The average height of the Altai mountains in meters. Altai mountains: general characteristics

Golden Mountains of Altai (Republic of Altai, Russia) - detailed description, location, reviews, photos and videos.

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The Golden Mountains of Altai is the name of the area included in the UNESCO List in 1998 for its unique natural data. The total area is over 16 thousand square meters. km, this includes three natural attractions of the Altai Mountains at once: the Ukok plateau and two reserves - Altai and Katunsky. It is in these territories that such pearls of the Altai Republic as Teletskoye Lake and Mount Belukha are located - they are known not only in Russia, but also far beyond its borders among tourists who love extreme sports and adrenaline and natural beauty.

On the territory of the Golden Mountains of Altai, there are such gems of this area as Lake Teletskoye and Mount Belukha.

These significant places were chosen because it is here that you can observe the nature of the alpine geographical zone most vividly and fully, and not only its vegetation, but also animal world, among which there are very rare species. In addition, some historical sights are located here, for example, the Pazyryk burial grounds - Scythian burial mounds of the Iron Age. Tourists often call the Golden Mountains of Altai an open-air museum.

In 2000, the Katunsky reserve received the status of a biosphere reserve, which means that it is open to tourists, and the purpose of its creation is precisely to demonstrate the harmonious interaction of man and nature. In this reserve there is Mount Belukha - the highest peak of Altai, also called Trekhglav. Tracking is very common here - hiking with an ascent to the top, and on the slopes there are several camp sites.

Teletskoye Lake is not only unique natural place, but also a "place of power", a shrine for many Asian peoples - is located on the territory of the Altai nature reserve.

The territory of the lake is considered the most popular tourist destination in the entire Altai Territory. There are many waterfalls here, and on one of them - Korbu - there is the tourist center of the Altai nature reserve. In addition, it is worth visiting the Chulyshman River Delta, Stone Bay, picturesque grottoes and caves. The Altai Reserve was formed back in 1930, and the area it occupies is almost 10% of the entire territory of the Altai Republic.

The natural park on the Ukok plateau, in its southern part, is called the "Peace Zone". This territory belongs to Russian Federation but borders Mongolia and Kazakhstan. There are three functional zones, only one of which is allowed for excursions. It is on the Ukok plateau that rare plant species grow, endangered species of birds and even animals such as the snow leopard and argali mountain sheep are found.

Practical information

It is not difficult to get to the Golden Mountains of Altai, but all three objects included in this natural landmark are quite far from each other. Therefore, it is worth planning your trip in advance and deciding on the places you want to visit.

• Altai nature reserve: Gorno-Altaysk, Naberezhny lane, 1;
• Katunsky reserve: with. Ust-Koksa, st. Reserved, 1;
• Natural Park "Peace Zone Ukok": with. Kosh-Agach, st. Communal, 14.

Alpine relief in Altai rises above the surface of the ancient peneplain and occupies higher parts of the Katunsky, Chuisky, Kuraisky, Saylyugem, Chikhachev, Shapshalsky, Southern Altai, Sarymsakty ridges. Alpine relief is less common than the surface of the ancient peneplain. Ridges with alpine relief forms are their most elevated axial parts (up to 4000-4500 m), strongly dissected by erosion and frost weathering. The main landforms here are peaked peaks and carlings, kars, trough valleys with lacustrine depressions, moraine hills and ridges, landslides, talus, frost-solifluction formations. The general regularity of the high-mountainous alpine relief in Altai is the leveling of interfluves and a decrease in the depth of the valleys with distance from the axial parts of the ridges to their periphery. The mid-mountainous relief has heights from 800 to 1800-2000 m and occupies more than half of the Altai territory. The upper limit of the distribution of the mid-mountainous relief is limited by the plane of the ancient peneplain, but this border is not sharp. The relief here is characterized by smooth, rounded shapes of low ridges and their spurs, separated by river valleys. An extensive, dense hydrographic network contributed to the strong erosional dissection of the middle mountains. The depth of the river valleys reaches 300-800 m. The mid-mountain erosional relief is distributed mainly in the northern, north-western and western parts of Altai. In the range of heights from 1000 to 2000 m, it is characterized by massive rocky ridges, with a predominance of steep slopes and narrow V-shaped or terraced valleys (Katun, Biya). In the range of heights of 500-1200 m, the upper parts of the slopes of the ridges are softer, leveled. The valleys are wider with well-developed floodplains and meandering channels.

