Altai mountains height. Altai mountains. Better than mountains - only mountains

The truth of what to say and look at the mountains has long been known to everyone, today we will talk and look at the wonderful heights - the Altai Mountains. The Altai Mountains are located on the border of several states: Russia, Mongolia, China and Kazakhstan. The Altai Mountains are the largest mountain system in Siberia. ( Looking at the Altai Mountains 11 photos)

First of all, the Altai Mountains are famous for their indescribable beauty and versatility of landscapes. Steep cliffs combine here in unique harmony with picturesque forests and crystal clear mountain rivers. The Altai Mountains truly combine a variety of landscapes, sunny, green meadows give way to sheer windy cliffs, or rugged forests give way to crystal clear waters of lakes.

We can talk about the unique beauty of these mountains for an infinitely long time, which is worth saying, because it was the Altai Mountains that served as a place of inspiration for many writers and poets, and the Altai Mountains also appear in many creative works. The Altai Mountains have a unique history; scientists claim that the mountains were first formed in the period 500-400 million years ago, then the mountain ranges were almost completely destroyed, and already in the period 66 million years ago the mountains that we now see were born on Earth.

Thanks to several periods of formation, the Altai Mountains combine all possible reliefs. The Altai Mountains can be divided into four parts: flat terrain, alpine-type glacial high-mountain terrain and mid-mountain terrain. Basically, all areas of the Altai Mountains are cut by small rivers flowing into valleys, forming crystal clear mountain lakes. These reservoirs are fed exclusively by snow, so depending on the time of year, the water level in the reservoirs may fluctuate.

The average height of the mountains is 1800-2000 meters. The highest point of the Altai Mountains is Mount Belukha, whose peak is located at 4,506 meters. The pride of the Altai Mountains are three regions, which together form the “Golden Mountains of Altai” - this is the name under which UNESCO in 1998 included three regions of the Altai Mountains on the World Heritage List, these are the Altai Reserve, the Katunsky Reserve and the Ukok Plateau.

The mountains are very popular among tourists who prefer an active lifestyle, and the Altai Mountains also occupy a special place in the hearts of climbers. For climbers, these picturesque landscapes guarantee that they will find a difficult climb here, after climbing which they will definitely be satisfied with the beauty that opens up. Having been in Altai, it is worth visiting the Altai Mountains, or at least the plains near the peaks, the atmosphere is unearthly.

The fragile and crumbly structure of the rocks characterizes the origin of numerous caves here; there are about 300 caves in Altai. There are equipped caves for tourists to visit. One of the largest caves is the Bolshaya Pryamukhinskaya Cave, the length of which reaches 320 meters. The longest Museum Cave, its length is 700 meters.

It is here in the Altai Mountains that the deepest mountains of Siberia are located. The Altai Mountains contain many interesting facts for both archaeologists and biologists. Ancient settlements of Stone Age inhabitants were discovered in one of the caves of the Altai Mountains.

These were the most beautiful Altai Mountains - description and photos. Stay tuned and have a pleasant travel experience.

Golden Mountains - this is how the word Altai is translated. And it’s hard to argue with this; Altai doesn’t have many rivals in terms of natural beauty. The Altai Mountains are the highest part of Siberia and are located on the land of two subjects of the country - the Altai Republic and the Altai Territory. This amazing place is called Russian Tibet. Mountain rivers, crystal lakes, seething waterfalls, endless coniferous forests and alpine meadows - the bounty of nature of these places will captivate you forever.

All about the golden mountains of Altai

IN Altai mountains The Biya and Katun rivers are born, from the confluence of which the Ob is born - one of the deepest and longest rivers in Russia.

The highest ridge of the Altai Mountains is Katunsky. The Altai Mountains are famous for their caves, of which there are many. - the edge of waterfalls, the highest Tekelyu flows into the Akkem River.

Winter in the region is long, up to 5 months. But in the area of ​​Lake Teletskoye, winter pleases with a comfortable ten degrees of frost. In summer, daylight hours in the region last 17 hours - this is more than in Yalta or Sochi.

The Ukok plateau is a place of burial mounds. Local residents believe that the plateau is a special sacred place to which they entrust the bodies of the dead. The unique nature of these places inspired Nicholas Roerich to create paintings. In the village of Verkhniy Uimon there is a museum of the painter.

Chemal is a picturesque area of ​​the Altai Mountains, where the Katun carries its waters past rocky mountains that are fascinating in their inaccessibility.

