GENERAL INFORMATION
Tien Shan - "Celestial Mountains" - spread over a vast area. More than 2,500 km of its ridges stretched through the central part of Asia, more than 1,200 km are within the former USSR.
The central part of the mountain system is the highest, where the almost parallel latitudinal ranges of the eastern Tien Shan, which lies within China, merge. The entire central and western parts of the Tien Shan are located on the territories of the former Soviet republics. Here, in a complex interweaving of ridges, the greatest peaks of the Tien Shan rise: Pobeda Peak (7439m) and Khan Tengri (7010m).

From here, the ridges diverge again in a westerly direction.

The northern ridges of the former Soviet part of the Tien Shan - Zailiysky and Kungei Alatau go around the large high-altitude lake Issyk-Kul from the north. Further to the west stretch the ranges of the Kyrgyz Alatau, Talas, Ugam, Pskem and Chatkal, not counting the less significant ones. This series of almost parallel ranges borders the Ferghana Valley from the north.

From the east, the Central Tien Shan is fenced by a relatively short chain of mountains directed from north to south - the Meridional ridge. To the west, latitudinal ranges depart from it: Sarydzhassky and Terskey-Alatau, Stalin, Kaindy and the huge Kokshaal-tau, covering the central part of the Tien Shan from the south. In the west, this part of the mountain system ends with the Ferghana Range, which stretches from the southeast to the northwest.

Within these boundaries are many mountains. They are crowned either by snow cones or by pointed peaks. But not the entire Central Tien Shan is an area of ​​high snowy mountains. They are concentrated mainly between the Meridional ridge and another Akshiryak ridge, almost parallel to it. Further, a significant part of the space is occupied by rounded, mostly snowless mountains, interspersed with vast hilly plateaus - syrts.

From the southwestern corner of the Central Tien Shan, another series of ridges extends to the west, which have the common name Pamir-Altai. Many scientists consider them also to belong to the Tien Shan system. This is, first of all, the rocky Alai Range, bordering the Ferghana Valley from the south. At its western end, the Alai Range forms a powerful knot and branches into the Zeravshan and Gissar Ranges. From the first of them, the Turkestan Range further branches off.

Central and inner Tien Shan

According to the orographic structure, the Tien Shan is usually divided into Northern, Western, Central, Inner and Eastern (the latter in China). Tourists and climbers usually, in their classification of the Central and Inner Tien Shan, consider the region of the Kaindy, Inylchek-Too, Sary-Jaz, Tengri-Tag ridges to be the eastern part of the central Tien Shan, and the Kuilshu, Akshiyrak, Dzhetymbel, Naryn-Too, Borkoldoy ridges , At-Byshi and the rest of the Terskey Ala-Tau ridge just to the Central Tien Shan.

HISTORY OF RESEARCH OF THE CENTRAL TIEN SHAN

The foothills of the Tien Shan, as well as other regions of Central Asia, have been inhabited since prehistoric times. Traces of the stay of an ancient man were found in many valleys of the Tien Shan, including in its high-mountainous part; some finds date back more than a millennium BC. Even at the bottom of the high mountain lake Issyk-Kul there are remains of ancient buildings. However, information about the mountains of the Tien Shan, especially about its high central part, seeped into geographical science very slowly. Knowledge about the Tien Shan was accumulated in the same ways as about other mountainous regions of Asia. From this point of view, the high-mountainous Tien Shan was, perhaps, in even more unfavorable conditions than the Pamirs. The Mongolian peoples from the eastern part of Asia moved west to the north of the main chains of the Central Tien Shan, through the Dzungarian gates. Trade routes linking East and West also bypassed these ranges, but from the north or south.

South, in the river basin. Tarim, there was the legendary land of the Issedons "Serika", through which Chinese silks went to the western countries. The Greek geographer and historian Herodotus mentions the journey to these countries of Aristas Proconesus (7th century BC), and, according to him, to the north of the places inhabited by the Issedons and their western neighbors the Agrippas, there is a little-known high and inaccessible mountainous country . Somewhere in these same places passed the route of the journey described by Maeom Titianus.

Earlier it was said that the first reliable information and ideas about the geography of Central Asia were obtained by Chinese travelers. In particular, Zhang Zang, during his "journey to the Fergana Valley (126 BC), apparently crossed part of the Tien Shan and visited Lake Issyk-Kul. Chinese geography of the Han Dynasty (114 BC). BC) already definitely mentions the Muzart mountains (now the Muzart pass is known in the western part of the Khalyktau ridge, in the eastern Tien Shan - Richthofen believes that Zhang Tsang passed through it) and Lake Issyk-Kul. the northern route through the Tsun-lin (Onion Mountains, which included the Pamirs and the western part of the Tien Shan), leading west to Kokand and northwest to the Aral Sea region.

The first Chinese Buddhist travelers undoubtedly made their way to India along the southern foothills of the Tien Shan. The famous Xuan Jiang (7th century) began his journey from China along the northern road to Hami, then turned west, passing along the southern foot of the Tien Shan to the city of Aksu. From here he again moved north and crossed the ridges of the Central Tien Shan, and subsequently the first to describe these snowy mountains. It is difficult to establish exactly which pass he used. Since it is believed that he went to the eastern shore of the lake. Issyk-Kul, it is believed that the traveler used the Muzart pass. This conclusion is also supported by the name Shin-Shan given in the description, which means an ice (or snow) mountain.

As you know, in the Turkic language, this corresponds to Muz-tau, and, accordingly, the ice pass - Muzart. But from Aksu, he could just as well move to the Bedel pass. This very difficult transition left a lasting impression on Xuan Jiang. The pass was especially dangerous. Many of Xuan Jiang's companions died in the mountains. The traveler describes the peaks of the Tien Shan in this way: “From the beginning of the world, the snow accumulated here turned into ice blocks that do not melt either in spring or in summer. Smooth fields of solid and shiny ice stretch into infinity and merge with clouds. The path often passes between overhanging on both sides by icy peaks and through high ice masses."

Xuan Jiang warns that in these places you can’t wear red clothes, you can’t talk loudly, otherwise the traveler will face incalculable troubles, snow and stone landslides, etc.

Over the next millennium, almost no new information about the high Tien Shan comes to science. Starting from the 8th century, when the dominion of the Arab conquerors was established in Central Asia, and until the invasion of Genghis Khan in the 12th-13th centuries. Tien Shan lies away from trade routes and is not visited by scientists and travelers. The meager information about this country in the Arabic geography of that time is essentially no higher than the level of knowledge given in Chinese sources of the 7th-8th centuries.

Only in the XVIII century. ideas about the Tien Shan were somewhat replenished. In 1708, Jesuit missionaries began, on behalf of Ikhun Lung, the emperor of China, to draw up a map of his possessions and neighboring countries. For ten years, Gallerstein, Felix Aroga and Espinius, with the help of very knowledgeable Chinese surveyors, studied the country. The map compiled as a result of this work was published in 1821. However, the western part of China was mapped somewhat later, in the middle of the 18th century. To collect material on this area, the researchers got to the lake. Issyk-Kul and visited the valley of the river. Or. The map had a remarkable feature: its compilers relatively accurately determined the geographical position of many places they visited by the stars, a method that had long been known in China. Therefore, their work served as the basis for many other later maps for many years.

Some information about the Tien Shan was also known to the Russians. So, for example, in the well-known "Book of the Big Drawing" (end of the 16th century), the compilation of which was begun at the behest of Ivan the Terrible, the upper part of the river. The Syr Darya is depicted more faithfully than even by the English traveler Wood (1838). This is not surprising: it is known that trade relations between the Muscovite state and the countries of Asia have existed since very ancient times. Not only merchants, but also embassies, who had a special order to describe the visited countries, penetrated from Moscow to the East. So, for example, O. I. Baikov, the ambassador of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, passed through Dzungaria on his way to Beijing.

With the beginning of the XVIII century. Russians are becoming more and more familiar with Central Asia, in particular with its eastern part, to which the Tien Shan belongs.

Peter the Great seeks to establish relations with India along the river. Amu Darya. Two expeditions went to Asia: Colonel Buchholz to Siberia and Prince Bekovich-Cherkassky to the Transcaspian region. Both expeditions are known to have been unsuccessful. Among the many participants in the defeated Buchholz detachment who were captured by the Kalmyks was the Swede I. Renat. After being in captivity for 17 years (1716-1733), he became well acquainted with Dzungaria. Renat returned to Europe with a map he had compiled of Dzungaria and adjacent parts of Siberia and Central Asia. This map was unknown for a long time, its copy was found only in the late 70s of the XIX century. in one of the Swedish libraries and then published in 1881 by the Russian Geographical Society. Even at the time of publication, the map was in many ways superior to later ones.

The well-known journey of F. Efremov gave a lot for the knowledge of Central Asia. In 1774 he was taken prisoner to Bukhara. There, Efremov became an officer in the Khan's troops and made a number of trips to neighboring countries. Homesickness made him flee. The way to the west was closed, and Efremov moved to the east: through Kokand and Kashgar he made his way to , from there to Kashmir and India, and from India to England. He returned to Russia only in 1782. Efremov was the first European to pass through the Terekdavan Pass.

Since the beginning of the 1930s, the influence of the Russian state among the feudal lords of the nomadic tribes of the so-called "Kirghiz steppe" (Northern Kazakhstan) has increased so much that travel to the eastern part of Central Asia has become more accessible, and therefore relatively frequent. If Captain Unkovsky in 1823 compiled a map of Dzungaria according to interrogated data, then already in 1832 Lieutenant Colonel Ugryumov was able to map this region of Asia based on personal observations.

Both for other regions of Asia and for the Tien Shan, the period of collecting fragmentary information ends with the appearance of major generalizing works by A. Humboldt, K. Ritter and, somewhat later, Richthofen. A. Humboldt was the first to make an attempt not only to generalize all the information about the geography of Asia, but also to build a then still hypothetical system of mainland orography.

