Caucasus Mountains. Caucasus mountains

The Greater Caucasus Mountains are located between the Black and Caspian Seas, from the Taman to the Absheron Peninsula. The Caucasus is separated from the Russian Plain by the Kumo-Manych depression, on the site of which in the distant past there was a strait connecting the Black Sea and Caspian sea basins. The Caucasus includes the Ciscaucasia, Greater Caucasus and Transcaucasia. Only the Ciscaucasia and the northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus belong to Russia. These parts are collectively called the North Caucasus.

Orographic map of the Caucasus. The orography of the Greater Caucasus is quite complex, but individual elements can be clearly identified here. From northwest to southeast The Greater Caucasus can be divided into three parts: Western, Central and Eastern Caucasus. The borders between them are Elbrus and Kazbek.

The Central Caucasus has the highest altitude, exceeding m. About 15 of its peaks are covered with eternal snow and glaciers. This is the most mountainous and inaccessible region of Europe and Asia Minor. In the Greater Caucasus, four parallel ridges with a northwestern orientation are clearly defined. The axial ridge of the Greater Caucasus is the Main or Watershed Range.

The most high mountain The Caucasus is Elbrus. The height of the Western peak is m, the Eastern peak is m...And in their circle there is a two-headed colossus, In a crown of shining ice, Elbrus is huge, majestic White in the blue sky. A.S. Pushkin

Mount Elbrus with two peak craters was formed about a million years ago. It is also called Double-Headed Mountain. The first peak to appear after the eruptions was in the West, and then in the East. The distance between the peaks is 1.5 km. Elbrus is covered with snow and ice, which determines the weather and climate of a large area. There are only 77 glaciers, their area is 144.5 km2.

For the first time, a person climbed to the top of Elbrus in 1829; the pioneer was a Kabardian named Kilar Khashirov, who was the guide of the expedition of the Russian Academy of Sciences. And the first person to conquer two peaks at once was the Balkan hunter and shepherd Ahiya Sottaev. The man visited the great mountain nine times during his long life. He first climbed it at the age of forty, his last ascent was in 1909, when he was one hundred and twenty-one years old.

Poets sang the beauty of the Caucasus Mountains. The Caucasus is below me. Alone in the heights I stand above the snow at the edge of the rapids; An eagle, rising from a distant peak, Soars motionless along with me. From now on I see the birth of streams and the first movement of menacing collapses. Here the clouds humbly move beneath me; Waterfalls rush through them; Beneath them the cliffs are naked masses; Below there is skinny moss, dry bushes; And there are already groves, green canopies, where birds chirp, where deer gallop. And there people nest in the mountains, And sheep crawl along the grassy rapids, And the shepherd descends to the cheerful valleys... A.S. Pushkin The Terek howls, wild and angry, Between the rocky masses, His cry is like a storm, Tears fly in splashes. But, scattering across the steppe, He took on a wicked appearance And, caressing affably, he murmurs to the Caspian Sea: “Make way, O old sea, Give shelter to my wave! I walked in the open space, It’s time for me to rest. I was born near Kazbek, Nourished by the breast of the clouds, I was always ready to argue with the alien power of man. I, for your sons’ amusement, ruined my native Daryal and brought a whole herd of boulders to them for glory.” M.Yu.Lermontov

The climate of the Caucasus is warm and mild, with the exception of the highlands. In the mountains and foothills there is: Large amounts of precipitation in the mountains. A decrease in the duration of the warm season due to a decrease in air temperature with altitude; at an altitude of 3800 m the border “ eternal ice" Formation of avalanches due to heavy rainfall in winter. Climate diversity due to slope exposure, mountain height, proximity or distance from the sea. The uniqueness of atmospheric circulation, the formation of local winds: foehn (a dry, warm strong wind blowing gustyly from high mountains into valleys) and bora (a cold gusty wind that occurs when a flow of cold air encounters a hill on its way, overcoming which it falls onto a valley).

The rivers of the Caucasus are divided into lowland and mountainous. Stormy mountain rivers are especially numerous; their main source of nutrition is the melt water of glaciers and snowfields in the mountains, so the rivers are always cold. Only in the lower reaches are they large rivers, like Kuban and Terek, have a calm current. Here there are floodplains, vast wetlands covered with reeds and reeds.

TEREK originates on the mountain peak of Zilgahokh in Georgia and flows into the Caspian Sea. The length of the river is 623 km, the basin area is 2 km. The main tributaries are Ardon, Malka, Urukh and Sunzha. Upper Terek.

In the Caucasus Mountains, the lower belt is occupied by broad-leaved forests, higher are beech forests, which turn into mixed, then spruce-fir forests. The upper border of the forest is at an altitude of m. Behind it there are subalpine meadows, alpine meadows (pictured), then the high mountain belt, glaciers.

The vegetation of the Caucasus is distinguished by its rich species composition and diversity. The number of plant species in the Caucasus is more widespread Various types meadows and forests. Eastern beech, Caucasian hornbeam, Caucasian linden, noble chestnut grow here, and there are also small evergreen trees and large shrubs - boxwood, cherry laurel, Pontine rhododendron, some types of oak and maple, wild persimmon, etc. The most important cultivated plants of the Caucasian subtropics are the tea bush and tangerines.

Animal world The fauna of the Caucasus, like its vegetation, is very diverse. In the Caucasus there are brown Caucasian bears, lynxes, forest cats (found up to an altitude of 2000 meters), foxes, badgers, martens, deer, roe deer, wild boars, bison, chamois, mountain goats (turs), small rodents (forest dormouse, vole). Magpies chirp, blackbirds whistle, cuckoos crow, jays call to each other, wagtails scurry around streams, woodpeckers tap on the bark of tree trunks. Owls, eagle owls, starlings, crows, goldfinches, kingfishers, tits and other birds fly, and high in the mountains there are Caucasian black grouse and mountain turkeys. You can also see large predators– golden eagle and lamb.