Mount Belukha is a symbol of Altai, a transboundary object at the junction of the borders of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation. This is the highest mountain in Altai and Siberia (4506 m), its slopes are covered with eternal snow and glaciers. This is the kingdom of snow, ice, thundering avalanches and sparkling waterfalls. Since time immemorial, it has been attracting tourists from all over the world like a magnet.

Excerpts from a photo diary of a trip to Belukha...

1. We walk the last 50 km to the destination of our trip; it is impossible to get there any other way (except by helicopter). We carefully cross the bridge over the Belaya Berel River, built in 1938.

The river originates a little higher from the Berel glaciers at the foot of Belukha, flowing from an ice grotto. It got its name from the milky white color of the water from dissolved minerals.

2. The bridge over the Belaya Berel River is a rather complex engineering structure that has been in service for more than 75 years. It was built from larch and nailed together with forged nails.

3. Approaching the Lower Camp (at the foot of Belukha) the first thing you hear is the noise of the largest Kokkol waterfall in Altai. At the confluence with the Belaya Berelya, the bed of the Bolshaya Kokkol River approaches a sharp ledge about 80 meters high with a steepness of 60-70 degrees. From here, a water stream over 10 meters wide rushes down from the wall of the Berel spur with a deafening roar that can be heard far around.

It does not fall down along the ridge and rocks on the left and right sides, but flows down in narrow, swift ‘snakes’. When falling from a great height, fine water dust is formed, ionizing the air in the valley. On sunny days, rising above the waterfall, it is painted with all the colors of the rainbow. A powerful waterfall and a picturesque gorge overgrown with beautiful cedar and spruce forests add extraordinary beauty and charm to this corner of Altai nature.

4. The majestically beautiful, unapproachable two-headed queen of the Altai mountains, Belukha, is represented by two peaks in the form of irregular pyramids - Eastern (4506 m) and Western Belukha (4435 m).

5. Eastern Belukha (4506 m).

6. Western Belukha (4435 m). The depression between the peaks, called the Belukha Saddle (4000 m), also drops steeply to the north to the Akkem glacier (the so-called Akkem wall) and more gently descends to the south to the Katun River.

7. 'Belukha Saddle' (4000 m). 'The Dwelling of the Gods', 'The Great Old Man' - this is what the Altai people call the city of Belukha. And according to N.K. Roerich is a mountain about which “even the deserts whisper.” Travelers who have contemplated the grandeur of the sparkling double-headed peak speak of its unearthly beauty, the amazing change of colors at sunset, the stunning proximity of the sky, and the living twinkling of the stars. The Belaya Berel and Katun rivers originate from the Belukha glaciers. The name comes from the abundant snow covering Belukha from the top to the very base.

8. The Belukha area is located on the border of zones of 7-8 magnitude seismic activity. Microearthquakes are very common here. Their consequences are the breaking of the ice shell, avalanches and landslides. The tectonic instability of the Belukha territory is evidenced by faults, cracks and thrusts of rocks.

9. The climate of the Belukha region is harsh with long cold winters and short summers with rain and snowfall. In winter, negative air temperatures are observed in January down to −48C and remain low even in March down to −5C. In summer, frosts down to −20C are not uncommon at the top of Belukha.

There are 169 glaciers known on the slopes of the Belukha massif and in the valleys, with a total area of ​​150 square kilometers. In terms of the number of glaciers and glaciation, Belukha ranks first on the Katunsky Ridge. 6 large glaciers are concentrated here, among them the Sapozhnikov glacier - one of the largest in Altai - 10.5 km long, with an area of ​​13.2 sq. km, as well as the Big and Small Berel glaciers, 10 and 8 km long and with an area of ​​12.5 and 8.9 km sq. respectively.

The speed of ice movement is not the same and on average ranges from 30 to 50 m per year. The accumulation of snow on steep slopes leads to avalanches. Belukha is one of the intense avalanche-prone areas of Altai.

10. The rivers Katun, Kucherla, Akkem, Idygem originate here. The Belaya Berel River drains the south-eastern slope and belongs to the Bukhtarma River basin. Water flows born near the Belukha glaciers form a special Altai type of river. Melt water from glaciers and snow takes part in feeding the rivers; rainfall is of little importance. The rivers are fast-flowing and often form waterfalls. The lakes in the area of ​​Mount Belukha lie in deep carts and trough valleys.

Here you can meet rare birds: the Himalayan Accentor and the Siberian mountain finch.

