would budget 50-60 kilometers, provided I am in good physical shape (less time to get ready, fewer stops, you go at your own pace).
To give you something to build on, I’ll provide speed data. For me, a comfortable speed without wind on smooth ice was around 15 km/h, although I probably wouldn’t keep that speed all day. Maximum speed is 27 km/h, and 24 km/h pushing only with poles. All with drags. Without drags, we managed to accelerate to 35 km/h in the wind; the design of the skates no longer allows us to go faster - the boots begin to cling to the ice. In general, it’s similar to my speed on racing cross-country skis, light at an easy pace, well, a little slower. If your riding technique and physical fitness are not so great, then the speed will be lower, I have a 1st category in skiing, skiing technique directly affects the speed of skating with poles.
Dangers:
1) Hummocks.
In my opinion, this is one of the most dangerous things you can encounter on winter Baikal. When you walk along them with a heavy backpack (and even without it), you can fall and break/injure your leg (and not only your leg). Even when you walk in ice drifts, you can’t be sure that you won’t slip. There are clearly not enough cats. Slippery. Some ice floes on hummocks move when you step on them and break under your feet.
2) Strong winds up to 20-40m/s. Low temperatures. The wind is always different - headwind, tailwind, sidewind, sometimes calm.
You may be lucky with the weather, or you may not. On the first trip in mid-March, the coldest was around -12 degrees at night, but it could have been -30. During the day the temperature was above zero. On the second trip, from the end of February to the beginning of March, it was significantly colder - up to -15 during the day and up to -28 at night. So, if you are planning a hike no later than mid-March, then be prepared for -30 at night. If you go in January-February, there will probably be frosts down to -30 -40 degrees both at night and during the day. A detailed weather archive is available on rp5.
Windproof clothing is required - trousers, a jacket with a hood, a mask covering the nose and mouth, a hat, a balaclava, gloves (if the jacket has a hood, then a balaclava and a hat can be worn without windproofing). Be sure to have a warm jacket - preferably a down jacket. A second pair of boots for bivouac is recommended (may also come in handy if your main one gets wet). Gloves (at least a couple of sets), mittens, socks. On the Internet you can find a lot of information on equipment for winter hikes (ski trips, simple climbs). Clothing for hiking around Lake Baikal roughly corresponds to this layout.
A warm sleeping bag or 2, preferably synthetic. On the bottom - two Izhevsk rugs / an inflatable rug / an Izhevsk rug + an inflatable rug
For me, the optimal set of clothes was:
1. Trekking boots with a membrane (running and parking). It’s better to take separate warm boots or insulated shoe covers for parking, but one pair was enough for me. The main thing is to put your boots in your sleeping bag at night so that they are warm in the morning and slightly dry.
2. Polartec 200 socks (for parking). You can use wool socks.
3. Trekking socks are very warm (running socks, didn’t use them)
4. Thin trekking socks - 2 pcs (running)
5. Trekking socks of medium thickness (running)
6. Flashlights (in case of snow)
7. Warm mittens (you can use tops instead)
8. Lightweight gloves with insulation on the back of the hand
9. Warm ski gloves
10. Very thin fleece gloves (insulated layer, sold at Decathlon)
11. Very thin fleece hat (insulating layer, sold at Decathlon)
12. Polartec Windbloc windproof hat
13. Warm hat Polartec Power Stretch/Classic 200
14. Windproof face mask
15. Thin balaclava
16. Buff
17. Self-removing windproof trousers (running)
18. Insulated trousers with thermofiber (for parking)
19. Thin terma bottom
20. Warm trousers Polartec 100 (insulating layer for cold weather)
21. Puff puff
22. Windproof membrane jacket
23. Polartec High Loft fleece jacket (almost an analogue of the Classic 200, only a little warmer and lighter)
24. Polartec 100 fleece
25. Thin terma top
26. Cotton T-shirt
27. Polartec Power Dry thin briefs
The total weight of clothing excluding boots is 5 kg. If you are a freezing person, then it is better to take something else. This is especially true for the second pair of shoes.