An important role in this construction was assigned to the Tien Shan, which Humboldt ranked among the main latitudinal chains of the mountains of Asia. The scientist had a very peculiar idea of ​​​​these still almost unknown mountains. In his description, this is a chain of real volcanic mountains. The Tien Shan intersects with the legendary Bolor ridge, and further to the west continues with the Asferk ridge, which ends at the meridian of Samarkand. Not far from here in the ridge is the volcanic group Bothm. This volcano was also reported by the Arab geographer Idisi. To the east of Bolor, Humboldt names Terek-tag, Kok-Shal, Temurtu-tag, volcanoes Bai-Shan, Turpan, etc. in the Tien Shan. The chain ends at the Khami meridian and disappears in the sands of the Gobi desert. The author is inclined to consider the Tien Shan as a more extensive mountainous country, believing that the Caucasus is the western continuation of this chain of mountains, and to the east, beyond the Gobi, it should include the In-shal mountains, stretching almost to the Pacific coast. The geology of that time had a very pronounced "volcanic direction". Perhaps that is why, and also because of the inaccurate information of ancient authors, but, in any case, Humboldt considered the Tien Shan to be a major center of active volcanic activity. The scientist was not stopped by the fact that this violated the basic pattern according to which volcanoes on the Earth's surface are found mainly on islands and near the shores of large sea basins.

Humboldt distinguished several centers of volcanic activity in the Tien Shan. Especially intense, in his opinion, it should be in the east, near Urumqi, near Kulja, Turfan, near Lake. Issyk-Kul. The scientist considered Bogdo-olo and the huge volcano Bai-Shan to be the centers of the volcanic region.

It is curious and characteristic of the geography of that time that Bai Shan, a mountain known from Chinese sources, was considered a volcano on the grounds that some authors called it Ho Shan (Fiery Mountain). Another traveler, Meyer, mistook Mount Urten-tau for a volcano only because of its name, which in translation means Burnt Hill.

Already in 1840, A. Schrenk, during his trip to the Dzungarian Alatau, proved that the Aral-Tyube island in Lake. Alakol is not a volcano at all, contrary to the opinion of Humboldt, based on the incorrect testimony of other travelers. Twelve years later, the mining engineer Vlangali, visiting the same places, also found no traces of volcanism and volcanic rocks. There remained a high-altitude and still inaccessible part of the Tien Shan. If there are no volcanoes on the outskirts of a mountainous country, then perhaps they are in its center? But science answered this question relatively quickly.

In the early 50s of the century before last, Russian troops occupied the so-called Trans-Ili region. In 1845, in the foothills of the Trans-Ili Alatau, the Verny fortification was founded (now the city of Almaty (Alma-Ata). Russian scientists gained access to the Tien Shan.

Only the first house in Verny was completed, clashes between the warring clans of the Kirghiz continued in the mountain valleys, but the young scientist botanist P.P. ).

P.P. Semenov belongs to a galaxy of remarkable Russian travelers of the 19th century, researchers with a broad and versatile background and interests. Being a botanist by profession, he nevertheless collected and summarized interesting and important materials on the orography and geological structure, the fauna of the visited country, and described its population. “My main attention,” P.P. Semenov wrote to the Geographical Society after the end of the expedition, “was turned to the study of mountain passes, since their height determines the average height of the ridges, and the cut determines the geographical profile and structure of mountain ranges, not to mention their importance as means of communication between neighboring countries. Finally, I paid no less attention to the study of the common features of the orographic and geognostic structure of the country and to the vertical and horizontal distribution of vegetation. "

Having left St. Petersburg in the spring of 1856, P.P. Semenov reached the Verny fortification only on September 1. In the evening of the next day, accompanied by a small detachment, he went east along the foothills of the Northern Tien Shan. How wild these places were at that time can be judged at least by the fact that while Semenov made an excursion up the valley of the river. Issyk, his companions hunted a tiger.

Having crossed the Zailiysky and Kungei Alatau ridges, a small detachment reached the eastern shore of the lake. Issyk-Kul and, having stayed here for only a few hours, turned back. Somewhat later, Semenov managed to visit the western shores of the lake. This allowed him to find out important questions of the hydrography of the Tien Shan.

In 1856, the explorer failed to penetrate the Central Tien Shan. He only watched from a distance its snowy ridges rising behind the lake: “From the south, this entire blue basin of Issyk-Kul was closed by a continuous chain of snow giants. The Tien Shan seemed like a steep wall. and since their snow-white bases, beyond the distance in the south-west, were hidden behind the horizon, the snowy peaks seemed to come straight out of the dark blue waters of the lake.

After spending the winter in Barnaul, Semyonov returned to Verny in the early spring of 1857; this time he explored a much larger part of the Tien Shan, mainly to the east and southeast of the lake. Issyk-Kul. Having reached the southern coast of the lake, he crossed the Terskey-Alatau through the most accessible Zaukinsky pass (Dzhuuka pass) and ended up in the syrt region of the upper reaches of the Naryn. From here the traveler turned back to Issyk-Kul. Then the detachment moved up the river valley. Kokzhar to the pass of the same name.

From the pass before Semenov's eyes, a panorama of extraordinary grandeur opened up: “When we got to the top of the mountain pass at about one in the afternoon, we were blinded by an unexpected sight. Directly to the south of us rose the most majestic mountain range I have ever seen. all, from top to bottom, consisted of snow giants, of which I could count to the right and left of me no less than thirty. That entire ridge, together with the gaps between the mountain peaks, was covered with a nowhere, interrupted veil of eternal snow. Just in the middle of these giants rose one snow-white pointed pyramid sharply separating between them in its colossal height, which seemed from the height of the pass to be twice as high as the other peaks...

The sky was completely cloudless on all sides, and only on Khan Tengri was a small cloud visible, a light crown surrounding the dazzling whiteness of the mountain pyramid a little below its top.

The scientist spent three hours at the pass. Descending into the valley Sarydzhaz, Semenov explored its upper reaches and climbed, as he writes, the northern slopes of Tengri-tag, apparently, the northern slope of the Sarydzhas ridge).

The researcher spent several days in the Saryjaz valley. At the source of the river, he passed part of a huge glacier, which he called the "Ice Sea", which, as it seemed to him, descended from the slopes of Khan Tengri. Subsequently, Ignatiev named this glacier after Semenov.

P.P. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky was the first scientist to penetrate the Central Tien Shan, discover and describe the Khan-Tengri group. He did not have to explore Tengri-tag and other mountainous regions in more detail. It fell to the lot of other scientists. Semenov never managed to visit the Tien Shan again. But what he managed to do went down in the history of geography as a scientific feat.

Semenov, of course, never found volcanoes in the Tien Shan: "The result of all my intensive searches was that I definitely did not find any volcanoes, or even volcanic rocks in the Heavenly Range." On the other hand, the traveler discovered large modern glaciers, especially in the Tengri-tag group, and established the height of the snow line in this mountainous country, which differs significantly from its known values ​​​​for the Alps, Pyrenees and the Caucasus.

Semenov compiled the first, based on factual material, scheme of the orography of the Tien Shan. Before him, there was an idea of ​​a single mountain range in the eastern part of the mountainous country, which, behind the Muzart Pass, branched to the west into two divergent ridges. Lake Issyk-Kul was drawn to the north of this branching of the mountain ranges. Semenov, on the other hand, had a fairly accurate idea of ​​the ranges of the northern part of the Tien Shan: the Zailiysky Alatau and Kungei Alatau (he called the latter the Southern Range of the Zailiysky Alatau). He pointed out that these ranges are interconnected by the Kemino-Chilik bridge. As for the Central Tien Shan, the researcher imagined it as a mountain range stretched in the general direction from the NE to the SW with numerous spurs. To the south and almost parallel to the first, in his opinion, another chain was stretched - Mustag. In the Tengri-tag region, this chain branched into two to the west, between which lie the sources of the river. Naryn. The Sary-jazz valley is located between the Tien Shan ridge and the Tengri-tag group. Semenov depicted the ridges as almost straight; the researchers established their arched character only later.

Within ten years after the expedition of Semyonov, the studies of the Tien Shan were much more modest. None of the travelers could penetrate deep into the Central Tien Shan and Dzungaria. The maps of that time did not yet take into account the materials collected by Semenov. For example, the famous geographer M.I. Veshokov, after visiting the valley of the river. Chu and lake Issyk-Kul in the same years published a work on the Asian borders of the Russian Empire. But his orographic ideas about the Tien Shan are a step backward even in comparison with Semenov's data.

Among the travels to the Tien Shan during this period, the most remarkable is the route of Shokan Valikhanov (1857-1858). Disguised as a merchant, he crossed the Central Tien Shan with a caravan from Verny, past Issyk-Kul, through the Zaukinsky (Dzhuuka) pass to the lake. Chatyrkul and further to Kashgaria. Going on a journey at the request of P.P. Semenov, Valikhanov sought to obtain information about the fate of the German explorer Schlagintveit, who penetrated into Kashgaria from the south and, according to rumors, was killed by one of the local khans. Unfortunately, Valikhanov died shortly after his return, unable to process the valuable geographical materials he had collected. In 1859, the captain of the General Staff, A.F. Golubev, identified 16 astropoints near the lake. Issyk-Kul and in the valley of the river. Tekes. According to his calculations, Lake Issyk-Kul is located at an altitude of 1616.5 m. Thus, the basis was laid for compiling the first accurate maps of the Tien Shan. Three years later (1862-1863), the captain of the General Staff A.P. Protsenko went to Issyk-Kul to survey the passes in the Terskey-Ala-tau ridge. Based on personal observations, he described the passes of Dzhu-uka, Barskoon and Ulakhol and the valleys of Kochkara, Dzhumgal, Lake. Sonkul and Naryn; according to inquiries - the Top and Konur-Ulen passes.

During these years, the conquest of the eastern part of Central Asia by Russia was completed; in 1865 Tashkent was taken. The military authorities decided to link the line of the Syrdarya fortifications with those of Semirechye. All this greatly facilitated the travel of scientists to the Tien Shan. Moreover, the tsarist administration even provided assistance to researchers: to consolidate the gains in Central Asia, peasants were evicted from Ukraine and the central regions of Russia. It was necessary to identify places suitable for settlement.

Taking advantage of the changed situation, N. A. Severtsov, already a well-known explorer of Central Asia, made a number of trips around the Tien Shan. The first trip in 1864 was dedicated to the Zailiysky Alatau, Lake. Issyk-Kul, the northern foothills of the Kyrgyz Alatau and partly Chatkal. In 1865-1866. he makes a number of routes in the vicinity of Tashkent, in the region of the Kara-tash mountains and the Ugam ridge. However, the most interesting and fruitful was his last journey through the Tien Shan in 1867.