11. Himalayan Accentor.

12. Siberian mountain finch.

13. From the Lower Camp at the foot of Belukha, the peaks Vera 2591 m, Nadezhda 2709 m, Lyubov 3039 m are clearly visible, in the bowl of which at an altitude of 2400 m there is Lake Equilibrium, formed by melting glaciers. The purest glacial water, everything is visible to the very bottom (3-4 m). It is interesting to take photos of Beluga whale from there early in the morning when it is reflected in the mirror of the lake.

Beluga whale reflected in Lake Balance:

14. From the lake (using a telephoto lens) the grotto from which the Belaya Berel River flows is clearly visible. It originates from glaciers (Bolshoi and Maly Berelsky). then goes under the ice tongue and then flows out of the grotto. The ice is sprinkled with crumbled rubble, which is dangerous to walk on - gaps, voids.

15. View of the Katunsky ridge (the Kazakh-Russian border runs along it), Belukha 4509 m, Delone peak 3869 m, Urusvati 3543 m.

16. Mount Urusvati, 3543 m. (Sanskrit: “Light of the Morning Star”).

17. Upper Camp. It is located approximately 10 km from the Lower Camp (at the foot of Belukha) with an elevation difference of more than 800 m (we go uphill). At approximately 2600 m there is already snow, and an almost clear boundary between green and white is visible.

18. Upper Camp (Kokkol Mine). Its history goes back to the 30s of the last century. This is a unique mining monument, founded in 1938 on the Kokkol pass, at an altitude of about 3000 m above sea level. In the upper reaches of the Kokkol River, in the ridge part, he discovered fragments of quartz with wolframite phenocrysts. In 1937, a search party was sent here, which easily discovered a series of parallel, contiguous, thin, steeply dipping (75-85) quartz veins with industrial contents of wolframite and molybdenite.

19. Since 1938, ore mining began by hand. At the mine itself at the pass (Upper Camp or Kokkol Mine) barracks, an office, an explosives warehouse, a forge, and a processing plant were built. 9 km to the west, near the Kokkol waterfall, in the forest zone, the Lower Camp was built: a horse yard, an office. Adits passed through the ore veins. Here the ore was sorted manually. When the processing plant was built, they began to obtain a higher concentrate of ore, which was transported by horse to the village of Berel. The mine operated until 1954.

Mine Valley:

20. The Upper Camp of the Kokkol mine is perfectly preserved. Thanks to the cold arid climate, all buildings and equipment: the locomobile, the diesel engine, and the enrichment plant are in satisfactory condition and represent a wonderful open-air museum. The perfectly preserved enrichment factory is unique, many of its parts are made of durable types of wood. There are also ore carts (endovkas) and the remains of a Ford car. Today only two houses remain from the Lower Camp.

21. Whether Komsomol members, civilians or Gulag prisoners worked there, evidence, sources and links on the Internet were divided almost equally. I’ll add on my own that I was holding in my hands an old map of the General Staff of the USSR Armed Forces, where it was marked “Upper Gulag Camp.” On later army maps (1964, 1985-87 and 2003) it is already written “Kokkol Mine (non-residential)”.

22. Kokkol Valley.

23. Aquilegia.

24. “Warm Lake” at the foot of Belukha. Formed by the waters of melting glaciers.

25. Morning in the valley of the Belaya Berel river.

ALTAI (from the Turkic-Mongolian “altan” - golden), a mountain system in Asia, southern Siberia and Central Asia, on the territory of Russia (Altai Republic, Tyva Republic, Altai Territory), Mongolia, Kazakhstan and China. It extends in latitude from 81 to 106° east longitude, in longitude - from 42 to 52° north latitude. It extends from northwest to southeast for more than 2000 km. It consists of high-mountain (the highest point is Mount Belukha, 4506 m) and mid-mountain ridges and intermountain basins separating them. In the north and northwest it borders with the West Siberian Plain, in the northeast - with the Western Sayan and the mountains of Southern Tuva, in the east - with the Valley of the Great Lakes, in the southeast - with the Gobi Desert, in the south - with the Dzungarian Plain, in the west The valley of the Irtysh River is separated from the Kazakh small hills. Altai is the watershed between the Arctic Ocean basin and the drainless region of Central Asia. Orographically, the Gobi Altai, Mongolian Altai and Altai proper, or Russian Altai, are distinguished. The latter is often identified with the concept of “Altai” and is part of the sublatitudinal mountainous country of Southern Siberia, forming the western end with a latitude length of over 400 km, from north to south - about 300 km (see map).