Interesting Facts In the North Caucasus there are the Caucasian and Teberda nature reserves. Unique flora (yew, boxwood, walnut, noble chestnut) and fauna (tur, chamois, Caucasian deer, etc.) are protected here. Widespread in the Greater Caucasus modern glaciation. The number of glaciers exceeds 2000, the glaciation area is 1424 km2. The glacier of Mount Fisht (2857 m) is the westernmost and lowest located in the Caucasus Last eruption Elbrus happened 1500 years ago, but it is still not considered an extinct volcano. The 2014 Winter Olympics will be held in the city of Sochi, located in the Krasnodar region. Construction of Olympic facilities and infrastructure is already underway. It is accompanied by protests from environmentalists who fear for the safety of the unique biosphere of the North Caucasus.

The vast majority of the peaks included in the list of the highest mountains in Russia on the map belong to one mountain system - the Greater Caucasus. This huge mountain range is located between the Black and Caspian Seas. Three Kamchatka hills - Klyuchevskaya, Kamen and Ploskaya Blizhnaya (13th, 18th and 70th places) and two peaks are barely catching up with the southerners Altai mountains— Belukha and Tavan-Bogdo-Uul (19th and 67th place).

To prevent Russian climbers from getting bored with the monotony, the Mountaineering Federation decided to include in the conditions for receiving the most honorable mountaineering title the conquest of not only the eight highest mountains on the list, but also the assault on Belukha and Klyuchevskaya Sopka.

Shota Rustaveli Peak is one of the peaks that make up the so-called Bezengi Wall - a giant mountain range stretching for 13 km. In addition to the Shota Rustaveli peak, the wall is formed by Dzhangitau (fifth place in the ranking), Katyntau (ninth) and Shkhara (sixth).

9. Katyn-Tau – 4970 m

The Kabardino-Balkarians have a sad legend associated with the name of this mountain. The mountain peak Tetnuld (“white”), one of the most beautiful, invariably arousing the admiration of tourists for its whiteness, decided to leave his old wife, Katyn (“wife”), for the sake of his young one, Dzhanga (“new”, “young”). Perhaps Tetnuld was a climber - the height of Katyn does not reach 5 km, but Dzhangy, or Dzhangitau, ranks fifth in the list of the highest mountains in Russia.

8. Mizhirgi – 5025 m

The list of Russian “five thousand meters” begins with Mizhirga - the highest and most dangerous mountains in Russia, which every climber dreams of climbing. Mizhirgi, despite the modest eighth place in height, the mountain is very capricious and surpasses higher peaks in terms of difficulty.

7. Kazbek – 5034 m

This is one of the most beautiful peaks Greater Caucasus Range. Her image appears on many covers of travel magazines, photographs, postcards and stamps. A lonely white peak of a regular conical shape (Kazbek was once a volcano) stands out sharply against the background of green foothills. Unfortunately, due to the difficult geopolitical situation, ascents to Kazbek are no longer as frequent as they once were.

6. Shkhara – 5068 m

One of the most beloved peaks by climbers, and the highest mountain in the central part of the Caucasus range. You can climb it via a wide variety of routes, and several peaks will allow you to appreciate the beauty of the surrounding places from new points of view.

According to the results of recent measurements, Shkhara can move from sixth place to third - according to the latest data, its height is 5193.2 m. However, there is no doubt about which is the highest mountain in Russia - first place is ahead of all the others with a margin of almost half a kilometer.

5. Dzhangitau – 5085 m

Like Mizhirgi, Dzhangitau is considered one of the most complex and dangerous peaks. Just three years ago, an experienced climber fell from its slopes (with fatal results), and a couple of years before that, a climbing group had to be rescued by helicopter.

4. Pushkin Peak – 5100 m

Most often they prefer to climb Pushkin Peak from the south side. However, experienced climbers prefer the northern side - except for a little more difficult route You can admire the enchanting beauty of the surrounding nature.

3. Koshtantau – 5152 m

Koshtantau opens the top three among the highest mountains in Russia. Sometimes she is merciful to climbers and gives them gifts beautiful weather, making the climb easy and enjoyable. However, this rarely happens; Most often, the capricious beauty prefers to dress up in an icy robe, which makes the ascent much more difficult.

The conquest of Costantau began with a tragedy - two English climbers and their Swiss guides died while trying to climb it. Since then, several routes have been laid on the mountain, but they all have increased difficulty - from 4B to 6A (for comparison: the lowest category is 1B, the highest is 6B, and category 6A is in second place, up to 6B).

2. Dykhtau – 5204 m

The poetic genius of the Balkar people decided to rest on the name Dykhtau. Translated from this language, the name simply means “ steep mountain" It's almost like a nickname.

The mountain looks harsh - the granite-gneiss rocks that make up Dykhtau are dark in color. And in contrast to the white snow and clouds (located at a lower altitude than the peak), they look especially gloomy.

The difficulty of climbing the mountain corresponds to its serious appearance - there are more than ten routes to the double peaks of Dykhtau, but even the easiest of them belongs to category 4A, above average.

1. The highest mountain in Russia – Elbrus, 5642 m

On the border between the republics of Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia is the Side Range of the Caucasus Mountains, where Elbrus, the highest mountain in Russia, is located. Elbrus has two peaks - western and eastern; the difference between them is 21 m.

This is not an easy mountain; she is a legacy of those times when young Caucasus Mountains were still fire-breathing. Elbrus is a huge volcano, fortunately, extinct a long time ago. Over the past tens of thousands of years, Elbrus has been covered with a shell of ice of enormous thickness - in some places it reaches 250 m, which is equal to the height of an eighty-story building.

Despite the terrifying height (Elbrus is considered the most high mountain not only in Russia, but also in Europe, and is also among the top ten), the mountain’s character is not evil and the path to the top has long been found. The first ascent of Elbrus took place in the first third of the 19th century. Since then, whoever has been there! People climbed not only on foot, but also on horses, motorcycles and cars. They carried ATVs and even 75-kilogram barbells. And since the early 1990s, regular competitions have been taking place in high-speed climbing of the snow giant. From the foot to the top of Elbrus the journey takes exactly 3 hours 28 minutes 41 seconds.