In mid-September, the detachment set out from Verny, almost in the same way as Semenov, he rounded the lake from the east. Issyk-Kul and went to its southern coast. Here, Russian troops had already built several fortified posts (Karakol, Aksu at the mouth of the Turgen-Aksu River, etc.), which could serve as a base for traveling deep into the Central Tien Shan.

Then Severtsov went west along the southern coast of the lake, turned into the valley of the river. Barskoun and through the pass of the same name entered the region of the Central Tien Shan syrts. Having penetrated in this way to the sources of the Naryn, the traveler saw to the east the meridional group of Akshiryak mountains. Going down the river Targay is slightly below the place of its confluence with the river. Kurmesty, he then crossed the river. Naryn, moved to the south-west and through the Ulan pass got into the valley of the same name. Severtsov also managed to inspect the valleys of the Atbashi and Aksay rivers, that is, he almost reached the southern border of the Central Tien Shan. The harsh cold of the winter that was setting in the mountains forced Severtsov and his companions to turn back. The traveler returned to the west, along a different path. He surveyed the middle course of the river. Naryn, moving to the north, passed west of the lake. Issyk-Kul and arrived in Tokmok on October 29.

The map of the Northern and Central Tien Shan, which N.A. Severtsov published after his travels, was compiled taking into account not only the information he collected, but also the data of all travelers up to 1869 inclusive. The map already shows in some detail a large number of ridges and mountain ranges. Here, with the exception of the easternmost part of the Central Tien Shan, where no one has been since Semyonov, we can find almost all the features of the modern map.

The collected materials allowed Severtsov to draw some general conclusions about the structure of this mountain system and all of Asia as a whole. The scientist came to the conclusion that the famous Chinese traveler Xuan Jiang most correctly described the Tien Shan. Severtsov himself orographically divided the Tien Shan into two main parts: eastern and western, delimited by the Khan Tengri mountain group. The eastern part is one main range, a watershed between the Ili river basins in the north and the Tarim river basin in the south. In the western part there is an intricate system of plateaus-syrts and individual more or less short ridges. Severtsov considered this feature generally characteristic of the orography of Asia. The researcher completely rejected Humboldt's ideas about the volcanic nature of the Tien Shan and put forward the theory

the slow rise of its ridges, which was revolutionary for the geological science of that time.

In 1867, a little earlier than Severtsov left on his last trip to the Tien Shan, the reconnaissance parties of Kraevsky, who had passed the middle part of the river valley, went there. Naryn, and Poltoratsky, which almost completely crossed (for the first time after Valikhanov) the Tien Shan from north to south. Together with Poltoratsky, who explored the Muzart mountain pass, the botanist F.R. Osten-Saken traveled, who collected a rich collection of the flora of the Southern Tien Shan.

The following year, Buyanovsky barometrically determined the heights of a number of points in the Tien Shan, and in 1869 Kaulbars made a long journey through the southern part of this country, investigating possible routes crossing the Tien Shan. This expedition included topographers Petrov and Reingarten. Travelers moved past the eastern edge of the lake. Issyk-Kul to the Naryn valley. They explored it up to the source of the river in the Akshiryak ridge, then moved west along the Kokshaal-tau ridge past the lake. Chatyrkul. From here the expedition turned north and completed its route in the Talas valley. In the Akshiyryak ridge, a number of glaciers were discovered and described: Muz-tour, Petrova, Akshiyryak, Iirtashsky, and others.

Beginning in 1869, the center of gravity of research shifted to the more western regions of Central Asia, mainly to the Pamirs and the territory of the current Turkmen SSR. Travels in the Tien Shan until the very end of the 19th century. are mostly episodic in nature and are sent to certain areas of this mountainous country.

In the period 1870 -1872. Kaulbars, then A. Shepelev and L. Kostenko survey the area of ​​the Muzart pass, east of the Khan Tengri group. In 1884, professor of botany V.V. Sorokin made a short (18 days) trip to Issyk-Kul, to the gorges of the northern slopes of Terskey-Alatau and further southwest to Lake. Sonkul and, finally, through Dzhumgel and Susamyr to the lower reaches of the Naryn - to the city of Namangan.

The most interesting was the expedition of the Russian Geographical Society undertaken in 1886 on the initiative of P.P. Semenov and I.V. Mushketov, headed by the mining engineer I.V. Tengri-tag, the Terskey-Alatau ridge and the eastern continuation of the Tien Shan - Muzart. In addition, the researchers had to find out a number of geological features of the area, as well as to study the modern and ancient glaciation of this part of the Tien Shan. On July 16, the expedition caravan left Przhevalskaya and moved through the Turgen-Aksu valley to the river. Sary Jazz. Having penetrated to the sources of the river, the expedition climbed the glacier, which P.P. Semenov figuratively called the "Ice Sea". Ignatiev proposed to rename it in honor of Semenov. The mighty contours of Khan-Tengri rise above the upper reaches of the glacier. The members of the expedition decided, just as Semenov did earlier, that the glacier flows down from the slopes of this peak. Moving further south, in the upper reaches of the river. Adyrtor, a tributary of the Sarydzhaz, Ignatiev found a large glacier parallel to the Semenov glacier. The expedition named this glacier after Mushketov, a well-known explorer of Russian Turkestan.

Bad weather prevented Ignatiev and his companions from climbing to the upper reaches of the Mushketov Glacier, and they set off further. A few days later, having crossed the Sarydzhaz ridge, the travelers ended up in the valley of the river. Inylchek - the next tributary of the same Sarydzhaz. The Inylchek River flowed out from under the mighty glacier discovered by Ignatiev. Its entire surface is covered for many kilometers by a chaos of heaps of stone fragments. And this glacier, it seemed to Ignatiev, flows down from the same mountains as the Semenov and Mushketov glaciers. Ignatiev's expedition failed to reach Khan-Tengri Peak. The riddle of the mountain knot remained unsolved.

Ignatiev's failure is natural. To successfully move up the vast glaciers, it is not enough to be an energetic explorer. It is necessary to have a good command of the methods of movement on ice, which are usually used by climbers; you also need to have special equipment. From Ignatiev’s report it is clear what difficulties even a small excursion to the Semenov glacier presented for him and his companions: After resting, we had to descend from a steep icy slope, which presented new difficulties: with a steep slope, up to 30 degrees, it was very difficult to hold on to the poles, the iron ends of which glided over hard ice, as well as horseshoes with spikes on our boots; I had to cut down steps, We moved forward generally safely, although we could not do without falling and rolling down steep slopes.

From the Sarydzhaz valley, through the previously unknown pass Narynkol, the travelers got to the valley of the river. Tekes. On August 16, they arrived in the village of Okhotnichiy, from where they made an excursion to the lake. Beardboswig. From here, Khan-Tengri Peak was photographed for the first time. On August 22, Ignatiev moved to Muzart, and the topographers of the expedition, who were in the Bayankol valley, determined the height of the peak - it turned out to be 24,000 feet. (7320 m).

Significant success was achieved by the botanist A. N. Krasnov, a member of the same expedition. In the river valley He discovered an unknown glacier in Kuil (he discovered seven other glaciers in the Mirtash mountain group), Krasnov completed his route by crossing the Bedel to Kashgaria.

As a result of the work of Semenov and Ignatiev, it was believed that Khan-Tengri is a node from which the Tien Shan ranges diverge like rays in all directions. Therefore, it is natural that most of the subsequent expeditions to the Central Tien Shan sought to penetrate precisely to this peak.

In 1889 Pevtsov's expedition crossed the Tien Shan through the Barskoun and Bedel passes. Ten years later, the French explorer Saint Yves passed through the mountainous country to the west, along the valley of the river. Naryn, and through the Yaasy pass reached Fergana. In the same year, the caravan of the Hungarian expedition of Almasi and Dr. Stummer-Trauenfels approached the Tengri-tag massif. The expedition spent two months in the Saryjaz valley and its environs, hunting and collecting ethnographic and zoological collections. Almasy made no attempts to penetrate up the glaciers.

In the summer of 1900 climbers first arrived in the Saryjaz valley. Prince Borghese and Dr. Broquerel with the famous Swiss guide Zurbriggen decided to gain fame as the winners of the Khan Tengri peak. With difficulty they led their caravan through the Tyuz pass. The expedition reached the Inylchek valley, but the approaches to the glacier and the way along it turned out to be so difficult that the travelers retreated. They made sure that with horses they could not go over the glacier; there were not enough porters. Then Borghese decided to look for approaches to the peak from the south, from Xinjiang. But the climbers were not destined to get there either. First, the caravan was stopped by the turbulent waters of the Kuyukap River. Soon the news of the war that had begun in China forced the travelers to turn back.

Borghese, Broquerel and Zurbriggen made several ascents. Trying to see the Khan-Tengri peak from other peaks, they made mistakes more than once, mistaking one or the other peak for it. Finally, they were happy. They climbed to the saddle between the peaks of Kaindy-tau and Kartysh in the Kaindy ridge separating the Kaindy glacier from the Inylchek glacier. From the saddle - they called it the Akmoynak pass (4560 m) - the climbers saw that the Inylchek glacier had two branches, and decided that the path along it was the only approach to Khan Tengri. Borghese and his companions pursued only sporting goals and did not draw any conclusions about the orography of the area.

In 1902, two expeditions moved almost simultaneously to the heart of the Heavenly Mountains. One of them left the city of Tomsk, headed by professor of botany VV Sapozhnikov; another expedition of the famous German geographer and mountaineer Professor Merzbacher.

