Tien Shan absolute height. Heavenly Tien Shan Mountains
Fann Mountains - through the eyes of a leader
Championship of Russia in mountain tourism technique (all-around) - through the eyes of an eyewitness
Moscow. Personnel training
Strategy and tactics of mountain hikes
The history of one state of emergency
Valera Khrishchaty
Icefall
Harmo Peak, 6595 m. Traverse
Fan mountains. Mountain hike 6 class
Traverses
First ascents
Tien Shan - 1993
Geography
Here we will talk about the high-altitude part of the Tien Shan, which includes a fairly large number of peaks with a height of more than 6000 m. If you take a map, you can see that only an insignificant part of this region lies on the territory of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, while a large part - on the territory of China. Strictly speaking, the Kyrgyz part of the high-altitude Tien Shan is the Tengritag, Kokshaaltau ridges (its eastern part to the Sarydzhaz river), and the Meridional ridge in a short section from the Marble Wall to Rapasov Peak. But if we take the area as a whole for hiking, it is worth adding here the “adjacent” ridges - the eastern tip of Terskey-Alatau, Adyrtor, Sarydzhaz, Inylchektau, Kaindy-Katta, Aktau.The largest glacier here is the southern Inylchek, in the area of Lake Merzbacher, its northern branch branches off from it - the northern Inylchek. Other large glaciers in the area are Semenova, Mushketova, Bayankolsky, Kaindy, Kuyukap. The southern Inylchek glacier has many tributaries, including large ones that have received their name. The northern tributaries are the Demchenko, Razorvanny, Semenovsky, and Stav glaciers.
Top view of the upper reaches of the Sarydzhaz and Tengritag ridges |
From the west, the region is limited by the level of the lower reaches of the Sarydzhaz River. The dimensions of the Kyrgyz part are 50-70 km in the latitudinal direction, 20-50 km in the meridional direction.
The Chinese part of the high-altitude Tien Shan borders on Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. And in the same way, the highest point of the Chinese Tien Shan is Pobeda Peak, which in China bears the name of Tomur. On the Chinese side, the high-mountain Tien Shan (with an average height of 5500-6000 m and possible passes with a height of 4700-6000 m) stretches for more than 100 km from west to east, having a width in the meridional direction of 50-70 km. This area is about 4-5 times larger than "our" side. And the whole area is practically unexplored. Strictly speaking, we can say that the entire high-altitude part of the Tien Shan is located east of the meridian 79o05 'and stretches east for several hundred kilometers (and further, but already falling below 6000 m), approximately between 43o and 41o parallels. The Kyrgyz part of the high-altitude Tien Shan in the "List of high-mountain passes" is allocated in a separate section - "Eastern part of the central Tien Shan", in the "List of classified peaks" is scattered across the Tien Shan in alphabetical order of the names of the ridges. And in this area there is the northernmost seven-thousander in the world - Pobeda Peak (Tomur), 7439 m. Focusing on the ridges, whose names we are used to, we can also describe the Chinese part of the region a little. All the ridges along the parallels - these are Sarydzhaz, Tengritag, Kokshaaltau - have their continuation to the east, for another 30-40 kilometers, to the river Muzart. The Sarydzhaz ridge moves further to the east in the area of mark 4910 - this is somewhat south of the Kitaysky pass, Tengritag - between the peaks of the Marble Wall and the Russian Geographical Society, Kokshaaltau - from the village of Rapasov (6814). The Kokshaaltau ridge, together with its continuation, has an extensive network of southern spurs up to 50 km long, which are more like independent ridges. One of them - with the peak of Kashkar - can be safely called the Kashkartau ridge. Starting in the area of the "obelisk" at the village of Pobedy, it stretches to the south, and then with several branches to the west and east for 60-80 km, and the total length of all its spurs exceeds 200 km. The key peak of this ridge is the village of Kashkar - 6435 m, in the immediate vicinity of it one can note several more noticeable six-thousanders - this is Kashkar Yu., about 6250 m, and c. 6050 (although visually it seemed to me that it was higher, closer to 6300). This ridge can be considered the most developed today, because it was here that two expeditions were concentrated. It is in the vicinity of the Kashkartau ridge that the zone of the most grandiose glaciation of the southern part of the high-altitude Tien Shan is probably located. To the west of the ridge flows the huge Temirsu glacier (the length of the main body of the glacier is about 40 km) with an extensive network of tributaries - everything that can be seen from above is amazing. Especially when you consider that none of the athletes who are fond of mountains have yet appeared on this glacier. From the east - the already "developed" Chonteren glacier, and to the south of the village of Kashkar - the Kochkarbashi glacier. And only in the Kashkartau ridge one can note several dozens of logical, but no one passed passes. In the area of the tongue of the Temirsu glacier, another six-thousander rises.The glaciation zone continues further to the east, mirroring all glaciers in the Meridional Ridge. The northern Inylchek glacier is reflected to the east by the Karagul glacier, and the southern Inylchek by the Tugbelchi glacier. Both of these glaciers are 35-40 km long.
Here it is worth noting several interesting objects for future expeditions. First of all, this is a continuation of the Tengritag ridge - between the Karagul and Tugbelchi glaciers, it stretches to the east for 30 kilometers, before it begins to decline, and along its entire length, regular marble pyramids rise - the twin brothers of the Khantengri settlement. The first of them - 6769, then sequentially - 6550, 6510, 6497, etc. The last of them, already at the level of the tongues of the Karagul and Tugbelchi glaciers - 6025. The main body of the Tugbelchi glacier flows at an altitude of 4000 m and below, and already approaches to these pyramids they break off on the Tugbelchi glacier with grandiose walls - at least in that part of the ridge that we saw in 2002. It is likely that in this continuation there will also be no simple passes, and there are no passed ones. In the eastern continuation of the Kokshaaltau ridge there are also independent very interesting objects - this is peak 6435 (according to other maps - 6342), which rises above the Tugbelchi pass, and somewhat to the east - a node in. 6571 - 3-4 peaks above 6000 m can be noted there.To the west of this node is the Kichikteren glacier, the eastern neighbor of the Chonteren glacier. The spur or ridge that separates the Chonteren and Kichikteren glaciers is a direct continuation of the Meridional ridge, which dissolves into the plain 40-50 kilometers to the south.
Even further to the east, already beyond the Muzart River, there is another glaciation zone headed by the Muzart-Baskelmes glaciers (35-40 kilometers long) and a grandiose ridge from the south of the glacier with the main peak 6637 with the beautiful name White Lotus - this is just that peak , which was one successful ascent of the Japanese expedition. This ridge to some extent looks like a continuation of the Tengritag ridge, cut here by the river. Muzart, just like Kokshaaltau, is cut through the river. Sarajaz. And the White Lotus peak is not the only one here - on a section of the ridge of 15-20 km, another 7-8 six-thousanders can be noted, which, again, no one has yet climbed. Heights - 6596, 6555, 6549, etc. We have not even seen this part of the Chinese Tien Shan, and I hope that the next expedition to this area will allow us to start at least look into this corner.
|
Entrances, approaches, decoration
Unfortunately, it is not yet possible to conduct "through" campaigns - starting in Kyrgyzstan and ending in China, or vice versa. You can only jump a little in one direction or another through a couple of passes. Therefore, for the time being, these parts of the regions should be considered separately.
From Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, there are two highways for entering the region. From Kyrgyzstan - through the city of Karakol (former Przhevalsk) along a decent road to the glaciers of Semenov, Mushketov, Yu. Inylchek (to the outpost of Maidaadyr), Kaindy. From Kazakhstan - through the district center Narynkol to the upper reaches of the river. Bayankol (the road ends at the Zharkulak mine), from where it is 12-15 km on foot to the Bayankol glaciers system. Mountain hikes basically begin and end at these points. But in the absence of special restrictions on funds, you can use a helicopter - for small groups passing (i.e. for replanting), for large groups - you can order and pay for a separate board. Today the situation has developed in such a way that the area is served only by Kyrgyz helicopters in the amount of 2 pieces. (I won’t be surprised if there will be one of them next year, because last season one burned down, but I really hope that the second one will be found). The flight is carried out from two points - Karkara (Kazakhstan, through Kazbek Valiev), Maidaadyr outpost (Inylchek river, Tien Shan Travel, Vladimir Biryukov).
There are several more camps serving clients in South Inylchek, in addition to Valiev and Biryukov, there are three more. The first two plus one more are located at the confluence of Yu. Inylchek with the Zvezdochka glacier, two more are on the opposite side, under the slopes of Gorky settlement. In Northern Inylchek, only the camp of Kazbek Valiev now operates (there used to be two). But according to V. Biryukov, this summer the Kyrgyz camp (Tian-Shan-travel firm) will also start working in Northern Inylchek. Through any of these firms, you can call in the area, choosing more suitable prices. In different years I used the services of Kazbek Valiev, Dostuk-tracking company (Bishkek, Shchetnikov N.). In recent years, I have been using the services of the Tien Shan Travel company of Vladimir Biryukov, also because I have many friends there. Depending on which method of arrival you use - through a company or on your own - transport prices will vary greatly. I don’t see the point of listing them here - you can see their prices through the company on their own websites, and I just don’t know the prices for self-hired transport - I haven’t used it for too long. As for the helicopter, I think these are more stable figures. Today, a helicopter hour in Kyrgyzstan costs $1,800, and a flight from Karkara or Maidaadyr costs $150 per person. When flying, for example, from Maidaadyr, you can scatter drops to 2-3 places in a flight hour and land at the beginning of the route (in 2001, using a helicopter, we brought drops to the South and North Inylchek, landed ourselves at the bottom of the Mushketov glacier , thus excluding traffic along river valleys from the route).If we talk about the most common way of arrival today, this is a vehicle from Bishkek through Karakol to Maidaadyr, then by helicopter to South or North Inylchek, or on foot (then you can drive a little further by car, or you can hire a horse-drawn transport and use it to get almost to the Yu. Inylchek glacier). The second option is from Alma-Ata to Karkara, from where by helicopter to the same place - that is, to the south or north of Inylchek. Other places to start routes are visited less frequently. And the ascents are mainly carried out from the listed camps (a rare exception, repeated more than once in last years- this is climbing the Marble Wall from the Bayankol glaciers).
You should probably know that to visit the area through any state, you need to register (if you enter / exit through different states, then in each of them) and passes to the border zone (so far, the expected complication of issuing passes has resulted in additional payment). All this is issued in different places (registration with the police, passes - with the border guards), so I prefer to use the services of companies.On the Chinese side, things are somewhat different. In order to enter the area, you must obtain a military permit ($650 per group), a permit to visit the Tomur National Park (another $650) and insurance for all participants ($72/person). So far, today I know only one tour operator who undertakes to arrange all this. And of course, the payment for the operator's services will also be added here.
To enter the region for the first time, we used the then-traditional way of entering the Kashgar Mountains - Moscow-Bishkek-Osh (airplane) - Irkeshtam checkpoint (car) - Kashgar city (car) - Aksu city (train) - settlement. Talak (machine). This journey took 6 days. Back were selected in the same way, but kept within 4-5 days. For the second time, we went directly to China, Moscow-Urumqi-Aksu (airplane) - Talak (car). This option took us 2 days, and today is the best route to enter the area. But if we talk about a flight from Moscow, there is no direct flight to Urumqi now, so we have to fly with a transfer. From the nearest cities, planes fly to Urumqi from Novosibirsk, Alma-Ata, Bishkek. Therefore, you can get by plane from any of these cities. Probably, you can still calculate the option of visiting these cities by train, and then by plane. The route by train completely probably does not make sense, although it is theoretically possible. Maybe this option will someday become acceptable - there are persistent talks about the construction of a railway link from Kyrgyzstan to China (Kashgar). Given the speed with which the Chinese are building, I would not be surprised if such a road appears in a year or two after the decision is made. In the meantime, it would be good if the road through Irkeshtam was built - perhaps the drive through Kyrgyzstan, especially to the Kashgar mountains (Kongur - Muztagata) would become quite convenient.
From the village of Talak, where the frontier post is located, you can still drive in jeeps in different directions - probably to the Temirsu glacier. The path known to us, used in all expeditions (both by the Chinese, and the Japanese, and by us), leads towards the Kokyardavan pass n / a (you can almost drive to the pass). Then a caravan of horses is organized (although the start is already possible on foot) and after 30-35 km along the valley of the river. Chontereksu can go to the tongue of the Chonteren glacier, where all the expeditions set up a base camp. The way on horseback can be covered in 1.5-2 days.In the neighboring valley - Kichiktereksu - there is a coal mining plant. The valley itself is more extensive than Chontereksu, there are many small settlements. Having descended along a quite decent path to the plant, you can go further by car. By the way, the trail here is really good, but it is easy to lose it, which we did from time to time. In the upper reaches of the river (in a section of 10 kilometers), it often forks, and the chosen path may simply turn out to be a dead end (for example, to a summer camp). The main trail, at the same time, goes 300-400 meters up or down the slope, which is quite difficult to guess. Sometimes local residents helped us get back on the trail, for whom we seemed to act as a visiting zoo. In the river valley You can also visit Kichiktereks at the start of any hike.
We did not try any other check-in options. One of them is along the Muzart River, along which the road rises quite far, and you can reach approximately the level of the Tugbelchi glacier. Probably, there are other options for arrival, but other expeditions have yet to get acquainted with them. There are a lot of dirt roads in these places, only local residents know them quite well (a simple example is that our tour operator did not know anything about the coal mining plant and the road there - otherwise we would have immediately planned one of the places where the hike would end.
Tien Shan is a majestic mountain system located in the heart of Asia. One of the largest slopes in the world, with meadows filled with thousands of wild flowers, waterfalls, deserts and steppes located at the foot. All this creates an indescribable beauty and served as a name: in translation, it means " sky mountains". In order to understand where the Tien Shan mountains are located, you just need to look at the atlas: they pass through the territory of 5 countries of the eastern part of the continent: China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.
Facts and figures
The system of mountains stretches for as much as 2500 km, the position of which creates a unique composition of more than 30 peaks, many of which rise to the clouds no less than 6000 meters. The highest point is Mount Pobeda Peak - 7439 m, which took its place on the border of two countries: the Chinese state and the Kyrgyz state. Under the second place in height is Khan-Tengri Peak (6995 m.), which separates China, the lands of Kazakhstan and the surroundings of Kyrgyzstan.
Location of the mountain system
The Tien Shan is a powerful alpine system of the planet, one of the largest on the planet, located in the central areas of Asia. The predominant part of the Tien Shan lies on the lands of modern Kyrgyzstan and China, but some mountain branches capture the territory of other countries: in Uzbekistan and in the expanses of Tajikistan, the southwestern ones lie, and the northern and remote territories of the west are located within the borders of Kazakhstan.