List of 80 highest mountain peaks in Russia

The table shows mountain peaks with a height of at least 4000 meters and located on the territory of the Russian Federation.

Place	Vertex	Height, m	The subject of the Russian Federation	Mountain system
1		5642	Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia	Greater Caucasus
2		5204	Kabardino-Balkaria	Greater Caucasus
3		5152	Kabardino-Balkaria	Greater Caucasus
4		5100	Kabardino-Balkaria	Greater Caucasus
5		5085	Kabardino-Balkaria	Greater Caucasus
6		5068	Kabardino-Balkaria (Russia), Svaneti (Georgia)	Greater Caucasus
7		5034	North Ossetia, Georgia	Greater Caucasus
8		5025	Kabardino-Balkaria	Greater Caucasus
9		4970	Kabardino-Balkaria	Greater Caucasus
10		4860	Kabardino-Balkaria, Georgia	Greater Caucasus
11	Gestola	4860	Kabardino-Balkaria	Greater Caucasus
12	Jimara	4780	North Ossetia	Greater Caucasus
13	Klyuchevskaya Sopka	4750	Kamchatka Krai	East Ridge
14	Wilpata	4646	North Ossetia	Greater Caucasus
15	Sauhokh	4636	North Ossetia	Greater Caucasus
16	Kukurtli-Kolbashi	4624	Karachay-Cherkessia	Greater Caucasus
17	Maylihoh	4598	North Ossetia	Greater Caucasus
18	Stone	4575	Kamchatka Krai	East Ridge
19	Belukha	4509	Altai	Altai Mountains
20	Sallynngantau	4507	Kabardino-Balkaria	Greater Caucasus
21	Tebulosmta	4492	Chechnya, Georgia	Greater Caucasus
22	Sugan	4489	North Ossetia, Kabardino-Balkaria	Greater Caucasus
23	Bazarduzu	4466	Dagestan	Greater Caucasus
24	Chanchakhi	4461	North Ossetia	Greater Caucasus
25	Donguzorun-Cheget-Karabashi	4454	Kabardino-Balkaria	Greater Caucasus
26	Shan	4452	Ingushetia, Georgia	Greater Caucasus
27	Warmth	4431	North Ossetia	Greater Caucasus
28	Chatyntau	4411	Karachay-Cherkessia, Georgia	Greater Caucasus
29	Adai-Khokh	4408	North Ossetia	Greater Caucasus
30	Songuti	4405	North Ossetia	Greater Caucasus
31	Tyutyubashi	4404	Kabardino-Balkaria	Greater Caucasus
32	Vologata	4396	North Ossetia	Greater Caucasus
33	Karaug	4364	North Ossetia, Georgia	Greater Caucasus
34	Adyrsubashi	4349
35	Laboda	4313	North Ossetia, Georgia	Greater Caucasus
36	Bachakhi	4291
37	Diklosmta	4285		Greater Caucasus
38	Caucasus Peak	4280		Greater Caucasus
39	Jorashti	4278
40	Bzhedukh	4271
41	Comito	4261	Chechnya	Greater Caucasus
42	Sullukolbashi	4251
43	Kayaartybashi	4250
44	Bashiltau	4248
45	Zeygalankhoh	4244	North Ossetia	Greater Caucasus
46	Zaromag	4203	North Ossetia	Greater Caucasus
47	Donchentykhoh	4192	North Ossetia	Greater Caucasus
48	Kalota	4182	North Ossetia	Greater Caucasus
49	Denunciation	4179	Chechnya, Georgia	Greater Caucasus
50	Addala-Schuchgelmeer	4151	Dagestan	Greater Caucasus
51	Chkalov Peak (Anchobala-anda)	4150	Dagestan	Greater Caucasus
52	Pukhgarty-Kom	4149
53	Syrkhibarzond	4148	North Ossetia	Greater Caucasus
54	Shalbuzdag	4142	Dagestan	Greater Caucasus
55	Tseyakhoh	4140	North Ossetia	Greater Caucasus
56	Fitnargin	4134	Kabardino-Balkaria	Greater Caucasus
57	Dyultydag	4127	Dagestan	Greater Caucasus
58	Tsmiakomhokh	4117	North Ossetia	Greater Caucasus
59	Barrels	4116	Dagestan	Greater Caucasus
60	Musostau	4110	Kabardino-Balkaria	Greater Caucasus
61	Baidukov Peak (Kasaraku-meer)	4104	Dagestan	Greater Caucasus
62	Bishnei Jenolshob	4104	Dagestan	Greater Caucasus
63	Belyakov Peak (Belengi)	4100	Dagestan	Greater Caucasus
64	Chimismeer	4099	Dagestan	Greater Caucasus
65	Chachkhokh	4098	North Ossetia, Georgia	Greater Caucasus
66	Tsunklyata	4084	Dagestan	Greater Caucasus
67	Tavan-Bogdo-Ula	4082	Altai	Altai Mountains
68	Maistismta	4081	Chechnya, Georgia	Greater Caucasus
69	Charundag	4080	Dagestan, Azerbaijan	Greater Caucasus
70	Flat Middle	4057	Kamchatka Krai	East Ridge
71	Taklik	4049	Dagestan	Greater Caucasus
72	Dombay-Ulgen	4046	Karachay-Cherkessia, Republic of Abkhazia	Greater Caucasus
73	Gockley	4046	Dagestan	Greater Caucasus
74	Kurmutau	4045	Kabardino-Balkaria	Greater Caucasus
75	Archon	4040	North Ossetia	Greater Caucasus
76	Izhenameer	4025	Dagestan	Greater Caucasus
77	Dougie	4020	Dagestan, Azerbaijan	Greater Caucasus
78	Deavgay	4016	Dagestan	Greater Caucasus
79	Kezgenbashi	4013	Kabardino-Balkaria	Greater Caucasus
80	Balial	4007	Dagestan	Greater Caucasus

Geographical position

Stretching between the Black and Caspian seas, the Caucasus Mountains are a natural border between Asia and Europe. They also divide the Near and Middle East. Due to their vast territory, they can easily be called “a country of ridges and highlands.” There are two versions of the origin of the word “Caucasus”. According to the first, this was the name of the epic king from the poem “Shahnameh” - Kavi-Kaus. The second hypothesis attributes the name to the translation: “Supporting the sky.” Geographically, the Caucasus is divided into two mountain systems: Big and Small. In turn, they also have divisions into ridges, chains and highlands.

