The highest point of the Tien Shan mountains. Northern Tien Shan

Tien Shan is a majestic mountain system located in the heart of Asia. Some of the largest slopes in the world, with meadows filled with thousands of wildflowers, waterfalls, deserts and steppes located at the foot. All this creates indescribable beauty and gave rise to the name: translated it means “Heavenly Mountains”. In order to understand where the Tien Shan Mountains are located, you just need to look at the atlas: they pass through the territory of 5 countries in the eastern part of the continent: China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

Facts and figures

The mountain system stretches for as much as 2,500 km, the position of which creates a unique composition of more than 30 peaks, many of which rise to the clouds at least 6,000 meters. The highest point is the Pobeda Peak mountain - 7439 m, which takes place on the border of two countries: the Chinese state and the Kyrgyz state. The second highest mountain is Khan Tengri Peak (6995 m), separating China, the lands of Kazakhstan and the outskirts of Kyrgyzstan.

Location of the mountain system

The Tien Shan is a powerful high-mountain system of the planet, one of the largest on the planet, located in the central areas of Asia. The predominant part of the Tien Shan lies on the lands of modern Kyrgyzstan and China, but some mountain branches cover the territory of other countries: the southwestern ones lie in Uzbekistan and the vast expanses of Tajikistan, and the northern and remote territories of the west are located within the borders of Kazakhstan.


Coordinate data for the Tien Shan, based on geographic sources: 42 degrees and 1 minute north latitude and 80 degrees and 7 minutes east longitude.

Relief and geographical zoning

The chains of mountains are quite branched and have the names Inner and Eastern massifs, Northern region, ridges of the western Tien Shan, Central. Each region is branched into several mountain ranges.

All ridges are divided among themselves by intermountain deep canyons with charming picturesque landscapes and lakes.

The highest point among the Tien Shan mountains

Pobeda Peak is located on the lands of Kyrgyzstan, close to the border of China and belongs to the category of the highest points in the world (7439 meters). Presumably, tourists first conquered this peak in 1938, and five years later, in honor of the victory over the Nazi invaders at Stalingrad, an expedition of climbers was sent to the mountain by the main leadership of the USSR. In 1995, two groups left to climb different routes. One of them is from Kazakhstan, the second from Uzbekistan. Having risen to 6000 m, the first of them, due to bad weather conditions, was forced to stop the ascent and begin the descent; only one of the 12 members of the group survived. Since that time, the mountains have had a bad reputation; they are mainly conquered by daredevils from Russia or the CIS countries.

An interesting story about Zhang Cang, who, in a detachment of 100 people, first set out on the orders of Emperor Wu DI through the passes back in 138 BC. AD to meet the allies, but was captured, where he remained for 10 years. An accident helped Zhang escape, and he carefully described his long travels through the Northern Tien Shan and the lands of Asia, brought information to China, and following his steps, the famous Great Silk Road was created, along which they began to export silk to the Roman Empire.

Geology and structure

The Tien Shan is part of the Ural-Mongolian (Ural-Okhotsk) folded geosynclinal belt. Mountain ranges are formed by igneous rocks, and intermontane depressions are formed by sedimentary rocks. The high-mountainous terrain is characterized by glaciations of various forms.

The formation of the massifs that create the current high-mountain relief began in the Oligocene period, and mountain building became most active in the Pliocene and Anthropocene. The movement of tectonic plates, of a differentiated type, made the modern relief stepped, with powerful erosion, with the emergence of deep valleys near rivers and the appearance of glacial masses.

Minerals

The following minerals were discovered in the depths of the mountains: huge deposits of mercury ores and antimony, formations of cadmium and zinc, tin and tungsten. In the lower reaches of modern Tajikistan there are gas and oil fields. Profit copper and cobalt seams were also observed. In the Western environs of the Tien Shan massif, a gold-quartz formation was found. There are many industrial deposits of coal, marble, gypsum, limestone, as well as more than a hundred varieties of mineral waters.

It is known that the first mining began in the Tien Shan 5 thousand years ago, as evidenced by frescoes in caves and on rocks. During the Neolithic period, the mining of ocher, manganese ores and peroxide began. 2000 BC During the Bronze Age, copper ore, lead, zinc and tin were mined in the mountains; there are suggestions that the layers were rich in gold and silver, which was actively withdrawn at the same time. The development of antimony, clay, stone, sulfur and vitriol flourished for construction, but during the period of raids by the warlike Mongols in the 13th century, development fell into disrepair. Since then, archaeological scientists have found many picks, all kinds of clay shovels, and lamb skins used for washing gold.

Ancient and modern glaciation of the mountain system

The glaciation area is more than 7300 kW. km. and has 7,700 glaciers, which are divided into three groups:

  • Valley;
  • Hanging;
  • Karovy.

The largest part of them is located in the Center of the Tien Shan Range. It is there that the largest Inylchek glacier is located - its length is as much as 60 km. The formation of ice blocks in the foothills occurs continuously, i.e. New growths quickly form in place of the separated layers.

During the era when the Ice Age occurred, the entire mountain system was surrounded by a thick ball of ice; this is still evidenced by ramparts, moraines, cirques, and ice lakes.

An interesting fact is that all the rivers of Central Asia are fed by Tien Shan glaciers. Descending from the hills in a strong stream, they form the largest river - Naryn and its numerous tributaries. The flow of the river even made it possible to create an entire system of hydroelectric power stations in Naryn.

Unfrozen Lake

The deepest large lake, Issyk-Kul, was formed in a tectonic fault. Its deepest place is 668 m, which means it is third in the world after Baikal and the Caspian Lake. The position and waters significantly influence the climate in the region. Like other closed reservoirs, it contains salinity, which, according to experts, will increase. The lake is young, recently formed, so a large volume of water simply did not have time to accumulate salts. The reservoir is never covered with an ice crust, unlike other lakes in the foothills of the Tien Shan, which are bound by glaciers almost all year round.

The fauna of the lake is poor, but there are species of commercial importance. There is also water transport that runs from Rybachye station to the village. Przhevalsk.

In the summer heat, the azure-emerald clear waters of Issyk-Kul are a favorite vacation spot for many tourists.

Climate and natural conditions

The mountains will greet you with a harsh continental climate, characterized by strong differences in night and day temperatures, weak gusts of wind and dry air. Winters here are frosty and harsh, summers are hot in the valleys, and cool and comfortable on the peaks. The sun shines predominantly on the mountain slopes, and the average number of hours it shines is about 27 thousand hours per year. For comparison, in the capital of Russia this figure is lower and equal to 1600 hours per year.

The formation of climate is mainly influenced by the difference in heights of the Tien Shan ridges, lakes and features of the land and relief. Cloudiness and precipitation intensity increase with increasing altitude: the least amount of precipitation falls on the plains - about 200 mm per year, while in the middle mountains the value is narrower - 800 mm. The summer and spring periods have the greatest amount of snow and rain.

The snow layer is not the same everywhere. In the north-west it begins to form at around 3600 m, in the east – 4000 m, and in the central regions – 4500 m. The western mountain ranges are mostly devoid of snowfall and are actively used by mountain residents for winter grazing.

Although there is a high probability of avalanches during the warm period, this is the best time to travel to the Tien Shan Mountains, since for most Europeans the harsh winter climate is difficult to tolerate.

Animals and plants

The fauna consists of inhabitants of the steppe and desert zones. The most common ones include the goitered gazelle, ground squirrel, stomping hare, common jerboa, gerbil, and others. Of the reptiles, the most common are lizards, species of vipers and snakes. In the vastness of the Tien Shan, flocks of eagles, melodious larks, bustards, and partridges have found their home.

In the areas of the middle mountains live wild boars, flocks of wolves and foxes, representatives of bears and lynxes, nutcrackers and crossbills fly.

The geography of the inhabitants at the peak points of the mountains changes: stoats, colorful argali, populations of mountain goats and the very rarely seen beautiful snow leopard live here. Among the birds - vultures, eagle families, jackdaws, larks.

Ducks, geese, swans, storks and other waterfowl are common only in the vastness of mountain lakes.

Mountain steppes on well-warmed slopes are densely covered with turf and feather grass mixed with exposed stone screes. In summer, wormwood, thyme, and ephedra begin to grow. The Central Tien Shan is more diverse; more than 30 species of grass grow in its steppe areas.

Mountain tourism

Clean, almost alpine air, magnificent landscape and picturesque views attract lovers of active sports recreation. Every professional climber and ski enthusiast should visit the Tien Shan mountain system at least once. The diverse slopes have long been dotted with various resorts, where slopes are equipped for skiing and skiing for professionals and entry-level athletes, there is equipment rental and experienced instructors who will help you get started on skis or snowboards for the first time. The season starts north in early December and continues until the last days of March. The best month for skiing is February.

In the highlands, where snow lies almost all year round, it is a paradise for mountaineering athletes. For them, ascents to glacial areas and peaks are realized; access to high points by car or approach by air is possible.

Take a look at the resorts "Oru-Sai", the snowy "Kashka-Suu", the high-mountain "Orlovka" and the city of "Karakol" - they are the most popular.