Sapozhnikov began his first journey through the Central Tien Shan from Verny on May 23. The explorer crossed Terskey-Alatau. Having visited several valleys on the southern slopes of the ridge, he again returned to Issyk-Kul in the city of Przhevalsk, and from here along the valley of the river. Turgen-Aksu moved deep into the Central Tien Shan. Having passed the Karagyr pass, part of the valley of the river. Ottuk and Terpu pass, Sapozhnikov reached the river. Kuil. Climbing up its valley to the Kuilyu pass, he examined the Arpatektor plateau and the valley of the river. Kurusai, the right tributary of the Kuilyu. Several glaciers met here, and in the upper reaches of the Kuilu and in the ridge of the same name, rising above the valley from the south, a number of snowy peaks over 5000 m high, including. The highest peak at the eastern end of the ridge is Eduard Peak (about 6000 m) (The name was given to Almasi, who saw the peak from the Sary-Jazz valley). Sapozhnikov descended through the Kuilyu pass into the valley of the river. Iirtash and went through its entire upper part to the mouth of the river. Ortotash. Here the researchers turned to the north and crossed the Terekty ridge by the pass of the same name, from which they managed to examine the southern slopes of the Kuilu ridge. Thus, for the first time, a large mountainous region was surveyed between the valleys of the Kuilyu and Iirtash rivers, to the west of the Sarydzhaz valley. Analyzing the direction of the ridges of this part of the mountainous country, Sapozhnikov also decided that "all five folds in the east converge in the Khan-Tengri group ...". This conclusion coincided with the opinion of Semenov and Ignatiev. Sapozhnikov is not limited to this; further he points out: "... in the west they gather into two mountain knots, and the Western Akshiyryak covers the smaller one in the upper reaches of the river Kuilyu and Terekty ...". It "accepts, counting from north to south... Terskey-tau, the Ishigart and Kokshaal ridges; the Terekty knot connects... the Kuilu and Terekty ridges". Both nodes are connected by one of the folds of the Terskey-Alatau ridge. The researcher also analyzes the orography of the area adjacent to the Akshiryak group from the west.

At the last stage of the work, the expedition visited the Sarydzhaz valley, passing it from the Kuilyu valley to the upper reaches, from where the travelers penetrated the Bayankol valley through the Ashuter pass (near Sapozhnikov - Naryn-kol). Along the way, Sapozhnikov climbed the Semyonov glacier to a height of 3783 m, where the open ice was replaced by a solid snow cover. Khan Tengri could not be seen from here, it was covered by clouds. To determine the height of the peaks, on July 7 Sapozhnikov climbed the right slopes of the Ashutor valley. A panorama of mighty snowy peaks opened before the researcher: "I have never seen such an abundance of snow anywhere before or since"3. The height of Khan-Tengri, determined by Sapozhnikov, turned out to be 6950 m.

During the expedition, Sapozhnikov and his companions, especially M. Friedrichsen, surveyed the area, which served as the basis for compiling a map of the Central Tien Shan. Naturally, the image of the ridges in the area immediately adjacent to the Khan-Tengri peak is very indistinct on it, although on the whole the map has introduced a lot of new things.

Sapozhnikov did not try to penetrate to the peak of Khan-Tengri. Merzbacher, one of the greatest climbers of his time, set himself this goal. His companions also had outstanding mountaineering training.

At first, Merzbacher tried to penetrate to Khan-Tengri from the Bayankol Gorge, but soon became convinced that the valley would not lead him to the goal: another large peak closed the gorge, rising up with a two-kilometer wall. Merzbacher called it the "Marble Wall" - layers of excellent marble were visible in the steep slopes of the peak.

The first failure did not disappoint the researchers. To clarify the position of Khan Tengri, travelers made a series of ascents to peaks up to 5500 m high. But this did not work either: the peaks, as it turned out, were chosen unsuccessfully, the approaches to Khan Tengri could not be unraveled. It was necessary to look for other points for review. Then the expedition went to the Saryjaz valley. Having climbed almost any of the surrounding peaks here, you can see the Khan-Tengri pyramid and the gorges extending from the peak to the east. But which of them to get to the foot of the peak? Merzbacher did not know this.

It seemed to Merzbacher's predecessors that the Semyonov Glacier was flowing down the slopes of Khan Tengri Peak. Merzbacher read about it. To test this conjecture, he climbed to the peak rising above the northern shore of the glacier. the same marble wall.

The next to the south was the Mushketov glacier. But even in its upper reaches there was no mysterious peak. The fight against the harsh nature of the high-mountainous Tien Shan is not an easy task. During one of the ascents, which almost ended tragically, the climbers - members of the expedition had to experience the insidious properties of dry powdery snow, which is so characteristic of the Tien Shan. They were already close to the summit when, under their weight, the dry snow, which was loosely lying on the slope, began to slide down. There was an avalanche. A powerful stream of snow carried away four climbers and rushed down with ever-increasing speed. People escaped by chance: having flown about two hundred meters with an avalanche, they fell into a crack on the slope. Having got out of the snow, the climbers did not dare to continue the ascent. If they had been more persistent and still reached the summit, they would have seen the Northern Inylchek glacier and the Khan-Tengri peak in its upper reaches. But... they retreated.

After examining the basin of the Mushketov glacier, Merzbacher went to the Inylchek valley, but did not ascend to its upper reaches. The expedition went through the Muzart Pass to China. The search for the elusive peak was abandoned until next year.

The expedition with a large number of porters climbed the Inylchek glacier. The caravan traveled about 18 km, making its way through the piles of stone fragments that hid the ice. The travelers stopped: the valley forked ahead. Another mighty ice stream crept out of the side valley, leaving to the northeast. Above him, leaving in the sky with snowy peaks, a chain of high mountains rose.

It turned out that Almasy was right: Inylchek consists of two branches separated by a high ridge.

Which gorge to move on? Observations said that it was necessary to look for Khan Tengri in the upper reaches of the northern branch. Travelers walked along the left, southern edge of the glacier. To approach the confluence of the northern branch, it was necessary to cross the entire glacier, which spreads over a wide gorge for more than 3 km.

It seemed that the goal was close. But ... the mouth of the Northern Inylchek was blocked in its entire width by a large glacial lake. Beautiful icebergs floated on the greenish water; steep rocky shores broke off to the lake ... The path was securely closed: it was impossible to cross or bypass the lake. The solution already found slipped away. It was possible to climb further along the southern branch, but did that path lead to the peak?

A tried and tested technique helped: one more ascent, and from one of the peaks on the southern shore of the Merzbacher glacier, he managed to discern the contours of the already familiar peak pyramid of Khan Tengri. We had to move forward, and move quickly: food supplies were running out, and it was far from the base camp.

Exhausted, hungry porters of the expedition climbed another fifteen kilometers up the glacier. They didn't go any further. Only Merzbacher moved forward with two Tyroleans (Alpine guides, from the expedition). Soon they came to the firn fields, which lay here already in a continuous cover. It was much easier to walk on dense snow.

Five hours of continuous brisk walking in the snow. Spurs descending from the ridge limit visibility. What is behind them? Perhaps again the travelers will be disappointed and the riddle of the peak will remain unresolved?

Almost suddenly, from behind a ledge of rocks, a peak sparkled with snow appeared. A few more quick steps, and the marble pyramid of the "Lord of the Spirits" rises unhidden in front of the travelers. It is now visible all, from the foot to the top.

It immediately became obvious that Khan-Tengri is not only not a knot of the largest Tien Shan ranges, but does not even belong to any of them and is located in an independent short range that separates both Inylchek glaciers. Merzbacher determined the height of the peak at 7200 m.

Trying to figure out the location of the Tien Shan ranges, he decided that the knot was the Marble Wall he saw in the Bayankol Gorge. And although Merzbacher was wrong, his opinion was shared by all geographers for many years. Merzbacher again visited the Tien Shan in 1907, but was no longer near Khan Tengri.

After 1903, expeditions to the Central Tien Shan are quite rare, in any case, there is not one equal in importance to those undertaken by Merzbacher and Sapozhnikov. In 1906, the Hungarian geologist G.Prinz, having set off from the city of Andijan, traveled along the Central Tien Shan: through the valleys of Naryn, Sarydzhaz, Bayankol and Tekes. On the way back he visited the lake. Issyk-Kul. Turning from here to the south, he crossed the valleys of the upper reaches of the Naryn and went to the Kokshaal-tau ridge. Three years later, the Prince again arrived in the Tien Shan, this time he immediately headed to the northern slopes of the western part of Kokshaal-tau. Here the traveler visited the little-explored Aksai plateau, crossed the ridge and went south to Kashgaria. The prince explored the unexplored valleys of the Uryuk-Sai and Kontavtau rivers and reached the river. Kokshaal. In the same 1909, Greber also visited the southern slopes of Kokshaal-tau, and the mining engineer K.I. Argentov made a number of routes in the area of ​​Lake. Chatyrkul and in the Atbash and Aksai valleys, i.e., on the northern slopes of the same ridge. In 1910, expeditions of the Resettlement Administration begin to work, but they first go to the western part of the mountainous country, and only in 1912 one of them, led by V.V. Sapozhnikov, penetrates the Central Tien Shan. This time the researcher began with a survey of the area of ​​the Ketmen Range (to the northeast of Alma-Ata). He visited the valleys of the Tekes and Bayankol rivers. Having finished work in this area, the expedition moved to the valley of the river. Saryjaz. Unable to climb the Mushketov glacier (it was hidden by clouds), Sapozhnikov moved further south, crossed the Sarydzhassky ridge (Tuz pass) to the Inylchek valley, then through the At-dzhailau pass to the valley of the river. Kaindy. Here the members of the expedition climbed the glacier and walked along it for more than four hours, but they did not reach the end of the surface moraine, the "pure ice". From the Kaindy valley, the travelers moved further south, through the Uchchat and Kara-archa passes and reached the river. Karaarcha. An attempt to penetrate further along the river gorge. Chichar failed: the narrow canyon turned out to be impassable. Thus, Sapozhnikov penetrated into the southern part of the ranges of the Khan-Tengri group as far as Merzbacher and Borghese. The way back of the expedition lay somewhat to the west and led it to the lower reaches of the river. Inylchek. Having passed the Tyuz pass, she again found herself in the Saryjaz valley. Sapozhnikov visited the lower reaches of the Kuilyu valley and examined its northern tributaries. On this route in the Central Tien Shan ended: through the Terpu pass, the Ottuk valley and the Karagyr pass, the travelers arrived in the Turgen-Aksu valley and the city of Przhevalsk.

In the same 1912, the Turkestan military district conducted a topographic survey of most of the Tien Shan. The topographers approached the tongues of the glaciers of the Khan-Tengri group, but their detachment was very small and poorly equipped. "With the presence of 5 workers and 2 Cossacks, it was impossible to make attempts to at least briefly explore these ice spaces, and shooting, even only route, is possible if a special expedition is organized, properly arranged." There were no climbers among the topographers.