Tien Shan coordinate data based on geographic sources: 42 degrees and 1 minute north latitude and 80 degrees and 7 minutes east longitude.
Relief and geographical zoning
The chains of mountains are quite branched and have the names of the Inner and Eastern massifs, the Northern region, the ridges of the western Tien Shan, and the Central. Each region is branched into several mountain ranges.
All ridges are divided among themselves by intermountain deep canyons with charming picturesque landscapes and lakes.
The highest point among the Tien Shan mountains
Peak "Victory" is located on the lands of Kyrgyzstan, close to the cordon of China and belongs to the category of the highest points in the world (7439 meters). Presumably, for the first time tourists conquered this peak in 1938, and five years later, in honor of the victory over the Nazi invaders near Stalingrad, an expedition of climbers was sent to the mountain by the main leadership of the USSR. In 1995, two groups left to climb different routes. One of them from Kazakhstan, the second from Uzbekistan. Having risen to 6000 m, the first of them, due to bad weather conditions, was forced to stop climbing and start descending, only one of the 12 members of the group survived. Since that time, the mountains have developed a bad reputation, mostly daredevils from Russia or the CIS countries conquer them.
An interesting story about Zhang Cang, who, in a detachment of 100 people, first set out on the orders of Emperor Wu Di through the passes back in 138 BC. AD to meet the allies, but was captured, where he stayed for 10 years. Chance helped Zhang escape, and he carefully described his long journeys through the Northern Tien Shan and the lands of Asia, brought information to China, and the famous Great Silk Road was created along his steps, along which they began to export silk to the Roman Empire.
Geology and structure
The Tien Shan is part of the Ural-Mongolian (Ural-Okhotsk) folded geosynclinal belt. The mountain ranges are formed by igneous rocks, and the intermontane depressions are formed by sedimentary ones. The alpine relief is characterized by glaciations of various forms.
The formation of massifs that create the current high-mountain relief began in the Oligocene period, and mountain building gained the most activity in the Pliocene and Anthropogenic. Traffic tectonic plates, differentiated type, made modern relief stepped, with powerful erosion, with the emergence of the deepest valleys near the rivers and the appearance of glacial masses.
Minerals
The following minerals have been found in the depths of the mountains: huge deposits of mercury ores and antimony, formations of cadmium and zinc, tin and tungsten. In the lower reaches in the vastness of modern Tajikistan there are gas and oil fields. Copper-profit and cobalt formations were also noticed. A gold-quartz formation was found in the Western environs of the Tien Shan massif. There are many industrial deposits of coal, marble, gypsum, limestone, as well as more than a hundred varieties of mineral water manifestations.
It is known that the first workings began in the Tien Shan 5 thousand years ago, as evidenced by the frescoes in caves and on the rocks. During the Neolithic period, the extraction of ocher, manganese ores and peroxide began. 2000 BC in the Bronze Age, copper ore, lead, zinc and tin were mined in the mountains, there are suggestions that the layers were rich in gold and silver, which was actively withdrawn at the same time. For construction, the development of antimony, clay, stone, sulfur and vitriol flourished, but during the raids of the warlike Mongols in the 13th century, the development fell into disrepair. Since that time, archaeologists have found a lot of pickaxes, all kinds of clay shovels, mutton skins used for washing gold.
Ancient and modern glaciation of the mountain system
The area of glaciation is more than 7300 kV. km. and has 7700 glaciers, which are divided into three groups:
- Valley;
- hanging;
- Karovye.
Nai most of they are located in the center of the Tien Shan Range. It is there that the largest glacier Inylchek is located - the length of which is as much as 60 km. The formation of ice blocks in the foothills is continuous; neoplasms quickly form in place of the departed layers.
In the era when the ice age fell, the entire system of mountains was surrounded by a thick ball of ice, ramparts, moraines, a cirque, and ice lakes still testify to this.
An interesting fact is that all rivers Central Asia feed on the Tien Shan glaciers. Descending from the hills in a strong stream, they form the largest river - the Naryn and its numerous tributaries. The flow of the river even made it possible to create a whole system of hydroelectric power stations on Naryn.
ice-free lake
The most full-flowing large lake - Issyk-Kul, was formed in a tectonic fault. Its deepest place is 668 m, which means it is the third in the world after Baikal and the Caspian Lake. The position and waters significantly influence the formation of the climate in the region. Like other endorheic reservoirs, it contains salinity, which, according to experts, will increase. The lake is young, recently formed, so a large amount of water simply did not have time to accumulate salts. The reservoir is never covered with an ice crust, unlike other lakes in the foothills of the Tien Shan, which are almost year-round bound by glaciers.
The fauna of the lake is poor, but there are species of commercial importance. Available here and water transport, which runs from the Rybachye station to the village. Przhevalsk.
In the summer heat, azure-emerald the purest waters Issyk-Kul - favorite place recreation of numerous tourists.
Climate and natural conditions
The mountains will meet you with a sharp continental climate, characterized by strong differences in night and daytime temperatures, weak gusts of wind and dry air. Winters here are frosty and harsh, in summer it is hot in the valleys, and cool and comfortable on the peaks. Mostly the sun shines on the mountain slopes, and the average number of hours of its glow is about 27 thousand hours a year. For comparison, in the capital of Russia, this figure is lower and equals 1600 hours per year.
Basically, the formation of climate is influenced by the height difference of the Tien Shan ridges, lakes and features of the land and relief. Cloudiness and intensity of precipitation increase with altitude: the least amount of precipitation falls on the plains - about 200 mm per year, while on the middle mountains the value is already - 800 mm. The summer and spring period of time account for the greatest amount of snow and rain.
Everywhere the snow layer is not the same. In the north-west, it begins to form at a mark of 3600 m, in the east - 4000 m, and in the central regions - 4500 m. The western mountain ranges are mostly devoid of snowfall and are actively used by mountain dwellers for winter grazing.
Although during the warm period there is a high probability of avalanches coming down, this is the best time to travel to the Tien Shan mountains, since for most Europeans the harsh winter climate is difficult to endure.
Animals and plants
The fauna consists of inhabitants of the steppe and desert zones. The most common include goitered gazelle, ground squirrel, stomping hare, common jerboa, representative of the gerbil, and others. Of the reptiles, the most common are lizards, varieties of vipers and snakes. Flocks of eagles, melodic larks, bustards, partridges found their home in the expanses of the Tien Shan.
Boars, packs of wolves and foxes, representatives of bears and lynxes live in the regions of the middle mountains, nutcrackers and crossbills fly.
The geography of the inhabitants in the peak points of the mountains is changing: ermines, bright argali, populations of mountain goats and a very rare beautiful snow leopard live here. Of the birds - vultures, eagle families, jackdaws, larks.
Ducks, geese, swans, storks and other water birds are common only in the expanses of mountain lakes.
Mountain steppes on well-warmed slopes are densely covered with turf and feather grass interspersed with exposed stone talus. In summer, the growth of wormwood, thyme, ephedra begins. The Central Tien Shan is more diverse in its steppe areas, more than 30 species of herbs grow.
mountain tourism
Clean, almost alpine air, magnificent landscape and picturesque views attract fans of active sports recreation. Every professional mountaineer, an adherent of skiing, should visit the Tien Shan mountain system at least once. Diverse slopes have long been dotted with various resorts, where slopes are equipped for skiing and skiing for professionals and entry-level athletes, there is equipment rental and experienced instructors who will help you to ski or snowboard for the first time. The season starts in the north in early December and continues until the end of March. February is the best month for skiing.