Sleeping bag – Marmot Trestles 0 Long. Very warm, but heavy.
3) Cracks.
The entire Baikal is literally riddled with cracks. Large ones (10 cm wide) are relatively rare; they are mostly cracks ranging in thickness from a human hair to a couple of centimeters. It is rare to find areas larger than 2x2 meters where there is not a single crack. You can very poorly drive into a narrow crack running parallel to the movement, and the skate can get stuck (and even break), stopping you instantly. Therefore, you need to drive especially carefully if it snows, as cracks may not be visible.
Open cracks are generally quite narrow. It is advisable to have someone provide backup during their passage. If the width of the crack is two meters, then you need to come up with something. Some people use planks to get across. Most often, very wide cracks are found when crossing Baikal from west to east, which, however, may narrow somewhere if you drive along. If you know how to cross wide cracks, write to me and I will add this information to the FAQ.
If you spend the night on ice, carefully choose a place for your tent. Under no circumstances should you place your tent on the “solder”; at night the ice may break along with the tent. On Khoboy, 10 meters from our tent, the ice broke up, forming a 30 cm crack. It is best to pitch a tent on “black” ice. Where there are very thin cracks. And probably along the solder, so that if something happens, the ice will break not under the tent, but next to it.
4) Thin ice and steaming agents.
Steam waters are polynyas formed as a result of the influence of warm springs (Cadilny metro, Krestovsky metro, Ukhan metro, Ushkany Islands, Lower Head of the Holy Nose). In these places you should not come close to the shore. And in general, always be careful when approaching the shore - in the area of rocks (especially in spring) the ice melts and becomes thin or absent. Watch the color of the ice: if it suddenly changes sharply ahead of you, it is better to slow down.
5) Sun.
You can easily get sunburned - the sun's rays are perfectly reflected from the surface of Lake Baikal. Take sunscreen and be sure to wear goggles/ski mask.
6) Wild animals.
On the eastern coast, the likelihood of meeting wild animals is many times greater than on the western coast. Experienced people say that you need to take at least a minimum of protection - flares from crank bears. However, the likelihood of meeting them is low.
7) Cracking and rumble of ice.
This is most likely not a danger, but it is still better to know about it in advance.
Baikal periodically makes sounds that surround you from all sides - around, under you - there is a crackling sound, roaring, gurgling, sounds of huge ice floes hitting each other. This is normal and there is no need to be afraid.
On our hike, Baikal was especially talkative 1-2 hours after sunset, falling asleep late at night, and then waking up again just after dawn. During the day, Baikal is silent; only occasionally can you hear the powerful crack of ice floes subsiding beneath you. This happens when you approach a large “live” crack, which freezes and then exposes water again.
Quite often, when you skate in the evening, you put your skate on the ice, and thin cracks as thick as a hair and several centimeters deep immediately spread out from under it. Usually these are individual cracks, and sometimes they are a whole web. At the same time, a characteristic crackling sound is heard, which at first is a little frightening from surprise. Surprisingly, fairly long (from several meters) cracks can penetrate the ice completely, and they can also only be on the surface a few centimeters deep. The ice is so transparent that when cracks 2-5 cm deep form under you, it seems as if this is the true thickness of the ice, at first it even becomes creepy, but then you realize that the ice thickness here is 50 cm (this year the ice rose late, therefore the ice is thinner than usual). Shallow cracks can even exist in the thickness of the ice, without affecting either the surface or the bottom of the ice; they run parallel to the surface.
And now the most interesting part - special equipment.
Skates.
It should be understood that hiking on tourist skates using poles on Lake Baikal is similar to hiking on skis using skating! The technique is absolutely the same!
It will sound a little strange, but to go ice skating on Lake Baikal you need to prepare on skis, not on skates. Although you still need to be able to stand on ice and not be afraid
Let's consider options for skates for hiking around Lake Baikal:
1) Hockey, figure, running. This is a bad choice for a hike. I'll explain why below.
2) Special tourist:
a) with mount for trekking boots
b) with a mount for a ski boot.
The base itself is the same, only the fastening differs. Ours had a trekking boot mount.