Results

The Tien Shan range is a unique, stunningly beautiful mountain system, one of the highest and longest in the world, full of extraordinary flora and fauna, and diverse mineral deposits. This is a popular place among tourists interested in active recreation and sports. There are various resort towns and ski slopes on the slopes. The winter climate of the mountains is harsh, so travelers are advised to visit these places in spring and summer, when the formation of air masses is not so intense and sunny days predominate. The height of the Tien Shan mountains forms several tiers - foothill, middle and high mountain, each of which has its own characteristics of climate, flora and fauna, and landscape.

Tien Shan (Chinese - Heavenly Mountains)

mountain system in Central and Central Asia, located between 40° and 45° N. latitude, 67° and 95° east. d. Western part of T.-Sh. is located within the USSR (mainly in the Kirghiz SSR, the northern and western ranges in the Kazakh SSR, the southwestern tip in the Uzbek SSR and Tajik SSR), the eastern - in China. Length from W to E 2450 km(within the USSR 1200 km). T.-Sh. in the north, the Borohoro ridge connects with the Dzungarian Alatau mountain system (See Dzhungar Alatau) , and in the south it is connected with the Alai ridge of the Gissar-Alai system (See Gissar-Alai). The northern and southern borders of the western part of T.-Sh. The Ili and Fergana valleys are usually considered. Eastern part of T.-Sh. in the north it is limited by the Dzungarian and in the south by the Kashgar (Tarim) basin.

Relief. T.-Sh. consists of mountain ranges that extend predominantly in the latitudinal or sublatitudinal direction; only in its central part is the Central T.-Sh., where the highest peaks are located - Pobeda Peak (7439 m) and Khan Tengri, along the border of the USSR and China, the Meridional Ridge stretches.

In the Soviet part of T.-Sh. the following orographic regions are distinguished: Northern T.-Sh., consisting of the Ketmen ridges (part of it in China), the Trans-Ili Alatau, the Kungei-Alatau, and the Kyrgyz; Western T.-Sh., including Talas Alatau with adjacent to it from the south-west. the Chatkal, Pskem, Ugam, and Karatau ridges; the ridges framing the Fergana Valley, including the southwestern slope of the Fergana Range, are sometimes called the Southwestern T.-Sh.; Inner T.-Sh., located to the south of the Kyrgyz ridge and the Issyk-Kul basin, from the south-west. framed by the Fergana ridge, to the south by the Kokshaltau ridge, to the east by the Akshiyrak massif, separating the Inner T.-Sh. from Central. Ridges of the Northern and Western T.-Sh. gradually decrease from E to W from 4500-5000 m up to 3500-4000 m(Karatau ridge until 2176 m) and are distinguished by asymmetry: the northern slopes facing the Ili, Chu and Talas basins are longer, strongly dissected by gorges, with a relative height of up to 4000 m and more. From the ridges of the Inner T.-Sh. the most significant are Terskey-Alatau, Borkoldoy, Atbashi (up to 4500-5000 m) and the southern barrier - the Kokshaltau ridge (Dankova peak, 5982 m). Characteristic for all T.-Sh. The latitudinal and sublatitudinal location of the ridges is clearly expressed in the Northern and Inner T.-Sh. Three main stripes are outlined: the strip of ridges of the Northern T.-Sh., separated from it by the Susamyr and Issyk-Kul basins, the northern strip of ridges of the Inner T.-Sh. (Susamyrtau, Dzhumgoltau, Terskey-Alatau, Jetim) and the southern strip of the Inner T.-Sh. ridges, delimited by the basins of the middle Naryn. (Atbashi, Naryntau, Borkoldoy and Kokshaltau).

In Eastern T.-Sh. 2 stripes of mountain ranges are clearly defined, separated by a latitudinal strip of valleys and basins. Heights of the main ridges 4000-5000 m; The ridges of the northern strip - Borokhoro, Iren-Khabyrga, Bogdo-Ula, Karlyktag - stretch to 95° east. The Southern strip is shorter (extends to 90° E); the main ridges are Halyktau, Sarmin-Ula, Kuruktag. At the foot of the Eastern T.-Sh. The Turfan depression is located (depth up to - 154 m), Hamiya depression; within the southern strip there is an intermountain depression filled with Lake Bagrashkel.

The highlands are characterized by glacial landforms (circuses, troughs, etc.); on the slopes of the gorges there are numerous screes, along the bottoms of the valleys there are accumulations of moraine deposits. At an altitude of 3200-3400 m and above, permafrost rocks are almost ubiquitous; The thickness of frozen soils rarely exceeds 20-30 m, but in the Aksai-Chatyrkol depression - in some places more than 100 m. Within the high-mountain depressions there are hydrolaccoliths and peat mounds, and on the slopes there are solifluction processes. In mid-mountain and low-mountain areas, mudflow fans are ubiquitous. Within the Terskey-Alatau, Atbashi and other ridges, significant areas are occupied by leveling surfaces, and at the foot of many ridges there are strips of foothills (locally called “counters”, “adyrs”), which in many areas causes a well-defined stepwise profile of the mountains. High-mountain depressions, relatively recently freed from glaciers and still slightly affected by erosion processes, usually have flat or slightly hilly surfaces; large areas of them are occupied by lakes and swamps. Depressions below 2500 m, usually include well-developed river valleys with numerous terraces, some of which retain lakes (for example, Issyk-Kul) . In some basins there are areas of small hills (especially in the Naryn and southwestern Issyk-Kul basins); There are manifestations of clayey pseudokarst. The foothills of the ridges are characterized by alluvial cones of numerous rivers, often forming continuous strips - proluvial shelves, stretching for tens of kilometers.

Geological structure and minerals. Mountain ranges of T.-S. are composed of Paleozoic and pre-Paleozoic rocks, and intermountain valleys (depressions) are made of Cenozoic and, partially, Mesozoic deposits. The geographical division of the modern mountain system, created in the Neogene-Anthropocene period, does not coincide with the tectonic zoning of the Paleozoic folded structure. Within T.-S. distinguish the Caledonides of the Northern T.-Sh. and Hercynides of the Middle and Southern T.-Sh. To the Caledonides of the Northern T.-Sh. include the following ridges: Kyrgyz, Talas Alatau, Susamyr, Zailiysky Alatau, Kungey-Alatau, Terskey-Alatau, Ketmen, Narat, Borto-Ula; to the Hercynides of the Middle T.-Sh. - B. Karatau, Ugamsky, Pskemsky, Chatkalsky, Kuraminsky, Jetim, Jamantau, etc.; to the Hercynides of the Southern T.-Sh. - Baubashatinsky mountain cluster, Kokshaltau, Maydantag, Halyktau, Fergana, Alai, Turkestan and Zeravshan ridges (the last three make up the Gissar-Alai mountain system (See Gissar-Alai)), etc.

Caledonides of Northern T.-Sh. They border along faults: in the north - with the Hercynian structures of the Dzhungar Alatau, Borohoro and Bogdo-Ula (Bogdoshan) ridges; in the south-east. and S.-W. - with the Hercynides of the Middle T.-Sh. In the northwestern direction, the Caledonides continue into Kazakhstan; the structures of the Caledonides form an arc, convex in the southern direction and parallel to the border with the Hercynides of the Middle T.-Sh. To the south-west The miogeosynclinal zone of the Caledonides extends along this boundary, and to the northeast is the eugeosynclinal zone. The miogeosynclinal zone is composed of crystalline basement rocks and sedimentary formations of the late Proterozoic and early Paleozoic; In the eugeosynclinal zone, basic effusives and flysch deposits of the Early Paleozoic are widespread. Throughout the entire territory of Northern T.-Sh. clastic and volcanogenic orogenic molasse of the Ordovician, Devonian and Carboniferous, granitoids of the Early and Middle Paleozoic are widespread.

Middle T.-Sh. was part of the miogeosynclinal zone of the Caledonides, in which, after the accumulation of Devonian molasse, the formation of miogeosynclinal sediments of the Devonian and Carboniferous took place, and in the late Paleozoic, the formation of the Hercynian folding took place. Granitoids of the Middle T.-Sh. They are Late Proterozoic, Middle and Late Paleozoic in age. In the western part of the zone, acidic volcanic deposits of the late Paleozoic are widespread. Hercynian structures in most of the Middle T.-Sh. have a northeast direction. Middle T.-Sh. divided by the Talas-Fergana fault (See Talas-Fergana fault) into two parts, shifted relative to each other.

Hercynides of Southern T.-Sh. are distinguished by the widespread development of folded-lamellae and cover structures, in the structure of which eugeosynclinal and miogeosynclinal deposits take part: eugeosynclinal formations are represented by basic volcanics of the Middle Paleozoic, ultrabasites and gabbroids; miogeosynclinal - sedimentary deposits of the early and middle Paleozoic. Molasse deposits and granitoids in the Southern T.-Sh. - Late Paleozoic age. Hercynian folded structures in the western part of Southern T.-Sh. have a latitudinal direction, in the Fergana ridge - horizontal, to the east - northeast. In the south, the Hercynides T.-Sh. limited by the Tarim and Tajik massifs of ancient rocks, on the site of which depressions of the same name were formed in the Meso-Cenozoic.

Minerals in the Paleozoic and pre-Paleozoic rocks of the Tien Shan: mercury (Khaidarkan deposit and others), antimony (Kadamdzhai and others), lead, zinc, silver, tin, tungsten, arsenic, gold, optical raw materials, phosphorites (Karatau), mineral waters, etc. In the intermountain valleys in Mesozoic and Cenozoic deposits there are deposits of oil (in the Fergana Valley), brown and hard coal (Angren, Lenger, Sulyukta, Kok-Yangak, etc.).

