Range Altai
After reaching the top of Jargalant Khairkhan, we set our sights on yet another significant peak, with an overnight stay planned in Altai city and plenty of time on our hands. Embracing every chance for new climbs, we found an unexplored peak with a 237-meter prominence west of Mankhan city. Driven by a love for…
Range Altai
Mud and sand became our unwelcome companions, forcing us to ditch our original plan and veer towards the imposing Jargalant Khairkhan. Its peak, oh-so-close yet twenty kilometers of mystery away, mocked us with its majestic presence. Satellite imagery, our sole guide, felt more like a cryptic treasure map than a reliable navigation tool. Kilometers bled…
Range Altai
Leaving the Steppe Hotel in Khovd after breakfast, we drive 10 kilometers north and spot a promising peak that looks both prominent and climbable. Consulting our maps, we estimate its prominence to be at least 200 meters, a figure Rob later updates to 249 meters. Clearly, it’s an appealing detour for peakbaggers en route to…
Range Altai
From the majestic vista of Bumbag Khairkhan Uul, with its snow-capped peak beckoning, we set our sights south towards the quaint village of Tsetseg, where, in a display of unwavering tradition, we indulge in our daily ice cream fix. Post-village bliss, we hit a road that’s surprisingly decent until, of course, it decides to give…
Range Altai
Rob and I set off towards yet another mystery peak, armed with the summit’s coordinates but clueless about the base’s whereabouts. The maps hint at a bumpy twenty-kilometer detour off-road, the ease of which remains a coin toss. Slicing through the steppes, we aim straight for the base, but our initial pivot towards the ridge…