Height of the Caucasus Mountains

The Caucasus often appears on the list of “the best”. For example, the highest permanent settlement of Ushguli (Georgia) is located here. It lies on the slope of Shkhara (5068 m above sea level) and is included in the UNESCO list. Ushba has acquired a gloomy reputation among climbers as the most difficult peak to conquer - a “four-thousander”. Mysterious Ararat is surrounded by biblical legends. There are also high-mountain lakes here - Ritsa, for example. And the Zeygalan waterfall (North Ossetia) is the largest in Russia (600 m). This attracts many climbers, athletes and just tourists to the region. The highest snow-capped peaks, glaciers shining in the sun, inaccessible passes, narrow gorges, waterfalls and stormy, bubbling rivers - all these are the Caucasus Mountains. The height of the largest peaks - Elbrus (5642) and Kazbek (5034) - exceeds Mont Blanc (4810), considered the culmination of Western Europe.

Myths and legends

The Caucasus is mentioned in the Bible. In the Book of Genesis, the ark of the righteous Noah landed at Mount Ararat during the great flood, and from there a dove brought an olive branch. Jason sailed to the land of sorcerers Colchis (Black Sea coast of the Caucasus) for the Golden Fleece. Here the eagle of Zeus punished Prometheus for giving fire to people. The Caucasus Mountains also have their own regional legends. Every people living on the slopes of this majestic country of glaciers and snowy peaks - and there are about fifty of them - composes tales and myths about them.

Geology

The Caucasus is a young mountain system. It was formed relatively recently - about 25 million years ago, during the Tertiary period. Thus, the Caucasus Mountains belong to the Alpine folding, but with insignificant volcanic activity. There have been no eruptions for a long time, but earthquakes are frequent. The biggest one last happened in 1988. In Spitak (Armenia), 25 thousand people died then. The main geological wealth of the mountains is oil. The fields are estimated to have reserves of 200 billion barrels.

Flora and fauna

The Caucasus Mountains are home to many species of wild animals. Bears live in the gorges, and there are also golden eagles, chamois, wild boars, and argali. There are also endemics - species that, except for the Caucasus, cannot be found anywhere else on the planet. These include local species of leopard and lynx. Before the beginning of our era, manuscripts mention the presence of Caspian tigers and Asiatic lions. The biological diversity of this region is rapidly declining. The last Caucasian bison became extinct in 1926, the local subspecies - in 1810. In this region of subtropical forests, alpine meadows and alpine lichens, 6,350 plant species have been recorded. Of these, more than one and a half thousand are endemic.

The Caucasus Mountains, born in the collision of the Eurasian and Arabian plates, are like a symbol of the mentality of the peoples living next to them. Proud and tall, they stand as a miraculous wall between the Asian and European parts of our continent on land. Humanity has not yet decided whether to classify them as Europe or Asia.

Height of the Caucasus Mountains: 5642 m (Greater Caucasus) and 3724 m (Lesser Caucasus).

Length of the Greater Caucasus: 1100 km. small - 600 km.

Cm. geographical position Caucasus Mountains or where they are located and how they are located on the map. To enlarge the map of the Caucasus mountains, just click on it.

The Caucasian ranges, not crossed by rivers, are called watersheds. The Caucasus mountain system, the same age as the Alps, with a thirty-million-year history, is firmly inscribed in the memory of mankind through biblical lines and Greek myths. It was on one of the mountains of the system that a dove released from Noah's Ark, at the top of Ararat. The legendary Prometheus, who gave fire to people, was chained to one of the Caucasian rocks.

The Caucasus is divided into two parts, which are called the Greater and Lesser Caucasus. The first extends from Taman almost to Baku and consists of the Western, Central and Eastern Caucasus. One and a half thousand square kilometers of ice, the most high point Eurasia – Elbrus (top of the Caucasus Mountains), Iron Mountain, and six mountain peaks, five thousand kilometers high - that’s what the Greater Caucasus is.

The Lesser Caucasus is a mountain range near the Black Sea, with peaks up to four kilometers high.

The Caucasus Mountains are located between the Caspian and Black Sea coasts and at the same time on the territory of several countries. These are Russia, South Ossetia, Abkhazia, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Türkiye.

The climate of the Caucasus is varied: from typically maritime in Abkhazia, it changes to sharply continental in Armenia.

The Caucasus is inhabited by unique animals - chamois, mountain goats, wild boars; in particularly remote and inaccessible places you can find a leopard or bear.

Alpine meadow grasses, coniferous forests, climbing up from the foothills, stormy rivers, lakes, waterfalls, springs with mineral water, cleanest air.

It is thanks to this successful combination of values for human health that the region great amount sanatorium and resort establishments.

Rock climbing lovers are attracted by the royal Elbrus and its neighbors - Shkhara, Kazbek, Dzhangitau, Dykhtau and Koshnantau. Among the snows of the Caucasus there is a place for skiers and snowboarders, lovers of hiking and thrills, rafting enthusiasts, as well as all those who value their health. Terraincourt, Norwegian walking, rock climbing, river rafting, alpine skiing and many other activities active rest Caucasus offers.

Once you have visited the mountains sung by the “genius of Lermontov”, you will remember them for the rest of your life.

Video: wild nature Russia 4 of 6 Caucasus Mountains.

