Tsey (Tseyskoe gorge) (Цей) (Osset. Ts'æi) is a Russian ski resort
(mountain-climatic resort area) and a center of recreational tourism
in the Alagirsky region of North Ossetia.
A serpentine road
is laid along the Tsei gorge from the village of Buron, located on
the Transkam (12 km). Distance to (railway stations): the regional
center - the city of Alagir - 53 km (60 km), to the city of
Vladikavkaz - 98 km (110 km; bus service).
Tsey is located on
the northern slopes of the B. Caucasus (Central Caucasus), at the
foot of the Adaykhokh city, in the gorge of the river. Tseidon, at
an altitude of 1910-2200 m.
The gorge is formed by two ridges:
Tseysky and Kalperovsky, located in a horseshoe shape, which is why
the area is often called the Tseysky horseshoe mountains. Tsey is a
longitudinal valley cut between the Lateral and Dividing ridges.
There is also the Tseysky glacier.
The lowest part of the
Tsey Gorge (near the village of Buron) is located at an altitude of
1300 m above sea level, the highest point - Mount Wilpat - is 4646
above sea level.
Since 1967, the gorge has been part of the
territory of the North Ossetian State Reserve.
The ski season
starts in December and ends in April. The difference in altitude in
the ski area is 920 meters (from 2870 to 1950 meters above sea
level). The approximate height of snow in the middle of the season
is about two meters.
There are two chair lifts in Tsei.
There is a trade union rest house "Tsey" (320 places) located in
a coniferous forest, mountaineering camps, a tourist center
"Ossetia", a scientific station and a recreation center of SKGMI, as
well as a meteorological station, and there was also a hotel
"Goryanka" (now destroyed, the building is in condition, plundered,
cannot be restored). There are many private hotels.
The
climate is characterized by moderately mild winters (avg. January
temperature −7 ° C) and moderately cool, with frequent rains in
summer (avg. Aug. Temperature approx. 13 ° C). Precipitation 1000 mm
per year, ch. arr. in May-October. The relative humidity is highest
during the warm season. The number of hours of sunshine per year is
2256. Weak mountain-valley winds prevail, which provide good
ventilation of the Ceydon Gorge. The climatic features of Tsei also
include low atmospheric pressure (610 mm) and the absence of sharp
fluctuations, a large number of sunny days, a high degree of air
ionization, and increased ultraviolet radiation.
Sights
9 km from Tsei is the Tsei glacier, which begins between the peaks
of Wilpat and Adaihokh and, descending to an altitude of 2200 m,
gives rise to the Tseidon River, (the left tributary of the Ardon,
which flows into the Terek).
Tourists are interested in
excursions to the Rekom sanctuary, Tourist Peak, Skaz and Tsei
glaciers, to Mount Monk.
Opening to foreigners
In the
Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of July 4, 1992 N
470, regulating the zones closed to foreigners, on September 18,
2012, a change was made for North Ossetia. The admission of
foreigners in this constituent entity of the Russian Federation was
allowed only to a few large cities, and transit between them was
also allowed along the roads and to the checkpoint across the
border. Now the text of the Resolution has a description of an
additional zone open for foreign tourists: a part of the territory
of the Alagir and Iraf districts, limited to:
from the east
by the Transcaucasian Highway (highway R-297) on the Mizur - Nar
section and the Nar highway - Zekarsky Pass,
from the south and
west - the state border of the Russian Federation in the section
from the Zekarsky pass to the Karaugom mountain and the Karaugom
mountain line - the confluence of the Fastag and Karaugom rivers,
from the north - the line of the confluence of the Fastag and
Karaugom rivers - an altitude with an elevation of 3001.7 on the
Tsakhfedor ridge - a bridge over the Dargonkom river in the village
of Dunta and the Dunta - Kamunta - Upper Zgid - Transcaucasian
highway).
Thus, the territory of the Tsey ski resort is now
available not only for Russians, but also for foreigners.