The Kamchatka Peninsula is situated on the far east of Russia and Asia.

Kamchatka
Yuri Kolomiets

This area is marked by contrasts: ice and fire, geyser-studded deserts and lush vegetation.

It is a young region could say a geologist. Some time ago it was the military zone, strictly off-limits. Only on resent times the artificial walls isolated Kamchatka from other world were removed and the mysterious peninsula could invite its first visitors, revealing its many marvels - 120 volcanoes, some of them are still active; the 200 geysers constantly spouts their jets of water; the wonderful, con-shaped, snow-clad mountains; large glaciers; the immense forests, craters became a nice huge lakes, rivers filled with salmon and parks with wild animals.

The marvellous part of peninsula is Kronotskiy Wildlife Reserve, one of largest in Russia.

There is the volcano Kronotskaya Sopka covered with snow or puffs of smoke. Lake Kronotskiy - the place where the salmon went to breed and die.

The Kamchatka peninsula has two mountain chains - Eastern and Central. Between these two ranges is large volcanic plateau dominated by Mt.Kluchevskaya Sopka (4.850m), one of the tallest active volcano in the world.

The most popular mountains for climbers are further to the south not far from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy:

• Avachinskaya Sopka (2.741m)
• Koriakskaya Sopka (3.456m)

View of sopka

Here in late spring skiing while being pulled by helicopters is common, and extremely interesting rock, ice and snow routes (rated from 1B to 3A) have been opened; especially in the summer; ice axes, crampons, rope and pitons are needed. It is possible to make the ascent on ski in May. The descent is nice and challenging.