Location of the Caucasus mountains. Caucasus Mountains, Elbrus

Russia is a huge country. It is not surprising that it contains all the terrain that is found in nature. Among the plains and steppes, they occupy a special place mountain ranges and peaks. They attract travelers and researchers, scientists and tourists, archaeologists and climbers. What mountains are there in Russia? What you should pay attention to?

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Origin

Regions mountainous areas are formed as a result of complex processes. Tectonic crushing, faulting and faulting of rocks occur in the earth's crust. They are carried out continuously during the entire existence of the planet, in ancient time eras such as the Paleozoic, Mesozoic or Cenozoic. Those who are located in the Far East, Kamchatka and the Kuril Islands are considered young. These areas often experience seismic activity and volcanic eruptions.

In the European part of Russia there is a large plain, which has geographical boundary in the east in the form of . These are unique natural sculptures that evoke national pride.

Interesting! Only in the Urals there is nature reserve, protecting mineralogy. The Ilmensky place has a huge variety of minerals, unique and amazing in their structure and structure.

There are many tourist centers in the Urals, with ski resorts located on them. Climbers conquer these majestic heights.

Options for the Russian mountains

Baikal region and Transbaikalia;
Altai;
Sayan Mountains;
Verkhoyansky and Stanovoy ridges;
Chersky ridge.

Each of the areas is interesting and beautiful, the names of the mountains in their composition are unique and owe their origin to the peoples who inhabit the surrounding territories. These regions attract harsh conditions, tests for body and spirit. Altai is one of the most popular destinations for tourists. But the Chersky ridge is on the map, but has been little studied so far, but experts suggest that it will also become an attractive place for travelers.

Diversity of territories

The Far East is a region consisting primarily of mountainous terrain. The southern territorial part consists of medium and low ones, but in the north there are high ridges. Highest point Far East – Klyuchevskaya Sopka is a volcano 4750 m high.

The mountains in this region are constantly growing; they are located at the junction of plates that are in motion, which is why there are many volcanoes. In addition to them, there is a unique object for which it is worth going to Kamchatka - the Valley of Geysers.

Important! Sikhote-Alin, located in the Primorye region, is part of world heritage. This system is rich not only in the diversity of flora and fauna. This point of Russia on the map is the homeland of the Far Eastern leopard and Amur tiger.

Caucasus

The Caucasus deserves a separate description. This massif extends from the Black to the Caspian, its length is more than 1200 km. Caucasus ridge has division into Northern part and Transcaucasia.

The height of the Caucasus Mountains varies along the entire length of the ridge. He is the one who has the highest point in the whole country and Europe– this is Elbrus. The mountain was formed as a result of a volcanic eruption. It has an altitude of 5600 m above sea level. Elbrus is located in such a place that it can be seen from all sides. Travelers approached it back in the early 19th century. At its peak, the temperature does not rise above -14 degrees. Snow falls on the mountain constantly, which makes its snow cap ideal. This peak feeds the two largest ones - Kuban and Terek.

The Greater Caucasus contains the three highest mountains in Russia:

Elbrus;
Dykhtau;
Kazbek.

Interesting! In addition to the Caucasus Mountains, Kamchatka and Altai are famous large hills, among them: Klyuchevskaya Sopka, Belukha, Ichinskaya Sopka.

10 high mountains

A little more detail about each of the largest hills:

It’s already clear about Elbrus, this inactive volcano, included in national park. Its height is 5642 meters.
Dykhtau ranks second among the country's mountain peaks. This mountain, part of the Caucasus Range, rises to 5200 m. The ascent to this peak was first carried out only in 1888.
The country's third largest mountain is located on the border of Russia and Georgia. This is Pushkin Peak. It rises near Dykhtau in the center of the Caucasus ridge. Its conquest took place in 1961. It is interesting that this ascent was made not by professionals, but by football players of the Spartak club. The height of the peak is 5100 meters.
A little lower, namely a hundred meters, rises Kazbek. It is also related to the Greater Caucasus, located in its lateral part in the Khokh mountain range. Three London climbers conquered this peak back in the mid-19th century.
Near the border of Georgia and Kabardino-Balkaria there is a fifth highest point largest in Russia under the name Gestola. At its top, glaciers have accumulated that date back to the Paleozoic era. The most famous of them is Adishi.
Sixth in the top ten is the peak of Shota Rustaveli. Although the name on the map of the peak is of a famous person of Georgian origin, it still refers to the Russian part of the Caucasus. The peak stands on the border, no wonder both countries claim rights to it. The mountain has 4895 meters.
A little lower (4780 meters) is Mount Jimara. It is located in Alanya, near the border of Russia and Georgia. Again this is part Greater Caucasus.
In ninth place is Mount Saukhoh, again from the Greater Caucasus, located in North Ossetia. The height of the peak is 4636 meters. It refers to unconquered peaks, as well as Kukurtli-Kolbashi. This mountain completes the list of the ten largest peaks in Russia, its height is 4324 meters.

Interesting! So far no one has conquered the mountain formations located in 8th, 9th and 10th places on the list. This may prompt travelers to new exploits.

Lowest mountains

In addition to the highest mountain peaks, it is interesting to know the rating of the lowest ones. Such a concept as the lowest mountain is very difficult. It turns out that it is not so easy to name it. Only what is higher can be called mountains

Greater Caucasus- a mountain system between the Black and Caspian seas. Extends more than 1100 km from northwest to southeast, from the Anapa region and Taman Peninsula to the Absheron Peninsula on the Caspian coast, near Baku. The highest peak is Elbrus (5642 m).

The state border runs through the Greater Caucasus Russian Federation with Abkhazia, Georgia, South Ossetia and Azerbaijan.

Diagram of the Greater Caucasus ranges. Volcanoes are marked with red circles.

The Greater Caucasus, together with the Lesser Caucasus, makes up the Caucasus Mountains and is separated from the latter by the Colchis and Kura-Araks lowlands and the Kura Valley in the middle reaches between them.

The Greater Caucasus reaches its maximum width in the Elbrus region (up to 180 km). In the axial part there is the Main Caucasian (or Watershed) Ridge, to the north of which a number of parallel ridges extend ( mountain ranges) - Side ridge, Rocky ridge, etc.

Parts and areas

View from Ushba to Elbrus. Photo by O. Fomichev.

Traditionally, the Greater Caucasus is divided into 3 parts:

Table 1. Peaks of the Caucasus above 4700 m (altitude is in bold). topographic map scale 1:50000).

N	Peak name	Height	Part of BC	Area
1	Elbrus	5642	Central	Elbrus region
2	Dykhtau	5205	Central	Bezengi
3	Shkhara	5203	Central	Bezengi
4	Koshtantau	5152	Central	Bezengi
5	Dzhangitau	5085	Central	Bezengi
6	Kazbek	5034	Central	Prikazbeche
7	Mizhirgi	5019	Central	Bezengi
8	Katyntau	4979	Central	Bezengi
9	Gestola	4860	Central	Bezengi
10	Tetnuld	4858	Central	Bezengi
11	Jimarayhoh	4780	Central	Tepli-Dzhimaraisky
12	Ushba	4700	Central	Elbrus region

Climate

Rest in the Adish Icefall. Photo by A. Lebedev (1989)

The climatic features of the Greater Caucasus are determined by altitudinal zonality and the rotation of the mountain barrier it forms at a certain angle to the western moisture-bearing air currents - Atlantic cyclones and Mediterranean western air currents of the middle layers of the troposphere. This rotation has a decisive influence on the distribution of precipitation.

The wettest is West Side southern slope, where the highlands receive more than 2500 mm of precipitation per year. A record amount of precipitation falls on the Achishkho ridge in the Krasnaya Polyana region - 3200 mm per year, this is the wettest place in Russia. Winter snow cover in the area of the Achishkho meteorological station reaches 5-7 meters in height!