Relief . The relief of the Russian Altai was formed as a result of the long-term impact of exogenous processes on the growing uplift and is characterized by a wide variety of forms. Most of the northwestern or sublatitudinal ridges form a fan diverging in a westerly direction. The exception is the ridges of the northern submeridional orientation and the southern periphery. There are a number of vast plateaus (Ukok, etc.), highlands (Chulyshman, etc.) and mountain ranges (Mongun-Taiga, etc.), as well as large intermountain basins occupied by steppes (Chuyskaya, Kuraiskaya, Uimonskaya, Abayskaya, Kanskaya, etc. .). High mountain ranges and massifs are located mainly in the east and southeast. The following ridges rise above 4000 m: Katunsky (height up to 4506 m), Sailyugem (up to 3499 m), Severo-Chuysky (up to 4177 m). The following ridges are significant in height: Yuzhno-Chuisky (height up to 3936 m), Southern Altai (up to 3483 m), Chikhacheva (up to 4029 m), Tsagan-Shibetu (up to 3496 m) and Shapshalsky (up to 3608 m). The isolated Mongun-Taiga massif (3970 m) is distinguished by its high mountainous terrain. The highlands are characterized by peaked ridges, steep (20-50° or more) slopes and wide valley bottoms filled with moraine or occupied by glaciers. Landslide-talus slopes, formed by intense gravitational processes, are widely developed. Glacial landforms are common: cirques, glacial cirques, troughs, carlings, moraine ridges and ridges. Mid-mountain and low-mountain ranges are located mainly in the west and north of Altai. Among them, the most significant are: Terektinsky (height up to 2926 m), Aigulaksky (up to 2752 m), Iolgo (up to 2618 m), Listvyaga (up to 2577 m), Narymsky (up to 2533 m) and Baschelaksky (up to 2423 m) ridges. In the middle mountains, alpine relief features are found fragmentarily. Wide, massive interfluves with flattened and plateau-like peaks predominate, where cryogenic processes are developed, leading to the formation of kurums and altiplanation. There are karst landforms. River valleys are often narrow, steeply sloped gorges and canyons 500-1000 meters deep. The peripheral lowlands of Altai are characterized by a relatively shallow depth of dissection (up to 500 m) and gentle slopes. The valleys are wide, flat-bottomed, with a well-defined complex of terraces. Fragments of ancient leveling surfaces have been preserved on the flat tops. The bottoms of the basins are occupied by sloping plains of proluvial origin and moraine amphitheaters bordering the ends of trough valleys. In the east of Altai, the bottoms of basins are complicated by thermokarst forms.

Geological structure and minerals. Altai is located within the Paleozoic Altai-Sayan folded region of the Ural-Okhotsk mobile belt; is a complex folded system formed by Precambrian and Paleozoic strata, intensively dislocated during the Caledonian era of tectogenesis and the Hercynian era of tectogenesis. In post-Paleozoic times, folded mountain structures were destroyed and turned into a denudation plain (peneplain). Based on the characteristics of the geological structure and the age of final folding, they distinguish between the Caledonian Mountain Altai in the north-west (occupies about 4/5 of the entire territory) and the Hercynian Rudny Altai in the south-west and south. The anticlinoria of the Altai Mountains (Kholzun-Chuisky, Talitsky, etc.) are mainly composed of flyschoid terrigenous series of the Upper Cambrian - Lower Ordovician, overlying Vendian-Lower Cambrian ophiolites, siliceous-schist formations and presumably Precambrian metamorphites, which in some places protrude to the surface. The superimposed depressions and grabens (the largest is the Korgonsky) are filled with molasse of the Middle Ordovician - Lower Silurian and early Devonian. The deposits are intruded by Late Devonian granites. Within the Rudny Altai, which has a Caledonian basement, rocks of the volcanoplutonic association of the Middle Devonian - Early Carboniferous and Late Paleozoic granitoids are widespread. In Oligocene-Quaternary times, Altai experienced an uplift associated with regional compression of the earth's crust caused by the convergence of the lithospheric microplates that bound it (Dzhungar, Tuva-Mongolian). The formation of the mountain structure took place according to the type of a large arch, which in the last stages of development was deformed by a system of discontinuities, as a result of which a series of block morphostructures in the form of high ridges and depressions separating them were formed in the central and southern parts. Instrumental observations record vertical movements of the earth's crust, the speed of which reaches several centimeters per year. Uplifts occur unevenly and are accompanied by thrusts, which causes the asymmetry of the ridges.