Video: Hiking in the Caucasus Mountains.

They are no less famous in the world than the Cordilleras, mountain system, stretching along the western edges of North and South America for as much as eighteen thousand kilometers in length and 1,600 kilometers in width, with the highest peak of Denali at 6,190 meters above sea level in North America, also in Aconcagua - 6963 meters above sea level in South America. Many countries border the Cordillera - Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina and Chile. No less famous is the Cordillera Himalaya mountain system with the highest peak Chogori - 8611 meters above sea level on the border of the PRC and Pakistan and another peak Lhotse, exceeding a height of eight kilometers on the border of the PRC and Nepal. On Globe They also admire Tibet with the highest peak in the world, Everest - 8852 meters above sea level. However, there are other mountain systems on Earth on different continents that attract attention and which thousands and thousands of brave peak conquerors strive to climb.

From the legendary Taman to the gray Caspian Sea

The Great Caucasus Mountains are essentially two mountain systems - the Greater and Lesser Caucasus in Eurasia. They stretched for more than 1,100 kilometers from north-west to south-east, and even more specifically, from Taman Peninsula in the area and along Black Sea coast to the Absheron Peninsula near the gray Caspian Sea and near the capital of Azerbaijan, Baku. The maximum width of the mountain system is 180 kilometers. Compared to the Cordilleras, this is almost a ninth part, but nevertheless noticeable and the root cause of the appearance of the subtropical zone in Russia. In which over 15 million of both our fellow citizens and guests from near and far abroad improve their health every year and have a good rest. The Greater Caucasus is divided into three parts: Western - from the Black Sea to Elbrus; Central - from Elbrus to Kazbek and finally the Eastern Caucasus - from Kazbek to the Caspian Sea. As for the height above sea level, for Everest it is 5642 meters, for Kazbek it is 5033. total area The Great Caucasus Mountains are 1400 square kilometers. In part, this is a land of eternal snow and glaciers. The area of glaciers exceeds 2050 square kilometers. Major center icing - Mount Elbrus plus the Bezengi wall - 17 kilometers.

The land of five dozen nations

The Great Caucasus Mountains are densely populated. This refers to its foothills. Abkhazians, Ingush, Ossetians, Armenians, Azerbaijanis, Adygs (Circassians) and many other nationalities live here, united by the common name - Caucasian peoples. The majority are Muslims. But Christians are also widely represented - Ukrainians, Georgians, Russians, Armenians, as well as a noticeable part of Ossetians and Abkhazians. By the way, Armenian and Georgian churches are the oldest in the world. Thanks in many ways to them, these two peoples of the Great Caucasus have preserved their identity, morals and customs. Let's add to this - the Caucasian peoples were under foreign rule for a hundred years - Turks, Persians, Russians. Now others have gained independence and become sovereign.

Twenty-five sky-high peaks

This is exactly how many of them the Great Caucasus has from Elbrus to Dombay-Ulgen - 4046 meters above sea level. Popular among climbers: Dykhtau - 5204 meters above sea level; Pushkin Peak - 5100 m, we have already mentioned Kazbek; Shota Rustaveli - 4960m, Gulchi-Tau - 4447 meters, etc.

The Great Caucasus is replete with rivers, lakes and waterfalls

Originating at mountain peaks, some flow into the Bzyb, Kodor, Ingur (Inguri), Rioni, Mzymta, etc. B is the largest Kuban in the Krasnodar Territory. And in the Caspian - Kura, Samur, Terek, Sunzha, Baksan - there are more than two dozen of them in total. Among the majestic Caucasus Mountains, the world famous lake Sevan (Armenia). It is located at an altitude of 1900 meters above sea level. Its area is 1240 square kilometers, depth - from twenty to over eighty meters. 28 rivers flow into the lake, but only one flows out - Hrazdan, a tributary of the Araks. By the way, it will be noted that both the Caspian and Black Sea the essence of the remnant of the once world ocean Tethys. The names of the Black Sea have changed since ancient times - Khazar, Sugdes, Temarun, Cimmerian, Akhshaena, Blue, Tauride, Holy and even Ocean. The current name refers to its color during raging storms. It really looks black then. In the old days he was also cautiously called unhospitable and angry. The Caspian reservoir received its name from the name of the Caspian tribes of horse breeders who once lived near its shores. It was also called Girkansky, Dzhurazhansky, Khvalynsky, Derbent - in total over seven dozen names.

And about another unique water body of the Great Caucasus - the Zeygalan Waterfall, which is fantastic in natural beauty (otherwise it is also called the Great Zeygelan Waterfall). It is located in North Ossetia in the valley of the Midagrabindon River, seven kilometers south of the village of Dzhimara. The height of the fall is 600 meters. Translated from Ossetian it means “falling avalanche.” It is one of the ten most grandiose and famous waterfalls on Earth. It pushes aside its brother Gavarnie in France - 422 meters high and the Krimml in Austria - 380 meters. It originates from under a hanging glacier at an altitude of 650-700 meters. The peak flow occurs in the summer months of July-August. In winter it dries out and is marked only by ice smudges on the rocks. The waterfall area is part of the Kazbek-Dzhimaraisky mountain node, the largest not only in North Ossetia, but in the entire Great Caucasus. The place is amazing in its beauty - on the slopes of the mountains there is a sea of flowers, herbs, the aromas of alpine meadows make heads turn. But you should be careful - the waterfall is dangerous for people: rockfalls occur, and sometimes pieces from a melting glacier fly from above. Nevertheless, we actively visit the waterfall. Tourists are filming grandiose panorama waterfall on a camera or television camera.

Flora and fauna of the Great Caucasus

As for the flora, it is represented by almost six and a half thousand flowering plants. Of these, 166 are unique to mountains. The subtropics are famous for dozens of species of palm trees. Relict juniper and pistachio grow here; Pitsunda pine, oaks, hornbeams, mimosa, tulip tree, magnolias, bamboo - you can’t list all the tree species. Individual patriarchal oaks over a thousand years old. Tourists are advised to walk in juniper groves. Especially for those who have asthma or bronchitis. The breath of juniper kills all germs and viruses in a person in minutes. A day, two, three walks, and it’s as if you were born again! This is also facilitated by sea air, thickly infused with bromine, calcium, potassium salts, etc.