In the highlands, where snow lies almost all year round, it is a paradise for mountaineers. For them, ascents to glacial areas and peaks are implemented, it is possible to drive up to high points by car or by air transport.
Take a look at the resorts "Oru-Sai", snowy "Kashka-Suu", high-altitude "Orlovka" and the city of "Karakol" - they are the most popular.
Results
The Tien Shan Range is a unique mountain system of striking beauty, one of the highest and longest in the world, full of unusual flora and fauna, diverse mineral deposits. This is a popular place among tourists who are fond of outdoor activities and sports. Various resort towns and ski slopes are equipped on the slopes. The winter climate of the mountains is harsh, so travelers are advised to visit these places in spring and summer, when the formation of air masses is not so intense and sunny days prevail. The height of the Tien Shan mountains forms several tiers - foothill, middle and high mountains, each of which has its own characteristics of climate, animal and flora, landscape.
"style="font-size:18px"> The Tien Shan is a majestic mountain system located in Central Asia, mainly in northern Kyrgyzstan, but also in western China and southeastern Kazakhstan.
The Tien Shan consists of mountain ranges, stretched mainly in the latitudinal or sublatitudinal direction; only in its central part - the Central Tien Shan, where the highest peaks are located - Pobeda Peak (7439 m) and Khan-Tengri Peak (6995 m) - the Meridional Range stretches along the border of Kyrgyzstan and China.
In the Tien Shan mountains, located on the territory of Kyrgyzstan, the following orographic areas can be distinguished:
Northern Tien Shan - consists of the Ketmen ridges (part of it in China), the Trans-Ili Alatau, Kungei-Alatau and the Kyrgyz ridge;
Western Tien Shan - includes the Talas Alatau with the Chatkal, Pskem, Ugam ridges adjoining it from the south-west, as well as Karatau;
Southwestern Tien Shan - this is sometimes called the ridges framing Ferghana Valley, including the southwestern slope of the Ferghana Range;
The Inner Tien Shan is located south of the Kyrgyz Range and the Issyk-Kul Basin, framed by the Fergana Range in the southwest, the Kokshaltau Range in the south, and the Akshiirak massif in the east, separating the Inner Tien Shan from the Central.
The ridges of the Northern and Western Tien Shan gradually decrease from east to west from 4500-5000 m to 3500-4000 m (Karatau ridge up to 2176 m) and are distinguished by asymmetry: the northern slopes facing the Ili, Chui and Talas basins are longer, strongly dissected by gorges, with a relative height of up to 4000 m or more. Of the ridges of the Inner Tien Shan, the most significant are Terskey-Alatau, Borkoldoy, Atbashi (up to 4500-5000 m) and the southern barrier - the Kokshaltau ridge (Dankov peak, 5982 m). The latitudinal and sublatitudinal arrangement of the ranges, characteristic of the entire Tien Shan, is clearly expressed in the Northern and Inner Tien Shan.
In the Eastern Tien Shan, two bands of mountain ranges are clearly expressed, separated by a latitudinally elongated band of valleys and basins. The heights of the main ranges are 4000-5000 m; the ridges of the northern strip - Borohoro, Iren-Khabyrga, Bogdo-Ula, Karlyktag - stretch to 95 ° E. The strip of the Southern Tien Shan is shorter (stretches to 90° E); Its main ranges are Khalyktau, Sarmin-Ula, Kuruktag. At the foot of the Eastern Tien Shan are the Turfan depression (its depth is up to - 154 m) and the Khami depression; within the southern strip - an intermountain depression filled with the waters of Bagrashkel.
In the highlands, glacial landforms predominate; on the slopes of the gorges - numerous screes, along the bottoms of the valleys - the accumulation of moraine deposits. At an altitude of 3200-3400 m and above, rocks are almost ubiquitous, which have been in a frozen state for many years; The thickness of frozen soils rarely exceeds 20-30 m, but in the Aksai-Chatyrkel depression in some places it is more than 100 m.
Within the Terskey-Alatau, Atbashi and other ridges, large areas are occupied by leveling surfaces, and at the foot of many ridges there are bands of foothills (adyrs), which in many areas causes a well-defined gradation of the transverse profile of the mountains. Alpine depressions, relatively recently freed from glaciers and still slightly affected by erosion, usually have flat or slightly hilly surfaces; swamps also occupy significant areas in them. Depressions below 2500 m usually include well-developed river valleys with numerous terraces, some of which have preserved lakes (for example, Issyk-Kul). In some basins there are areas of small hills (especially in the Naryn basin and in the south-west of the Issyk-Kul basin).
The Tien Shan mountains are located inside the mainland, in relatively low latitudes, among dry desert plains. Most of the mountains lie in temperate climate zone, but the Fergana ranges (Southwestern Tien Shan) are located on the border with the subtropical zone, experiencing the influence of dry subtropics, especially in the lower altitudinal zones. In general, the climate in the mountains is sharply continental, arid, characterized by a significant duration of sunshine (2500-3000 h/year).
In some areas of the Tien Shan, strong winds are noted (for example, "ulan" and "santash" in the Issyk-Kul basin). Great heights, complexity and ruggedness of the relief cause sharp contrasts in the distribution of heat and moisture.
In the valleys of the lower belt of mountains, the average air temperature in July is 20-25°C, in the middle-altitude valleys - 15-17°C, at the foot of the glaciers up to 5°C and lower. In winter, frosts here reach -30°C. In the mid-altitude valleys, cold periods often alternate with thaws, although average January temperatures are usually below -6°C. Temperature conditions make it possible to cultivate grapes in these areas up to a height of 1400 m, rice up to 1550 m (in the Eastern Tien Shan), wheat up to 2700 m, barley up to 3000 m.
The amount of precipitation in the Tien Shan mountains increases with height. On the piedmont plains it is 150-300 mm, in the foothills and low mountains 300-450 mm, in the middle mountains 450-800 mm, and in some places (in the Western Tien Shan) up to 1600 mm per year. In intramountain depressions, 200-400 mm of precipitation usually falls annually (their eastern parts are more humid). In the Tien Shan mountains, the maximum level of precipitation mainly occurs in the summer, in the Fergana and Talas valleys - in the spring.
Due to the significant dryness of the climate, the snow line in the Tien Shan is located at an altitude of 3600-3800 m in the north-west, up to 4200-4450 m - in the Central Tien Shan, in the Eastern Tien Shan it drops to 4000-4200 m. In the mountain zone there are numerous snowfields, some areas of the Tien Shan are prone to avalanches (mainly in spring).
The largest accumulations of snow are on the northern and western slopes. At the foot of the ridges, snow usually lies for about 2-3 months, in the middle mountains - 6-7 months, at the foot of the glaciers - 9-10 months a year. In intermountain basins, the snow cover is often thin; in some places there is grazing throughout the year.
Due to the fact that the climate in the Tien Shan mountains is dry and continental, mountain steppes and semi-deserts prevail here, subalpine and alpine meadows are “available”; you will not find forest landscapes in their pure form - there are only their combinations with steppes and meadows - however, walnut-fruit forests are characteristic of the South-Western Tien Shan.