Climate determined by the position of T.-Sh. inland, in relatively low latitudes, among dry desert plains. The main part of the mountains lies in the temperate zone, but the Fergan ranges (Southwestern T.-S.) are on the border with the subtropical, experiencing the influence of dry subtropics, especially in the lower altitude zones. In general, the climate is characterized by sharp continentalism, aridity, and a significant duration of sunshine (2500-3000 h/year). In most of T.-S. (especially in the highlands) the western transport of air masses predominates, which is superimposed by the local mountain-valley circulation; In some areas, strong local winds are observed (for example, “ulan” and “santash” in the Issyk-Kul basin). High altitudes, complexity and dissected terrain cause sharp contrasts in the distribution of heat and moisture. In the valleys of the lower mountain belt, the average July temperature is 20-25 °C, in mid-altitude valleys - 15-17 °C, at the foot of the glaciers up to 5 °C and below. In winter, frosts in the glacial-nival belt reach -30 °C. In mid-altitude valleys, cold periods often alternate with thaws, although average January temperatures are usually below -6 °C. Temperature conditions allow the cultivation of grapes up to an altitude of 1400 m, rice up to 1550 m(in Eastern T.-S.), wheat up to 2700 m, barley up to 3000 m. Precipitation amount in the mountains of T.-Sh. increases with height. On the foothill plains it is 150-300 mm, in the foothills and low mountains 300-450 mm, in mid-mountains 450-800 mm, in the glacial-nival belt often over 800 mm, in some places (in Western T.-S.) until 1600 mm in year. In intramountain depressions, precipitation usually falls 200-400 mm precipitation per year (their eastern parts are more humid). In most of T.-S. There is a summer maximum of precipitation, in the mountainous frame of the Fergana and Talas valleys - a spring maximum.

Due to the significant dryness of the climate, the snow line in T.-S. located at an altitude of 3600-3800 m on S.-3. up to 4200-4450 m in the Central T.-Sh.; in Eastern T.-Sh. it decreases (to 4000-4200 m). There are numerous snowfields in the ridge zone, some areas of T.-Sh. are dangerous for avalanches (mainly in spring).

The largest reserves of snow are concentrated on the northern and western slopes. At the foot of the ridges there is usually no more than 2-3 months, in mid-mountains - 6-7 months, at the foot of the glaciers - 9-10 months per year. In intermountain basins the snow cover is often thin; In some places there is year-round grazing of livestock.

Inland waters. Most of T.-S. refers to the area of ​​runoff formation. Rivers usually originate from the snowfields and glaciers of the glacial-nival belt and end in the drainless lake basins of Central and Central Asia, in the inland lakes of the T.-S. or form so-called “dry deltas,” that is, their waters completely seep into the alluvial deposits of the piedmont plains and are used for irrigation. The main rivers belong to the basin of the Syrdarya (Naryn, Karadarya), Talas, Chu, Ili (with the sources Kunges and Tekes and the tributary Kash), Manas, Tarim (Saryjaz, Kokshal, Muzart), Konchedarya (Khaidyk-Gol). Most rivers are characterized by an alternation of mountain gorges and valley widenings, where the river breaks into branches; combined with the large decline, this creates favorable opportunities for hydroelectric development. On the largest river in the western part of T.-Sh. - Naryn - a cascade of hydroelectric power stations; The Uchkurgan hydroelectric power station was built, the Toktogul hydroelectric power station is under construction (1976), etc. The rivers are fed primarily by snow, in the high mountain areas in the summer months it is also glacial; Maximum flow is in late spring and summer. This enhances the national economic importance of the T.-S. rivers, a significant part of the flow of which is used for irrigation of intramountain valleys and basins, as well as those neighboring the T.-S. plains

The largest lakes of T.-S. of tectonic origin and are located within the bottoms of intermountain depressions. These include the drainless, non-freezing, brackish lake Issyk-Kul, high mountain (at an altitude of more than 3000 m) lakes Sonkel and Chatyrkol, covered with ice most of the year. Tar and periglacial lakes are also common (including Merzbacher Lake, located between the Northern and Southern Inylchek glaciers). From the lakes of Eastern T.-Sh. The largest lake is Bagrashkel, connected by the river. Konchedarya with Lake Lop Nor. On the Syrt plains, mainly in the upper reaches of the river. Naryn, and in the depressions of the moraine relief there are many small lakes. A number of lakes are of dammed origin and are distinguished by significant depth and steep banks (for example, Lake Sary-Chelek in the southern spurs of the Chatkal ridge).

Glaciation. The area of ​​glaciation is 10.2 thousand. km 2(of which about 80% are on the territory of the USSR). The greatest glaciation is concentrated in the ridges of the Central T.-Sh., other centers are the Zailiysky Alatau, Terskey-Alatau, Akshiyrak, Kokshaltau ridges, and in the Eastern T.-Sh. - Iren-Khabyrga and Halyktau ridges. From the ridges of the Central T.-Sh. complex valley glaciers flow down; the largest - South Inylchek (length 59.5 km), Northern Inylchek (38.2 km) and the most significant glacier of the Eastern T.-Sh. - Kara-jailyau (34 km). They are characterized mainly by small valley, ravine and hanging glaciers, and for the Inner T.-S. Flat-top glaciers resting on high-lying planation surfaces are common. Most of the glaciers of T.-Sh. is, apparently, in a stage of contraction, but in 1950-70 there was an advance of individual glaciers (Mushketov, Northern Karasai, etc. glaciers).

Main types of landscapes. The dryness and continental climate determine the predominance in T.-S. mountain steppes and semi-deserts. Foothill sloping plains, foothills of many ridges (mainly of southern exposure) and the most arid areas within some intermountain basins (for example, in the Western Naryn and Issyk-Kul basins) occupy desert landscapes in combination with semi-deserts (the predominant heights on the outer slopes of the mountains of the western parts T.-Sh. 800-1300 m, on the southern slopes of the mountains of Eastern T.-Sh. 1600-1800 m, in the intermountain depressions of the Inner T.-Sh. in some places up to 2000 m). The main soils are low-humus sierozems on loess and loess-like loams; there are salt marshes and areas of stony-gravelly deserts. Vegetation usually covers 5-10% of the surface. In southwestern T.-S., where precipitation falls mainly in the spring, ephemerals and ephemeroids are numerous (bluegrass, desert sedge, astragalus, etc.). The rest of the territory is dominated by subshrubs - wormwood and solyanka; in the Eastern T.-Sh. - also ephedra, in places there are thickets of saxaul.

The upper parts of the foothills and significant areas within the intermountain depressions are occupied by semi-deserts. On the northern slopes and along the bottoms of depressions they are usually located at an altitude of 1600-2100 m(in more humid valleys in some places they go down to 800 m), on the southern slopes of the ridges of the Eastern T.-Sh. rise to 2200 m. The soils are dark sierozems and gray-brown semi-desert with a humus content of 2.5-3.5%; along the relief depressions there are solonchaks and solonetzes. Vegetation covers 15-25% of the surface; Wormwood-feather grass-hodgepodge communities predominate in the Inner and Eastern T.-S. - also potashnik, caragana. Semi-deserts are used mainly as spring-autumn pastures (productivity 1-5 c/ha).

Steppes are most widespread, located at altitudes from 1000-1200 to 2500-2600 m on the slopes of northern exposure in the western part of T.-Sh. and from 1800 to 3000 m on the southern slopes of Eastern T.-Sh. They also occupy the bottoms of intermountain depressions up to an altitude of 3000-3200 m. The soils are light chestnut and light brown mountain-steppe. Grass-forb small-turf steppes predominate. Vegetation covers about 50% of the surface. The basis of the vegetation of the cover consists of wormwood, fescue, feather grass, and wheatgrass; in the eastern direction, the role of chiya and caragana increases. In the ridges of the Southwestern T.-Sh. - tall grass (up to 70 cm) subtropical steppes on dark leached gray soils and brown soils with the participation of wheatgrass, bulbous barley, elecampane, prangosa, ferula, over which individual trees and shrubs rise (apricot, hawthorn, etc.). Within the most humidified eastern parts of the intermountain depressions, forb-grass meadow-steppes are formed on dark chestnut soils. Vegetation usually covers 80-90% of the surface. In the upper part of the steppe belt, creeping forms of juniper are found. The steppes are used mainly as spring-summer pastures (productivity up to 10 c/ha).

