Bekatau-Ata

Bekatau-Ata is located in central Kazakhstan in the south of Karaganda region. The closest cities are Balkhash (70 km) and Karaganda (300 km). The term "In the middle of nowhere" describes its location pretty well. How to get there The only viable option to get to the area is by car. Without one, your travel will be a mix of trains/buses and taxi/hitchhiking. If your good at this sort of things, you'll figure it out. By car, you’ll probably drive from Astana (500 km) or Almaty (700 km). The distances here are enormous, sorry. Bektau-Ata is marked on the maps, so let them guide you.

There are few basic guesthouses. They are open in summer and close when everyone’s gone. You'll need to check it in-situ. An alternative option is to camp; there is a lot of space for wild camping and although there is a creek somewhere in the area, we didn't find it. There is no drinking water except for wells in the village. In autumn 2020 the water in most wells was muddy; only one house had a well deep enough to reach good water. We recommend therefore that you bring water with you. If you run out, ask the locals; they are friendly and always willing to help. There are no shops nearby, buy all your provisions in a city. Mobile phone reception works well, but the closest hospital is 70 kilometers away at Balkhash. Try to stay safe.

Spring and autumn is the best time of year. From April to May and from September to November the temperatures will let you climb and not fry (in summer) or freeze (in winter). Early and late in the season, be prepared for temperatures below freezing at night. Be aware of ticks throughout the entire year; mosquitos abound in spring.

Before 2009 the only climbers in the area were mountaineers from Karaganda. They didn't leave any documented ascents, only three pitons and a nut. In 2009 Dima Salnikov, with friends from Tomsk (Russia), came to Bektau-Ata and climbed some boulders. Later, Valera Alexeyev led a party of Almaty climbers. They were followed by more climbers from Russia, Valera once again, etc.. But no one climbed those stunning cracks before us. Bouldering It’s hard to count the precise number of boulders from sit down starts to highballs. According to Valera, there are more than a hundred problems on dozens of boulders. Unfortunately, as yet there is no bouldering guidebook. Trad All climbs made here before last autumn were on boulders. Then we came, and the pushing and puffing began. All cracks have rounded edges. The bigger the crack, the smother the edges. Sizes start from flaring fingers to the full-body chimneys, with all widths - from solid hand jams to improbable overhanging hand stacks - in between. The rock quality is perfect, the protection is bomber.

The only bolt in the area was installed by Salnikov in 2009. Please, let this remain the only bolt here. Bektau-Ata is a rural place with no traces of climbers. Let it remain wild and adventurous. During our week’s stay we climbed 18 routes, all but one were first ascents. The one climbed before our arrival, Zadniy Prokhod Praviy on Cherepaha, was climbed in the 80s by climbers from Karaganda. Most of the sectors are spread out fairly far from each other, so I think you'll be climbing in one or two sectors each day. All the routes we climbed are located to the west of Bektau-Ata itself. There are plenty of cracks below the NW Ridge and the East Face. The grades are approximate and given by (and for) people used to "normal" climbing on actual holds ;-) Folks who are used to crack climbing will perhaps find our grading too soft.