Toypan pass, Uzbekistan 3800m. above the sea level
Toipan pass and surrounding moraine lakes.
Perhaps this part of the Chatkal mountains remains one of the last and few remaining white spots on the map of the Tashkent region. There is practically no reliable information about this point in internet, only a single link to the notes of Mr.Adelunga and a couple of other post-revolutionary researchers, which rather relate to the plateau as a whole. According to rumors, the last group of Soviet tourists passed this route almost half a century ago, however, without leaving a special information trail after this. In this regard, me and my colleague a tried to correct this annoying omission, at least by taking a few photos. Although the main goal of this trip, unfortunately, was not achieved, due to “the impact of an irresistible elemental force of unknown origin,” as they write about another popular pass. I will not say that the location is especially difficult to access, even closer to Tashkent there are many more abrupt places, and, for example, the ascent to the neighboring circus, which I entered three years ago, seems much more boring and complicated. But water should be stored there strongly in advance, since after three thousand meters it ceases to occur in liquid form, and after the pass it appears only three hundred meters lower. In general, the wildness and virginity of the area is certainly going through the roof, (despite the numerous cattle herds on the way). Particularly good are the views opening from the nameless peak, at the merge of the three ridges of the Chatkal range, as if confirming the free translation of the word Toipan, as they say meaning “ecstasy and horror”)