'Stairway to heaven' opens just in time for winter
Visitors to the stairway will have to brave temperatures that sometimes don't make it much above 0 degrees Fahrenheit -- but those who do will be rewarded with breathtaking views.
By
Lauren Fox, AccuWeather staff writer
Published Dec 21, 2021 3:10 PM EDT
|
Updated Dec 21, 2021 3:10 PM EDT
Russia opened its longest staircase to tourists in recent weeks, and the long walk to the top may leave some who venture to make it breathless. The staircase is so long and reaches such a high elevation that some are describing the attraction as a 'stairway to heaven.'
The staircase's 1,683 steps lead tourists up to the top of the Torgashin mountain range in Krasnoyarsk Krai, which is an administrative division in the Russian Federation. The entire path of the staircase stretches 1.2 kilometers (3,937 feet). Tourists will also encounter a height difference on the trail of 240 meters, or 787 feet.
Construction on the new route began over the summer and now connects the Stolby Nature Reserve and the Torgashinsky Ridge into one single path for tourists to explore. The staircase will remain open from 8 a.m. until 10 p.m. throughout the winter, The Siberian Times reported.
According to Ruptly, tourists planning to travel across the entire staircase can expect the journey to take about 40 minutes to complete; however, it could take longer if people choose to stop and take in the view from any of the three viewpoints along the trail that offer displays of the nature and wildlife that make up the Krasnoyarsk Krai.
In the days after the stairway opened, Ruptly sent a camera crew to capture a perspective of the stairway, which zigs and zags its way through a decidedly wintry landscape.
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And the weather will undoubtedly be a factor in the experience. Besides the long trek, tourists will have to overcome frigid temperatures during wintertime visits to the stairway.
According to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Jim Andrews, temperatures in the city of Krasnoyarsk reached a high of just 1 degree Fahrenheit on Dec. 15 and bottomed out at 8 degrees below zero, which is abnormally cold for this time of year in the city.
The top of the mountain range could experience even lower temperatures than the city due to elevation.
"On average, higher ground would tend to be colder than lower ground, though this would be flipped during inversion patterns," like on calm and clear nights, Andrews explained.
The city of Krasnoyarsk has an elevation of around 450 feet above sea level, and the ridge has an elevation between 1,500 and 2,000 feet, Andrews said.
"The higher ground likely gets somewhat greater precipitation, including snowfall," he said. "In patterns marginal for temperature, snow can fall on the ridge while the city sees rain."
For the latest weather news check back on AccuWeather.com. Watch the AccuWeather Network on DIRECTV, Frontier, Spectrum, fuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios. AccuWeather Now is now available on your preferred streaming platform.
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News / Travel
'Stairway to heaven' opens just in time for winter
Visitors to the stairway will have to brave temperatures that sometimes don't make it much above 0 degrees Fahrenheit -- but those who do will be rewarded with breathtaking views.
By Lauren Fox, AccuWeather staff writer
Published Dec 21, 2021 3:10 PM EDT | Updated Dec 21, 2021 3:10 PM EDT
Russia opened its longest staircase to tourists in recent weeks, and the long walk to the top may leave some who venture to make it breathless. The staircase is so long and reaches such a high elevation that some are describing the attraction as a 'stairway to heaven.'
The staircase's 1,683 steps lead tourists up to the top of the Torgashin mountain range in Krasnoyarsk Krai, which is an administrative division in the Russian Federation. The entire path of the staircase stretches 1.2 kilometers (3,937 feet). Tourists will also encounter a height difference on the trail of 240 meters, or 787 feet.
Construction on the new route began over the summer and now connects the Stolby Nature Reserve and the Torgashinsky Ridge into one single path for tourists to explore. The staircase will remain open from 8 a.m. until 10 p.m. throughout the winter, The Siberian Times reported.
According to Ruptly, tourists planning to travel across the entire staircase can expect the journey to take about 40 minutes to complete; however, it could take longer if people choose to stop and take in the view from any of the three viewpoints along the trail that offer displays of the nature and wildlife that make up the Krasnoyarsk Krai.
In the days after the stairway opened, Ruptly sent a camera crew to capture a perspective of the stairway, which zigs and zags its way through a decidedly wintry landscape.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
And the weather will undoubtedly be a factor in the experience. Besides the long trek, tourists will have to overcome frigid temperatures during wintertime visits to the stairway.
According to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Jim Andrews, temperatures in the city of Krasnoyarsk reached a high of just 1 degree Fahrenheit on Dec. 15 and bottomed out at 8 degrees below zero, which is abnormally cold for this time of year in the city.
The top of the mountain range could experience even lower temperatures than the city due to elevation.
"On average, higher ground would tend to be colder than lower ground, though this would be flipped during inversion patterns," like on calm and clear nights, Andrews explained.
The city of Krasnoyarsk has an elevation of around 450 feet above sea level, and the ridge has an elevation between 1,500 and 2,000 feet, Andrews said.
"The higher ground likely gets somewhat greater precipitation, including snowfall," he said. "In patterns marginal for temperature, snow can fall on the ridge while the city sees rain."
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For the latest weather news check back on AccuWeather.com. Watch the AccuWeather Network on DIRECTV, Frontier, Spectrum, fuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios. AccuWeather Now is now available on your preferred streaming platform.
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