Altai is one of the most seismically active inland regions of the world. One of the largest seismic disasters (9-10 points) occurred in the high-mountainous Kosh-Agach region on September 27, 2003. Traces of ancient disasters (paleoseismic dislocations) are known.

The main wealth of the subsoil of Altai consists of deposits of precious metals and pyrite lead-zinc-copper-barite ores (Korbalikhinskoye, Zyryanovskoye, etc.), forming the polymetallic belt of Rudny Altai. In the Altai Mountains there are deposits of mercury, gold, iron, tungsten-molybdenum ores. Deposits of ornamental stones and marble have long been known. There are thermal mineral springs: Abakansky Arzhan, Belokurikha, etc. The climate of Altai is continental in the foothills, sharply continental in the inner and eastern parts, which is determined by its position in temperate latitudes and a significant distance from the oceans. Winter is harsh and long (from 5 months in the foothills to 10 months in the highlands), which is facilitated by the influence of the Asian anticyclone. The average January temperature is (in the foothills) from -15 to -20°C; in the northeast it is slightly higher and on the shores of Lake Teletskoye it reaches -9.2°C; in basins where temperature inversions are common, it drops to -31.7°C. The recorded minimum temperature is -60°C (in the Chui steppe). Strong cooling is associated with the widespread development of permafrost, the thickness of which in some places reaches several hundred meters. Summer is relatively short (up to 4 months), but warm. The average July temperature ranges from 22°C (in the foothills) to 6°C in the highlands; in the basins and southern foothills a rise to 35-40°C or more is possible. For mid-mountain and low-mountain areas, values ​​of 14-18°C are typical. The frost-free period at an altitude of up to 1000 meters does not exceed 90 days, above 2000 m it is practically absent. Precipitation is associated mainly with western moisture-carrying flows and is distributed extremely unevenly over the territory and over the seasons. There is a clearly pronounced exposure asymmetry, in which the windward slopes of the ridges, especially the western periphery, receive significantly more precipitation than the internal basins. Thus, in the highlands of the Katunsky and South Chuysky ranges, up to 2000 mm of precipitation or more falls per year, while the Kurai and Chuyskaya steppes are among the driest places in Russia (up to 100 mm of precipitation per year). The lack of moisture in the basins is also explained by the drying effect of mountain-valley winds - hair dryers, especially in winter and autumn. In low and mid-mountain areas, an average of 700-900 mm of precipitation falls per year. Maximum precipitation occurs in summer. The thickness of the snow cover in the northern and western regions and in the highlands reaches 60-90 cm or more, in the basins - less than 10 cm, and in years with little snow, practically no stable cover is formed. More than 1,500 glaciers with a total area of ​​about 910 km 2 are known in the Altai Mountains. They are most common in the Katunsky, South and North Chuysky ridges. The largest glaciers include Taldurinsky, Aktru (Akturu) and Maashey (Mashey), whose length is 7-12 km.

Altai. Katun River.

Rivers and lakes. Altai is dissected by a dense network (several tens of thousands) of mountain rivers, according to their feeding regime they belong to the Altai type: they are fed by melted snow waters and summer rains; characterized by long spring floods. Most of the rivers belong to the Ob basin, both of its sources - Katun and Biya - are located in Altai and are its main waterways. The western spurs are drained by the right tributaries of the Irtysh River, among which the Bukhtarma River stands out. The rivers of the northeastern part of Altai (Abakan and others) flow into the valley of the Yenisei River, the southeastern outskirts belong to the drainless region of Central Asia. The total number of lakes in Altai is over 7000, with a total area of ​​over 1000 km 2; the largest are Markakol and Lake Teletskoye. Many small (usually 1-3 km 2 or less) ancient glacial lakes often fill picturesque deep trough valleys. In the north of Altai there are karst lakes.

