We can say that the Kurgazak cave in the Chelyabinsk region would be an interesting natural monument, if not for its fateful ease of access. The proximity to the settlements and the river Ay, popular among rafting enthusiasts, as well as the large, visible entrance from a distance, played a cruel joke. Once the cave was called stalactite. Now, sagging karst formations can be found only in the highest places in distant halls. Unconscious tourists took out the rest as souvenirs, leaving traces of their stay in the form of bottles and bags. Nevertheless, the Kurgazak cave is worth a visit. In this article we will talk about how to find this natural attraction of the Chelyabinsk region and how to equip yourself so that your trip does not end with injuries.
What is interesting cave
In scientific terms, Kurgazak is a karst cavity of a corridor-grotto type. This cave was known to people for a long time. It was first described in the XVIII century by academician Peter Simon Pallas. In 1937, it was studied in more detail by a specialist in karst cavities G. Vakhrushev. Sverdlovsk cavers opened more distant halls in the 60s, and the most hidden Grotto of Silence was discovered at the end of the twentieth century. Finally, it was possible to measure the entire length of this underground corridor interspersed with halls! It is 530 meters. Thus, the Kurgazak cave is the second longest in the Satka district of the Chelyabinsk region after the Dry Ati. The cavity was formed in the limestone strata of the Devonian. She goes underground to a depth of 16 meters. The cave has only one entrance. It itself consists of three halls, which are connected to each other by narrow corridors-manholes.
How to find a cave
Alas, this is a popular site to visit. The cave is often visited by those who rafting along the Ai River. It is located a hundred meters from the coast. Administratively, Kurgazak cave is located in the Chelyabinsk region, in the Satka region, between the villages of Alekseevka and Megeve. It is best to drive up from the last settlement. If you start from Yekaterinburg, then by car you need to follow the Polevsky highway through Verkhny Ufaley, Nyazepetrovsk and Upper Kigi. From Chelyabinsk by car, you need to leave from the village of Borovoye, pass the villages of Nizhny Atlyan and Satka. Having reached the Megeve, you should turn towards the village of Blinovka. Having passed through it, you need to turn right along the dirt road. She will lead you to the banks of the Ay River. You should climb a little upstream - the Kurgazak cave, the photo of the entrance to which you see below, is located just before the confluence of the Kamenka stream in Ai. From the river to the cavity - some one hundred and fifty meters. The entrance is more than noticeable, moreover, a wide path leads to it.
Virtual tour of the Kurgazak cave
First you enter a spacious grotto called Pigeon. This name is quite justified. Forest pigeons love to nest in a light and sheltered from the winds grotto. The entrance to the cave is large - five meters high and 15 meters wide. The pigeon grotto goes 37 meters deep. But apart from its impressive size, there’s nothing to see there. Most tourists limit themselves to visiting the Pigeon Grotto, have picnics there, decorate the walls with Vandal inscriptions and leave mountains of trash behind. Previously, a powerful karst spring with non-freezing, weakly radioactive water beat in the vicinity of the cave. But after the construction of the Kurgazak bauxite mine, it dried up. Not all tourists know where the entrance to the other halls of the cave begins. But it is they who are of the greatest interest. So, we dress in something that is not a pity to get dirty, turn on the lights and move along the left wall of the Pigeon Grotto.
Halls and corridors
About 10 meters from the entrance is a small hole. It is completely icy. One must be prepared for the fact that the temperature inside the Kurgazak cave never rises above zero. Therefore, daredevils who dare to climb there need to get dressed and put on warm shoes. The descent is quite long (6-7 meters) and almost vertical. Trunks that someone had previously used as a ladder froze in the ice, but there is little hope for them - you should stock up on your own rope and gloves. Going down, you find yourself in the tunnel of Unknown. It is wide, but in some places due to the low arch it will be necessary to move on its haunches or even crawl. The Tunnel of Unknown is 85 meters long and leads the caver to the Enthusiast's Grotto. It is huge, but caution should be exercised. The whole floor is strewn with fragments of breakaway blocks. Rockfalls happen today - a helmet is needed. In the Grotto of Enthusiasts, it is rather difficult to find a narrow gap between parallel plates. This manhole is called "rolling mill." He leads to the grotto of Silence. You can still find stalactites and stalagmites in it.
Kurgazak Cave: reviews
Daredevils who decide to go down into the cold, wet and dark karst cavity will be rewarded. Such beauty is rarely seen. In winter, ice stalactites grow on the arches, and in summer, droplets of condensed moisture glisten in the rays of the lantern like millions of diamonds. But, reviews warn, before visiting the cave, you should be well equipped. You should bring along a flashlight, hard hat, warm waterproof clothing and good shoes. The floor in the grottoes and corridors is covered with clay, strewn with debris. In the manholes, huge boulders also sometimes hang almost to the very bottom. The expedition members must be in good shape - they will have to get out by rope.