According to the survey data of 1912, the height of Khan-Tengri was equal to 22940 feet. (6992 m). For a long time this figure was on the maps. However, the topographers were wrong by only a few meters.

Years passed. The mountains stood in stern silence. Avalanches crashed down the steep slopes. Stormy rivers carried their foamy waters. But no one tried to penetrate again to the mysterious heights of Tengri-tag. Under the conditions of tsarist Russia, it was not possible to organize a real study of this interesting area.

In 1914, in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bLake. Geologist N. G. Kassin worked in Issyk-Kul, and next year V. V. Reznichenko visited Kapkak, Tekes and Karkara with a hydrological party. He collected significant material on the geology and glaciation of the northern part of Tengri-tag.

By the time Soviet travelers and scientists began to explore the Central Tien Shan, there were still many unclear questions in its orography. Most of the gorges and glaciers in the highest, eastern part of the mountainous country, near the Khan-Tengri group, have not yet been passed by travelers. There were only very general ideas about the Kulyut and Akshiryak groups. Most of the glaciers, and especially the mountain peaks in these areas and in the central part of the Kokshaal-tau ridge, have not yet been set foot by a researcher. No one tried to go through the canyons cut in Kokshaal-tau by the rivers Sarydzhaz and Uzengigush. Naturally, just as for deciphering the "white spot" of the Pamirs, the participation of climbers was required here. That is why, obviously, research was resumed primarily in the Khan-Tengri region. In parallel, an in-depth comprehensive study of the nature of the Central Tien Shan was going on. An important role in this matter was played by the Tien Shan Geographical Observatory, built by the Academy of Sciences in the valley of the river. Kumter, 6 km from the Petrov Glacier.

The first groups of Soviet travelers went to the Inylchek glacier in 1929. At first, these were only reconnaissance of climbers and tourists, but since 1931. A number of scientists of various specialties are already working in the Ukrainian expedition. Gradually, the structure of the ridges of the region, the features and details of its exceptionally powerful and peculiar glaciation were revealed.

In 1929, N. N. Palgov made a very interesting journey to the northern slopes of the central part of the Kokshaal-tau ridge. Here, in the upper reaches of the Aksu and Uzengi-gush rivers, he discovered a number of large, undescribed glaciers; before him, in this area, only topographers who surveyed in 1912 noted significant glaciation.

In 1932-1933. in connection with the 2nd International Polar Year (IPY), the number of expeditions to the Central Tien Shan has increased. For two years, expeditions led by S.V. Kalesnik worked in the region between the Terskey-Alatau and Barkolda ridges. Based in the area of ​​the observatory, they studied the glaciation of these places, discovered and described in detail a number of glaciers of the Akshiryak ridge, revealed the structure of the relief and the geology of the area. They also visited the Semyonov glacier in the Sarydzhaz valley. In 1933, it was planned to explore the northern slopes of Kokshaal-tau, but due to the late start of work, the expedition was forced to limit itself to a small section of the Kokshaal-tau ridge between the Pikertyk and Bedel passes. In 1934, the nature of the syrt of the Central Tien Shan in the region of the Arabelsu plateau was examined by a small group of Leningrad University headed by Professor D. N. Kashkarov.

A more detailed survey of the glaciers of the Barkoldoy Ridge, and then the northern slopes of the Kokshaal-Tau Ridge, fell to the lot of tourists from the Moscow House of Scientists, headed by Professor A. A. Letavet. Having penetrated in 1933, through the Kubergenty pass to the Kagalachay tract, the group visited the Komarov glacier discovered by Palgov and the neighboring, not yet explored Palgov glacier, and then moved east, downstream the river. Uzengigush. Turning south, into the gorge of the river. Jurek, the tourists were exploring another unknown glacier. They named him after S. G. Grigoriev. The following year, A. A. Letavet again came to these places and moved further east. He sought to explore the breakthrough of Kokshaal-tau by the river Uzengi-gush. Visiting the gorge Chonturas, tourists discovered a large glacier there, surrounded by a number of beautiful peaks. The glacier was named after Korzhenevsky. The group soon turned back, having failed to break through to the canyon of the river. Uzengigush, Alpinists visited these places again only in 1938 - it was a sports group of the Wings of the Soviets society, headed by B. Simagin. Climbing the Grigoriev glacier, the climbers went to the top of the peak, which they called "Wings of the Soviets". Bad weather prevented them from reaching the highest point of the mountain.

Research in the area of ​​Khan-Tengri peak continued all these years. Having completed the main survey of the Northern Inylchek glaciers, the climbers headed to the valley of the river. Kuil. Here the faces of the Soviet Constitution and Karpinsky were conquered. The first peak is the highest in the range, apparently the same one that was previously called Edward's Peak. The climbers found that its height was determined incorrectly, it reaches only 5250 m, and not 6000 m, as previously assumed.

During the ascent to the peak of Karpinsky, A. A. Letavet drew attention to a previously unknown peak. "It could be seen far to the east, somewhat south of the Khan-Tengri peak and, it seemed, was not inferior to it in height." The following year, in 1938, an expedition was organized to climb this peak, which was called the peak of the twentieth anniversary of the Komsomol. In 1943, with an accurate topographic survey, it was found that it was the highest in the Tien Shan and the second highest in the country. Then it was renamed Pobeda Peak (7439 m).

Climbers and subsequently visited the Kuilu valley. In 1951, a group of E. A. Kazakova and V. V. Nemytsky visited it, and two years later the climbers of Uzbekistan repeated the ascent to the peak of the Soviet Constitution.

The glaciers of the northern part of Tengri-Tag, flowing into the Bayankol valley, were examined for the first time after Reznichenko by members of the expedition of 1935. Then the group of V.V. Nemytsky opened a pass through the Terskey-Alatau ridge, passing them to the Semenov glacier and into the Sarydzhaz valley. The survey of this area in 1943 and the research work of the sports expedition of A. A. Letavet in 19.46 played a big role in solving one of the last unclear questions of the orography of the Central Tien Shan. It was found that the Marble Wall Peak is not a node from which the Tien Shan ridges diverge radially. And in 1953 and 1954. the expedition of Kazakh climbers, and then the group of V. F. Gusev, accurately established the junction of the Terskey-Alatau and Sarydzhaz ridges.

Since the mid-1930s, researchers of the Central Tien Shan have been increasingly moving from traveling with the tasks of a general geographical description and clarification of the orography of the country to a systematic and in-depth study of its structure and nature. As before, the Tien Shan Station of the Academy of Sciences plays a leading role in this matter.

RELIEF

The Tien Shan is one of the largest and highest mountain systems in Asia and around the world. Most of the Tien Shan ridges have a typical mountain-glacial "Alpine" relief, however, along with sharp ridges and sharp peaks in the central and inner Tien Shan, there are syrts - leveling surfaces, flat, gently dipping wide valleys preserved in the upper belt of mountains, and intermontane spacious depressions located in the middle and lower mountain belts. The syrts and bottoms of the high mountain valleys in the Inner and Central Tien Shan are covered with grassy vegetation and are pastures. On the slopes of the ridges, erosion processes are intensively developing, screes, rockfalls, landslides are formed, and mudflows are formed in the gorges.

CLIMATE

Remoteness from the oceans, significant elevation and complex, highly rugged relief determined the continental climate of the region. Characterized by significant temperature fluctuations both by season and during the day, reduced or moderate rainfall and relative dryness of the air.

High mountain ranges make it difficult for moisture-bearing air currents to access, and in most of the Central Tien Shan, on average, from 200 to 300 mm falls annually. Precipitation. However, in the middle and especially in the highlands, there is more precipitation. So, at an altitude of 3000m, about 420 mm of precipitation falls, at 3500m - up to 570 mm, at 4000m - more than 750 mm. The bulk of precipitation (about 85%) in the region falls on the warm season - in May-July, the minimum - in December-January.

According to long-term data from the Naryn meteorological station, located in the valley at an altitude of 2049m, the annual air temperature is 2.5°C, the January temperature is 17.4°C, the absolute minimum is -32°C. The sum of active temperatures is 2082°, the duration of the frost-free period is 144 days, the period with temperatures above 10° is 142 days. Relative humidity in the warm season ranges from 40 to 55%, and in winter it reaches 80%.

The snow cover falls in mid-November, its average height by the end of February - the beginning of March reaches 25 cm. Snow melting begins in the first decade of March, and it finally disappears at the end of April. The last spring frosts occur at the end of April, and the first autumn frosts at the end of September. Eastern and western winds prevail, their highest speed (up to 20-25 m/s) is observed during the day in the second half of summer. In winter, as a rule, there is calm calm weather.

In the mountains, the climate is harsher. Humidity increases, the duration of the frost-free period decreases. At altitudes of 3400-4000 m, frosts can be repeated throughout the warm season, and precipitation, as a rule, falls only in the form of snow. In the middle mountains, the air temperature in July is 10-15?. Winter in the mountains is longer and colder. In January, the air temperature in the middle mountains is -15-20° below zero, the absolute minimum here is -45°. On the steppe slopes of the southern exposure, in ordinary winters, there is practically no stable snow cover. On the slopes of the northern exposures, it is quite deep and lasts throughout the winter. Avalanches often come down in early spring, foreshadowing the imminent awakening of nature.

VEGETABLE WORLD

The vegetation cover of mountain-steppe landscapes, common at altitudes from 2200 to 3000 m, is represented mainly by turf and feather-grass mountain steppes. Rocky outcrops and screes are often found here. Mountain steppes, occupying the warmest slopes, remain without permanent snow cover almost all winter, which attracts herbivores here.

In summer, the mountain steppes are characterized by the highest air and soil temperatures in the region. At this time, the growth of wormwood, thyme, ephedra, etc. begins. At the end of July, when the vegetation of the mountain steppes begins to dry out, the slopes acquire a uniform yellowish-gray hue, only shrubs and semi-shrubs turn green.

Mountain-meadow complexes are a fairly common occurrence in the Central Tien Shan, they are very diverse. The composition of mid-mountain meadows on chernozem soils is very rich; there are up to 30 species of grasses on an area of ​​1 m2.

