The set of vertices of the Ural Mountains has a history that is associated with ancient legends or when something happens in the area of ​​real events. One of them is Mount Erkusey or as it is often referred to by locals Shaman Mountain. It is located in the upper reaches of Balbanyu, left tributary of the river Kozhim. The height of the mountain - 1099 meters.

Mountain Erkusey impressive and remembered for a long time. It is like a bastion stands alone between two mountain ranges, blocking the entrance to the gorge, which leads to the river Pelingichey. Correct outlines slopes and steep escarpments really give Erkusey resemblance to a massive tower and the flat top, which resembles a table, only reinforces this impression.

More than a dozen years at the foot of Erkuseya "break" your summer dwelling herders, wandering in the area and telling stories and legends of the shaman-mountain. Everyone knows that is home to the powerful spirits of the mountains, lakes and rivers, which always need to remember, to try to please them, not to get angry, and bring gifts. There are many ways to communicate with the Almighty, but the surest is this: on a clear day you need to get to the top, looked up to heaven and think of something very important and good. Perfume necessarily I hear these thoughts and try to help them to implement. And therefore better place than the flat top Erkuseya for this kind of communication do not exist. But it should be noted that the slopes are very steep, and in some cases even steep, and not everyone will be able to climb to the very top.

One legend says that in the old days in these parts lived one person .  Was he a magician or not, and could heal people, and to predict the weather, and talk about the future .  He lived in a hut at the foot of Erkuseya, and to him for help and advice both drove east, and from the western slopes of the Ural Mountains .  A lot of good it has brought people .  The deer did not find or illness befall what - tell or predict .  For the different needs of a multifaceted spirits tundra uplands and water turned the old shaman .  Climb up to the top of the mountain, where its charms decompose and waiting when he will be served a prophetic sign .  It happens that around -oblachno, heavy clouds hang around and the rain poured all, in the valley below chilly wind whistling, it seems that the snow comes, and over Shaman mountain - that "window", even the sun peeps .  Then descend down the old man and says that everything will be fine .  And if you happen so suddenly that the serried clouds, the wind increased and howl like an animal, rain on the snow falls through, it means that great angry - do not want to let people in the mountains .  That means we need in a warm place to sit and wait for favors .

Last long .  To the old shaman was going more and more people .  Multiple requests to lean heavily on his shoulders .  Learning about the wonderful magical possibilities, began to come to him with different people everyday intent .  More and more gloomy old man, and it became increasingly difficult to reach the top of the mountain .  It happened once, so that in bad weather the terrible shaman disappeared and did not come down with Erkuseya .  They say that people saw the clouds parted, there was a blue sky, and on top of this "small window" looked out a ray of sunshine .  Then the clouds closed again continuous veil, the wind roared and carried snow squalls over the Urals .  Missing an old shaman, no one ever never saw him again .  Some of daredevils climb up and did not find anything there .  Only on a flat stone was laid charms .  Since then, and it began to be called the top of the mountain Shaman .  And if the weather is good to see one of its slopes, you can see the outlines of an old man in profile .  But you need to have a rich imagination . 

Experts say that at Erkusey perform religious ritual sacrifice to climb. Local people believed the mountain habitat Voypelya - the spirit of the North wind. In the 1980s, geologists discovered at the foot of a hoard of silver coins left, probably as a sacrifice.

Currently Erkusey mountain is very popular among tourists and mountaineers.