Mount Tserkovka (Гора Церковка) in Belokurikha is a place for year-round active recreation, as well as an important historical and cultural landmark of the Altai Territory (Russia). Thanks to the combination of natural beauty and well-thought-out infrastructure, Tserkovka has become a popular destination for tourists and lovers of skiing.
Mount Tserkovka rises 801 meters above sea level. The relief includes gentle wooded slopes and steep rocky areas, creating a variety of opportunities for walking and active recreation. At the top there are cafes, souvenir shops and an observation deck with incredible panoramas of the city’s surroundings, foothill plains and the Cherginsky Range (Altai Mountains).
Tserkovka is part of the Blagodat’ ski resort (along with Belokurikha-2). In winter, long snow trails with a total length of 7 kilometers are laid on the slopes of the mountain. They are considered the longest in Altai. The trails – one red, one green and two blues – are equipped with a snowmaking system and are serviced by snow groomers.
In summer, the mountain slopes are great for hiking, rock climbing, and you can often see paragliders and hang gliders here. By the way, the climate and amazing nature of Belokurikha are conducive to long and thoughtful hiking trips around Tserkovka alone or with the whole family. Here, the average annual air temperature is quite high for Siberia, the humidity is comfortable, there are almost no winds, and there are almost as many sunny days a year as in Crimea and at the resorts of the North Caucasus.
On the scale of Altai, Tserkovka is not very remarkable, but it gained fame due to the healing springs discovered at the foot in the 19th century. It is to them that the resort town of Belokurikha owes its appearance, which is now famous for its hydropathic establishments and unique thermal waters.
Since 1918, tourists began to make pilgrimages to Tserkovka, and several decades later, skiing competitions began to be held here. The cross that emphasizes the mountain’s appearance appeared on the top in 1992, and in 2012 it was renewed, covered with a shiny and durable metal alloy.
The cable car to Tserkovka is the most convenient way to get to the top. The lift also operates in the summer.