Highlighted in Altai and low-mountainous relief, which covers the peripheral part of the mountainous area and occupies the space between the foothill plains and the middle mountains. Absolute heights fluctuate from 400 to 800 m, and in some peaks reach 1000 m. The relief of the low mountains is characterized by flattened or dome-shaped interfluves and gentle deluvial slopes. In the vicinity of large valleys and the northern "face" of Altai, the dissection of low-mountainous relief is especially fractional. In some places it looks like a rocky "badland" - hummocks. A characteristic feature of the Altai relief is the wide distribution of intramontane basins of different heights. They occupy latitudinal graben valleys and belong to areas of tectonic subsidence. These are Chuiskaya, Kuraiskaya, Dzhulukulskaya, Bertekskaya, Samokhinskaya, Uimonskaya, Abai, Kanskaya intramontane basins. Some of them are located at a significant altitude and therefore were exposed to the action of ancient glaciers that formed the relief of their bottoms, others are at low (medium-altitude) levels and were more exposed to accumulative activity, being the receptacles of ancient lake basins.

There are many corners of nature in the world that simply amaze the imagination with their beauty. One of these places is It is located in the southeastern part. In the east, the region is encircled by the Salair ridge - a mostly flat territory, dotted with numerous low hills. As you move to the southeast, the terrain gradually changes. Endless plains come close to the majestic To say that they are beautiful is to say nothing.

Altai mountains are the pride of the world. Translated from the ancient Turkic "Altai" sounds like " golden mountain"Or" mountain of gold ". Looking at these giants, I want to believe that this is really so. In Siberia, this is the largest mountain range... It harmoniously combines snow-capped peaks and picturesque green slopes, silent hills and seething mountain rivers with crystal clean water... The height of the area ranges from 500 to 2000 meters above sea level. The bowels of the fabulous Altai Territory rich in various minerals. Copper, zinc, gold, lead, silver - this is only a small part of what the local land contains. On the territory of the region, many decorative building materials, as well as rare ornamental materials, are mined. The whole world is known for its rich deposits of jasper and quartzite. And the reserves of soda are the largest in the world. This further emphasizes the importance of the region for our entire country.

The Altai mountains are cut by small rivulets, which, smoothly descending to the plain, form lakes. One of them (Teletskoe) is even under protection. world organization UNESCO. Along its eastern coast, there is a nature reserve, which is home to many. Among them is the famous

There is a legend that the Altai Mountains were formed over 400 million years ago. Then, under the influence of the forces of nature, they were completely destroyed, and only after 350 million years, what we see now appeared. Ancient giants, shrouded in a blanket of snow, rise majestically above the green hilly plain. The Altai Mountains attract the attention of many altitude lovers. Numerous climbers strive here to test their strength, climbing steep rocky areas. Those who are lucky will be able to admire the wonderful landscape from a bird's eye view with pleasure.

Despite the fact that the Altai Territory is the two-ended Belukha, which rises 4.5 thousand meters above sea level, most climbers do not strive here at all. They are attracted by a completely different peak - Mount Sinyukha. The Altai Territory is famous precisely because of her. The height of this beauty is only 1210 meters. On the territory of the Kolyvan ridge located here, this is the highest point. But this is not what makes it interesting. If you look at the mountain from a distance, then it seems of blue color... This is due to the dense vegetation. Maybe that's why it was called “Sinyukha”. Two of the most famous lakes in Altai are located in the vicinity of this mountain: Mokhovoe and Beloe. A birch grove begins at the foot of the massif. Tourists climb up the trail. The road gradually becomes more difficult. The sunny birch forest is gradually changing into the harsh taiga thickets of fir. A few hours of ascent - and the long-awaited peak, which is surrounded by granite rocks, opens up. One of them has an iron cross. In the very center of the summit there is a granite block with a bowl-shaped depression filled with water. For a long time, people believed that if you climb to the top of Sinyukha, wash yourself with water from a bowl and pray at the iron cross, then for a whole year all problems will bypass you and your soul will be calm. The mountain has long been a place of pilgrimage for Christians. Even now, many believe in an ancient legend.

The capital of the Altai Territory is the city of Barnaul. Its history goes back a little over 200 years. This is not so much, but the city is rapidly developing and gaining strength. During its existence, it has undergone earthquakes and floods, wars and devastation. Residents sacredly honor the memory of the past, which is kept in numerous museums. Modern Barnaul is a city of contrasts. Against the backdrop of wide avenues and multi-storey buildings, ancient buildings have been preserved that remind of the bygone years.

The road to Altai lies precisely through Barnaul. Crowds of people strive with their own eyes to see endless expanses of mountains and forests of indescribable beauty, swim in the purest lakes and breathe in the fresh air of Altai meadows.