Forests in T.-S. do not form a continuous belt, but are found in combination with steppes and meadows. In the peripheral ridges of the Northern and Southwestern T.-Sh. they are located in the middle mountains at an altitude of 1500-3000 m, in the interior regions of the mountains, the lower and upper boundaries of forests increase (to 2200 and 3200, respectively m). Forests almost everywhere (with the exception of southwestern Kyrgyzstan) are located on the northern slopes, occupying the largest areas in the Trans-Ili Alatau, Kungey-Alatau, Terskey-Alatau, Ketmen ridges, in the eastern part of the Atbashi ridge, as well as in the Bogdo-Ula and Iren-Ula ridges. Khabyrga in Eastern T.-Sh. In the mountainous frame of the Fergana Valley, forests grow on the southwestern and southern windward slopes, which determines their high moisture content. The lower part of the forest belt of the Trans-Ili Alatau ridge is formed by wild apple, wild apricot (apricot), hawthorn, aspen, Semenov maple; in the undergrowth - shrubs (barberry, buckthorn, honeysuckle, euonymus, rose hips, etc.) on gray forest soils. Above 2000-2200 m deciduous forests are replaced by spruce forests on dark-colored mountain forest soils with a high (up to 15%) humus content. In the Inner and Eastern T.-Sh. The main forest-forming species is spruce, confined to areas of slopes with a northern exposure. Along the bottoms of wide valleys and spurs and in the more illuminated areas of the slopes, forests grow in combination with forb (geranium, cuff, zopnik, iris) meadows of the subalpine type, used as summer pastures with a productivity of 15-20 c/ha. On the southern slopes within the forest-meadow-steppe belt, steppes with areas of juniper (juniper) woodlands predominate.

The nut-fruit forests of Southwestern T.-Sh. are unique, forming on mountain-forest black-brown soils. Some researchers consider them as relicts, preserved from the Neogene. These park-type forests are made of walnut, apple, and maple with rich undergrowth (honeysuckle, cherry plum, almond, rose hip, buckthorn, etc.). In some valleys (for example, near Arslanbob), walnut forests have almost no admixture of other trees. Above 2000 m walnut-fruit forests are replaced by coniferous forests (spruce and fir). In the Southwestern T.-Sh. In some places there are pistachio groves. Forests T.-Sh. have important water conservation significance. Walnut-fruit forests are used for harvesting nuts and ornamental wood.

Subalpine and alpine meadows are located mainly on northern slopes above 3000-3200 m; they usually do not form a continuous belt, alternating with rocks and screes almost devoid of vegetation. On thin mountain-meadow and meadow-bog soils there are forb-sedge, often swampy short-grass meadows; they are used as short-term summer pastures (productivity 5-10 c/ha).

On high places (from 3000-3200 m up to 3400-3700 m) syrt plains of the Inner and Central T.-Sh. Landscapes of so-called “cold deserts” are widespread, the vegetation of which is represented by individual clumps of turf grasses, cushion-like communities (driadanta, etc.), in warmer areas - also by wormwood, on low-humus, often takyr-like soils; in some places there are sedge-cobresia meadows. Used as summer pastures (productivity from 3-5 to 15 c/ha, in cooresia meadows).

Above 3400-3600 m Landscapes of the glacial-nival belt (glaciers, snowfields, screes, rocks) are ubiquitous. The soil cover is unformed, the vegetation is represented mainly by rare mosses and lichens.

Animal world. For flat, foothill and low mountain areas of T.-Sh. typical representatives of the desert and steppe fauna - goitered gazelle, ferret, tolai hare, ground squirrel, jerboas, gerbils, mole vole, wood mouse, Turkestan rat, etc.; among reptiles - snakes (viper, copperhead snake, patterned snake), lizards; among birds - lark, wheatear, bustard, hazel grouse, chukar (partridge), imperial eagle, etc. Representatives of the forest fauna of the middle mountains - wild boar, lynx, brown bear, badger, wolf, fox, marten, roe deer, acclimatized teleut squirrel; Birds include crossbill and nutcracker. In the highlands and in places in the middle mountains live marmots, pikas, silver and narrow-skulled voles, mountain goats (teke), mountain sheep (argali), ermine, and occasionally snow leopards; among birds - Alpine jackdaw, horned lark, finches, Himalayan snowcock, eagles, vultures, etc. On the lakes - waterfowl (ducks, geese), on Issyk-Kul during migration - swans, on Bagrashkol there are cormorants, black storks, etc. Many lakes are rich in fish (Osman, Chebak, Marinka, etc.).

Protected areas. Within the Soviet part of T.-Sh. there are 5 nature reserves (1975) - Issyk-Kul, Alma-Ata, Aksu-Dzhabaglinsky, Sary-Chelek, Chatkal mountain forest, as well as a number of reserves (including on the territory of the walnut and fruit forests of southwestern T.-Sh. ).

Lit.: Semenov-Tian-Shansky P. G., Travel to the Tien Shan, M., 1958; Chupakhin V.M., Physical geography of the Tien Shan, A.-A., 1964; Sinitsyn V.M., Central Asia, M., 1959; Dovzhikov A. E., Zubtsov E. I., Argutina T. A., Tien Shan fold system, in the book: Geological structure of the USSR, vol. 2, M., 1968; Geology of the USSR, v. 23 - Uzbek SSR, M., 1972; v. 24 - Tajik SSR, M., 1959; v. 25 - Kirghiz SSR, M., 1972; Shultz S.S., Analysis of recent tectonics and relief of the Tien Shan, M., 1948; Nature of Kyrgyzstan, French, 1962; Murzaev E.M., The nature of Xinjiang and the formation of deserts of Central Asia, M., 1966; Central Asia, M., 1968; Physico-geographical zoning of the USSR, M., 1968; Shultz V.L., Rivers of Central Asia, Leningrad, 1965; Gvozdetsky N. A., Mikhailov N. I., physical geography of the USSR. Asian part, 2nd ed., M., 1970; Plains and mountains of Central Asia and Kazakhstan, M., 1975.

V. A. Blagoobrazov, N. A. Gvozdetsky(physical-geographical sketch),

V. S. Burtman(geological structure and minerals).


Great Soviet Encyclopedia. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia. 1969-1978 .

Synonyms:

See what "Tian Shan" is in other dictionaries:

    Mountain system in the Middle and Center. Asia; Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, China. The name Tian Shan heavenly mountains represents a whale. tracing paper of the original Mong. Turk, the names Tengri Tag with the same meaning (Mongolian tenger sky, Turk, tag mountain), adopted ... ... Geographical encyclopedia


In the summer, the combined team of the MAI Tourist Club and the Citadel State Tourist Complex (Brest) visited the mountains of the eastern part of the Central Tien Shan. Despite the fact that not all the original plans were realized, the campaign was a success. We got to know each other and became fully immersed in the area, passed several beautiful passes and climbed the three highest peaks of the Tien Shan. Below you can see a photo report about our trip.

I’ll tell you a little about what we wanted and what happened. The acclimatization stage went exactly according to plan. It included passing two observation passes of the Seven Muscovites (1B, 4130) and Chontash (2B, 4570) and the first ascent to the top of the Explorers of the Tien Shan (4490). Then, going out to the South Inylchek glacier, we climbed up it and through the Komsomolets glacier climbed out to the long-unvisited Schmidt Plateau pass (3B, 5270). From its saddle we traversed the untrodden peak 5650 and, ahead of schedule, descended through the Proletarsky Tourist glacier to the MAL on South Inylchek.

The next stage we planned to go through three high-altitude traverses. But due to problems with my back and the team’s primary desire to climb seven-thousand-meter peaks, they refused to continue the planned route. Later we switched to individual ascents in the upper reaches of the Southern Inylchek, sometimes dividing into subgroups for convenience. As a result, we climbed through the Torn Glacier to the Eastern Col of Khan Tengri (5800) and attempted to climb the mountain. Western Tent (6511), climbed Khan Tengri (7010) and Pobeda (7439), climbed the western peak of Military Topographers Peak (6815).

The journey from the base camp to the Semenovsky glacier takes 2.5 – 3 hours. The tents of the first camp are not located directly at the confluence with South Inylchek, but a little lower, sheltered from large avalanches from Khan Tengri and Chapaev Peak behind a rocky spur.

Feeling some euphoria from setting out on the route, we got carried away and talked until late in the evening. The blood pressure also made it difficult to fall asleep. As a result, we passed out at ten, and at midnight we got up for an early passage of the narrow and dangerous section between the peaks of Chapaev and Khan Tengri, popularly called the bottle.

The evening snowfall covered all traces. The ascent began almost in the dark. The flashlight only captured 50 meters of the glacier in front of our feet. We walked straight up, focusing on the silhouettes of large mountains. I was on Khan Tengri 8 years ago, but now everything has changed. Instead of deep snow there is firn dusted with snow. And we mostly descended along the opposite side.

Before the start of the dangerous place, a bunch of us overtook us. One of the men in its composition was on Hana last year and had a general idea of ​​where the standard ascent route was.

The surrounding landscape brightened and the mountains woke up.

On the way to the neck of the bottle, an avalanche started from Chapaev Peak, went lower, but kept us in suspense and covered us with snow dust.

A little higher we saw a tent with a crazy man who decided to put it in such a place.

Tent - point in the center of the frame


Someone's coming down

Camp 5300 is located just above the icefall of the Semenovsky glacier. Considering yesterday’s gatherings, we couldn’t resist the desire to boil some tea there and take a nap for an hour.

Upper reaches of Southern Inylchek and Military Topographers Peak (6873)


The rest invigorated us a little and we climbed to the bergschrund under the Western Col of Khan Tengri relatively fresh. Here, at an altitude of 5800, the tents of the assault camp are located. The further route along the western edge of Khan Tengri is almost entirely covered with stationary railings. There are also small overnight sites at 6350 (for one tent), 6400 (for two tents), at 6600 (for 1 tent), in the area of ​​the summit.