Most of the Tien Shan is the territory where the runoff is formed. Rivers usually originate from snowfields and glaciers of the glacial-nival belt and end in drainless lake basins of Central and Central Asia, in the internal lakes of the Tien Shan, or form the so-called "dry deltas", that is, their waters completely seep into the alluvial deposits of the piedmont plains and sorted out for irrigation. The main rivers originating from the Tien Shan mountains belong to the basin of the Syrdarya (these are Naryn and Karadarya), Talas, Chu, Ili (with sources Kunges and Tekes and a tributary of Kash), Manas, Tarim (Sarydzhaz, Kokshal, Muzart), Konchedarya (Khaidyk-Gol).
The food of the rivers is mainly snow, and in the highlands in the summer months it is glacial. The maximum flow occurs at the end of spring and summer. And this enhances the national economic importance of the Tien Shan rivers, a significant part of the flow of which is used to irrigate the intramountain valleys and basins, as well as the plains adjacent to the Tien Shan.
The largest Tien Shan lakes are of tectonic origin and are located within the bottoms of intermountain depressions. These include drainless, non-freezing, brackish lake Issyk-Kul, high-altitude (located at an altitude of more than 3000 m) Son-Kul and Chatyrköl lakes, which are covered with ice for most of the year.
There are also cirque and near-glacial lakes (these include Lake Merzbacher, located between the glaciers of the Northern and Southern Inylchek). Of the lakes of the Eastern Tien Shan, the most large lake is Bagrashkel, connected by the Konchedarya River with Lake Lobnor. In the upper reaches of the Naryn River, and in the depressions of the moraine relief, there are also many smaller lakes. A number of lakes are of dammed origin and are distinguished by considerable depth and steep banks (for example, Lake Sary-Chelek in the southern spurs of the Chatkal Range).
Glaciation.
The area of mountain glaciation is 10.2 thousand sq. km. The largest area of glaciation is located in the ridges of the Central Tien Shan. Other centers are the Zailiysky Alatau, Terskey-Alatau, Akshiirak, Kokshaltau ridges, and in the Eastern Tien Shan - the Iren-Khabyrga and Khalyktau ridges.
Complex valley glaciers flow down from the ridges of the Central Tien Shan; the largest of them are the Southern Inylchek (its length is 59.5 km), the Northern Inylchek (38.2 km) and the most significant glacier of the entire Eastern Tien Shan - Kara-Dzhailau (34 km).
The "heavenly" mountains are characterized mainly by small valley, cirque and hanging glaciers. Currently, most of the Tien Shan glaciers, apparently, are at the stage of reduction, however, in the 1950s - 1970s, the advance of individual glaciers was noted (these are the Mushketov, Northern Karasai and others glaciers).
Animal world.
Of the representatives of the fauna in various parts of the Tien Shan mountains, there are such representatives of the desert and steppe fauna as the gazelle, polecat, tolai hare, ground squirrel, jerboa, gerbil, mole voles, wood mouse, Turkestan rat, etc .; of reptiles, snakes (viper, muzzle, patterned snake), lizards live here; birds - lark, wheatear, bustard, grouse, keklik (partridge), imperial eagle, etc. Among the representatives of the forest fauna of the middle mountains, there are wild boar, lynx, brown bear, badger, wolf, fox, marten, roe deer, teleutka squirrel; from birds - crossbill, nutcracker. Marmots, pika, silver and narrow-skulled voles, mountain goats (teke), mountain sheep (argali), ermine live in the highlands and in some places in the middle mountains, snow leopard is occasionally found; of birds - alpine jackdaw, horned lark, finches, Himalayan snowcock, eagles, vultures, etc. Waterfowl (ducks, geese) are on the lakes, swans are found on Issyk-Kul during migration, cormorants, black storks and others are found on Bagrashköl . Many lakes are rich in fish (osman, chebak, marinka and others).
Peak of Victory.
Pobeda Peak is the highest point of the entire Tien Shan mountain system. Its height is 7439 meters. This peak, discovered in 1943, became the northernmost seven-thousander of the planet. Many avid climbers strive to conquer this seven-thousander, but it is worth remembering that when climbing, there may be periods of exceptionally bad weather, accompanied by severe frosts, snow storms and avalanches, so a snow cave may be your best option for a temporary shelter.
Pobeda Peak looks like a huge, gloomy giant who lay down to rest not far from the foot of the impressive shining pyramid of Khan Tengri. Days with favorable weather are rare and often give way to long stormy periods, during which the chilling wind from the Takla Makan desert with the meaningful name Beskunchak (“Thousand Devils”) makes the climb extremely difficult and dangerous. But on rare fine days, an attentive observer can easily guess the half-kilometer “$” sign on the summit rocky bastion of Pobeda Peak.
Peak Khan Tengri.
Not far from Pobeda Peak rises Khan Tengri Peak, whose height is 6995 meters. This is the “Lord of Heaven” (in a different translation “Lord of Spirits”), a giant pyramid that first submitted to people in 1936.
By the way, both of these peaks are very popular among Russian and Western climbers.
The top of this peak is the border of three states: China, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. It has an amazingly regular pyramidal shape and rises over the nearest peaks of the Tengritau ridge for a whole kilometer. This is one of the most beautiful peaks in the world. Kazakhs and Kirghiz from time immemorial call it Kan-Too (from the Turkic "kan" - blood, "too" - mountain). It is called so because here, during an incomparable scarlet sunset, the upper part of the peak becomes almost red, and the shadows from the clouds passing over it create a semblance of red jets flowing from it. Ascent conditions to Khan Tengri are difficult due to frequent bad weather, hurricane winds and low temperatures.
Legends of the Tien Shan.
The information presented below to your attention is rather not the Tien Shan legends, but the so-called local sights, the specific location of which is the Northern Tien Shan (Alatoo mountain range).
By the way, a few words about this ridge. Alatoo, Atatau, Alai and Altai - all these names are just variations that have, in principle, the same essence and designate the same ridge. From all Turkic languages, this part of the mighty Tien Shan is translated in the same way - namely, “Motley Mountains”. Probably this most picturesque place of the entire Northern Tien Shan, but at the same time, the appearance of the mountains is always fickle, changeable and even frighteningly diverse. The mountains abound with green meadows, blue rivers, hot springs, here the whiteness of glaciers on the peaks is adjacent to the red granite rocks, the bluish crowns of coniferous forests and the bright yellow steppe of the foothills scorched by the sun.
Manchzhyly-Ata.
So, from the sights of Alatoo, the valley of the sacred springs of Manzhyly-Ata is the most famous. In this place there is a mazar (place of pilgrimage) of the famous teacher of Sufism and miracle worker, who successfully spread Islam among the nomadic Kyrgyz.
The name Manchzhyly-Ata is most likely a pious nickname. From various Turkic languages, it can mean the highest degree of respect, and the patron of the area, and the patron of wanderers, the hospitable righteous man, and the owner of fertile pastures on the plateau.
This sacred valley is a whole labyrinth of shallow gorges, located between clay steppe hills, from the depths of which many springs gush. Each spring is considered healing, although initially they could serve, first of all, as convenient watering places for sheep flocks brought from the surrounding semi-desert.
Despite the fact that initially the Muslim saint had the “title” of a preacher of Islam, gradually this incarnation of him faded into the background, and gained a reputation as a miracle worker, the owner of the magical power of underground sources.