What are these skates good for?
Speed, stability and most importantly - cross-country ability. Touring skates, thanks to the design of the toe, eat up large cracks and irregularities, on which in ordinary skates (especially figure skates and hockey) you would fly with your face on the ice.
They are easy to take off and put back on so you can walk over hummocks without having to change your shoes.
Trekking boots should be high and stiff. It is better to take demi-season boots without insulation, because... the insulation will become damp and cannot be dried during the hike. It is much easier to change socks than to dry insulated boots. I had trekking boots with a membrane that were 1 size larger. In thin socks it was warm down to -15 while driving.
As I already said, you will skate like skiing, so my opinion (and not only mine) is that skates with fastenings for ski boots are better suited than trekking ones. In addition, ski boots are much easier to remove from skates than trekking boots, which is convenient when crossing hummocks on foot. Look for hiking ski boots with durable, grippy soles so you can walk on hummocks and maybe even rocks, so you don’t have to change your shoes when you want to go ashore for a while to see something. Boots must be high to the ridge, with ankle support. The bindings are also skating (not universal), always with a hard elastic band (flexor) - SNS, NNN Skate series. Get mechanical ones, as automatic ones are much more difficult to quilt, especially if it gets icy. It is better not to take SNS Pilot - there is a greater chance of damaging the pins of the boot fastenings, there is a greater chance of getting caught and falling, and more often they will become clogged with snow and ice.
Skates come in different lengths - 45, 50 and 55 cm. I was never given a definite answer as to which length is better. With Isvidda, the length of the blades is positioned depending on the size of the boot. Moreover, if you can put on skates of any length on a large boot (from size 44 euros), then on a small boot only 45 cm.
I have skates with a 55cm blade. Everything is fine, but walking with long blades is worse (for example, sometimes you need to cross closed cracks, a small field of low hummocks, islands of snow). Therefore, it is better to take skates with shorter blades.
I can recommend skates from Isvidda and Lundhags. The first are cheaper, the second are more expensive, but better, made of better quality, and, judging by the blade, it is better to ride in the snow. We ordered Isvidda Multiskates skates from Sweden (link below), costing 3800 rubles. (including delivery).
The photo shows skates with 50cm blades.
Skates get dull quickly. This is a little annoying, but not very critical.
Blade alignment: at the back - in the center of the heel, at the front - between the thumb and index finger. It is recommended to adjust the fastening under the heel to the size of the boot so that the boot fits tightly and the heel does not pop out.
Sticks.
Of course, you can skate without poles (if you don’t have tourist skates made for skiing), but it’s still easier with them.
Whoever likes it, but my opinion is that the size is for the skate, that is, height minus 15±5cm. You will push more efficiently than with short poles. Although beginners may find it easier with shorter ones.
The only negative is that with long poles it is less convenient to walk, through hummocks, for example.
You can use trekking poles, but preferably with pointed tips, like ski poles, because... they are better suited for ice. The tips must be sharpened carbide - carbide will win. You can buy inexpensive poles with regular steel tips, and replace the legs with roller ski supports (foots), the tips of which are usually made of pobedite.
To replace you will need:
1) Hairdryer (preferably industrial) to heat and remove the paws. You can also try placing it in hot water.
2) A hot-melt gun, with which you will need to apply hot-melt glue to the sticks, and then immediately attach the legs (supports).
3) If the mounting diameter of the foot (support) is larger than the diameter of the stick, then you can wrap the stick with adhesive tape before gluing the foot.
The material of the poles is aluminum or titanium. No carbon or fiberglass - you will break it at the first fall.
The handle of the poles is preferably cork - better grip, warmer hands. The lanyards of the sticks are preferably quick-release (clips). This is especially true if you take a lot of photographs. It is worth taking full-fledged lanyards with full grip of the hand, that is, not just one sling.
I really liked the KV+ Alu Snow Clip poles - poles with quick release lanyards. As a photographer, it was very convenient for me to unfasten my hand with the lanyard from the poles in a second. Similar poles are Leki Crosslite.
Dragging/sleigh.