The great "Heavenly Mountains", the legendary Tien Shan, has long excited the mind and imagination of many inquisitive Europeans. Shrouded in a cloud of myths and legends, it resisted researchers for a very long time. Enigmatic and hard to reach, even now he has not revealed all his secrets. Even in our time, when transport and tourism technologies have reached an unprecedented level, not everyone is able to enjoy its beauties due to the remoteness and rather harsh climate.

Tien Shan is one of the highest mountain systems of the planet, located in Central Asia. Most of the Tien Shan is located on the territory of Kyrgyzstan and China, but there are some branches within other states - in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan are southwestern, and its northern and remote western territories lie in Kazakhstan. The Tien Shan ridge has a branched appearance and consists of such orthographic regions as the Northern, Western, Central, Inner and Eastern, each of which, in turn, is composed of mountain ranges.

All ranges are separated from each other by intermountain basins with picturesque valleys and lakes. Basically, the ridges of the mountain system are located from west to east, with the exception of the meridional. The total latitudinal extent of the Tien Shan exceeds two and a half thousand kilometers, and along the meridian no more than four hundred kilometers.

The predominant height of the Tien Shan Mountains is about four to five thousand meters, but there are many mountains that have a height of more than six thousand meters. The peaks of the Tien Shan have a height that the mountain peaks of Europe and Africa cannot boast of. The highest point in the mountain system - Pobeda Peak, which is located near the border of China and Kyrgyzstan - reaches 7439 meters above sea level and is the northernmost peak with a height exceeding seven thousand meters.

The second highest mountain in this region is the "Lord of Heaven" - the peak of Khan-Tegri with a height of 6995 meters. These peaks are extremely popular with climbers around the world. The Tien Shan coordinates according to the reference book are 42 and 1 north latitude and 80 and 7 east longitudes. This, of course, is a conditional point on the maps that defines a certain center of this vast mountainous region near the border of Kyrgyzstan with China, and not at all the peak of the Tien Shan. If we talk about what the height of the Tien Shan mountain is, then most often it means the average or predominant height of the mountain system, or the height of one of its famous peaks.

According to its characteristics, the climate of the foothills is sharply continental - very hot and dry summers, severe winters. In the mountains at medium altitude, the climate is more temperate. Annual and especially daily temperature amplitudes are very large and difficult to tolerate by Europeans.


Humidity is extremely low and the weather is usually sunny. Most of the clouds, and hence the precipitation caused by them, are concentrated in high mountain regions. Most of them fall on the western slopes of the mountains, since they are formed from moisture-saturated air masses that came from the Atlantic Ocean. And although the main share of precipitation falls during the warm period, they are not uncommon on the western slopes in winter. For the same reason, on the western slopes, as well as in the basins open to the western wind, winters are snowy, but the eastern slopes and closed valleys are often completely devoid of snow cover. Therefore, the valleys of the Inner and Central Tien Shan are successfully used by residents as convenient winter pastures for livestock. The snow line in the mountains is at a considerable height, due to the exceptionally high dryness of the air. Due to the significant accumulation of ice and snow, these areas are prone to avalanches, especially with the onset of the warm season.

In general, the climate of the Tien Shan is influenced by many different factors - relief, altitudinal zonality, in some places, large alpine lakes, which significantly increase the winter air temperature, have a significant impact.

Due to the harsh climate in winter, there are few visitors to Tien Shan, the main time for traveling in this region is from April to November.

Geographic features

The main feature of this mountain range is rocky mountain ranges, between which there are vast basins. These are the highest mountains belonging to the Alpine folding and their seismic activity has not yet stopped, and quite significant earthquakes that occur from time to time, for example, the 1966 earthquake in Tashkent, indicate that their formation continues. To date, 30-40 minor seismic events are recorded per year.

The mountain ranges are formed by volcanic rocks with admixtures of sedimentary ones, and the basins are formed by sedimentary ones.

In the high-mountain part of the Tien Shan ridges, for the most part, they have sharp, clear ridges with sharp peaks, typical of the so-called alpine glacial relief, but plateaus, traces of ancient leveling, are also quite common. They have a slight slope to one side and are located mainly on the territory of the Inner and Central Tien Shan, but in the Northern they are less common. Often these plateaus are covered with dense vegetation and serve as pastures for the inhabitants.

Mountain slopes are constantly eroded, landslides and rockfalls are not uncommon, and many river valleys are characterized by mudflow activity and are dangerous in the rainy season.

Glaciation

The total area of ​​glaciation in the Tien Shan mountains is more than 7,300 square kilometers, and the number of glaciers exceeds 7,700. The Central Tien Shan is affected by the greatest glaciation, Inylchek is located here - the most significant glacier of the mountain system, its length is about 60 kilometers. This is not the only major glacier.

Also known are the Petrov glacier, which belongs to the Akshiyrak massif, and large glaciers are located on the ridges of the Kakshaal-Too chain. The Terskey-Ala-Too ridge is characterized by flat-top glaciers, which are located on inclined planes high in the mountains in the form of small shields.

In many regions of the mountainous Tien Shan, especially in the Inner and Central, traces of ancient glaciation can be seen. It is assumed that the Tien Shan was subject to glaciation twice, while for the first time it was completely covered by glaciers descending to the very foot of the mountains, which, however, were much higher in those days. The second glaciation, although superior to the modern one, was much weaker than the first.

In our time, in the Tien Shan, there are cirque-type glaciers, as well as valley and hanging glaciers, which pose a great danger to climbers. And although the formation of glaciers does not stop, over the past decades, the area of ​​Tien Shan glaciers has decreased and continues to decrease.

Water system of Tien Shan

Rivers begin in glaciers and do not flow into the sea - this is the main feature of the water system of this mountainous region. Some of the rivers flow into internal lakes, many end in the deserts of Central and Central Asia, there are also rivers with "dry deltas". These are rivers, the waters of which were taken apart for irrigation purposes or simply seeped into the rock.

The rivers of the Tien Shan are fed from glaciers, but there are also those that are filled with melt and rain waters, small rivers that originate in the middle mountains are fed by groundwater.

Rivers here serve not only to irrigate arid valleys. Thanks to an extensive irrigation system, there are many oases, including, for example, Fergana, Tashkent, Talas, Chui and others. Many rivers, due to their rapid flow, are good for generating electricity. On the Naryn, the largest in the Western Tien Shan, there is a cascade of hydroelectric power stations, there are hydroelectric power stations on other rivers.

Tien Shan is a country of lakes. The largest lake, Issyk-Kul, is extremely picturesque and formed in a tectonic depression; its greatest depth exceeds 668 meters. This lake never freezes in winter and undoubtedly has a significant impact on the climate of its area. Like other drainless lakes, it has a low salinity - a little more than five ppm. It did not have time to salinize more strongly because of its relatively recent formation and the colossal volume of water contained in it. Due to the extraordinary picturesqueness and favorable ecological conditions, the lake has become one of the most visited tourist places in Kyrgyzstan and is available for visiting all summer.

Other high-altitude lakes, for example, Chatyrkel and Sonkel, located at an altitude of more than three thousand meters, are ice-bound for almost the entire year. There are many small lakes on the varietal (pasture) plains in the upper reaches of the Naryn River and in other areas.

Lake Tianchi in the Eastern Tien Shan is located in China and translates as "Heavenly Lake", as well as many other attractions in China. The crescent shape and the mountain slopes covered with forests and flowers make it very picturesque. There are many things associated with this lake. legends about immortality. Also, some believe that primitive monsters have survived and live to this day in its deep waters.

Flora and fauna of the Tien Shan

It is worth noting that the main feature of the Tien Shan nature is its arrangement in accordance with the laws of altitudinal zoning, so it is difficult to talk about the nature of this mountainous area as something single - it is different everywhere and changes with increasing altitude, as well as climatic zones.

The plains bordering the mountains are clayey deserts. In the foothills they are replaced by semi-deserts and desert-type steppes. Here, respectively, you can meet representatives of the steppe and desert fauna - jerboas, topai hares, gazelles, ground squirrels and gerbils, various lizards and snakes. Of the birds, bustards and larks, partridges, and various representatives of birds of prey are common.

Then cereals and bulbous grasses are replaced by shrubs and forests. Deciduous forests are interspersed with thickets of shrubs, among which rose gardens are not uncommon - dense thickets of wild rose.

Numerous pastures are located in the mountain-steppe and mountain-meadow zones.
Well-known forest animals such as wolves, bears, wild boars, foxes live in the forests. Lynx and roe deer live in coniferous forests. Many birds inhabit the forests, the most typical representatives are the crossbill, nutcracker, juniper grosbeak.

In the climatic zone of alpine meadows marmots, voles, larks, argali sheep and Tien Shan bear, mountain goat and snow leopard are common. Lush vegetation, real alpine forbs, allows you to allocate areas for pastures.
The lakes are inhabited by fish of local species, some of which are of commercial importance (carp, chebak), and waterfowl nest on the slopes around them - swans, geese, ducks.

The nature of the Tien Shan is very rich and diverse. Since the climate of all slopes and valleys has differences, both the plants growing there and the animals are striking in diversity. During spring flowering, the steppe and desert become extraordinarily picturesque.

mountain tourism

The mountainous country of Tien Shan is of great interest to lovers of mountain tourism. There are many routes developed here for both beginners and experienced climbers. In addition to the repeatedly passed and well-known routes, there are completely new, unexplored, fraught with mysteries and adventures. In addition, everyone can choose a route in accordance with their climatic preferences: snowy peaks, glaciers, rocks, mountain rivers and lakes, an abundance of waterfalls, beautiful views are an inexhaustible source of new experiences.

Sanatoriums and resorts were founded on the shores of large mountain lakes. For lovers of skiing, ski slopes are arranged on the territory of comfortable ski resorts. The most "inhabited" and visited part of the mountain range is the Northern Tien Shan, due to the proximity of cities and developed tourist infrastructure. The Western Tien Shan is extremely convenient for all types of travel, because it is located simultaneously on the lands of three countries - Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, there are many access roads to tourist routes, mountain recreation centers have been built, there is an extensive network of roads.

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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 the name: in translation, it means "Heavenly Mountains". In order to understand where the Tien Shan mountains are located, you just need to look at the atlas: they pass through the territory of 5 countries 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. The movement of tectonic plates, of a differentiated type, made the modern relief stepwise, with powerful erosion, with the emergence of the deepest valleys near 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 seized 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.