As for the fauna of the Great Caucasus Mountains, it is also rich and diverse here. You will also come across wild boars (beware of mothers and fathers with cubs: the fangs of males are sharp, and there have been cases when encounters with wild boars ended in serious injuries or worse - death!). Chamois, mountain goats, and bears are also found here. Once upon a time there lived both lynxes and leopards. Asiatic lions and tigers. The Caucasian bison became extinct in 1925. The last elk was killed in 1810. A great variety of invertebrates - there are a thousand species of spiders alone. The Great Caucasus is also the habitat of golden eagles, which are hunted by poachers and sold abroad for big money. People like to hunt with golden eagles in the Caucasus itself, and in Kazakhstan, and in Kyrgyzstan, and in Saudi Arabia, in other regions and countries of the planet.

Stele "Soaring Eagle"

It appeared in 2013 near the resort villages and Supsekh, not far from Varvarovka, where the gas pipeline called “Turkish Stream” originates, and was opened as a race for Russia Day. Nine kilometers from Anapa. The authors are sculptor V. Polyakov in collaboration with architect Yu. Rysin.

The monument is made of cold bronze, which guarantees its durability and is not afraid of any weather changes. A soaring eagle with a wide wingspan and head proudly raised to the sky signifies the beginning of the Great Caucasus Mountains. In front of the stele there is a platform for vehicles. Tourists, and there are them here, traveling to others resort villages Big and Small Utrish, thousands and thousands are sure to stop and take pictures or film the monument with a video camera. By the way, from the “Soaring Eagle” there is a stunning view of Anapa and the bays where the city is freely spread out (in ancient times it bore the mysterious ancient Greek name Gorgippia, and there was an active slave trade, minting its own coins, and representatives of the nobility from different regions Caucasians came and sailed here for white-faced brides!). IN good weather the coast is visible right up to the Bank of Mary Magdalene, which is near the village - and where divers come and flock not only from all over Russia, but also from abroad. So, the Great Caucasus Mountains begin from the foothills and, in particular, from Bald Mountain, which is only 319 meters above sea level, other hills are even lower. The foothills are at the very beginning of the Semisamsky ridge, which is part of the chain of the Caucasus Mountains. And Bald Mountain is called because of the absence of any vegetation on it at all. No, no, there are herbs and flowers there. But not more. Let us remind you once again that it is nine kilometers from the center of Anapa to Lysaya Gora, and three times less from the outskirts of the city. And it’s a stone’s throw, as they say, to Maly and. And these places are well known to tourists.

Bolshoy Utrish has one of the main attractions of the beginning of the Great Caucasus - a dolphinarium on the open sea and with a theater. IN high season There are several performances every day. The artists are sea animals. At the end of a peculiar performance, bottlenose dolphins deftly jump onto the platform and willingly take pictures with everyone or be filmed on a television camera. You can hug them heartily, kiss them, or swim in the waters of the dolphinarium. Meanwhile, the seal, leaning on its tail, enthusiastically applauds the audience with its flippers. On Big Utrish, as legends say, the hero Prometheus was chained to one of the rocks, giving people the sacred fire and thereby causing fierce anger in the main god of Olympus, Zeus the Thunderer. Zeus ordered the disobedient man to be chained to a rock with strong chains, and a bloodthirsty eagle flew to the martyr to torment his liver with sharp claws. True, residents of neighboring Sochi Anapa object that de Prometheus was chained in the Eagle Rocks area near the former capital of the 2014 Winter Olympics. And they even built a monument to the hero - Prometheus stands on the mountain with the chains torn on his hands, and he has the proud appearance of a winner! And yet, the statement of the Sochi residents raises doubts: Eagle Rocks are located far from the sea, near a fast river. But in the museum under open air In the center of Anapa "Gorgippia" they found a crypt with frescoes of the exploits of another mythological hero - Hercules. And from the myths Ancient Greece It is known for certain that it was Hercules who freed Prometheus from the chains. He also drove away the bloodthirsty eagle. Let the experts decide who is right and who is wrong. But in Anapa, which is no less than two and a half thousand years old, they stubbornly believe that the Prometheus Rock is still located on Bolshoy Utrish. In their opinion, another legend is also irrefutable - that the Argonauts, led by their brave captain Jason, sailed past the rocks of Big Utrish in search of the Golden Fleece. These are the mysteries that shroud the beginning of the Great Caucasus Mountains near Anapa and the soaring eagle stele.

Peaks from Novorossiysk to Gelendzhik

Today there are five resort areas: Sochi, Gelendzhik, Tuapse, Anapa and Taman. From each of them to the other, as they say, is just a stone's throw away. And they all stretch along the Black Sea coast with the exception of Taman, which also has access to Sea of Azov. And the Black Sea coast is mainly protected by mountains. Except for Anapa, where, as we noticed, the Great Caucasus Mountains begin, but in general the municipality extends from the sea to the steppe expanses. And only in the area of Novorossiysk, as a continuation of the Semisamsky ridge with Bald Mountain, the foothills gradually rise, moving into the Markotkhsky ridge or in Adyghe into Markotkh, which stretches from Novorossiysk towards Gelendzhik for more than ninety kilometers. The highest mountain rising above Novorossiysk is Sugarloaf (558 meters above sea level). Gradually rising, the Markotkhsky ridge in some places goes up more than 700 meters. It consists of limestone, sandstone, clay, but its main component is marl, which is used to make cement. This is especially noticeable in Novorossiysk - there are factories producing this type of building materials, and there is a column of dust all around. The Markotkhsky ridge, we note, runs parallel to and south of the Main Caucasian ridge. There are many attractions between Novorossiysk and Anapa. In particular, the Sheskharis juniper woodland is a natural monument. ABOUT healing properties We talked about relict juniper above, so we won’t repeat it, we’ll just emphasize that it is especially useful in the treatment of asthma and bronchi. From Anapa to Novorossiysk it is directly 40 kilometers, along the highway - 52. You can overcome them in a little more than forty minutes. And if you drive another 14 kilometers towards Gelendzhik, you will find yourself on the Abrau Peninsula, at the southern end of which is Bolshoi Utrish with its famous open sea dolphinarium and theater. But the main feature of the peninsula is undoubtedly the town of Abrau-Dyurso, comfortably located among the mountains and part of the municipal resort town of Novorossiysk.