Compared to 2009, now most of the tents at 5800 are located in a wide, buried berg under the saddle, and caves are being dug out there. It's less windy and safer here. 8 years ago, a giant cornice flew off from the saddle to the north, almost from under our feet, breaking off right along the path with poles.

A simple ascent to Khan Tengri could not provide normal acclimatization. Therefore, we decided to climb to 6400 with bivouac equipment, set up a tent, go to the top, and then descend and spend the night. Maybe in terms of load, such a plan was not entirely ideal, since it would have been smarter to first spend the night at 6400, and then go down the mountain the next day. But we were afraid of the worsening weather that the forecast promised. We decided to make the most of it on our first trip.

We packed up the camp and at about 3 o’clock in the morning we went up from 5800. I was lucky to pass a group of foreign climbers at the start, and Misha stood behind them and subsequently went around them one by one. On the way to 6400 I overtook several people whom I didn’t see again on the way to the top or on the descent; they probably turned back.

In 3 hours I climbed to the site at 6400, where there was already one tent. The weather was unpleasant, visibility was limited, and the wind was gusty. Therefore, I did not dare to set up our tent alone and started leveling and completing the site. Together with Misha, who soon arrived, we set up and stretched out the tent, in which we left our things and equipment.

It must be said that climbing Khan Tengri along the classic route from the Western Col is not entirely sporty. An almost continuous thread of railings allows you to climb and descend from the top in almost any weather. Modern equipment reliably protects even from strong winds, and the lack of visibility deprives you of pleasure, but does not interfere with the ascent. So we, naturally, remembering the “cold - wind” from Vladimir Stetsenko, decided that there was no reason not to go upstairs.

If up to 6400 I felt quite fresh even with a backpack, then after continuing the climb lightly, I noticed that the pace had dropped. Misha, on the contrary, increased his strength and went a couple of pitches ahead. I was trying to find motivation to climb to the top, where I had already been before, along a marked route and in the absence of visibility. I persuaded myself to continue climbing for the sake of further acclimatization. In front of the “trough” I caught up with Misha, who was standing in line on the railing.

We clearly lacked acclimatization, since the previous climb to the top was the traverse of the Volynka peak (5650) with an overnight stay at 5300. I looked at the people ahead, walking noticeably slower and still resisting and continuing to move upward. And I understood that if they were patient, then I could be patient a little.

We reached the top together with the Almaty residents. The climb from 6400 took about 5 hours. Physically and psychologically it was difficult for him. A couple of weeks later we went to Pobeda more easily and with much more pleasure. I dragged the heavy DSLR upstairs in vain, taking only a couple of frames. We never saw Northern Inylchek behind the clouds.

Misha on top

We went down to the tent at 6400, where we had lunch and settled down to rest. The forecast was promised to be negative, but we did not deny ourselves a high overnight stay.

We woke up at one in the morning and hurried downstairs. Having passed the bottle before sunrise, we were at South Inylchek at 5 am.

On the left is Pogrebetsky Peak (6527)

Meanwhile, our main team climbed the Eastern saddle of Khan Tengri through the icefall of the Torn glacier. And having attempted to climb the Western Tent, in bad weather conditions, she was forced to turn around and descend to the camp on the saddle. And there was no time left to try again, since the deadline for our meeting at MAL was approaching.

Vazha Pshavela (6918) and Nehru (6742)

Khan Tengri (6995)

Having reunited with the team, we began to jointly make further plans. It became clear that we no longer had time to continue the originally planned route and finally go to Pobeda. As a result, we decided that going to individual peaks would be easier and more interesting. Moreover, at that moment there was still hope for a possible traverse of Victory.

The guys, who had not been to Khan, decided to go there. And Vanya, who was already a snow leopard, joined Misha and me, and we planned a walk to the upper reaches of the Zvezdochka glacier.

Here, in the Inylchek area, the main attention is focused on Khan Tengri. This year, more than a hundred people climbed from the south alone. Some more people are trying to climb Pobeda Peak. The rest of the interesting and easily accessible peaks, which have a not so attractive height, are deprived of attention. Climbers visited many six-thousanders of the Meridional Ridge 1-2 times. The area of ​​the Komsomolets, Shokalsky, Putevodny and other glaciers is full of untrodden five-thousanders. The third highest peak of the Tien Shan, the Military Topographers Peak (6873 m), is climbed extremely rarely, by 1-2 groups every 5 years.

Since we had no descriptions, we decided with our subgroup to climb to the upper reaches of Zvyozdochka and there decide what to do next. We planned to choose between Military Topographers and Eastern Victory, depending on what we saw.

The path to the upper reaches of Zvezdochka leads along a marked path to the icefall at the turn of the glacier. Then it passes by the first Victory camp under the pedestal of the Abalakova route and further up under the walls of Eastern Victory.

From left to right is Abalakova's route

In the center of the frame is the western peak of the Military Topographers peak

There are many lakes in the central part of Zvezdochka. The glacier is not very broken. A small icefall opposite the spur of Shipilov Peak runs along the right side of the glacier. To avoid falling through, after lunch we put on snowshoes and continued walking in them.

Western peak of Military Topographers Peak (6815)

Avalanche from the Victory Balcony. To the right is Zhuravlev's route

The rock walls of Eastern Pobeda are impressive in their steepness and scale. The sun practically does not illuminate them. Of the four routes laid out here, not one is repeated.

The day before, about 4 kilometers did not reach the Chonteren pass, located between Eastern Victory and Military Topographers. In the morning Misha complained of feeling unwell. Probably I haven’t fully recovered after Khan Tengri, and yesterday’s 9-hour trek was not easy. We approached the pass takeoff, but did not climb any higher. Because they felt that the rest would be much more productive downstairs.


The next day, my condition and mood are excellent. We climbed Chonteren practically on foot, hanging 50 meters of railings at the top of the takeoff. There are no big difficulties on the Chinese side either. Therefore, the tourist category of the pass 3B is very conditional.

Shipilov Peak (6201)

The advantage of the route to the top of Eastern Pobeda (6762 m) is that from the saddle of the pass (5500 m) it is easy to walk and given the current snow conditions, it can be walked in a day. We, having some time left, decide to go to the Military Topographers peak located further.

Behind is the ridge to Eastern Victory

A narrow cornice ridge goes straight from the pass in the direction of the Military Topographers Peak. Walking along it in a small group is a pleasure.


Higher up, the ridge widens, turning into a snowy slope, which leads to a small plateau. On the edge of the plateau there is a group of picturesque ice seracs. Vanya dubbed them Julia’s, since he often saw similar relief forms in Anatoly’s reports. Large pieces of ice break off from the edge of the plateau and gradually slide into the abyss. While lunch was being prepared, we had time to walk and climb a little.

Victory Array


Walls of Military Topographers Peak

Between the seracs, Victory Peak

The camp was established at an altitude of 6050 under the slopes leading to the western ridge of the Military Topographers. While the guys were setting up the tent, I managed to climb up and photograph a little of the mountain. The entire traverse path of Valery Khrishchaty’s team from Pobeda to Khan opened before our eyes.

The tops of the legendary traverse in one panorama





Panorama from Pobeda to Khan

The plans to traverse the summit were postponed until future hikes, since Misha, motivating the decision by preserving his strength for the Victory, refused to accompany us on the ascent.

In the morning new adventures awaited us. Around 5 o'clock it shook a couple of times. As it turned out later, these were echoes of the seven-magnitude Chinese earthquake. Where there had been a small bergschrund the day before, a 3-meter ice wall appeared. Our entire plateau subsided, and deep ice craters formed on the slope. There were landslides here and there. As the guys from our second subgroup, who were descending from Khan at that moment, later said, avalanches simultaneously descended from Chapaev and Khan-Tengri, and a cloud of dust flew out to Inylchek. And just a few minutes before they managed to leave the Semenovsky glacier around the corner.

During the evening reconnaissance, the first rock gendarme of the western ridge of the Military Topographers seemed quite difficult. To pass it, you would have to hang a railing. Therefore, we decided to climb the ridge in a new way, emerging above the gendarme.

South view

There was a decent amount of snow on the slopes. Sometimes there were spots of crust, but mostly we had to follow the path and not forget about the avalanche danger. It was hard. Initially, we took with us an additional rope and some set of rock equipment, and left it all on the shelf. Because we realized that if we encounter serious technical difficulties, then in the current state we will not be able to reach the summit. And whatever is easier, we will climb in a bunch.

Upper reaches of Southern Inylchek

From the point of access to the ridge under the rocky rise to the second gendarme there is a long section with cornices. We were more confused not by them, but by the real chances of leaving with an avalanche on the steep cliffs of the Chinese side. At some point, they even tied the entire length of the rope so that they could alternately release each other and tuck it behind the protruding stones.

The weather was not conducive to the ascent, but did not force us to turn around. Hoods and windproof masks protected us from the gusty wind. Having passed the cornices, we came under a rocky gendarme. The lower part was climbed. I climbed higher, straining a little in the fireplace, and threw the rope to Vanya.

Above the gendarme, the crest widens and becomes simple. But the wind and deep snow made it difficult to walk. We climbed the Western peak of Military Topographers (6815 m) in the absence of visibility. On the tour they found a note from Kirikov-Oleynik-Parshin dated 2005, who in turn removed Sergei Lavrov’s note from 1999.

According to the navigator, there were still 400 meters and 60 in altitude left to the Main Peak, but without visibility there was no thought to go there.