The largest part of them is 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 the rivers of Central Asia are fed by 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. There is also water transport, which runs from Rybachye station to the village. Przhevalsk.

In the summer heat, the azure-emerald clear waters of Issyk-Kul is a favorite vacation spot for many 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 there is a high probability of avalanches during the warm period, this is the best time to travel to the Tien Shan mountains, since for most Europeans the harsh winter climate is difficult to 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: stoats, 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", the snowy "Kashka-Suu", the high-mountainous "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-mountain, each of which has its own characteristics of climate, flora and fauna, landscape.

Peak, Semyonov glacier, Semyonov ridge, Talgar.

Geographical names of the world: Toponymic dictionary. - M: AST. Pospelov E.M. 2001 .

TIAN SHAN

mountain system in Middle and Central. Asia. Length from 3. to E. 2500 km, the highest point is Pobeda Peak. Alpine folding, the remains of ancient leveled surfaces have been preserved at an altitude of 3000-4000 m in the form of syrts. Modern tectonic activity is high, earthquakes are frequent. The mountain ranges are composed of igneous rocks, the basins are composed of sedimentary rocks. Deposits of mercury, antimony, lead, cadmium, zinc, silver, in the basins - oil. The relief is predominantly alpine, with glacial forms, scree, above 3200 m permafrost is widespread. There are flat intermountain basins (Fergana, Issyk-Kul, Naryn). The climate is continental, temperate. Snowfields and glaciers. The rivers belong to the basins of internal flow (Naryn, Ili, Chu, Tarim, etc.), lakes. Issyk-Kul. Song-Kel, Chatyr-Kel. Altitudinal zonation. FLORIDA, peninsula in the south-east. Sev. America between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. Low swampy plain up to 99 m high, composed mainly of limestone, karst is developed. The climate is oceanic. Lots of lakes and swamps. Forests of pines, magnolias, palm trees, mangroves along the coasts. To the east coast numerous resorts (Miami), Cape Canaveral East. test site with the Space Center. J. F. Kennedy.

Brief geographical dictionary. EdwART. 2008 .

Tien Shan

(Chinese - "heavenly mountains"), a mountainous country in Centre. Asia. Zap. h. is located on the territory of Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, east. h. - in China. It extends in the latitudinal direction for 2450 km between 40 and 45 ° N, 67 and 95 ° E. On S. through Mt. Boro-Khoro connects with Dzungarian Alatau , in the south is associated with Alai ridge. mountain system Hissar-Alay. Zap. T.-Sh. from the north it is bounded by the Ili basin, from the south - Ferghana Valley , Vost. T.-Sh. - respectively Dzungarian basin and Tarim Plain . Consists of mountain ranges, elongated preim. in latitudinal and sublatitudinal directions; only on the border with China does the Meridional Ridge extend. with the highest peaks of T.-Sh.: Pobeda peak (7439 m) and Khan-Tengri (6995 m). On SZ. T.-Sh. there are ridges Ketmen , Zailiyskiy Alatau , Kungei-Ala-Too and Kyrgyz; on the app. tip stands out Talas Alatau with adjoining ridges Chatkal, Pskemsky, Ugamsky and Karatau , to the center. hours, south of Issyk-Kul basin ridges lie Fergana, Kokshaaltau , Terskey-Ala-Too and the Ak-Shyirak massif, as well as the shorter ranges of Borkoldoy, Dzhetim-Bel, At-Bashi and etc.
In Vost. T.-Sh. two bands of mountain ranges are clearly expressed, separated by a latitudinally elongated band of valleys and basins. The height of the main ranges is 4000–5000 m, some peaks rise to 6500 m or more. All in. the chain includes the ridges: Boro-Khoro, Iren-Khabyrga, Bogdo-Shan, Barkeltag, Karlyktag. South the mountain chain is shorter, it includes the ranges located on the border with China Ketmen , Meridional, as well as Halyktau, Narat, Saarmin, Kuruktag. At the foot of the East T.-Sh. situated Turfan basin .
Relief preim. alpine, high-mountainous with glacial forms, grandiose taluses on the slopes, permafrost is widespread above 3200 m, leveled spaces - syrts are not uncommon at altitudes of 3000–4000 m. In the middle and low mountains there are mudflow cones. At the foot of many ridges there are bands of foothills (counters, or adyrs). Intermountain ( Fergana, Issyk-Kul, Naryn, etc.) and marginal (Chui, Talas, Ili, etc.) depressions have flat or slightly hilly bottoms with wide river valleys, lakes and swamps. Frequent earthquakes. Many minerals: mercury, antimony, lead, zinc, silver, tungsten, phosphorite, miner. water; in the basins - deposits of oil (in particular in the Ferghana Valley), brown and stone. coal.
The climate is sharply continental. Main hours of mountains lies in the temperate zone, the ranges of the south-west. hours are influenced by dry subtropics. In the bottom belt of mountains July temperatures 20–25 ° С, on Wednesday. belt 15–17 °С, at the foot of the glaciers 5 °С and below. Avg. the January temperature is -6 °С and below, thaws are possible in the middle mountains. Precipitation in the foothills and intermountain depressions is from 300 mm, in the highlands up to 1000 mm per year or more. There are many snowfields, the mountains are avalanche-prone. Extensive glaciation: within the Middle Asian countries, there are approx. 7600 glaciers with a total area 7310 km², approx. 8900 glaciers on the square. 9190 km². Numerous are valley, cirque and hanging glaciers, and in Int. T.-Sh. - flat top glaciers. The largest glaciers (South and North. Engilchek , Kaindy , Mushketova) of the dendritic type. Rivers T.-Sh. belong to internal bass Centre. Asia: Naryn , Sary Jazz , Syrdarya , Or , Chu , Tarim , Konchedarya . Lakes are located in intermountain depressions Issyk-Kul , Bagrashköl , Song-kyul , Chatyr-Kol , Bar-Kel. The altitudinal zonality of landscapes is clearly expressed. On the piedmont plains and in the low foothills there are semi-deserts or desert steppes with ephemeral vegetation. Above 900–1200 m, grass-forb steppes in the north and tall grass semi-savannas in the south. Above 1200–2000 m, meadow steppes, thickets of shrubs, and deciduous forests; above 2,000 m, coniferous forests (spruce and fir). At altitudes of 2800–3400 m - subalpine and alpine meadows, predominantly. to the sowing slopes; on syrts - landscapes of cold deserts. Above 3600–3800 m landscapes of the nival-glacial belt, eternal snow and ice. In the foothill and low-mountain regions of T.-Sh. goitered gazelle, polecat, tolai hare, ground squirrel, jerboa, etc.; in the middle mountains - wild boar, lynx, brown bear, badger, wolf, fox, marten, roe deer, etc.; in the highlands - marmot, vole, mountain goat (teke), mountain sheep (argali), ermine, occasionally snow leopard. Reserves: Issyk-Kul, Almaty, Aksu-Dzhabagly , Sary-Chelek, Chatkal, Besh-Aral and others.

Dictionary of modern geographical names. - Yekaterinburg: U-Factoria. Under the general editorship of Acad. V. M. Kotlyakova. 2006 .

Tien Shan

mountainous country in Central Asia. Zap. part is located on the territory. Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, east. some are in China. Located between 40 and 45 ° N. latitude, 67 and 95 ° in. etc., stretching in the latitudinal direction for 2450 km, including within the boundaries of the Central Asian states for 1200 km. On S. through Mt. Boro-Khoro connects with the Dzungarian Alatau, in the south it is connected with the Alai Range. mountain system of Gissar-Alay. The Western Tien Shan is bounded in the north by the Ili Basin, and in the south of the Ferghana Basin, the Eastern Tien Shan by the Dzhungar and Kashgar Basins, respectively. Consists of mountain ranges, elongated mainly in the latitudinal and sublatitudinal direction; only on the border with China passes the Meridional ridge. with the highest peaks of the Tien Shan: the peak of Tomur, or Pobeda (7439 m), and Khan-Tengri (6995 m). The Chinese name for the Tien Shan is "Heavenly Mountains".

In the Eastern Tien Shan, two bands of mountain ranges are clearly expressed, separated by a latitudinally elongated band of valleys and basins. Height Ch. ridges 4000–5000 m, some peaks rise to 6500 m or more. Sev. the mountain range stretches from the south. spurs of the Dzungarian Alatau to the west. outskirts of the Gobi. It includes the ridges: Boro-Khoro, Eren-Khabirga, Bogdo-Ula, Barkeltag, Karlyktag. South the mountain chain is shorter, it includes the Ketmen, Meridional ridges located on the border with China, as well as Khalyktau, Narat, Saarmin, Kuruktag. At the foot of the East Tien Shan is located Turfan depression with a bottom 155 m below sea level. m.
The relief is predominantly alpine, high-mountainous, with glacial forms; 3000–4000 m, leveled surfaces are not uncommon - syrty. In the middle and low mountains there are mudflow cones. At the foot of many ridges there are bands of foothills (counters, or adyrs). Intermountain (Fergana, Issyk-Kul, Naryn, and others) and marginal (Chui, Talas, Ili, and others) depressions have flat or slightly hilly surfaces with river valleys, lakes, and swamps. Earthquakes are frequent in the Tien Shan. Many minerals: mercury, antimony, lead, zinc, silver, tungsten, phosphorites, mineral waters; in the basins - deposits of oil (in particular, in the Ferghana Valley), brown and coal.