The drag constantly swings from side to side, but it’s much better than carrying a backpack over your shoulders. The weight of the drags is practically not felt if you roll on smooth ice. But in the snow the weight still becomes noticeable - the drags are pulled back.
Fishing or tourist. For the size of a backpack, in principle, it can be a little smaller.
Here is an excellent option for attaching a backpack to a sled - TYTS. In my opinion, two transverse slings are sufficient for a sled length of up to 100 cm; longitudinal slings are not necessary.
I wanted to buy an Arctic tourist sleigh, but then the toad strangled me - it would have cost 1.5 thousand rubles, I took the fishing ones for 450 rubles. From the experience of the second trip, I can say that the Arctic copes much better with uneven ice and hummocks than fishing sleds. Two members of our group had such sleds, and they turned over much less often. But they also weigh 1.5 kg more. The blue sled is better - it has a slightly different material.
The length of the rope is 3-5 meters, the thickness is around 5mm. Longer means poor control, shorter is also inconvenient. I was fine with a 3-4 m long rope.
It is better to use a single rope attached to a belt/belt through a carabiner (sticks are attached to two ropes). I had a self-sewn belt from 50mm webbing with a trident. It is better to sew two slings at once. Convenient, easy to unfasten (this is important, especially if you suddenly fall into the water). You can use a belt from a backpack. Some people like to attach the ropes to the shoulders - they say that this makes it easier to control the sled. I don't know - I haven't tried it.
Experienced people recommend a sled with a base of alpine skis/snowboards. They roll better than plastic ones.
The drags react to your movements with a certain time lag, so they are thrown from side to side and sometimes turn over.
Be especially careful on hummocks (on passable narrow cracks). When driving at high speed, the sled can suddenly stick into a hummock and instantly stop you, which will most likely end in you falling on your back; in addition, you can break the sled, especially in the cold. In the same way, your drag can be stopped by an island of snow.
Be careful if there is a strong tailwind - the sled can go ahead of you and fly into a crack.
Protection.
Don't neglect her! My opinion: take knee pads, elbow pads and a helmet. Get used to the skates and uneven surfaces, and then, if you really want to, you can take them off. I don't recommend it though. Falling hurts - I hit my elbow badly (I only took knee pads), and once I fell on my back with my head on my helmet.
Other specific equipment and spare parts.
1) Axe. In addition to its direct purpose - to extract ice for kindling.
2) Spare skates (a pair or at least one). There are real chances of breaking.
3) Spare trekking pole (I wouldn’t take it, but we had a case where the pole broke).
4) Spare foot for poles.
5) Rope 5-6mm. Can be used as a spare tire, and also in case someone falls through the ice. For these purposes, it is advisable to immediately attach a carabiner to it to make it easier to throw the rope against the wind.
6) Ice screws (to put up a tent on ice). One is enough to avoid taking on extra load. Drill holes at an acute angle, the pegs will hold. If they don’t, you can fill it with water, which will soon freeze. True, in the morning you will have to work with an ax to pull them out.
7) Lifeguards, or awls (a means of self-rescue when falling into the water, more relevant for the beginning of the season, sold in fishing stores).
8) Goggles/ski mask, sunscreen.
9) Ice drifts to prevent slipping on ice and hummocks (put on shoes, sold in fishing stores), or screw self-tapping screws into boots (it is important that the self-tapping screws do not interfere with attaching the boots to the skates).
Features of movement on bad ice.
1) Very bad ice, hummocks, deep snow:
- on foot without skates.
2) Bad ice, shallow snow. When you push with your skate, you stumble.
- either walk without skates, or push only with sticks. The blades of touring skates handle uneven surfaces very well.
3) Islands of snow 1-5 meters long
- accelerate first, stop pushing with your feet just before the snow. Raise the tips of your skates slightly, transfer your weight to your heels, and you can push with your poles.
Registration of the group with the Ministry of Emergency Situations.
It would not be amiss to register a group with rescuers at the Federal State Institution “Baikal Search and Rescue Team of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia”. In addition to the indicated methods of registration with the Ministry of Emergency Situations, you can also register with them directly at the Ministry of Emergency Situations. 7) American store and Swedish store - you can buy tourist skates there.