It cleared up on the descent

We went down to camp 6050, where Misha greeted us with amazing borscht at 18:30 in the evening.


In the morning, we got up early, went down to Zvezdochka and ran to the base camp, where we were already met by the guys who had successfully climbed Khan Tengri.




In the evening, an Iranian woman, whom the guys actually saved on Khan, came to talk to us. According to stories, during an overnight stay at 6400, at 8 pm she went down to the shelf next to their tents and remained sitting. The girl no longer had the strength to continue the descent. Initially, she refused the invitation to go into the tent, as well as the offer of tea. But in the end they put her in a sleeping bag, warmed her up, gave her something to drink, and sent her down in the morning in normal condition.

After resting for a couple of days, we began to prepare for Victory. The weather had ended by this time. After August 10, there were not heavy but frequent snowfalls, and winds began to blow overhead. We understood that there could be no permanent bad weather and a window would definitely appear, we just needed to figure out the exit to Vazha Pshavela by that moment. And from there it’s a day to the top. Part of the team also didn’t want to give up the idea of ​​a traverse so easily, so they took an additional arc tent upstairs, all planning to live in a tent together.

There are seven of us left from the team. Zhenya flew to work after attempting to climb Western Shater, and Maxim after climbing Khan Tengri. And three guys from Novosibirsk and Moscow joined us. We decided to climb the mountain autonomously, but climb together, trying to help each other.

Dmitry Grekov gave us a radio station and further helped us by supporting and reporting the current weather forecast. This attitude was very pleasant, especially since we were not Ak-Sai’s clients.

While the weather was bad in the Tien Shan, the people, believing that the time had not come, acclimatized to the Khan, rested and socialized in the base camp. In the end, when everyone was ready to go upstairs, the weather was turned off. Before us, three people climbed through Vazha, who had unsealed the mountain this season, and four guys from the Novosibirsk team completed the traverse, ascending the Zhuravlev route and descending the classic route.

We went up on August 14, believing that we would paddle up to Vazha just in time for the possible window of the 18th-19th.


The first obstacle on the way to the top is the icefall of the Dikiy Pass. Unlike the further route, every year the first climbers on the mountain install new railings. The icefall itself is normal. Above a steep step of one and a half ropes, everything is done on foot. The approach under hanging faults and ice under the beginning of the railing is dangerous. Therefore, it is advisable to go through the icefall either early in the morning or in the late afternoon, when the peak of solar activity is behind.

Having left the base camp after lunch, we stopped for the night about a kilometer from the icefall. It’s scary to stop closer because of possible avalanches and landslides from the slopes of Pobeda.

Having passed the icefall in the morning, we walked through snow fields to a small trough on the Dikiy Pass. While lunch was being prepared, stragglers arrived. Since the weather was not promised for tomorrow, the goal that day was to climb to the caves at 5800, so that there could comfortably wait for it to improve.


View of the Western Col of Khan Tengri

Exit to the Wild

The slopes above Dikiy are gentle, but overloaded with snow and are prone to avalanches. Areas of deep snow alternate with firn boards. We put on beepers and snowshoes. Trying not to cut the slope, we went up, cutting a path.

In the center of the frame is the traverse of the Volynka peak we completed (5650)

According to the information we have, two caves for three and six people were dug on the slopes. Having reached the lower one at an altitude of 5700, which later turned out to be smaller, we expanded it to seven people. Three guys from the parallel group went to spend the night above.

By evening the weather deteriorated and it was very snowy. While we were expanding our cave, we met a group of people descending from above. The weather prevented them from reaching the summit. To the question: “Where are you from?”, Ilya, who led the group, answered: “From hell!”

At night they dug out the entrance to the cave a couple of times. The revenge continued throughout the next day. Our radio quickly went dead. Left without weather and without a forecast, we began to try to get information via satellite phone. In response to an SMS with a request, one of our friends wrote that heavy rains were expected on Pobeda, another sent a long text in English, copied from the site, saying that everything would be very bad, but not without specifics. We were interested in specific figures on cloud cover, precipitation and wind strength.

Seeing what was happening on the street and having no perspective, the idea of ​​traverse the summit was finally abandoned, switching to radial ascent. We left the extra things and an additional tent in the cave and, towards lunch on August 17, when it was a little clearer, we went up.

There are several rock belts on the Vazhi ridge from 5800 to the peak of 6918. The first is at altitudes 5800 - 6000, the second 6100 - 6250 and a couple more small areas above 6400. There are traditional places for a tent at 6100 under the protection of small stones, and at 6400. There are no places protected from the wind. In case of heavy snowfalls, rocks at 6100 and 6400 also do not fully protect from avalanches. In fact, a small arc tent can be placed almost anywhere, tearing down part of the slope. You will have to tinker with the area for the tent.


The rocky sections of the ridge are secured with railings. But they are not updated and are only sometimes duplicated in sections by enthusiasts with newer ropes. In some places the rope is broken or without braid. The rocks are simple, so it’s better to climb on your own, securing yourself with a jumar.


In the evening we went to the sites at 6400. Three guys walking in parallel found a ready place for their arc redfox. We began to expand the area nearby for our large tent. After some time, they came across a human body, as it later turned out, perhaps it was Alexander Popov, buried here in 2012 by an avalanche. Having buried it with snow, we went 50 meters to the side and dug a place on the slope.

We are building a site at 6400

The bodies of those killed in the Victory are a little tense. It is clear that there is simply no strength or opportunity to go down. But it’s one thing when a person is wrapped in an awning and a tent and conventionally buried off to the side of the path. Another thing, when at 7250, a dead man is simply sitting in the trough under the gendarme. Wrapping it in a tent is not that difficult, but you need to know about it in advance and have the tent with you. On a frozen ridge, you can’t just bury it in the snow and you won’t take off your powder coat.

Nehru peak behind

The Tien Shan Mountains excite the imagination of many, many travelers. How I want to come here, look at the snow caps with my own eyes, and feel the power and strength of this place!

To be honest, not everyone succeeds in this. Why? As a rule, there may be several reasons, but among the main ones I would like to highlight the following. Remember where the Tien Shan is located. Agree, this is far from the center of the intersection of the main tourist routes of the planet, which means getting to this point on the planet is both long and expensive. Only the most desperate can afford this. Secondly, in order to go to conquer the Tien Shan mountains, considerable physical preparation is required. For a beginner, such a journey can actually be dangerous.

However, this article will not only tell you where the Tien Shan is located. In addition, the reader will receive valuable information about many other things. For example, about the characteristic features of a given object, its climate, legends and myths, flora and fauna.

Section 1. General information

The Tien Shan Mountains, photos of which can be found in almost any atlas telling about the geographical features of our planet, are located in Central Asia on the territory of several states (Kyrgyzstan, China, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan).

A significant part of the western ridge is located in Kyrgyzstan, the eastern half extends into China, the northern and western ends are in Kazakhstan, and the southern extreme points are within the borders of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

It should be noted that the Tien Shan ridge lies mainly in latitudinal and sublatitudinal zones. These are some of the highest mountains in the world, among which there are many peaks over 6.0 thousand meters high.

The highest points include Pobeda Peak (about 7,440 meters), rising on the border of Kyrgyzstan and China, and Khan Tengri (almost 7,000 meters), located in Kyrgyzstan near Kazakhstan. It’s difficult for residents of lowland areas to even imagine what it’s like to live at the foot of giant mountain giants, the peaks of which rise far above the level of cloud formation.

In general, the mountain system is divided into several regions: Northern, Western, Southwestern, Eastern, Internal and Central.

Section 2. Blue Mountains, or Tien Shan. Mountain climate

The climate of this system is mainly of the sharply continental type, characterized by hot and dry summers with little precipitation.

Winter is characterized by severity and high temperature changes, little cloudiness and excessive dry air. The mountains experience a significant duration of sunshine, amounting to up to 2,700 hours per year. Of course, such data hardly means anything to an ordinary person, so for comparison we note that, for example, in Moscow the annual average is only 1,600 hours. Changes in these values ​​are influenced by high mountain clouds and landscape complexity.

The amount of precipitation depends on zonation and increases with elevation. The least precipitation falls on the plains (150-200 mm per year), and in mid-mountain areas this figure reaches up to 800 mm per year.

Most of them occur in the spring and summer. High dry air affects the formation of snow cover, which differs in different areas. For example, the Tien Shan mountains in Kazakhstan (northwestern slopes) have a snow line formed at an altitude of 3600-3800 meters, in the Central part - at an altitude of 4200-4500 meters and 4000-4200 meters in the Eastern regions. That is, altitude largely determines the conditions for the formation of the climate of a particular area.

Large accumulations of snow and ice on the slopes of the Tien Shan Mountains with the onset of heat can lead to dangerous avalanches. This is why travelers should be extremely careful.

Section 3. Geographical features

The Tien Shan Mountains are located in Central and Central Asia and are among the highest mountains of alpine folding on the entire planet. At an altitude of 4000 m, traces of ancient leveled surfaces have been preserved.

It should be noted that the Tien Shan mountains, photos of which literally amaze with their magnificence, are still under tectonic and seismological activity.

It is difficult to imagine that over thirty peaks of the mountain range have a height of more than 6000 meters. Of these, the highest are Pobeda Peak (7439 m) and Khan Tengri Peak (almost 7000 m). The length of the system from west to east is 2500 km.