Connoisseurs of the shrines of Kyrgyzstan give advice to pilgrims who come here, that the most valuable thing that Manzhyly-Ata, who seeks his patronage, can bestow is family happiness, peace of mind and well-being in his personal life. So, it turns out that this saint is, first of all, not a healer and protector of shepherds and their flocks, but an intercessor of the family and clan, the guardian of the inner integrity of a person.
Tale of Alatoo.
This fairy tale in the literal sense of the word is a picturesque canyon located in the seasonal channel of rain streams running down to Issyk-Kul from the foothills of Terskey-Alatoo between the villages of Kajisay and Tamga. Interestingly, at first glance, the gorge seems completely unremarkable, and all that can be seen here is clay cliffs on both sides of the gorge, overgrown with stunted bushes. But this is only at first glance ... In fact, this unremarkable spectacle is suddenly replaced by something completely opposite, which actually gave the name of this area - "Fairy Tale".
The seemingly dull canyon in the blink of an eye appears before travelers in all its splendor. From all sides, the observer is surrounded by eruptions of multi-colored rocks of the brightest contrasting shades, frozen in the most unusual forms. Plates of hard limestone and sandstone protrude in clusters from the soft flesh of the soil, in places similar to the ruins of ancient castles or the skeletons of prehistoric monsters.
The legend about this amazing creation of nature has already appeared today. It says that you cannot see the same thing twice in it. Eyewitnesses say that it seems to be constantly changing, and if after the first visit you return here again, then neither the second, nor the third, nor any subsequent times the traveler will be able to see the same thing that he saw before. Each time the canyon will show you new beauties, each time it will fabulously transform.
from the internet
On the borders of the five countries of Central Asia, there are beautiful and majestic mountains - the Tien Shan. On the mainland of Eurasia, they are second only to the Himalayas and the Pamirs, and are also one of the largest and most extensive Asian mountain systems. The heavenly mountains are rich not only in minerals, but also in interesting geographical facts. The description of any object is built from many points and important nuances, but only a complete coverage of all directions will help to create a full-fledged geographical image. But let's not rush, but dwell on each section in detail.
Figures and Facts: Everything you need to know about the Celestial Mountains
The name Tien Shan has Turkic roots, because the peoples of this particular language group have inhabited this territory since time immemorial and still live in this region. If translated literally, then the toponym will sound like Heavenly Mountains or Divine Mountains. The explanation for this is very simple, the Turks from time immemorial worshiped the sky, and if you look at the mountains, it seems that with their peaks they reach the very clouds, most likely that is why geographical feature received such a name. And now, some more facts about the Tien Shan.
- What usually begins the description of any object? Of course, with numbers. The length of the Tien Shan mountains is more than two and a half thousand kilometers. Believe me, this is a pretty impressive number. By comparison, the territory of Kazakhstan extends for 3,000 kilometers, while Russia stretches for 4,000 kilometers from north to south. Imagine these objects and appreciate the magnitude of these mountains.
- The height of the Tien Shan mountains reaches 7000 meters. There are 30 peaks in the system with a height of more than 6 kilometers, while Africa and Europe cannot boast of any such mountain.
- Separately, I would like to highlight the highest point of the Heavenly Mountains. Geographically, it is located on the border of Kyrgyzstan and the Republic of China. There is a very long debate around this issue, and neither side wants to concede. The highest peak of the Tien Shan Mountains is a ridge with a triumphant name - Pobeda Peak. The height of the object is 7439 meters.
Location of one of the largest mountain systems in Central Asia
If you transfer the mountain system to the political map, then the object will fall on the territory of five states. More than 70% of the mountains are located on the territory of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and China. The rest falls on Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. But the highest points and massive ridges are located in the northern part. If we consider geographical position Tien Shan mountains from the regional side, then it will be central part the continent of Asia.
Geographical zoning and relief
The territory of the mountains can be conditionally divided into five orographic regions. Each is distinguished by a peculiar relief and structure of the ridges. Pay attention to the photo of the Tien Shan mountains, which is located above. Agree, the grandeur and stateliness of these mountains are admirable. And now, let's take a closer look at the zoning of the system:
- Northern Tien Shan. This part is almost completely located on the territory of Kazakhstan. The main ranges are Zailiysky and Kungei Alatau. These mountains are characterized by an average height (no more than 4000 m) and a strong indentation of the relief. There are many small rivers in the region, which originate from glacial peaks. The region also includes the Ketmen Ridge, Kazakhstan shares it with Kyrgyzstan. On the territory of the latter, there is another ridge of the northern part - the Kyrgyz Alatau.
- Eastern Tien Shan. Of the largest parts of the mountain system, one can distinguish: Borohoro, Bogdo-Ula, as well as medium and small ranges: Iren-Khabyrga and Sarmin-Ula. The entire eastern part of the Heavenly Mountains is located on the territory of China, mainly where the places of permanent settlement of the Uighurs are located, it is from this local dialect that the ridges got their names.
- Western Tien Shan. This orographic unit occupies the territories of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. The largest is the Karatau ridge, and then comes the Talas Alatau, which got its name from the river of the same name. These parts of the Tien Shan mountains are rather low, the relief drops to 2000 meters. This is because this is a more ancient region, the territory of which was not subjected to repeated mountain building. Thus, the destructive power of exogenous factors has done its job.
- Southwestern Tien Shan. This region is located in Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. In fact, this is the lowest part of the mountains, which consists of the Fregan Range, framing the valley of the same name.
- Central Tien Shan. This is the highest part of the mountain system. Its ranges occupy the territory of China, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. It is in this part that almost all six-thousanders are located.
"Gloomy Giant" - the highest point of the Heavenly Mountains
As mentioned earlier, the highest point of the Tien Shan mountains is called Victory Peak. It is easy to guess that the toponym got its name in honor of significant event- the victory of the USSR in the most difficult and bloody war of the 20th century. Officially, the mountain is located in Kyrgyzstan, near the border with China, not far from the autonomy of the Uighurs. However, for a long time, the Chinese side did not want to recognize that the object belonged to the Kyrgyz, and even after documenting the fact, it continues to look for ways to take possession of the coveted peak.
This object is very popular with climbers, it is included in the list of five seven-thousanders that must be conquered to receive the title of "Snow Leopard". Near the mountain, only 16 kilometers to the southwest, is the second highest peak of the Divine Mountains. It's about about Khan Tengri - the highest point of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Its height is only slightly short of seven kilometers and is 6995 meters.
Age-old history of rocks: geology and structure
In the place where the Tien Shan mountains are located, there is an ancient belt of increased endogenous activity, these zones are also called geosynclines. Since the system has a fairly decent height, this suggests that it was subjected to secondary uplift, although it has quite ancient origin. Studies show that the base of the Heavenly Mountains is composed of Precambrian and Lower Paleozoic rocks. The strata of the mountains were subjected to long-term deformations and the impact of endogenous forces, which is why the minerals are represented by metamorphosed gneisses, sandstones and typical limestone and shale.
Since most of this region was flooded in the Mesozoic, the mountain valleys are covered with lake-type deposits (sandstone and clay). The activity of glaciers also did not pass without a trace, moraine deposits stretch from the highest peaks of the Tien Shan mountains and reach the very border of the snow line.
The repeated uplift of mountains in the Neogene had a very significant effect on their geological structure, in the parent basement there are relatively "young" rocks of the volcanic type. It is these inclusions that are mineral and metal minerals, which are very rich in the Divine Mountains.