Appanage estate of Russian sovereigns

The village has a double name - . And there is a reason for this. One village is located in the mountains, among fantastically beautiful nature. There is a river with the same name and the largest river in the Caucasus freshwater lake with the same name as the village. With a population of about three thousand, living like in paradise. Mild climate, warm winter and vineyards, vineyards, vineyards. Lake Abrau is 3100 meters long, 630 wide, 8 to 11 meters deep, and by the way, it is home to fish. A gorgeous embankment - with gazebos and benches. In summer the water is warm and you can enjoy swimming in the lake. But you can also plunge into the Black Sea. Near the second village of the royal estate - Durso. Today there are recreation centers and health resorts where you can relax and receive treatment.

The village of Abrau is known throughout the world for its exquisite tasting Russian champagne. Prince Lev Golitsyn was at the origins of its production. And the baton was picked up, not surprisingly, by Joseph Stalin, who ordered the production of domestic champagne in the southern regions of the country and in Abrau, in particular. And this instruction was contained in the government decree of 1936. As for the production of champagne under the patronage of Golitsyn, its first batch was produced in 1898. And two years later, Abrau had its own powerful winery. A highway was built from Novorossiysk to the village. Now in Abrau there is a museum of famous wines, as well as a company store where tourists, if desired, can buy Russian champagne under the Abrau-Durso brand, dry wines and even cognac. Lots of entertainment on the coast in Durso - water attractions, “bananas”, “pills”, you can rush through the waves on jet skis. And in Abrau, horseback riding along the local foothills is popular, mountain tourism, including jeeping or extreme trips, but on mountain bikes.

Markotkh near Gelendzhik

The distance to the resort, no less famous than Anapa, from Novorossiysk is mere trifles - directly three dozen kilometers, ten kilometers more along the highway. The trip will take about a little over forty minutes. And now you will see the longest embankment in the world - 14 kilometers. With a graceful figure of a bride made of white marble, which is clearly visible from the height of the Markotkh ridge, 762 meters above sea level. Translated from Adyghe, “Markotkh” literally means “berry places,” and here you can pick buckets of really tasty blackberries. It’s prickly, it’s true, but as they say, “you can’t catch a fish out of a pond without difficulty!” There are several high peaks in the vicinity of Gelendzhik - Shakhan near the Zhane River (700 meters above sea level); Pshada - 741 meters near the river of the same name and 43 kilometers long, flowing into the Black Sea; Gebius - 735 meters above sea level. The Markotkhsky ridge itself stretches along the Gelendzhik Bay - charmingly beautiful from a bird's eye view, and even more so from the tops of the surrounding mountains. The resort is famous for its Safari Park, where lions, tigers, bears and other animals live in natural conditions. You can also observe their life from the chairlift. At the top of the Mrkotkhsky ridge there is a fantastic forest - with a goblin, a mermaid on the branches of a tree, Baba Yaga and other fairy-tale characters. Co observation deck Yachts and other vessels in the bay, seagulls, cormorants, petrels, soaring over the blue sea with white wave crests are clearly visible.

And the mountains are getting higher, and the mountains are getting steeper!

And this is indeed true if you drive from Gelendzhik to Bolshoi - the southern capital of Russia, stretching along the Black Sea coast for as much as one hundred and forty-five kilometers. There is only one city in the world longer than the former capital of the past Winter Olympic Games, which our team triumphantly won and which amazed the planet with its colorful opening and closing ceremonies - the capital of Mexico, Mexico City - 200 kilometers. And in its native Fatherland, Sochi is ahead of Volgograd in length, stretching along the great Volga River for more than 90 kilometers. So about the height of the local mountains. Having covered the distance from Gelendzhik to Sochi of 246 kilometers in almost four hours (worth the effort!), you can make the ascent, including as part of excursion groups, to one of the surrounding peaks. You can start small - Mount Akhun - 663 meters above sea level. And then the height of the mountains will increase: Saharnaya, fifteen kilometers from the city - 1555 meters; Pshegishwa - 2216 meters; Bolshoy Tkach - 2368 meters; Achishkho - 2391 meters; Bzerli peak - 2482 meters; Transshipment South - 2503 meters; Stone pillar - 2509 meters; Pshekho-Su - 2743 meters; Oshten - 2804 meters; Fisht - 2853 meters; Kozhevnikov peak - 3070 meters; Igolchaty Peak - 3168 meters; Sugar Pseashkho - 3189 meters; Atheist - 3256 meters and finally the most high peak of the entire Kuban Tsakhvoa - 3346 meters above sea level. This is not so little, considering that the highest peak of the Great Caucasus Mountains and even Europe is Elbrus, 5642 meters above sea level.