They are formed from igneous, and intermountain depressions - from sedimentary rocks. The height of the Tien Shan mountains, of course, leaves its mark on their features. The main part of the slopes has a high-mountainous terrain with forms of glaciation and rock slides.

It has been established that at an altitude of over 3000 m the permafrost belt begins. Between the mountain systems there are intermountain basins (Issyk-Kul, Naryn and Fergana).

To date, mineral deposits have been discovered in the depths of the Tien Shan: cadmium, zinc, antimony and mercury. And in the depressions there are oil reserves. Lots of glaciers and avalanche-prone snowfields. If you imagine where the Tien Shan is located from an economic point of view, it immediately becomes clear how great the role of this mountain system is in the well-being of the surrounding states.

In addition, it should be noted that Chu, Tarim, Ili, etc.) and lakes (Issyk-Kul, Chatyr-Kul and Song-Kel) belong to reservoirs of internal flow, and therefore have a significant impact on the climate of the Tien system -Shan. Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China and Uzbekistan have long learned to profitably use these features for industrial purposes.

In general, the mountain range consists of the following orographic regions:

  • Northern Tien Shan, including the Kyrgyz, Ketmen, Kungei-Alatau and Trans-Ili Alatau ridges;
  • Eastern Tien Shan - Borokhoro, Boglo-Ula, Kuruktag, Sarmin-Ula, Iren-Khabyrga, Karlytag Halyktau;
  • Western Tien Shan - Talas Alatau, Karatau, Ugam, Pskem and Chatkal ranges;
  • Southwestern Tien Shan: the southwestern part of the Fergana Range and the mountains surrounding the Fergana Valley;
  • The Inner Tien Shan is located within the Kyrgyz ridge, the Fergana ridge, the Issyk-Kul depression, the Kokshaltau ridge and the Akshiyrak mountain range.

To the west of the Central regions, three mountain ranges are formed, separated by intermountain depressions and connected by the Fergana Range. The eastern region of the Tien Shan consists of two mountain ranges up to 5000 m high, separated by depressions. Typical for this area are flat hills up to 4000 m - syrts.

The Tien Shan Mountains have a glaciated area of ​​7300 sq. km. The largest glacier is South Inylchek. A significant territory is occupied by mountain steppes and semi-deserts. The northern slopes are covered mainly with coniferous forests and meadow-steppe, which above turn into subalpine and on the syrts - a landscape of cold deserts.

Section 4. The height of the Tien Shan mountains: myths, legends and features of the origin of the name

Many inquisitive travelers know that translated from Chinese this name means “Heavenly Mountains”. According to the information of the Soviet geographer E.M. Murzaev, who studied the geographical terminology of the Turkic language, this name is borrowed from the word Tengritag (“Tengri” - “divine, sky, God” and “tag” - “mountain”).

The Tien Shan, photos of which are found quite often in periodicals, are famous for many legends associated with the description of certain places, most likely representing local attractions. Both the first and second stories given in this section tell about the Alatoo mountain range, located in the Northern Tien Shan region.

Manchzhypy-Ata

One of the world-famous attractions of Alatoo is the beautiful valley of the sacred springs of Manchzhypy-Ata, which is a popular place of pilgrimage. Here is the mazar of the great teacher of Sufism and the holy disseminator of the Islamic faith among the nomadic Kirghiz. Manchzhypy-Ata is not the name of a person. This is how in various Turkic languages ​​they called a respectable person, the patron of the area and wanderers, the righteous person or the owner of fertile pastures. The valley consists of many gorges, from the ground of which miraculous springs flow. Each of them is considered healing, and their unusual properties have been proven by several leading specialists on the planet.

Of course, in ancient times these springs could also serve as a watering place for animals. But over time, the preacher of Islam was endowed with the miraculous powers of the owner of the springs.

Those who have visited the Tien Shan mountains in Kyrgyzstan, the photos of which are especially breathtaking, have probably heard the statements of local experts that the springs endow those in need with the gift of family well-being, bestow knowledge and insight, and relieve infertility.

Fairytale of Alatoo

This tale includes a picturesque place located in the seasonal channel of rain mudflows flowing from the foothills of Terskey-Alatoo to Lake Issyk-Kul. Despite the fact that the clay cliffs of the gorge, overgrown with bushes, look sad at first, if you take a closer look, you will be surprised at how much they change their appearance and appear in all their splendor.

Thanks to this, the name of the canyon “Fairy Tale” appeared. A fantastic world opens up here: colorful rocks of bright shades frozen in unusual shapes, and natural sculptures made of limestone and sand rocks grow out of the ground, looking like prehistoric inhabitants or the ruins of castles.

The legend about this miracle of nature appeared quite recently. It says that the beauty of the gorge is unique, and if you come back here again, the gorge will look different every time. That is why excursions are organized here with enviable regularity, and the flow of travelers has not dried up for many years.

By the way, not everyone knows that in addition to Alatoo, the name of the ridge has several other variants - Atatau, Altai and Alai, which means “Motley Mountains” in Turkic. Most likely, this is a description of the entire territory of the Northern Tien Shan, which is famous for its inconstancy and diversity. Here, green meadows intertwine with rivers, snow-white peaks are adjacent to multi-colored rocks covered with coniferous forests and bright foothill steppes.

Section 5. Inland waters

The Tien Shan Mountains in Kyrgyzstan, as indeed in all other countries, are the territory of drainage formation, where many rivers originate from glaciers and snowfields of the glacial-nival zone and end in drainless and inland lakes or form “dry deltas” when water is absorbed into the sediments of the plains and used for irrigation.

All the main rivers that have their sources in the Tien Shan mountains belong to the basins of the Syr Darya, Talas, Ili, Chu, Manas, etc. The rivers are fed by snow or glaciers. The peak flow is observed in the spring-summer period. The waters are used to irrigate not only the interior valleys and depressions, but also the neighboring plains.

Large lakes of the mountain system are located at the bottom of intermountain basins and belong to the tectonic period. Such reservoirs are the salt lake Issyk-Kul and the high-mountain lakes Chatyr-Kul and Son-Kul, which are almost always covered with ice. There are also tar and periglacial lakes (Merzbacher). The largest reservoir in the Eastern Tien Shan region is Bagrashkel, connected to the Kanchedarya River.

There are many small reservoirs, most of which are deep with steep banks and have a dammed origin (Lake Sary-Chelek).

Section 6. Glaciation area

The number of glaciers in the mountain system is more than 7,700. Among them there are valley, hanging and cirque types.

The total area of ​​glaciation is quite impressive - over 900 square meters. km. The Terskey-Alatau ridge is characterized by glaciers of flattened peaks, consisting of underdeveloped moraine formations.

The Tien Shan Mountains are forming glaciers at a continuous pace. This means that the slowly receding part is replaced by others at the same speed.

During the global ice age, this entire surface was covered with a thick layer of ice. Until now, in different mountainous regions of the world you can find the remains of general glaciation - ridges, moraines, cirques, troughs and high-mountain glacial lakes.

Let us note that all river systems of Central Asia, without exception, have their sources from the famous Tien Shan glaciers. One of them is the large Naryn River (Kyrgyzstan). The Tien Shan Mountains are the highest here, which means they may well contribute to the formation of such powerful waterways.

Smaller glaciers feed mountain rivers - tributaries of the Naryn. Descending from the peaks, they overcome a huge path and gain gigantic strength. A whole cascade of large and medium-sized hydroelectric power stations has been built in Naryn.

The pearl of the Tien Shan Mountains is considered to be the picturesque Lake Issyk-Kul, which ranks 7th on the list of the largest and deepest reservoirs. It is located in a giant tectonic basin between mountain ranges. Both locals and numerous tourists love to relax here, coming with whole families or noisy groups of friends.

The area of ​​the lake is 6332 square meters. m, and its depth reaches more than 700 m. You can add here other large lakes of the Inner Tien Shan - Song-Kel and Chatyr-Kel.

In high mountain areas there are many small reservoirs of glacial and periglacial type, which have virtually no effect on the climate of the area, but are considered favorite places for recreation.

It is unlikely that anyone will dispute the fact that, say, the Tien Shan mountains in Kyrgyzstan, pictures of which are quite common, are a place that is worth visiting at least once in your life. The same trend is observed in other countries. Every year, more and more travelers from different parts of the world come here on vacation.

Section 7. Features of the local fauna

If you think about where the Tien Shan is located, you can assume that its fauna is certainly represented by the inhabitants of the desert and steppe fauna.

The most numerous representatives of the local fauna include goitered gazelle, ground squirrel, stomp hare, gerbil, jerboa, etc.

Among the reptiles there are snakes (patterned snake, copperhead, viper) and lizards.

The most common birds are larks, bustards, partridges, and imperial eagles.

But in the mid-mountain regions live representatives of the forest fauna - wild boar, brown bear, lynx, wolf, fox, roe deer, etc. The predominant birds here are nutcracker and crossbill.

Higher in the mountain ranges live marmots, voles, argali and stoats. The most beautiful and rare predator is the snow leopard (irbis). Birds include eagles, vultures, lark, alpine jackdaw, etc.

Waterfowl species (ducks, geese) live on mountain lakes. During the migration period, you can see swans in Issyk-Kul, and cormorants and black storks in Bagrashkel. There are also a lot of fish in the lakes (chebak, marinka, osman, etc.).