In addition to Lake Baikal, you can go hiking on Lake Khuvsgul in Mongolia. Does anyone know what other lakes are good for ice skating?
If you have anything to add or notice any inaccuracies, please write!
Start of the hike: Irkutsk, until 10 am Ending:Irkutsk, after 14:00
How to go ice skating on Lake Baikal
- fill out the application directly on this page, we will contact you and help you prepare;
- buy tickets and send us a copy of them to confirm participation in the program;
- collect everything from the list of necessary things;
- meet our guide at the indicated location.
If you have any questions, call/write, our consultants will be happy to answer.
Payment and additional expenses
You can pay for the hike to the instructor when you meet in Irkutsk (in rubles) or transfer money to a bank card before the hike.
Additional expenses:
- 500 rub/day - skate rental
- drags - 1000 rub.
Skate rental
We can book you a skate rental in Irkutsk. BUT for this you must submit an application for the trip at least 3 months before the start date (before 12/01/2019) and transfer us an advance payment in the amount of 5,000 rubles (the cost of skate rental). Otherwise, we cannot guarantee the availability of skates at the rental center.
Please note that we are conducting the trip during that small weather window when the ice is ideal for skating. Of course, there are a lot of people interested at this time. Therefore, do not count on renting skates if you decide to go to Baikal at the last moment (with our club or on your own) - it simply will not be there.
Also, be sure to take out medical insurance and send a photo or scan of it to the manager BEFORE the trip.
How to get to the meeting point
The fastest way to get to the group meeting place in Irkutsk is by plane from Moscow or St. Petersburg - the approximate cost is 25,000 rubles. There is a second option, which takes longer, but costs almost 2 times cheaper: a plane from Moscow/St. Petersburg to Krasnoyarsk - 8,000 rubles, and then a train to Irkutsk (1,200 rubles - a reserved seat, 2,500 rubles - a compartment, 18 hours on the way). For those who are in no hurry at all: train Moscow/St. Petersburg - Irkutsk, 4500 rubles - reserved seat, 9000 rubles - compartment (journey 4-5 days)
Skates and drags for hiking on Lake Baikal
The main requirement for participants in this hike is the ability to skate. Horse horses can be rented in Irkutsk, but we recommend having your own. Before the trip, you should sharpen your skates and train in the exact skates you will wear to Lake Baikal, so that you have time to break them in and identify all the shortcomings. If you bring your own skates, then any skates except figure skates will do. It's cold in them, they don't support the ankle, and the teeth will cling to uneven surfaces on the ice.
You can buy drags in Irkutsk upon arrival, the instructor will help you with this. Approximate cost - 1000 rubles.
Features and nuances of a trip to Lake Baikal
The route of the hike is planned in such a way that most of it is laid on the ice of the lake, but there will be sections that we will pass on land.
We will spend the night either in our tents or at camp sites. Warm clothes and good sleeping bags are a must for a winter ice skating trip on Lake Baikal. A big advantage on this hike will be the use of a drag sled, so most of the way our backs will not be weighed down by backpacks.
Food on Baikal
The hike will include classic tourist food, high-calorie and filling: buckwheat with canned meat, macaroni with cheese, ketchup and sausage, sandwiches, oatmeal and rice porridge with dried fruits, chocolate, cookies, halva, nuts, tea/coffee...
Need to know
- We transport all things on drags (weight 15-18 kg);
- We cook food on gas burners, less often over a fire;
- everyone takes an active part in the life of the camp and is on duty;
- overnight stays: in tents on ice and at camp sites.
Baikal route thread
Irkutsk — Cape Kristovsky —Aya tract - Olkhon Gate strait - Sakhyurta village (MRS) - Small Sea - Ogoy island - Olkhon - Shamanka rock - Cape Khoboy— Khuzhir — Irkutsk
Day 1. Getting to know Baikal
Participants of the hike meet with the instructor in Irkutsk. Next we have to drive 230 km to the western coast of the lake, to the village of Baguldeika, where our trip to Lake Baikal starts. The village is located on the shores of Lake Baikal at the mouth of the river of the same name and is surrounded by the picturesque ridges of the Eastern Sayan Mountains.
