Kliutchevskaya Sopka is situated at the north edge of a vast volcanic chain, which really consists of 8 separate volcanic constructions. One of them — Bezymyanny (2841 m), the enormous eruption of which in March, 1956 is considered as one of the most powerful explosions of the century gone.

Ascent to Kliutchevskaya Sopka is always a sportive adventure — it is necessary to gain 3,5 km up. Conditions of snow on the slopes depend on the mean winter temperature: usually there are lots of icy parts higher than 3500 m, and crampons are necessary. Slopes lower than 3000 m are appropriated for skiing, but smooth snow is rare (except April) as the region is often very windy. Skiing from the top is possible but surely a very extreme task.

From the slopes of Kliutchevskaya Sopka lots of volcanoes are perfectly visible: extinct Kamen (4579 m) and Zimina (3080 m), the massif of Ploskaya (4080 m), and the pair of Plosky — Ostry Tolbachik (3082-3682 m) which was responsible for very long ash eruption in 1975-76. The most active volcano of Kamchatka now — Shiveluch (3307 m) is as well visible to the north.

Ascent to Bezymyanny is not reaching the top which is dead dangerous because of continual gas explosions, but climbing to the rim of an old crater destroyed in 1956 (elevation gain 900 m) as far as the point of tete-a-tete observation with a minimum of danger. Just before every tour we are taking an information from the volcanological service concerning current activity to avoid a risk.

Day		Program
day 1		Arrival Petropavlovsk Kamchatski, Elizovo airport. Transfer. Hotel (double rooms, swimming pool of natural hot geothermal water) at Paratunka village. Night in the hotel.
day 2		Bus transfer to the Central Kamchatka (approx. 9 hours) as far as Kozyrevsk, old Russian village with wooden houses typical for the Siberia. Accommodation at a guesthouse (rooms for 3).
day 3		Helicopter to the foot of Kliutchevskaya Sopka (35 min.). Accommodation in tents, a wooden hut as a mess-room available. (in case of bad weather dormitory accommodation possible).
day 4		Climbing Kliutchevskaya Sopka with an intermediary camp at the height of 2400 m. Skiing.
day 5		Climbing program. Skiing.
day 6		Climbing program. Skiing.
day 7		Climbing program. Skiing.
day 8		Climbing program. Skiing. (In a case of an earlier ascent, additional opportunity to do a ski-tour (18 km one way) approaching Bezymyanny, accommodation in tents. A wooden hut as a mess-room is available. Ascent to Bezymyanny. Return.)
day 9		Climbing program. Skiing.
day 10		Reserve day in case of bad weather.
day 11		Helicopter back to Kozyrevsk. Rest, accommodation at a guesthouse (rooms for 3).
day 12		Bus transfer back to Paratunka. Hotel.
day 13		Bus excursion in Petropavlovsk, visiting the bay of Avachinsky, to the observation point, visiting a salmon market. Evening party. Hotel.
day 14		Transfer to Elizovo airport. Departure.

Flight schedule

From/To	Flight No.	Weekday	Time
SPb-PKC	8503	Tue	16:05 — 14:20
SPb-PKC	8501	Fri	18:00 — 16:20
Moscow-PKC	SU759	Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat	15:10 — 8:35
PKC-SPb	8502	Sat	19:00 — 0:20
PKC-SPb	8504	Wed
PKC-Moscow	SU760	Tue, Thu, Sat, Sun