Ukok Plateau (Zabara Alexander / flickr.com) Ukok Plateau (Zabara Alexander / flickr.com) Ukok Plateau (Zabara Alexander / flickr.com) Ukok Plateau (Zabara Alexander / flickr.com) Ukok Plateau (Zabara Alexander / flickr.com) Ukok Plateau (Zabara Alexander / flickr.com) Ukok Plateau (Zabara Alexander / flickr.com) Ukok Plateau (Zabara Alexander / flickr.com) Ukok Plateau (Zabara Alexander / flickr.com) Katunsky Nature Reserve in Altai (Igor Shpilenok / wikimedia. org) Black taiga of the Altai nature reserve (Bondarevskaya S.A. / tigirek.ru) Black taiga of the Altai nature reserve (Golyakov P.V. / tigirek.ru) Alpine vegetation belt, subalpine meadow - Altai nature reserve (Semenov Victor / tigirek.ru) Kucherlinskoe Lake (Eric Pheterson / flickr.com) Lake View (Obakeneko / flickr.com)

The Altai mountains, with the beauty of their snowy peaks, turbulent streams of rivers and the calmness of lakes, surrounded exclusively by Altai vegetation and representatives of the animal world, which are not found anywhere else, have attracted people for thousands of years.

And if now they are a place of pilgrimage for tourists, then archaeological excavations indicate that life here raged in the Stone Age. And about the later settlements, cult monuments, burial mounds and burial grounds testify, where not only metal, wooden and leather household items were found, but also embalmed bodies.

So rich cultural heritage, unique nature and the landscape of the Altai Mountains has long attracted the attention of scientists, archaeologists and historians who, in pursuit of the goal of preserving this beauty for posterity, even at the beginning 19th century raised the issue of creating a protected area in Altai.

Katunsky Nature Reserve in Altai (Igor Shpilenok / wikimedia.org)

In 1932, more than 860 thousand hectares of mountain and forest lands under the name "Altai Reserve" fell under state protection.

At the end of the 19th century, or to be more precise, in 1991, the state took another part of Gorny Altai under its protection - the Katunsky Reserve.

And this is another 159 thousand hectares of forest, mountain ranges, rivers, lakes and the highest point of Altai - the two-headed Beluga mountain.

At the same time, a number of scientists worked to ensure that these protected areas were included in the list of world heritage sites under the jurisdiction of UNESCO. And in 1998, these two reserves, together with the unique area where the most valuable archaeological finds were discovered - the Ukok plateau, were included in the list of UNESCO protected areas under the single name "Golden Mountains of Altai"

Altai nature reserve

The main reason why a certain territory is declared a protected area is the desire to preserve its pristine nature, rare plants and the world of animals that live on this territory.

Evening on Lake Kucherlinskoye (Oleg Balashov / helgi.35photo.ru)

With a backpack on your shoulders, climbing up along the Kucherla river bed, touching the unique beauty of the Altai forests, in 2 days you can walk with your feet to the Kucherlinskoye Lake recreation center, located on its bank. An equally interesting one is also laid to the Akkem lake a tourist route, however, in this lake, unlike the Kucherlinsky reservoir, there is no fish. And with backpacks behind them, climbers are in a hurry.

On the southern slope of the Katun ridge at the foot of Mount Belukha, another river, the Katun, originates. Its name comes from the ancient Türkic word "kadyn" - mistress, but this river is actually the water "mistress" of Gorny Altai, giving rise to the great Siberian river Ob.

The Katunsky reserve, like the Altai one, is rich in century-old cedars, larch and pines. Morals and roe deer, wolves and bears also run here, and high in the mountains, at the foot of the Belukha, a snow leopard, Siberian ibex and other representatives of the Altai fauna wander around.

This plateau of the Golden Mountains of Altai is located at an altitude of more than 2.2 thousand m above sea level, surrounded by snowy mountain ranges, which are even higher - more than 2000 m above the plateau (Tabyn-Bogdo-Ola - 4080 m, Nairamadan - 4374 m).

In geopolitical terms, the uniqueness of the plateau lies in the fact that, passing along its perimeter with south side in a short time you can visit four countries of the world at once - Russia, Kazakhstan, China and Mongolia.

The vegetation in Ukok is relatively poor. Long cold winters with practically no snow, spring beginning in July, June snowfalls, despite the fact that sometimes the sun warms the air up to + 25 * C - only alpine grasses survive in these conditions.

Nevertheless, Kazakh shepherds still drive their sheep to this pasture, and mountain geese, black storks and vultures, golden eagles, griffon vultures and other high-altitude birds feel very comfortable here. And somewhere among the snowy peaks a snow leopard wanders lonely in search of food.