The lowest part of the Tien Shan, which is located in the south, has been exposed to exogenous agents for thousands of years: the sun, winds, glaciers, temperature fluctuations, water during flooding. All this could not but affect the structure of the rocks, nature had severely battered their slopes and "exposed" the mountains to the very parent rock. The complex geological history has influenced the heterogeneity of the Tien Shan relief, which is why high snowy peaks alternate with valleys and dilapidated plateaus.
Gifts of the Heavenly Mountains: Minerals
The description of the Tien Shan mountains cannot do without mentioning minerals, because this system brings a very good income to the states in whose territories it is located. First of all, these are complex conglomerates of polymetallic ores. Large deposits are found on the territory of all five countries. Most of all in the bowels of the mountains of lead and zinc, but you can find something more rare. For example, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have established the extraction of antimony, and there are also separate deposits of molybdenum and tungsten. In the southern part of the mountains, near the Fregan Valley, coal is mined, as well as other fossil fuels: oil and gas. Of the rare elements found: strontium, mercury and uranium. But most of all, the territory is rich in building materials and semi-precious stones. The slopes and foothills of the mountains are strewn with small deposits of cement, sand and various kinds granite.
However, many minerals are not available for development, because infrastructure is very poorly developed in mountainous regions. Mining in hard-to-reach places requires very modern technical means and large financial investments. The states are in no hurry to develop the resources of the Tien Shan and often transfer the initiative to the private hands of foreign investors.
Ancient and modern glaciation of the mountain system
The height of the Tien Shan mountains is several times higher than the snow line, which means that it is no secret that the system is covered great amount glaciers. However, the situation with glaciers is not very stable, because only in the last 50 years, their number has decreased by almost 25% (3 thousand square kilometers). For comparison, this is even more than the area of the city of Moscow. The depletion of the snow and ice cover of the Tien Shan threatens the region with a serious environmental disaster. Firstly, it is a natural source of food for rivers and alpine lakes. Secondly, it is the only source fresh water for all life that inhabits the slopes of the mountains, including local peoples and settlements. If changes continue at the same pace, then by the end of the 21st century, the Tien Shan will lose more than half of its glaciers and leave four countries without a valuable water resource.
Ice-free lake and other water bodies
The highest mountain of the Tien Shan is located near the highest lake in Asia - Issyk-Kul. This object belongs to the state of Kyrgyzstan, and is popularly called the Non-Freezing Lake. It's all about the low pressure at high altitude and the temperature of the water, thanks to which the surface of this lake never freezes. This place is the main tourist area of the region, on an area of more than 6 thousand square kilometers, there is a huge number of high-altitude resorts and various recreational areas.
Another picturesque water body of the Tien Shan is located in China, literally a hundred kilometers from the main trading city Urumqi. We are talking about Lake Tianshi - this is a kind of "Pearl of the Heavenly Mountains". The water there is so clean and transparent that it is difficult to realize the depth due to the fact that it seems that you can literally reach the bottom with your hand.
In addition to lakes, the mountains are cut by a huge number of river valleys. Small rivers originate from the very peaks and are fed by melted glacial waters. Many of them are still lost on the slopes of the mountains, others combine into larger water bodies and carry their waters to the foot.
From picturesque meadows to icy peaks: climate and natural conditions
Where the Tien Shan mountains are located, natural zones replace each other with height. Due to the fact that the orographic units of the system have a heterogeneous relief, in different parts Heavenly mountains at the same level can be located different natural zones:
- Alpine meadows. They can be located both at an altitude of more than 2500 meters, and at 3300 meters. A feature of this landscape is juicy hilly valleys that surround bare rocks.
- Forest zone. It is quite rare in this region, mainly in hard-to-reach high mountain gorges.
- Forest-steppe. The trees of this zone are low, mostly small-leaved or coniferous. To the south, a meadow and steppe landscape is more clearly seen.
- Steppe. This natural area covers foothills and valleys. There is a huge variety of meadow grasses and steppe plants. The further south the region is, the more clearly the semi-desert and sometimes even desert landscape can be traced.
The climate of the Heavenly Mountains is very harsh and unstable. It is influenced by opposing air masses. In summer, the Tien Shan mountains are dominated by the tropics, and in winter, polar streams dominate here. In general, the region can be called rather arid and sharply continental. In the summer, dry winds and unbearable heat are very common. In winter, temperatures can drop to record highs, and frosts often occur during the off-season. Precipitation is very unstable, most of it occurs in April and May. It is the unstable climate that affects the reduction in the area of ice sheets. Also, a sharp change in temperature and constant winds have a very negative effect on the relief of the region. The mountains are slowly but surely being destroyed.
Untouched corner of nature: animals and plants
The Tien Shan mountains have become home to a huge number of living beings. The fauna is extremely diverse and varies considerably depending on the region. For example, the northern part of the mountains is represented by European and Siberian types, while the Western Tien Shan is inhabited by typical representatives of the Mediterranean, Africa and the Himalayan region. You can also easily meet typical representatives of the mountain fauna: snow leopards, snowcocks and mountain goats. Ordinary foxes, wolves and bears live in the forests.
The flora is also very diverse; fir and Mediterranean walnut can easily coexist in the region. In addition, there are a huge number medicinal plants and valuable herbs. This is a real phyto pantry of Central Asia.
It is very important to protect the Tien Shan from human influence; for this, two reserves and one national park have been created in the region. There are so few places left on the planet with untouched nature, so it is important to direct all efforts to preserve this wealth for posterity.
Schematic map of the Eastern part of the central Tien Shan
Khan Tengri and the Sredinny Ridge from the slopes of Pobeda Peak. Photo: RISK online
Tien Shan is a Chinese word meaning "Celestial Mountains". This is a great mountain system located mainly in Kyrgyzstan and the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR) of China. Its northern and remote western ranges are in Kazakhstan, while the southwestern part reaches the borders of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. Inside the territory of the ex-USSR, the Tien Shan mountains stretched like an arch for more than 1200 km in length and 300 km in width. They border in the north with the Ili valley and the Fergana depression in the south, while the eastern outskirts, as it were, join the Alai Range of the Gissar-Alai mountain system.
All Tien Shan ridges, except for the meridional one, run from west to east and consist of four mountain ranges separated in a natural way: Central Tien Shan, Northern and Western, as well as the Inner Tien Shan. The northern slopes of the ridges are cut by gorges of mountain river valleys and reach a depth of 2,000 - 4,000 meters, they are short and shallow. The dominant height of the peaks is 4000-5000 meters, and the passes pass between the heights of 3500-4500 m. The climate is typically Central Asian and with the height of precipitation it becomes more and more - up to 900-1000 mm per year on the western slopes of the Ferghana Valley.
The Tien Shan has a substantial ice cover: 7787 glaciers, the largest being the South Inylchek, 60 kilometers long.
It has several regions: Trans-Alai Alatau, Inylchek, Kirgiz, Kokshaal-too, Tengri-Tag, Tersky-Ala-too, Talas Ala-too, Fergana, etc.
Tourist-climbing research of the "Soviet" part of the region began in the 30s, by a fairly large number of groups, and by and large has not been completed to this day. True, it is impossible to argue that the area has been “setting down” all these years - and it’s not only the Great Patriotic War, in the days of the USSR the area was restricted for access (issuing passes to the border strip took several months), and sometimes it was simply closed for access for 5-10 years. Therefore, if you study the reports, both tourist and climbing, you can determine the "windows" when access to the area was opened. Today, getting there is not a problem, you can get registered on your own (registration, issuing passes), or again through any travel agency.
