Stone birches of Vachkazhets or snow in the middle of summer

The Vachkazhets mountain range is one of the most picturesque and easily accessible places in Kamchatka, where you can safely go with your children. Among the locals, visiting this natural massif is considered an easy walk, not burdened with a long journey. From Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky it is located only 80 km away, half the way you drive on asphalt. The name Vachkajec adapted to the Russian language comes from the Itelmen Uachkagach, which means water "flowing from the stone ridge". And indeed, this is a place with bubbling streams of the purest drinking water, rapidly rolling down from the snow-capped peaks of the volcano and going into an incredibly beautiful lake. It is this lake that welcomes tourists and is the starting point for walking through the massif.

Lake in the Vachkazets mountain range

Before starting a walk through the hills and mountains of Vachkazets, you will first have to walk a couple of kilometers through the "fabulous" forest, consisting mainly of birch trees. But not from the tall white-barreled beauties we are used to, but from the crooked and bizarre stone birch. According to the guide's story, this birch is drowning in the water, which is why it got the name "stone". By its shape, it is immediately clear that the tree does not live, but survives – the annual avalanches and snow gatherings predetermine its curvy forms.

Amazing nearby – Kamchatka birch

So, our 4-hour walking journey along Vachkazets began from the lake. Kamchatka in any of its places is amazing because with the slightest advance, whether it's up or straight. Each time the terrain opens up in a different way, delighting nature lovers with more and more new views.

The same lake, but a view from above

Up the well-trodden paths along a boisterously noisy stream (well, or a small mountain river), we went to the threshold of the "circus", which is a kind of natural arena surrounded by mountain volcanic hills. And bang - in the middle of August on the north side you can frolic, playing snowballs.

Snow in the middle of summer

Getting closer and closer to the circus arena, you get into a clearing. If you look more closely, you can notice a lot of minks on the ground – these are the intricate underground passages of "evrazhek", that's the name of gophers in Kamchatka. And if you lay low and throw fresh nuts closer to the burrow, then these cute curious rodents will enjoy them with pleasure.

Evrazhka

So, with small stops in the photo, stories from the guide and rest, overcoming the rivers, then steep slopes up and down, in 2.5 hours we reached the goal – a beautiful waterfall. Water has an amazing property to restore strength and carry away all the negative. And the whole of Kamchatka is a solid place of power, and it beckons me personally to come back here again and again.