We check into a camp site, adjust our skates and take a test ride on the ice. Mesmerizing landscapes, unique landscapes, amazing ice will not leave anyone indifferent. After riding, we return to the base to rest - tomorrow we will need strength.
Day 2. Olkhon Strait
Today we have our first hard day of sailing. We move north to the Olkhon Gate Strait. It is this narrow strait that separates the southwestern part of Olkhon from the mainland. Our first night in tents will be next to the Kristovsky stream.
Day 3. Tangeran Plateau
We continue our hike around Lake Baikal. Today we will stop at the Aya tract on the Tazheran plateau. We set up camp, and in the evening we lightly climb the mountain, from where a majestic view of frozen Baikal opens up. It is very quiet and deserted here at this time of year.
Day 4. Sakhyurta (MRS)
Today the group will have a long trek to the village of Sakhyurta (better known as MRS), we will spend the night in houses, so there will be an opportunity to warm up and have a hearty meal. Sakhyurta is a Buryat name derived from sahyur - “flint”; this mineral was once mined here. MRS is a transport hub with many mini-hotels, tourist centers, and guest houses.
Day 5. Ice of the Small Sea
Our further journey will pass along the amazingly beautiful ice of the Small Sea. This is a section of Lake Baikal between Olkhon and the mainland. The shores of the Maloye More Bay are heavily indented with bays, which we will study. Some of these bays are surrounded by majestic mountain ranges and wild taiga forest. Also today we will visit Ogoy Island, where the Buddhist Stupa of Enlightenment is located. These places are very beautiful and it will be pleasant to spend the night here. We set up camp next to the small lake Khonoy.
Day 6. Shamanka Rock on Olkhon
We continue our journey across the ice. We go to the village of Khuzhir - the largest settlement on Olkhon Island. We examine the Shamanka rock - the visiting card of the island. We spend the night at the camp site in warmth and comfort.
Day 7. Cape Sagan-Khushun and Khoboy
The last day of ice skating trekking on Lake Baikal. We reach the northernmost point of the island - Cape Khoboy, and along the way we inspect Cape Sagan-Khushun. In the evening we leave for the village of Sakhyurta to the places we already love. The surrounding views will remain in our memory for a long time; on this trip to Lake Baikal we will take a lot of photos, find new friends and have a lot of snowball fights... We will spend the night at the base.
Day 8. Return home
Our trip to Lake Baikal has come to an end. Most likely, it will be a little sad to part with fantastic Baikal and return to civilization. By lunchtime we will be in Irkutsk, from where we will go home.
Remember that you are going on a winter hike. Baikal can experience strong winds, so expect temperatures to drop as low as -25. Clothes should not be tight; it is better if they are a little too big.
Clothes for Baikal
- Gaiters/shoe covers (flashlights)
- Headgear (Hat, Balaclava, buff)
- Warm jacket (as light in weight as possible, preferably a down jacket)
- Down vest
- Comfortable underwear
- Warm wool socks
- Trekking socks
- Gloves/mittens (preferably down or fur)
- Work gloves
- Warm jacket with high neck (fleece)
- Warm thermal underwear (set, top and bottom)
- Thin thermal underwear (set, top and bottom)
- Trekking boots (demi-season/winter ankle fixed, thick sole). Boots should be 1-2 sizes larger to avoid frostbite on your feet.
- Bivouac footwear (felt boots, felt boots)
- Pants (storm/ski)
- Bivouac warm pants
Ice skating equipment
- Knee and elbow pads
- Backpack for a long hike (90 l - men, 70 l - women)
- Belt for fastening the sled and carabiner (can be a harness)
- Trekking poles
- Tourist rugs: Izhevsk + inflatable, or at least 2 Izhevsk.
- Tent
- Winter sleeping bag (comfort temperature -15)
What to take on a hike around Lake Baikal
Documents for Baikal
- Passport
- Insurance policy
- Money for additional expenses