The famous ski resort "Krasnaya Polyana"

It is located in the middle reaches mountain river Mzymty, which is translated from Adyghe - “mad”, uncontrollable”, “indomitable” - there are other interpretations. Flows into the Black Sea. 39 kilometers long. Above the gorge above it is the famous pedestrian suspension bridge the longest in the world. From here, extreme sports enthusiasts jump into the abyss on an elastic rope. A popular attraction here is a giant swing with a pendulum swing of half a kilometer. From the west there is Mount Achishkho, from the east there is the Aibga ridge. Right in the vicinity is the Fisht peak, after which the stadium was named, where the opening and closing ceremonies of the Winter Olympic Games took place in 2014. Krasnaya Polyana is a ski resort that may well compete with its counterparts in Switzerland or others mountainous places planets. More than a million compatriots and foreign guests vacation here every year. They have at their disposal more than a hundred kilometers of snow trails of varying difficulty levels - 6 green, 8 blue, 16 red and 6 black. Experienced skiers, beginners and children can feel comfortable on them. Among independent ski resorts- "Rosa Khutor", "Alpika-Service", "Gorki Gorod" and the GTC "Gazprom". Day skiing, evening discos, karaoke, pleasant evenings in cafes, restaurants, casinos. There is enough accommodation for everyone - hotels, inns, guest houses, you can rent a cottage. No problems with transport. Adler is forty kilometers away. You can fly there by direct flights from many regions of Russia. And then railway transport with the famous "Swallows", or regular buses, even faster with personal cars. The road will not seem tiring to you. Especially with such fantastic natural beauties! By the way, in Krasnaya Polyana there are enough bases with rentals of skis, snowboards, sleds, and so on.

When you come to Sochi for rest and treatment (it receives more than five million tourists a year, not including those who prefer snow slopes, which operate from November to April inclusive, and sometimes even into the beginning of May), be sure to visit Olympic Park. It is located right next to the Black Sea. With the Fisht stadium and other sports facilities built for the White Olympics. All of them unique architecture. Ice Palace reminiscent of Beijing Opera - in the form of an icy drop. And the Olympic Flame Cup! She looks like the Firebird from a Russian folk tale. There is a Formula 1 track in the Olympic Park, and the driver competitions leave no one indifferent. Fans come from all parts of the world and are very delighted. The park has its own Disneyland with dozens of attractions. As a souvenir, you can buy souvenirs in local paths, including Games mascots. Just keep in mind that you can’t get around the park in one day. It covers an area of almost two hundred hectares. In the Imereti Lowland. You can’t travel around it in a day even with electric cars: there are so many attractions in it. Natural beauty of Tuapse

Famous resort town located between Gelendzhik and Sochi. It is 117 kilometers away from the southern capital of Russia - less than two hours' drive. From Gelendzhik it is 129 kilometers away, the drive is just over two hours. Protecting the resort from evil northern winds mountains with an average height of 1352 to 1453 meters above sea level. But there are exceptions - the peak of Chessy rose to the sky at 1839 meters. Among the attractions is Mount Semiglavaya, Wolf Gorge, the rock of Alexander Kiselev, jutting into the sea and named after the artist. In the city itself there are subtropical plants. In the foothills and local residents and tourists enjoy picking European blackberries. In the resort area there are sanatoriums, boarding houses, and children's health camps. IN seaport both cargo and passenger ships. You can rent a yacht, go out on the open sea, go fishing, swim in the clearest water or sunbathe on the deck. Tourists love it during sea trips arrange picnics.

Republic of Adygea

It is part of the Southern Federal District with the capital Maykop with a population of half a million. Part of the North Caucasus economic region. Surrounded on all sides Krasnodar region. There are forty-five auls in the republic, there are villages, villages, and hamlets. The Main Street is clearly visible from the streets of Maykop Caucasus ridge. Attractions - the Lago-Naki plateau, popular among tourists. Ten Rufabgo waterfalls - each with its own name. The rivers Kuban, Belaya, Laba. The Belaya River is 260 kilometers long. And it is fed by mountain streams and springs of Fisht, Oshten and Abago. A granite canyon four kilometers long and two hundred meters deep. Sahrai waterfalls. Mountain Lake Pseudonach. Frequently visited by tourists are the Devil's Finger rock, the Monk, Big Weaver, Trident, Camel mountains, and the Una-Koz ridge. The mountains are quite high; let us remind you that the peak of Fisht rises 2868 meters above sea level. It was her name that was given to the stadium where the opening and closing ceremonies of the Winter Olympic Games took place in 2014, so striking with their colorfulness and originality inherent in the Russian mentality.

Dagestan - a country of mountains

There is a popular saying about this. It is especially often cited in speeches on December 11, when the whole world celebrates International Mountain Day. And the highest of the peaks of the Great Caucasus here is Shalbuzdag - 4150 meters above sea level. In July and August there is a real pilgrimage to it: here is the grave of the righteous Suleiman. The mountain resembles a pyramid with a jagged top. There is a belief that if you climb it, all your wishes and dreams will come true. And thousands of tourists are trying to do this. But the capital of Dagestan, Makhachkala, directly stretches along Mount Tarki-Tau - unique natural monument from a mountain monolith. It is also well known because in 1722 the army of Peter the Great entered Tarki. The peak of the Great Caucasus under the name Bazarduzu is considered the most southern point Russia. She rose to a height of 4466 meters above sea level. The first ascent of it was made in 1935.

We can talk about the mountains of Dagestan for a long time. But it has another unique attraction - just fifteen kilometers from Makhachkala, its capital, the gray Caspian splashes - the largest closed body of water on Earth, the largest closed lake on the planet at the junction of Europe and Asia. Its area is 371 thousand square kilometers. The depth exceeds a kilometer. It is home to more than 140 species of fish, of which the most famous is the beluga, which if you meet, you will be scared: is it a shark?! There are sturgeons that produce black caviar and species such as bream, asp, bleak, river eel, spiked fish, burbot - you can’t list them all! The great Russian river Volga, 3,530 kilometers long, flows into the Caspian Sea (lake), off the banks of which the 300,000-strong Nazi army led by Field Marshal Paulus was captured at Stalingrad. Thousands and thousands of tourists, both our compatriots and foreign ones, come to the Caspian Sea every year to vacation. In particular, near Makhachkala there are sanatoriums, boarding houses, and children's health camps. True, the shores of the Caspian Sea have not yet been very developed, but a course has been taken to create another popular resort area. And what? White fine sand, clear water - sunbathe, swim, catch fish, cook fragrant soup from it on the shore!

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