Seminsky Pass on the Chuya Highway
The Seminsky Pass on the Chuya Highway is located 150 kilometers from Gorno-Altaysk. The height of the Seminsky pass is 1717 meters. Being at the top, tourists see only the flat part of the mountain saddle and the peaks of the Sarlyk mountains (2507 m) and Tiyakhty (1900 m). The whole area around is covered with cedar forests.
Some travel companies in their booklets mark the Seminsky Pass as an attraction. The pass is indeed included in the list of natural monuments of Altay. From a geographical point of view, it separates the mountainous regions of Altay from the plains, so the status of a natural monument is fully justified.
However, for tourists, the Seminsky Pass is just a stop on Chuya Highway near the stele for a short rest. Shops and cafes have been built on both sides of the road, where you can buy souvenirs or have a snack, nothing more. There are no beautiful views of the mountains here.
Near the Top of Tiyakhta there is a ski sports base of the Olympic Reserve. In winter, numerous ski trails are laid around the base, and in summer, skiers train on roller skis on special tracks. The ski base also functions as an ordinary hotel. You can book there a room and walk along the surrounding paths among the cedar forests.
The ascent and descent to the Seminsky Pass are very gentle. For car passengers, these height differences are almost invisible. From Gorno-Altaysk side, the ascent begins near the village of Topuaya. The distance from it to the Seminsky Pass is 10 kilometers. The climb of 580 meters is smoothly distributed over this distance. On the opposite side, the descent from the pass is as gentle as the ascent.
A monument was erected at the top of the Seminsky Pass in 1958 in honor of the 200th anniversary of the voluntary annexation of Altay to Russia. The first road of the Chuya Highway was laid here in the 1930s. Before that, the Seminsky Pass was a hard-to-reach point for trade caravans. Having strong bases at the top of the pass, local tribes could control vast territories of Altay.
