Sheregesh: Slopes, Rocks and Culture

Sheregesh has several facets: the Gornyak Cultural Centre opened in 1959, distinctive rock formations lie nearby, and the Lob ski slope has markedly different gradients. There are also freeride routes and a designated snowmobile route. When looking for a holiday apartment in Sheregesh, you can first decide what you want to focus on during your trip: slopes and mountain activities, culture in the town and nearby, or other destinations in Kemerovo Oblast.

Mountain scenery, culture and nearby slopes

The Gornyak Cultural Centre in Sheregesh opened its doors in 1959 to people of all ages and with a wide range of interests. Visitors to Poklonny Krest also come for different reasons: people go to this site, considered sacred, to pray or enjoy the mountain scenery. The Verbljudy rock formations lie on the slope of Mount Kurgan; these distinctive rock pinnacles rise amid the mountain landscape.

The Lob ski slope on the western slope of Mount Zelyonaya in Sector A offers two very different gradient profiles. The upper section is steep: the average gradient is 25°, reaching 30° in places. The lower section is gentler, with a gradient of around 10°. It is popular with beginners and is used for technique training with a ski instructor. The two sections therefore differ not only in their position on the slope, but also in their gradient and in the stated use of the lower section.

The Sheregesh resort area also has freeride routes on Mounts Mustag, Utuya and Kurgan, as well as in the valley of the Telbes River. The 7 km snowmobile route, designated for year-round use, offers another perspective on the mountain area. It runs from the cross-country skiing area of the Medvezhonok complex at 680 m to the summit of Mount Medvezhonok at 920 m, then over the pass down to the Chugunash track and the Talip River at 650 m, and finally along the track or river to the Zima-Leto complex at 760 m. Check current conditions before setting out on a specific trip.

More nature and culture in Kemerovo Oblast

The wider travel region of Kemerovo Oblast offers further options that differ from the slopes and mountain landscapes around Sheregesh. In the southern part of the oblast, visitors can go rafting on mountain rivers, take motorboat trips and hike along ecological trails in the Shorsky National Park. The Srednyaya Mrassu route runs from Ust-Kabyrza to Ust-Anzas. Depending on the weather, it takes at least three days, is rated Category I in difficulty and is accessible to all age groups. The Verkhnyaya Mrassu route includes small rapids and riffles rated Categories I and II; participants’ experience and water levels affect the conditions and duration. Check the current park rules and route conditions before travelling.

The Tomskaya Pisanitsa Museum-Reserve offers another connection between landscape and history. It is a cultural monument of federal significance and one of the best-known and most important rock-art sites in Western Siberia. The reserve covers 156 hectares of pine forest on the banks of the Tom River. There are 300 rock images at sites considered sacred; the oldest depictions are 4,000 years old. Since the first years of its existence, the museum-reserve has hosted historical, ethnographic and folk events and festivals. At the Shorsky ulus Kezek complex near Tomskaya Pisanitsa, the homestead of a wealthy Shor has been reconstructed; the buildings are original structures from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. At the Selsky dvorik petting zoo, visitors can feed domestic goats, sheep, rabbits, chickens, geese and ducks.

In Novokuznetsk, the Kuznetskaya Krepost is a federal monument of history, military engineering and architecture. The fortress includes a permanent archaeological exhibition on the region’s early history, as well as galleries for temporary exhibitions. Kemerovo Oblast therefore offers a range of ways to explore regional history alongside its nature and landscapes.

Discover more destinations: Denisovo, Myski, Bedarevo, Yurga, Tashtagol, Sosnovka, Kalinkino, Osinniki.

For the main travel overview: Kemerovo Oblast.