Section 8. Pobeda Peak - history of conquest

Many argue that the Tien Shan mountains in Kazakhstan, whose height often exceeds 6000 meters, give the impression of giant giants that reach almost to the sky. However, the highest point is still not here.

Pobeda Peak (Chinese name Tomur) is located in Kyrgyzstan near the borders of China. It is included in the list of the highest peaks (7439 m).

Presumably, the peak was first conquered by a group of Soviet climbers in 1938. Although there are doubts that they have reached the top. In 1943, in honor of the victory over the Germans at Stalingrad, the USSR government poisoned a team to Pobeda Peak.

Also in 1955, two teams went to the summit. The route of one of them ran from the Chon-Ton pass in Kazakhstan, and the other along the Zvezdochka glacier in Uzbekistan. Due to weather conditions, the team from Kazakhstan, having reached 6000 m, was forced to descend back. Of the 12 people in the group, only one survived. Since then the mountains have had a bad reputation. The ascent continues to this day. These are mostly daredevil climbers from Russia and the CIS.

Section 9. Heavenly Lake of the Tien Shan

Hidden 110 km from Urumqi, high in the mountains of China, is the purest lake Tianchi (“Heavenly Lake”), shaped like a crescent. The surface area of ​​the reservoir is about 5.0 square meters. km, depth - over 100 m.

Residents call the lake the “Pearl of the Heavenly Mountain.” It is fed by the melt waters of mountain peaks. In summer, the reservoir saves people from the heat with its coolness. Tianchi is surrounded by snow-white peaks, the slopes of which are covered with coniferous forests, and flower meadows. One of the peaks is Bogdafeng Peak, more than 6000 m high. Eagles soar in the sky above the lake.

The lake received its former name in 1783. It was formerly called Yaochi (“Jade Lake”). Tradition says that the reservoir was the font of the Taoist goddess Xi Wangmu, the keeper of springs and the fruits of immortality. A peach tree grows on the shore, whose fruits give people eternal life.

Section 10. Mountain tourism

Many travelers, especially fans of sports recreation, try to visit the Tien Shan at least once in their lives. Photos taken by travelers who have already been here will help someone decide on a new vacation destination. And someone will look at them, anticipating the next trip.

The main area of ​​all the above-mentioned countries consists of mountainous areas. It is not surprising that these regions are ideal for the development of ski tourism. There are many resorts open on the mountain slopes, the slopes of which are suitable for both professionals and beginners. For convenience, there are equipment rental points, and experienced instructors will help you master your riding skills.

For example, in Kyrgyzstan the ski resorts Oru-Sai, Orlovka, Kashka-Suu and Karakol are very popular.

The ski season opens in December and ends at the end of March. The best months for descents are February and March. In high mountain areas, snow does not melt on glaciers even in summer. Fans of freeride can use a helicopter or car to climb to higher elevations. For climbers, ascents to peaks and glaciers and descents are organized. The mountain slopes are suitable for skiing and snowboarding.

website- Over 90% of the territory of our homeland is covered with mountains, it is not for nothing that Kyrgyzstan is called the country of heavenly mountains. Their uniqueness lies in the fact that the highest seven-thousander peaks, low altitudes, and incredibly beautiful landscapes are concentrated in a small area. In total, on the territory of Kyrgyzstan there are 14 peaks over 6000 m high and 26 peaks higher than Mont Blanc (4807 m), the highest point in Europe. Our mountains belong mainly to the Tien Shan mountain range, a relatively smaller part is located in the Pamirs.

The name "Tien Shan" is translated from Chinese as "Heavenly Mountains"

The first mentions of the Tien Shan range appeared in ancient times. According to ancient writings and notes from travelers, expeditions to these places have been made since ancient times, but all of them are now more like legends than reliable facts. For the first time, the Russian explorer Pyotr Semenov spoke about the secrets of the Tien Shan in the mid-19th century, thanks to which he received his second surname, Tianshansky. The name "Tien Shan" is translated from Chinese as "Heavenly Mountains". The Tien Shan ridge is the longest ridge (2800 km) not only in Kyrgyzstan, but throughout Asia, in the central part of which the highest peaks of our country are located - Pobeda Peak (7439 m) and Khan Tengri Peak (6995 m) . In addition to them, there are 40 more peaks on the ridge with a height of more than 6000 meters.

Pobeda Peak is the highest peak of the Tien Shan

The highest point of the Tien Shan is Pobeda Peak (7439 m), discovered in 1943, the northernmost seven-thousander on the planet, located on the Kyrgyz-Chinese border, in the Kokshaal-Too ridge, east of Lake Issyk-Kul. It is called the most inaccessible, most formidable seven-thousander - this peak makes very high demands on the physical and moral preparation of climbers. The history of the conquest of Pobeda Peak is full of interesting facts. In 1936, a group of climbers climbing Khan Tengri, then considered the highest peak of the Tien Shan, noticed that another mountain rose nearby, rivaling Khan Tengri in height. Two years later, an expedition of climbers headed by the famous explorer of the Tien Shan, Professor A. A. Letavet, headed to her. The leader of the expedition’s assault group was Leonid Gutman, a participant in the ascent of Khan Tengri in 1936.

On September 19, 1938, three from the group of Professor A. A. Letavet climbed the mysterious peak and gave it the name of the peak of the 20th anniversary of the Komsomol. Experts compared photographs taken in 1938 by Gutman and in 1958 by V. Abalakov, and established that they were taken from the same place. Thus, it was possible to prove that the climbers from Gutman’s expedition were the first to conquer Pobeda Peak. This is how Pobeda Peak, the highest peak of the Tien Shan, was discovered.

Khan Tengri: “Bloody Mountain” or “Lord of the Skies”

Not far from Pobeda Peak rises Khan Tengri Peak (6995 m). Its name translated from Turkic means “Lord of the Sky” or “Lord of the Heavens”. Until recently, the height of Khan Tengri was 6995 m above sea level, but according to the latest data, the height is 7010 m, however, some people are suspicious of this. Some argue that this height is determined taking into account the thickness of the ice, others see the reason in the title of “Snow Leopard”, because in order to get it you need to conquer five peaks, not four, over 7000 meters high in Central Asia.

Buried on the peak of Khan Tengri (Kan-Too means “Bloody Mountain”) is a capsule that contains a message from previous climbers who conquered the mountain to future ones. Each new climber who climbs to a height digs up a capsule and writes his message in pencil - it is impossible to write in ink - writes his name, date of ascent and buries it again. Despite the large number of accidents, many climbers still try to climb Kan Too Peak.

Pamir-Alay - seven-thousander mountains of Kyrgyzstan

Pamir - “Roof of the World”, the highest mountain system in the entire post-Soviet space, spreads over an area of ​​60,000 square meters. km and is a highly branched network of ridges covered with eternal snow and endless intermountain valleys that make up the Pamir Highlands. However, Kyrgyzstan owns only the most extreme region - the northern slopes of the Trans-Alai Range and the northern parts of the Pamir-Alai, which includes the Alai Valley, as well as the Turkestan and Alai ranges.

Sacred mountain Sulaiman-Too

The sacred mountain in the city of Osh, which in June 2009 became the country's first World Heritage Site. The mountain is a five-domed limestone outcrop, stretching from west to east. Its length is more than 1140 m, width - 560 m. Since ancient times it had a sacred meaning, as evidenced by preserved petroglyphs. Today, Mount Sulaiman-Too is a kind of Mecca, which is the last hope for many of its visitors. The majority of whom are women. Someone asks Sulaiman-Too for well-being for the family, someone for health, someone for procreation. People believe in the magical properties of the ancient sanctuary.

Mountain peaks:

Aitmatov Peak
A mountain peak in Kyrgyzstan, located in the central part of the Kyrgyz ridge, in the area of ​​the Salyk glacier. The height of the peak is 4650 m. The mountain received its name in 2000 in honor of the outstanding Kyrgyz writer Chingiz Aitmatov. Until this moment she was nameless.

Vladimir Putin Peak
The peak is located in the Tien Shan mountain system. Located in the Chui region. Named in 2011 in honor of the second President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin.

Boris Yeltsin Peak
The peak is located on the Terskey Ala-Too ridge of the Tien Shan mountain system. Located on the territory of the Issyk-Kul region. Renamed in 2002 in honor of the first President of the Russian Federation Boris Nikolaevich Yeltsin.

Lenin Peak
Mountain peak located on the border of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. One of the “seven thousand meters” - the highest peaks of the former USSR. One of the highest peaks in Central Asia, located in the Pamir mountain system.

Free Korea
A peak located in the Tien Shan mountains in the Kyrgyz range, in the Chui region, on the territory of the Ala-Archa National Park. Its height, according to various sources, is 4740-4778 meters.

Semenov Peak
Mountain peak in the Central Tien Shan. The highest point of the Saryzhaz ridge (5816 m). Rising above the valley with the Northern Inylchek glacier. The peak was named after Pyotr Petrovich Semyonov, who explored the Central Tien Shan in 1857.

Corona Peak

Korona Peak (4860 m) is located on the territory of the Ala-Archa National Park. From afar, the six peaks resemble a crown, which explains their name. The mountain slopes reach a height of 600 meters, the northern slope - 900 meters.



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