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the Degree Confluence Project
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Kazakhstan : Almaty

10.1 km (6.3 miles) SE of Almaarasan, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Approx. altitude: 3168 m (10393 ft)
([?] maps: Google MapQuest OpenStreetMap ConfluenceNavigator)
Antipode: 43°S 103°W

Accuracy: 5 m (16 ft)
Quality: good

Click on any of the images for the full-sized picture.

#2: Panorama North #3: GPS Reading #4: Picnic with Bread exactly at the Confluence #5: View West - Debris Hill #6: Track Leding to the Confluence Point #7: View from 5 km Distance #8: Lake Almatiskoe #9: St. Ascension Cathedral in Almaty

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  43°N 77°E (visit #2)  

#1: The Confluence - View to the South

(visited by Rainer Mautz)

27-Sep-2006 -- This is the 15th confluence visit on a bicycle trip from China to Central Asia. The story starts from 32°N 107°E.

After the visit of 46°N 80°E two days earlier, I decided to go for this confluence which is 20 km straight south from the city of Almaty.

As Elionora preferred to visit the museums in Almaty, I started this trip alone from the city centre by bicycle at 7 a.m. at an altitude of 750 m. One hour later I reached the city limits at an elevation of 1200 m and continued the uphill ride until I reached the end of the road at 2030 m (due to a missing bridge). I abandoned my bike and started to hike along a steep former cable railway. Later, I learned that I could have ridden my bike almost up to the confluence, because there actually was a track that avoided the broken bridge.

At 2500 m altitude I reached the beautiful Almatiskoe Lake with its colourful water and gorgeous landscapes around it. From here it was another 6 km to the confluence. I continued the hike on a little track that later crosses the Ozerney Pass to Kyrgyzstan.

At a distance of 800 m I left the track and climbed a little glacial debris hill. The confluence is just below the debris zone on the edge of a little valley. It was a great sunny day that allowed long-distance views. From the confluence one can enjoy views to some of the nearby 4000 m peaks. I made a panorama view picture from the confluence, but I wasn’t able to see my pictures for exactly 3 years.

Why have the pictures come with a delay of 3 years? The memory flash card of my camera broke while touring in Kyrgyzstan. Several attempts to recover the data failed, until, I came across this website. It appeared to be professional, so I submitted the card one more time. A week later, they delivered all the pictures to me!

The way back was quick. I ran back to the bike (4:10 pm) and coasted back down to the city, where I met Eleonora at 5:22 pm.

CP visit details:

  • Time at the CP: 1:50 pa.m.
  • Distance to a track: 800 m
  • Distance to a road: 9 km
  • Distance of bicycle parking: 9 km
  • Distance to houses: 4 km
  • Topography: high alpine, just below the glacier zone, steep grades
  • Minimal distance according to GPS: 0.90 m
  • Position accuracy at the CP: 5 m
  • GPS height: 3137 m
  • Vegetation: wilted flowers, hydrophilic grass, 50% snow coverage.
  • Weather: sunny (15° felt temperature at the CP)
  • Description of the CP: Just south of Almaty. Impressing alpine landscape. Astonishing views to the mountain peaks which are less than 1 km away
  • Given Name: The Almaty Great Hike Confluence

Story continues at 43°N 75°E


 All pictures
#1: The Confluence - View to the South
#2: Panorama North
#3: GPS Reading
#4: Picnic with Bread exactly at the Confluence
#5: View West - Debris Hill
#6: Track Leding to the Confluence Point
#7: View from 5 km Distance
#8: Lake Almatiskoe
#9: St. Ascension Cathedral in Almaty
ALL: All pictures on one page
  Notes
The borderline with Kyrgyzstan is passing about 1.65 km south of the Confluence.