Ukok Plateau (Zabara Alexander / flickr.com)

Shallow rivers flow like snakes along the plateau, originating from melting glaciers, and as the channel of the Dzhazator approaches approaches, they merge with its waters. From a bird's eye view, one can see how between the river snakes, here and there, large and small lakes shine with brilliance, formed in small lagoons, once created by glaciers.

There are minerals on the plateau, which can be guessed from the name of its heights. So, not far from the Teply Klyuch pass, radon springs gush out from the ground, and Mount Molybdenum, whose height reaches 2,723 m above sea level, stores molybdenum deposits in its bowels.

Altaians consider this area sacred. To this day they are against holding here archaeological site and strive to return to its place the mummy found here "Altai princess". By the way, this find of Russian archaeologists in 1993 shook the whole world.

Archaeologists, studying inch by inch of the secrets of the permafrost soils of this plateau, find here traces of the former stay of the ancient Scythian (VIII-X centuries BC) and Afanasyev tribes.

Today, there are about 600 archaeological sites on the Ukok plateau, which are of particular interest to the world community as historical monuments, including not only Scythian burial mounds, but also rock paintings of the Stone Age period.

Therefore, the Ukok plateau is included in the list of the "Golden Mountains of Altai" as an area under the jurisdiction of UNESCO.

"Golden Mountains of Altai" is not just a name - these are mountains with snowy peaks, dense forests with century-old cedars and pines. These are turbulent rivers and waterfalls, the quiet expanse of deep lakes, roe deer and deer, wolves and bears, golden eagles and black storks. These are mounds with embalmed bodies of former celebrities and leaders and rock paintings, as an echo of the life that once flourished here a long time ago. This is all that cannot be described in words, this is what you need to see and feel.

Siberian Alps, Russian Tibet - this is what they call this amazing place. The Altai mountains, the photos of which amaze the imagination, are included in the UNESCO list for a reason. And not only tourists admire the pristine beauty of this region, for the indigenous people it is also the one and only.

height and main ridges

The Altai Mountains are a complex system of ridges located on the territory of several states. The Russian part of them is concentrated in this is the most high part Siberia, which attracts with its harsh beauty and snow caps... Travelers, scientists, hikers, climbers, painters, photographers and pilgrims come here every year.

Altai - mountains, the height of which is different. The highest is the Katunsky ridge: its peaks rise on average 3200-3500 meters above sea level. Outwardly, it resembles the Alps: sharp peaks, steep slopes, powerful glaciers and eternal snow. This is why this part of the system is the most visited. In addition, Belukha is located here - the highest of the mountains (4506 m) - and many picturesque lakes.

Belukha and Altai (mountains): height and legends

This peak is considered not only amazing but also a real shrine of the region. Interestingly, it is located at equal distances from the Indian, Quiet and Atlantic oceans being geographical center Eurasia. It is surrounded by glaciers from which the Katun River originates. For many centuries, the locals have considered the mountain a refuge of evil spirits punishing anyone who breaks their peace. Buddhists believe that somewhere there, at the top, there is a fabulous Shambhala.

The peak got its name because of its eternal white cover. Although Belukha has been conquered more than once, it remains inaccessible, and the seismic activity is quite high here. And in 1997, a natural park was opened in the vicinity of the mountain.

Chuisky ridge

Altai is proud not only of these peaks. The mountains, the height of which is not much lower, make up the Chuya ridge. In fact, these are two chains - southern and northern. The first is located far from the well-known tourist centers, difficult to transport, wild. Highest point- Iktu peak (3941 m). The other is more developed, since there are not only high mountains, but also colorful meadows, lakes, rich flora and fauna. Here is the second highest peak of the system - Maashey-Bashi, 4137 meters - this is the height of the mountain. Altai in this part is generally rich in huge peaks, which attracts climbers here.

This is another most interesting peak which rises only 1210 meters. This is the very Kolyvanovsky ridge. Climbing it, you can see fantastic landscapes: the Kulunda steppe, the famous pine forest, blue-eyed lakes and others snow-capped mountains... Fir forests on the Sinyukha slope gave it an unusual color, which formed the basis of the name. It is also sacred for the inhabitants of these places, and there is a healing spring on the northern slope.

Altyn-Tu, located next to Lake Teletskoye, is revered local residents especially. Beautiful views on the river will give from its top that is near Lake Aya. Tourists do not miss small rocks of bizarre shapes - the Bolshoi Monastery (near the village of Ust-Pustynka), the Castle of Mountain Spirits (Akkain Pass), Stone mushrooms(near Lake Teletskoye) and many others.

Altai Territory is the most wonderful place on earth!