Krasnoyarsk Pillars Reserve
Krasnoyarsk Pillars are located in the northwestern part of the Eastern Sayan, on the border with the Central Siberian Plateau. The natural boundaries of the protected area are the right tributaries of the Yenisei: the Bazaikha River in the northeast and the Mana and Bolshaya Rivers in the southeast. The territory of the Reserve borders with Krasnoyarsk from the northeast. The height of rocks here reaches 60-90 meters, and the age of the oldest rock formations is about 600 million years. The pillars are syenite remnants.
Highlights
General Information
History
Krasnoyarsk Pillars is one of the most unusual places in Russia. Among climbers and mountaineers they are known far beyond the country’s borders. They gave birth to a special sports and philosophical movement – pillarsism, which is a socio-cultural phenomenon, a social phenomenon, a way of life, inextricably linked with the Krasnoyarsk Pillars.
One of the unwritten postulates of pole climbing says: “A climb, no matter how difficult it is, can be considered to be taken only if it is passed alone and without any devices”. The goal is to compete with nature, to show what you can do by yourself.”
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Unfortunately, the history of pole climbing has a large number of tragic cases. Many climbers, tourists and rescuers have died here. In 1997, a chapel was built to commemorate them.
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Already at the turn of the XIX-XX centuries Krasnoyarskie Pillars became the most popular place of recreation and tourism for residents and guests of Krasnoyarsk, so when in 1913 there was an attempt to develop the stone at the Second Pillar, and in 1917 – mass logging, it caused strong public resistance. Since 1919 attempts to organize a nature reserve here began. The initiators were the residents of Krasnoyarsk, who sought to preserve their treasure.
.On June 30, 1925, the Yenisei provincial executive committee issued a decision on the organization of the reserve “Stolby” with an area of 3960 hectares. Any kind of economic activity was henceforth prohibited here. Throughout the XX century the territory of the reserve was increased several times.
.Vegetation
The realm of fir taiga, typical for the middle mountains of the Eastern Sayan Mountains, stretches everywhere here. Among the deciduous trees in the reserve one can see Nashchokin’s linden (Tilia nasczokinii) – an endemic species, which is found exclusively in the Krasnoyarsk region.
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Medunica medicinalis (Pulmonaria officinalis) has a rare phenomenon in the world of plants – change in color of petals during flowering: at first they are pink, then – blue. In ancient medicine, a decoction of medunica medicinalis was used to treat diseases of the respiratory system.
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Of other medicinal plants here is a thick-leaved badanum, or Mongolian tea (Bergenia crassifolia). This plant can be seen even at an altitude of 2,000 meters above sea level.
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Animal life
The fauna of the Stolby Reserve includes 56 species of mammals, 200 species of birds and 22 species of fish. Here live maral – the largest subspecies of red deer (Cervus elaphus) and musk deer (Moschus moschiferus) – a typical inhabitant of the middle taiga, brown bear (Ursus arctos), wolf (Canis lupus), common lynx (Lynx lynx), wolverine (Gulo gulo), fox (Vulpes vulpes), badger (Meles meles). The most numerous is the family of rodents. Genera of wood voles (Clethrionomys) and chipmunks (Tamias) predominate here. The Altai pika (Ochotona alpina) is found on rocky placers.
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Among birds, taiga flycatchers (Ficedula mugimaki), king warblers (Phylloscopus proregulus), olive and mottled thrushes (Turdus obscurus and Zoothera dauma) are common, blue nightingales (Luscinia suape), whistling crows (Gymnorhina tibicen), blue tails (Tarsiger cyanurus), northern owls (Bubo bubo) and grouse (Tetrao urogallus).
Blue nightingales are among the most enigmatic birds of Siberia. Their range extends from the Ob to the Sea of Okhotsk, and outside Russia includes parts of China, Korea, and Japan. Some amateurs have managed to keep nightingales at home.
In the Stolby Nature Reserve one can often see the common viper (Vipera berus) and the viviparous lizard (Zootoca vivipara). It is interesting that common vipers prefer northern latitudes or high mountains. In the Swiss Alps they live even at an altitude of 3000 m above sea level. Vipers never exceed 70 cm in length, and they can be easily recognized by the zigzag pattern on their back. Vipers live up to 12 years.
.Information for visitors
Reserve regime
The reserve is open to the public in the tourist and excursion area. There are four excursion routes: “Takmakovsky rocky area”, “Tale of the reserved forest”, “Nature – a great sculptor”, “Meeting with Manskaya Baba”. Each of the routes has its own degree of complexity and requires some preparation.
.How to get there
The reserve borders on the city limits of Krasnoyarsk, in the same city is located and the main department, so it is necessary to get to the capital of the Krasnoyarsk region. You can do this by airplane or train. Krasnoyarsk has direct air service with 84 cities around the world.
.Where to stay
There are many hotels and inns in Krasnoyarsk ready to offer their services.
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