Over the years of development in the region, more than a dozen passes have been passed, ascents to the main peaks have been made, many difficult routes have been laid on many of the peaks. Tourists covered all the ridges of the region with passes, while the zone of mountaineering interests is mainly concentrated in the Tengritag, Kokshaaltau, Meridional ridges, rare ascents today are made in the Sarydzhaz and Inylchek ridges. I will try to paint these ridges a little, giving an assessment of the difficult passes, peaks, moving from north to south.
Entrances, approaches, decoration
Unfortunately, it is not yet possible to conduct "through" campaigns - starting in Kyrgyzstan and ending in China, or vice versa. You can only jump a little in one direction or another through a couple of passes. Therefore, for the time being, these parts of the regions should be considered separately.
From Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, there are two highways for entering the region. From Kyrgyzstan - through the city of Karakol (former Przhevalsk) along a decent road to the glaciers of Semenov, Mushketov, Yu. Inylchek (to the outpost of Maidaadyr), Kaindy. From Kazakhstan - through the district center Narynkol to the upper reaches of the river. Bayankol (the road ends at the Zharkulak mine), from where it is 12-15 km on foot to the Bayankol glaciers system. Mountain hikes basically begin and end at these points. But in the absence of special restrictions on funds, you can use a helicopter - for small groups passing (i.e. for replanting), for large groups - you can order and pay for a separate board. Today the situation has developed in such a way that the area is served only by Kyrgyz helicopters in the amount of 2 pieces. (I won’t be surprised if there will be one of them next year, because last season one burned down, but I really hope that the second one will be found). The flight is carried out from two points - Karkara (Kazakhstan, through Kazbek Valiev), Maidaadyr outpost (Inylchek river, Tien Shan Travel, Vladimir Biryukov). There are several more camps serving clients in South Inylchek, in addition to Valiev and Biryukov, there are three more. The first two plus one more are located at the confluence of Yu. Inylchek with the Zvezdochka glacier, two more are on the opposite side, under the slopes of Gorky settlement. In Northern Inylchek, only the camp of Kazbek Valiev now operates (there used to be two). But according to V. Biryukov, this summer the Kyrgyz camp (Tian-Shan-travel firm) will also start working in Northern Inylchek. Through any of these firms, you can call in the area, choosing more suitable prices. In different years I used the services of Kazbek Valiev, Dostuk-tracking company (Bishkek, Shchetnikov N.). In recent years, I have been using the services of the Tien Shan Travel company of Vladimir Biryukov, also because I have many friends there.
Depending on which method of arrival you use - through a company or on your own - transport prices will vary greatly. I don’t see the point of listing them here - you can see their prices through the company on their own websites, and I just don’t know the prices for self-hired transport - I haven’t used it for too long. As for the helicopter, I think these are more stable figures. Today, a helicopter hour in Kyrgyzstan costs $1,800, and a flight from Karkara or Maidaadyr costs $150 per person. When flying, for example, from Maidaadyr, you can scatter drops to 2-3 places in a flight hour and land at the beginning of the route (in 2001, using a helicopter, we brought drops to the South and North Inylchek, landed ourselves at the bottom of the Mushketov glacier , thus excluding traffic along river valleys from the route).
If we talk about the most common way of arrival today, this is a vehicle from Bishkek through Karakol to Maidaadyr, then by helicopter to South or North Inylchek, or on foot (then you can drive a little further by car, or you can hire a horse-drawn transport and use it to get almost to the Yu. Inylchek glacier). The second option is from Alma-Ata to Karkara, from where by helicopter to the same place - that is, to the south or north of Inylchek. Other places to start routes are visited less frequently. And ascents are mainly carried out from the listed camps (a rare exception, repeated more than once in recent years, is climbing the Marble Wall from the Bayankol glaciers).
You should probably know that to visit the area through any state, you need to register (if you enter / exit through different states, then in each of them) and passes to the border zone (so far, the expected complication of issuing passes has resulted in additional payment). All this is issued in different places (registration with the police, passes - with the border guards), so I prefer to use the services of companies.
On the Chinese side, things are somewhat different. In order to enter the area, you must obtain a military permit ($650 per group), a permit to visit the Tomur National Park (another $650) and insurance for all participants ($72/person). So far, today I know only one tour operator who undertakes to arrange all this. And of course, the payment for the operator's services will also be added here.
To enter the region for the first time, we used the then-traditional way of entering the Kashgar Mountains - Moscow-Bishkek-Osh (airplane) - Irkeshtam checkpoint (car) - Kashgar city (car) - Aksu city (train) - settlement. Talak (machine). This journey took 6 days. Back were selected in the same way, but kept within 4-5 days. For the second time, we went directly to China, Moscow-Urumqi-Aksu (airplane) - Talak (car). This option took us 2 days, and today is the best route to enter the area. But if we talk about a flight from Moscow, there is no direct flight to Urumqi now, so we have to fly with a transfer. From the nearest cities, planes fly to Urumqi from Novosibirsk, Alma-Ata, Bishkek. Therefore, you can get by plane from any of these cities. Probably, you can still calculate the option of visiting these cities by train, and then by plane. The route by train completely probably does not make sense, although it is theoretically possible. Maybe this option will someday become acceptable - there are persistent talks about the construction of a railway link from Kyrgyzstan to China (Kashgar). Given the speed with which the Chinese are building, I would not be surprised if such a road appears in a year or two after the decision is made. In the meantime, it would be good if the road through Irkeshtam were built - perhaps the drive through Kyrgyzstan, especially to the Kashgar mountains (Kongur - Muztag-Ata) would become quite convenient.
From the village of Talak, where the frontier post is located, you can still drive in jeeps in different directions - probably to the Temirsu glacier. The path known to us, used in all expeditions (both by the Chinese, and the Japanese, and by us), leads towards the Kokyardavan pass n / a (you can almost drive to the pass). Then a caravan of horses is organized (although the start is already possible on foot) and after 30-35 km along the valley of the river. Chontereksu can go to the tongue of the Chonteren glacier, where all the expeditions set up a base camp. The way on horseback can be covered in 1.5-2 days.
In the neighboring valley - Kichiktereksu - there is a coal mining plant. The valley itself is more extensive than Chontereksu, there are many small settlements. Having descended along a quite decent path to the plant, you can go further by car. By the way, the trail here is really good, but it is easy to lose it, which we did from time to time. In the upper reaches of the river (in a section of 10 kilometers), it often forks, and the chosen path may simply turn out to be a dead end (for example, to a summer camp). The main trail, at the same time, goes 300-400 meters up or down the slope, which is quite difficult to guess. Sometimes local residents helped us get back on the trail, for whom we seemed to act as a visiting zoo. In the river valley You can also visit Kichiktereks at the start of any hike.
We did not try any other check-in options. One of them is along the Muzart River, along which the road rises quite far, and you can reach approximately the level of the Tugbelchi glacier. Probably, there are other options for arrival, but other expeditions have yet to get acquainted with them. There are a lot of dirt roads in these places, only local residents know them quite well (a simple example is that our tour operator did not know anything about the coal mining plant and the road there - otherwise we would have immediately planned one of the places where the hike would end.