Threshold Tyndykpen-1 and Oroktoi Bridge: Sights of Mountain Altai

The mountainous and harsh river Katun in its rapid flow breaks its way among hard rock rocks. So, in one place she literally dug a deep canyon. The river bed here is narrowed to twenty meters. And below is the threshold of Tyndykpen. This massive pile of stones further narrows the channel. Since in five hundred meters downstream of the Katun there is one more rapier ridge, the top one is numbered one. This Tyndykpen is more popular with tourists, as it is decorated with the Oroktoi Bridge. Photo of this design is often placed guidebooks on the Mountain Altai. Although the bridge itself is quite new. What is it that has so interested travelers that they go to it every summer for long hikes (on off-road cars or on the rafts along the Katun River)? You will learn about this from this article.

Altai legends about crossing the Katun

Local legends tell how they built a bridge across a wayward and stormy river. There was once an ancient hero called Sartakpai. It was sad for him that the inhabitants of the villages of Orokta and Chemal could not meet, because they were on different banks. And Sartakpai planned to build a bridge. He collected huge boulders and began to throw them into the river - in the very place where Katun was already whole. But the stormy river only rolled with a roar across this barrier. So the hero could not finish his work. He went in search of new feats, and local residents called the Tyldykpen rapids "Sartakpai Gate". For a long time residents were satisfied with the ferry crossing. And now its tracks are indicated by access roads and poles, to which the cables were tied. In the middle of the twentieth century the first Oroktoi Bridge was erected. It was wooden, and in the early nineties during the high water it was blown away by a stormy Katun. The inhabitants of Oroktoi had to resume the ferry crossing.

What is interesting about the Orotoi Bridge

Mountain Altai is rich in natural attractions. But the bridge connecting the town of Chemal with the village of Orokta is unusual. First, it's hanging. It relies only on concrete pedestals along the banks, and over the deep gorge, at the bottom of which the river is seething, it is kept only by cables. The road across the bridge is the only one that connects Orokta village with the outside world. And finally, with this architectural sight a beautiful view of the Tyndykpen rapids opens. Since they are classified as a third category by raftingists, most tourists who love the beauty of the Altai Mountains prefer to come to the Oroktoi Bridge to make impressive photos. At this point the channel of Katun is already only some twenty meters. All the power of the stream goes down. It is said that the depth of the river in this place is as much as 70 meters.

Bridge as a tourist attraction

On the Tyndykpen rapids it is possible to raft on rafts, kayaks and catamarans only in the summer, when there is little precipitation, and the Katuni stream calms down a little. Why does the Orotoi Bridge not grow a tourist trail? Through it lies a lot of routes, both road, horse and pedestrian. The suspension form of the bridge itself is quite unusual. Many are overwhelmed by doubts: will it survive heavy cars? But the bridge's carrying capacity is eight tons. And this at a length of 95 meters between the pillars and the width of 3. On one bank of the Katun grows a "shaman tree." It is easy to recognize by the fluttering cloth that clings to the branches of tourists to fulfill desires. In addition, if you go down to the river along the access roads to the old ferry crossing, you can find sandy beaches. They are favorite places for tourists. Not everyone dares to enter the river, flowing along the rock corridor, whose sheer walls rise to five meters. But you can find natural baths where there is no current. They, as a rule, get warm well.

How to get to the Oroktoi Bridge

Altai is not a place for a city car with low ground clearance. The road is given only to drive an all-wheel drive car. From Biysk for 150 km highway M-52 is pleased with a quality asphalt surface. But from the village of Ust-Sema it is necessary to turn to Chemal. Passing the town, we reach the village of Yelanda. Here the asphalt ends. On the gravel or off-road it is necessary to travel another forty kilometers. We follow the road signs to the village of Kuyus. The Orotoi Bridge will appear behind the fork. The road is not very complicated. Moreover, along the way there are such interesting sights of the Mountainous Altai as rock carvings and an observation deck on the Valley of Spirits (Che-Chkysh).