Types of landscapes . In Altai, the altitudinal zonation of landscapes is well defined. In the lower landscape zone there are steppes, in the north there are mainly meadows, with areas of forest-steppes. In the south, the steppes form a wide belt, rising to a height of 1000 meters or more, and in some places they have desert features, turning into semi-deserts. The most common mountain-steppe animals are gophers, voles, hamsters, and badgers; birds - steppe eagle, coccyx, kestrel. The appearance of the steppes in the intermountain basins is similar. There are gazelle antelope, Mongolian marmot, manul cat, etc. In the steppe low mountains, leached and podzolized chernozems are developed, and in the depressions there are peculiar dry-steppe chestnut and dark chestnut soils. The minor forest-steppe belt is associated with exposure asymmetry of moisture and lighting, when larch (less often birch, aspen or pine) grows on the northern slopes of the low mountains, and meadow steppes grow on the southern slopes. The forest belt predominates in the Altai Mountains. Mountain taiga forests dominate here: dark coniferous, the so-called black taiga of fir, spruce and Siberian pine (or “cedar”), and light coniferous of larch and Scots pine. Among the inhabitants of mountain forests, taiga animals are typical - bear, lynx, weasel, squirrel, musk deer, deer, etc.; Birds include wood grouse, hazel grouse, nutcracker, woodpeckers, and crossbills. Black taiga on humus-rich deep podzolic or brown forest soils is widespread in the western foothills and the northeast. Fir forests gravitate to the middle part of the mountain slopes, cedar taiga - to the upper parts. In dark coniferous forests, the herbaceous layer consists of large-grass and tall-grass species; the undergrowth is often absent or consists of ground cover (mosses, lichens), to which are added shrub and subshrub layers. Larch forests occupy significant areas in the basin of the middle reaches of the Katun River, on the Terektinsky and Kuraisky ridges. Pine forests, often park-type, are distributed mainly along the valleys of the Katun and Chulyshman rivers. In light coniferous forests, the herb and shrub layer is diverse. Gray forest soils above 1700 m turn into forest-tundra and mountain-tundra. The upper limit of the forest in height ranges from 1600 to 2400 m; sparse taiga grows here with well-developed tall grass, shrub and grass-shrub layers. Higher up there are cedar and larch woodlands, alternating with thickets of shrubs (erniks) and subalpine meadows. The dominant shrubs are round-leaved birch, willows, juniper, and Kuril tea. The tall grass meadows contain many valuable species: maral root, Lobel's hellebore, blueberry, bergenia, etc. Alpine meadows, common in the highlands of the western and central regions of Altai, alternate with patches of moss-lichen cover or rocky placers. Formations of large-grass, small-grass, grass-sedge and cobresia meadows are distinguished. The highlands also feature landscapes of subalpine meadows, mountain tundras, rocks, rocky outcrops, glaciers and eternal snow. Most of the highlands are occupied by mountain tundras, which are not distinguished by a large variety of species. There are meadow, moss-lichen, shrub and rocky tundras. Above 3000 meters there is a nival-glacial belt. Among the animals of the high mountain zone, the Altai pika, mountain goat, snow leopard, and reindeer are typical. A special type of intrazonal landscapes of Altai are represented by swamps, widespread almost everywhere on flat interfluves and plateaus.

Specially protected natural areas. 5 sites of Altai (Altai Nature Reserve, protective zone around Lake Teletskoye, Katunsky Nature Reserve, Belukha Natural Park and Ukok Quiet Zone), called the Golden Mountains of Altai, have been included in the World Heritage List since 1998. Natural landscapes and individual natural monuments are also protected in the Markakolsky Nature Reserve. A number of nature reserves have been created. About the economy of Altai, see the articles Altai Territory, Altai (Altai Republic) and Tuva.

History of discovery and research. The first scientific studies of the nature of Altai date back to the 1st half of the 18th century, when ore deposits were discovered in the west and the first copper smelters were built. Russian settlers, mostly runaway factory and state peasants, appeared in the north of Altai in the mid-18th century. The first Russian settlements, including Old Believer settlements, began to emerge in the 1750s-70s, mainly along the middle river valleys. In the 19th century, the upper reaches of the rivers began to be settled, mainly by Kazakh nomads from China and Kazakhstan. In 1826, K. F. Ledebur studied the flora of Altai. In 1828, placer gold deposits were discovered. In the 1st half of the 19th century, geological research was carried out by P. A. Chikhachev (1842), G. E. Shchurovsky (1844) and engineers of the mining department. In the 2nd half of the 19th century, numerous expeditions worked in Altai, including Russian Geographical Societies, Academies of Sciences, which included V.A. Obruchev, V.V. Sapozhnikov, who studied modern glaciation and vegetation cover of Altai for a number of years . Beginning in the 1920s, a systematic study of the nature of Altai was carried out: large-scale topography and geological surveys, as well as the study of a variety of natural resources in connection with the development of mining, hydropower and agriculture.

Lit.: Kuminova A.V. Vegetation cover of Altai. Novosibirsk, 1960; Mikhailov N.I. Mountains of Southern Siberia. M., 1961; Gvozdetsky N.A., Golubchikov Yu.N. Mountains. M., 1987.

