Multinskie Lakes

The Multinskie Lakes (Мультинские озёра) are a cascade of glacial mountain lakes on the northern slope of the Katun Ridge, in the Ust-Koksinsky District of the Altai Republic. They lie in the upper course of the Multa River and share its name: the Lower, Middle and Upper Multinskoye lakes, together with the neighbouring Poperechnoye and Krepkoye lakes. All of them lie within the Katunsky Biosphere Reserve, part of the UNESCO World Natural Heritage site "Golden Mountains of Altai".

The lakes of the cascade

Lower Multinskoye Lake sits at an altitude of about 1,700 m; it is roughly 3 km long, about 1 km wide, and up to 50 m deep. Middle Multinskoye Lake lies higher, at about 1,740 m, measuring 1,790 m in length and 759 m in width, with an average depth of about 8 m. Upper Multinskoye Lake is at an altitude of about 1,860 m, stretched from north to south over 1,425 m with a width of 286 m and a maximum depth of 47.7 m. Its northern shore is marshy, while the southern shore is a rocky scree slope. Eleven streams feed into the lake basin, forming waterfalls, one of which drops from a height of about 60 m.

Two more lakes of the same system lie nearby. Poperechnoye Lake sits at 1,885 m, with an area of 0.411 km², a shoreline length of 4.04 km, and a maximum depth of 22.6 m; it is fed by cirque-valley glaciers. Krepkoye Lake lies in the upper reaches of the Krepkaya River, a left tributary of the Multa, at an altitude of 1,933 m, about 900 m long and 350 m wide. Sheer cliffs surround it on three sides, and a waterfall falls into it from the south; the water has a turquoise tint, and the shores are covered with sparse forest and dwarf birch thickets.

Nature

The water stays cold even in summer, rarely warming above +10 °C. Grayling are found in the rivers and lakes. Bears, Pallas's cats (manul), wolves, sables, squirrels, chipmunks, hares and pikas live in the surrounding forests and mountains, along with wood grouse among the birds.

History

The first scientific expeditions reached the Multinskie Lakes in the 1920s. In the 1990s the area became part of the Katunsky Biosphere Reserve.

Legends

Several legends are tied to the lakes. According to one, a girl named Multa turned into a river, and her tears became the lakes. Another version holds that each lake of the cascade represents a stage of the human soul. The nearby peak known as "Sleeping Beauty" is said to be the petrified daughter of a khan, turned to stone by grief over her fallen beloved.

Getting there

The route to the lakes begins at the village of Multa on the bank of the Katun River. Direct buses run there from Barnaul; from Novosibirsk one can take a train to Biysk and then a bus to Multa. By car, the way runs along the Chuysky Trakt through the Seminsky Pass to Ust-Koksa, then about 30 km further to Multa. From Multa to the Lower Lake is about 25 km: the first 15 km can be covered by off-road vehicle, the rest on foot. Footpaths and horse trails lead to the Middle and Upper lakes. Visiting Upper Multinskoye Lake requires paying an ecological fee at a ranger post of the Katunsky Reserve.

Good to know

Boat and SUP board rentals operate at the lakes, and horseback routes are available. Since the area belongs to a nature reserve, it is worth checking visiting rules and ranger post schedules in advance.