N	Glacier name	Length km	Area sq.km	End height	Firn line height	Area
1	Bezengi	17.6	36.2	2080	3600	Bezengi
2	Karaug	13.3	34.0	2070	3300	Karaug
3	Dykh-Su	13.3	26.6	1830	3440	Bezengi
4	Lekzyr	11.8	33.7	2020	3090	Elbrus region
5	Big Azau	10.2	19.6	2480	3800	Elbrus region
6	Zanner	10.1	28.8	2390	3190	Bezengi

Glaciation is especially significant in the Central Caucasus and in the eastern part of the Western Caucasus. In the Eastern Caucasus, small glaciers are found only in isolated high mountain nodes.

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 others by almost a margin 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 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

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 the 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 - “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 salts of bromine, calcium, potassium, 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 the slave trade was actively conducted in it, its own coins were minted, 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 Malyi 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 Winter Olympic Games 2014. 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 Bolshoi 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 municipality of the 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 winters 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 chic 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; Bolshoi 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; Atheista - 3256 meters and finally the highest 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 the 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. IN Olympic Park- the Formula 1 track, 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. From the streets of Maykop the Main Caucasus Range is clearly visible. 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 set 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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A report about the Caucasus Mountains, a majestic landmark and highlight of the Caucasus, is presented in this article.

Message about the Caucasus Mountains

Caucasus Mountains geographical location

They are spread between Asia and Europe, the Middle and Near East. Mountains Caucasus region divided into 2 systems - the Lesser and Greater Caucasus. The Greater Caucasus is located almost to Baku from Taman and includes the Western, Central and Eastern Caucasus. But the Lesser Caucasus is a mountain range near the Black Sea. They are located between the Black Sea and Caspian coasts, covering the territories of such countries as South Ossetia, Russia, Abkhazia, Armenia, Georgia, Turkey and Azerbaijan.

Translated, their name means “mountains hold up the sky.” The length of the Caucasus Mountains is 1100 km, and their width is 180 km. The most famous and highest peaks of the system are Mount Elbrus and Kazbek.

How old are the Caucasus Mountains?

The Caucasian mountain system is the same age as the Alps and has a 30-million-year history, inscribed in Greek myths and biblical lines. According to legend, when Noah released a dove from the ark in search of dry land, it brought Noah a twig from the mountains of the Caucasus system. And the myths indicate that Prometheus, the man who gave fire to people, is chained here.

What do the Caucasus Mountains look like?

The mountains are fraught with many unusual things. On their peaks you can find preserved glaciation. Earthquakes are still observed here, since the Caucasus Mountains are young from a geological point of view.

Their appearance is determined by the relief, which is represented by different shapes. Mountain peaks with sharp peaks shot up into the sky. With their outlines they look like the walls of a castle with towers, or Egyptian pyramids. In the mountains there are also glaciers, rivers and areas with a surface heavily damaged by wind erosion.

Climate

The climate of the Caucasus mountain system is quite diverse. These places are characterized by pronounced zonality. These mountains are a natural barrier that prevents the movement of air masses, thereby determining the diversity of the climate. The southern and western slopes receive much more precipitation than the northern and eastern slopes. The Caucasus Mountains are located in almost all climatic zones: from humid subtropics to humid and warm winter, dry hot summers to a dry continental climate, turning into semi-desert in the east.

Near the foothills there are snowy, cold winters with dry summers, and the higher you go in the mountains, the lower the temperature. At an altitude of 3.5 thousand km. it reaches -4 0 C.

Flora and fauna

The Caucasus Mountains are inhabited by unique animals. Among them are chamois, wild boars, mountain goats, foxes and bears, the mountain Asia Minor jerboa and ground squirrel, and in remote places bears and leopards live. On the way from the foot to the top, meadow alpine grasses and coniferous forests, which are “fed” by rivers, lakes, waterfalls, and mineral springs.

For the first time a man climbed to the very top high peak system of the Caucasus Mountains on July 22, 1829.
There are a lot of species of invertebrate animals in the Caucasus; for example, approximately 1000 species of spiders still live there.
In the Caucasus 6349 species of flowering plants, including 1600 native species.

In the Caucasus many endemic representatives– slightly less than 1,600 species of flora, 32 species of mammals and 3 species of birds.
Permafrost begins at altitude 3000-3500 m.

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