Posted Fri, 27/03/2015 - 08:50 by Cap

Southern Altai is a mountain range in the south of Altai, the western part of which is located in Kazakhstan, the eastern part of the ridge separates Russia from China. Length about 125 km. Height up to 3871 m. In the foothills up to an altitude of 1400-1500 m there are steppe landscapes, park larch forests reach an altitude of 2100-2200 m; the high mountain zone is dominated by subalpine and alpine meadows. About 180 glaciers (including Adakhinsky - length 5 km, area 19.5 km2). It starts to the west from the Karakoba River, separating it from the Kalbinsky ridge located even further west. Passes from west to east. In the east it ends at the Tavan-Bogdo-Ula massif, which begins the Sailyugem ridges (to the east) and the Mongolian Altai (to the south).

Mongolian Altai is a mountain system in Mongolia and China (on the border). It consists of several ridges separated by valleys, stretching for 1000 km from southeast to northwest. The width varies from 150 km to 300 km, the highest point is Mount Munkh-Khairkhan-Ula (4362 m). The tops of the ridges are plateau-shaped and covered with glaciers, the total area of ​​which is 830 km². Most of them, including the largest Potanin glacier, are located in the Tavan-Bogdo-Ula massif. The ridges are mainly composed of crystalline schists, porphyries, porphyrites and granites. On the moist slopes of the southwestern side there are meadows and forests, on the dry northeastern slopes there are steppes and semi-deserts.

In the north it approaches the highlands of the Altai Republic, in the west and south there are semi-deserts and deserts of Dzungaria and Gobi, and the entire northeastern part of the system borders on the semi-deserts of the Great Lakes Basin. In the east of the Mongolian Altai there is the Alag-Nur depression, which separates it from the lower Gobi Altai (altitude up to 3900 m). At the northwestern extremity of the ridge is Kanas Lake.
On the territory of China, the mountains are located in the Altai District in the Ili-Kazakh Autonomous Region of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China with its capital in Altai.

The Gobi Altai is a mountain system in the south of Mongolia, a southeastern continuation of the Mongolian Altai. The Gobi Altai consists of chains of sublatitudinal ridges and ridges, separated by dry valleys and basins and surrounded by sloping plains (bels). The length of the system is over 500 km, the prevailing heights are from 1500 to 3000 m. The highest point is the peak of Barun-Bogdo-Ula (3957 m) in the Ikh-Bogdo ridge. The vegetation in the lower zone is desert, in the upper zone it is steppe. The mountains are composed of crystalline schists, granites, sandstones and limestones. The Gobi Altai region is highly seismic. In 1957, a catastrophic earthquake of 11-12 magnitude occurred here; noticeable soil vibrations were observed over an area of ​​5 million km². In 1958, another earthquake occurred in the Gobi Altai, with a magnitude of 10, called the Bayan-Tsagan earthquake.

Steppe Altai is part of the Priob Plateau on the territory of the Altai Territory, gradually turning into the foothills of Altai in the south. The average height is 250-260 m. The Priob Plateau rises 50-75 m above the Kulunda Basin, the plateau is dissected by wide and deep (40-100 m) hollows, stretched parallel to each other from northeast to southwest. The bottoms of the hollows are filled with sand, the surface of which, under the influence of the wind, has acquired a hilly-ridge character. Modern rivers laid out their valleys in these hollows. The largest of them are Alei, Kasmala and Barnaulka.
In the hollow of the Kasmalinskaya ribbon there are bitterly salty lakes Bolshoye Gorkoye and Maloe Gorkoye. The climate of the plain is warmer and drier than other zones of the West Siberian Lowland. The average annual temperature on the Priobsky plateau is +2.5 °C, the average annual precipitation is 450 mm. Due to the almost flat terrain, it is subject to the influence of strong winds and intrusions of air masses both from the Arctic Ocean and from Central Asia. Soils are formed on loess-like loams. Open steppe spaces on chernozem soils predominate. In some places, birch trees are found, mainly on dark gray forest soils; Ribbon pine forests (under which soddy-podzolic soils are formed), swamps and lakes are confined to the hollows of the ancient runoff. Most of the territory of the Priob Plateau is plowed.

Mount Belukha is located in the Ust-Koksinsky region of the Altai Mountains. It is the highest point of the Katunsky ridge and the highest point of Siberia. Belukha has two peaks in the form of irregular pyramids - Eastern (4506 m) and Western (4435 m), between which there is a depression - “Belukha Saddle”, 4000 m high. The two peaks of Belukha together with the peaks Delaunay and The crown of Altai forms the Akkem wall, falling almost vertically down towards the Akkem glacier.

On the territory of Russia, beyond the Urals, only in Kamchatka there is a peak higher than Belukha - Klyuchevskaya Sopka. But it’s not so much its height that attracts this mountain. As climbers say: Belukha is not for records, but for the soul. It gives off some special influence that is noticeable even at a distance from its foot. Seeing it for the first time, a person is filled with delight. In the valley of Lake Akkem, at the foot of Belukha, there is generally an atmosphere of openness and brotherhood with everyone nearby, even strangers. What Turistka.ru felt when she visited here in August 2008.

Altaians revere Belukha and consider it a sacred mountain. Altai names (peak of Katun), Ak-Suru (majestic), Musdutuu (ice mountain. Belukha is not an easy mountain, it is an antenna that receives information from Space, transforms it, and distributes it to the whole Earth. People are prepared, harmonious, in connection with nature, can “communicate” with Belukha and “read" from her the information that she carries. Belukha has a harmonizing effect on a person, increasing his sensitivity and love for nature.

The famous mystical artist, artist-traveler Nikolai Konstantinovich Roerich, who visited Belukha in 1926 during his Central Asian expedition, also noted the unusualness of the space around Belukha. He wrote: “We saw Belukha. It was so clean and loud. Straight to Zvenigorod.” The artist felt that there was an energy bridge between Belukha and Everest, like two space antennas. “Altai - the Himalayas, two poles, two magnets” - this is what he wrote in his diaries. Roerich made a large number of sketches in the Belukha area. And after visiting Belukha on the southern side, he painted the painting “Belukha”. In 1942, Nikolai Konstantinovich painted the painting “Victory”. In the foreground is a warrior in ancient Russian armor who slayed a dragon. On the second are the shining peaks of Belukha. In honor of N.K. Roerich and his family members are named

The first records about Belukha appeared more than 200 years ago, when the Russian scientist and traveler P.I. Shangin, in his expedition to Altai, having visited the Uimon Valley, recorded stories about Belukha hunters and miners.

Gebler Friedrich Vilgelmovich, a well-known scientist and researcher in Altai, a doctor at the Kolyvan-Voskresensk factories, managed to reach Belukha for the first time in 1835. In order to collect and study medicinal plants, he traveled a lot throughout Altai and in 1836, striving for the source of the Katun, he approached Belukha from the south and discovered the Katun glacier, which was later named after him and the Berel glacier. Gebler then climbed the southern slope to the border of the non-melting snow and made an attempt to determine the height of Belukha. Later, in his article “Note on the Katun Mountains,” Gebler speaks of Belukha as the highest peak of the “Russian Altai.”

A faithful researcher of Belukha for many years was the Siberian researcher and scientist, professor of Tomsk University Vasily Vasilyevich Sapozhnikov, who in the period from 1895 to 1911 was repeatedly in the Belukha area from the northern and southern sides and discovered and described the Belukha glacier massif: Akkemsky, Iedygemsky glaciers , as well as their tributaries and satellites, the Cherny glacier, Myushtuairy (Tronov Brothers) and several other glaciers in the upper reaches of Kuchurla. In 1898, after two unsuccessful attempts in previous years, Sapozhnikov and his companions reached the saddle of Belukha and measured the height of its peaks.

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SOURCE OF INFORMATION AND PHOTO:
Team Nomads

Sights of Gorny Altai.
N. G. Seledtsov, N. E. Shpilekova. "To help tourists." Gorno-Altaisk, 2000
Sapozhnikov V.V. Across Altai. - M.: Geographgiz, 1949. - 579 p.
Galakhov V.P., Mukhametov R.M. Glaciers of Altai. - Novosibirsk: Science, 1999.
http://www.altai-photo.ru/
Altai Mountains - article from the Great Soviet Encyclopedia
Altai landscape region in the book: N. A. Gvozdetsky, N. I. Mikhailov. Physical geography of the USSR. M., 1978.
Golden Mountains of Altai on the website of the Natural Heritage Conservation Foundation
Murzaev E.M. Dictionary of folk geographical terms. 1st ed. - M., Mysl, 1984.
Murzaev E.M. Turkic geographical names. - M., Vost. lit., 1996.
Altai // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: In 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional ones). - St. Petersburg, 1890-1907.
http://www.turistka.ru/altai/

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