Tien Shan. Ridge Terskey-Ala-Too

The climate is sharply continental. Main part of the mountains lies in the temperate zone, the ridges are southwest. parts are influenced by dry subtropics. In the lower belt of mountains cf. July temp 20–25 °C, Wed. belt 15–17 °C, at the foot of the glaciers 5 °C and below. Wed January temperatures are -6 °C and below, thaws are possible in the middle mountains. The amount of precipitation increases with height (from 300 mm in the foothills to 1000 mm per year in the highlands). There are many snowfields, the mountains are avalanche-prone. Extensive glaciation: within the Central Asian countries, there are approx. 7600 glaciers with a total area 7310 km², on ter. China is known approx. 8900 glaciers on the square. 9190 km². There are numerous valley, cirque and hanging glaciers, and in the Inner Tien Shan - flat top glaciers. The largest glaciers (South and North Engilchek, Kaindy, Mushketova) are of the dendritic type.
The Tien Shan rivers belong to the internal bass. Centre. Asia: Naryn, Sary-Jaz, Syrdarya, Ili, Chu, Tarim, Konchedarya. In the intermountain depressions there are lakes Issyk-Kul, Bagrashkul, Song-Kol, Chatyr-Kol, Barkel. The altitudinal zonality of landscapes is clearly expressed. On the piedmont plains and in the low foothills there are semi-deserts or desert steppes with ephemeral vegetation. Above 900–1200 m, grass-forb steppes in the north and tall-grass semi-savannas in the south. Above 1200–2000 m, meadow steppes, thickets of shrubs, and deciduous forests, above 2000 m replaced by coniferous forests of spruce and fir. At the height 2800–3400 m - subalpine and alpine meadows, mainly in the north. slopes; on the syrtah- landscapes of cold deserts. Above 3600–3800 m - landscapes of the nival-glacial belt, eternal snow and ice.
Within the foothill and low-mountain regions of the Tien Shan, goitered gazelle, polecat, tolai hare, ground squirrel, jerboas, etc. live; in the middle mountains, the inhabitants of the forest are wild boar, lynx, brown bear, badger, wolf, fox, marten, roe deer, etc .; in the highlands - marmots, voles, mountain goats (teke), mountain sheep (argali), ermine, occasionally snow leopard. There are significant specially protected territories in the Tien Shan, in particular, a number of reserves: Issyk-Kul, Alma-Ata, Aksu-Dzhabagly, Sary-Chelek, Chatkal, Besh-Aral, etc.

Geography. Modern illustrated encyclopedia. - M.: Rosman. Under the editorship of prof. A. P. Gorkina. 2006 .

Synonyms:

See what "TIAN-SHAN" is in other dictionaries:

Khan Tengri Peak at sunset ... Wikipedia

Mountain system in Central and Central Asia, mainly in the territory of Kyrgyzstan and China; northern and western ranges in Kazakhstan, southwestern tip in Uzbekistan. The length from west to east is about 2500 km. The largest peaks in ... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

Tien Shan- Tien Shan. Spruce forests. TIAN SHAN, a mountain system in Central and Central Asia, in Kyrgyzstan and China. The highest points are Pobeda Peak (7439 m) and Khan Tengri (6995 m). Alpine relief with glacial forms prevails; on the slopes of the scree. Large intermountain… Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

TIAN SHAN, a mountain system in Central and Central Asia, in Kyrgyzstan and China. The highest points are Pobeda Peak (7439 m) and Khan Tengri (6995 m). Alpine relief with glacial forms prevails; on the slopes of the scree. Large intermountain (Fergana, Issyk ... ... Modern Encyclopedia

Mountain system in Wed. and Center. Asia, on the territory of Kyrgyzstan and China; northern and western ranges in Kazakhstan. Length from west to east approx. 2500 km. The largest peaks in the Center. Tien Shan (Pobeda Peak, 7439 m, Khan Tengri, etc.), from which to the west ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

Central Tien Shan

The Central Tien Shan is the highest and most majestic part of the Tien Shan mountain system. This is a huge "knot" of mountain ranges with a total length of about 500 km from west to east and 300 km from north to south. This is the most picturesque area of ​​the Tien Shan, which is a complex system of intertwining mountain ranges (Terskey-Ala-Too, Sary-Jazz, Kui-Lyu, Tengri-Tag, Enilchek, Kakshaal-Too, Meridional Range, etc.), crowned with majestic peaks the northernmost of the highest mountains of the planet - Lenin Peak (7134 m), Pobeda Peak (7439 m) and the fantastic Khan-Tengri Pyramid (7010 m, probably the most beautiful and difficult to climb peak of the Tien Shan). In the north, the Boro-Khoro ridge connects the Tien Shan with the Dzungarian Alatau system. Almost the entire territory of this region is located above 1500 m above sea level, and the mountain peaks are covered with centuries-old snow caps, giving rise to dozens of glaciers, rivers and streams. There are more than 8,000 ice fields and glaciers here, the most representative of which are the Southern (about 60 km long) and Northern (35 km) Inylchek (Enilchek, "Little Prince"), Jetyoguz-Karakol (22 km), Kaindy (26 km) , Semenov (21 km) and others, whose total area exceeds 8100 sq. km.

The relief near most of the Tien Shan ranges is high-mountainous, strongly dissected by numerous valleys (the northern slopes are cut much more strongly than the southern ones), with highly developed glacial forms. There are many screes on the slopes, glaciers are found, moraines on the glaciers, and numerous alluvial fans at the foot. The valleys of mountain rivers have a large elevation difference and a well-marked stepped profile with flat marshy terraces - "sazes". Many large valleys are surrounded by high-mountain plateaus - "syrts", whose height sometimes reaches 4700 m. On the plateau and uplands of the middle-altitude part of the ridges, high-mountain pastures "jailoo" are spread, covered with forbs and alpine meadows. At altitudes from 1000 to 2000 meters, the foothills of the ridges are bordered by foothill adyrs. There are about 500 lakes here, the largest of which are Song-Kul (Son-Kul - "disappearing lake", 270 sq. km) and Chatyr-Kel (Chatyr-Kul, 153 sq. km).

The Central Tien Shan is a real Mecca of international mountaineering, therefore, it is the neighborhood of the seven-thousanders that is the most studied part of the Tien Shan. The most popular points of attraction for climbers and trekkers are the areas of the Tengri-Tag ridge and Khan-Tengri peak ("Lord of the Sky", 7010 m), Tomur Pass, Pobeda Peak (7439 m) and the Inylchek Glacier, the basin of the unique Merzbacher Lake in the eastern part of the mountain systems, Semenov-Tyan-Shansky peak (4875 m), Svobodnaya Korea peak (4740 m) and the famous Crown (4855 m) as part of the Kyrgyz ridge, Communism peak (7505 m) and Korzhenevskaya peak (7105 m, this is already Pamir, but few climbers will agree to pass by these great mountains), the ice walls of the Kakshaal-Too (Kokshaal-Tau) ridge, which includes three peaks with a height of more than 6000 m and about a dozen peaks with a height of more than 5000 m, the Ak-Shyirak massif and many other equally attractive regions.

Despite the harsh climate and mountainous landscape, the territory of the Tien Shan has been inhabited since ancient times, as evidenced by numerous stone sculptures, rock paintings and burial grounds scattered in abundance throughout the territory of this mountainous country. Historical and cultural monuments of the medieval period are widely represented - fortified settlements like Koshoy-Korgon, which arose on the basis of nomadic camps, khan's headquarters and on caravan routes from the Ferghana Valley through the Tien Shan. One of the most famous and popular tourist sites in this region is the Tash-Rabat caravanserai (X-XII centuries), built in the hard-to-reach, but picturesque Kara-Koyun gorge. Also widely known are Saimaluu-Tash or Saimaly-Tash ("Patterned Stones") - a whole gallery of rock paintings in the gorge of the same name (more than 107 thousand petroglyphs of the II-III millennium BC) not far from Kazarman, stone sculptures of Kyr-Jol (VI -VIII centuries) on the shores of Lake Song-Kol, petroglyphs of the Chumysh rocks (III-I thousand years BC, Ferghana Range), numerous rock paintings of the Issyk-Kul, Naryn and Talas regions. The ancient caravan route through the Torugart pass (height 3752 m) also deserves attention. This long (total length of about 700 km) route from Central Asia to Chinese Kashgar (Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Okrug) passes through cold gorges and narrow passes of Terksey-Ala-Too, Moldo-Too, At-Bashi and Maidantag, through grandiosely beautiful landscapes and ancient caravan routes of the Great Silk Road.

Western Tien Shan

The mountain system of the Western Tien Shan lies on the very edge of the Tien Shan mountainous country, leaving its spurs to the hot sands of the deserts of Central Asia. The relief of these places is somewhat lower than in the central part of the mountain system, the leveling surfaces are more extensive, and the elevated plateaus are less numerous (Palatkhon, Angren, Ugam and Karzhantau - all in the west of the region). The highest points of the Western Tien Shan are Chatkal Peak (4503 m) in the eponymous range, Manas Peak (4482 m) in Talas Alatau and Mount Baubash-Ata (4427 m) in the western part of the Ferghana Range. Glaciation is insignificant, the snow line runs along the heights of 3600-3800 m on the northern slopes and 3800-4000 m on the southern ones. The rivers of the Western Tien Shan (Angren, Akbulak, Itokar, Karaunkur, Koksu, Maidantal, Mayli-Suu, Naryn, Oygaing, Padysha-Ata, Pskem, Sandalash, Ugam, Chatkal and others) are rapids, have glacial and snow nutrition, and flow along narrow gorges (in the upper reaches), in the middle reaches they usually have wide valleys, but in the lower reaches they again form canyon forms. It is simply difficult to find better places for rafting and rafting than local rivers.

The vegetation of the Western Tien Shan, despite the low amount of precipitation falling here, is quite diverse - steppes and deciduous forests in the lower belt, shrubs and meadows in the middle, as well as alpine meadows and high mountain wastelands closer to the peaks. About 370 species of animals and about 1200 species of higher plants live here, and the complex relief leads to the formation of numerous local ecocenoses inhabited by unique species of plants and animals. Therefore, the mountainous regions of the Western Tien Shan, although they are mastered by tourists to a much lesser extent than the eastern regions, have their own undoubted set of attractions. The level of difficulty of the hikes conducted here is much lower, so less trained tourists can take part in them, and their relatively short length makes it even easier to pass. The easiest routes are laid through the ridges of Keksuisky, Kuraminsky, Sargardon-Kumbel, Ugamsky and Chatkalsky. Somewhat more difficult, II-III categories, go through the Talas Alatau, Pskem and Maidantal (Maidantag) ridges, along the mountains of Baubash-Ata, Isfan-Jailau, Kekirim-Tau (Fergana Range), and the most difficult routes pass in the same regions, capturing the surroundings of the peaks of Chatkal (4503 m), Manas (4482 m) and Kattakumbel (3950 m) and Babayob (3769 m), since the relief here is so diverse that it allows you to pass sections of all levels of complexity within one route.

The most favorable time for trekking in the mountains of the Western Tien Shan is from late April to late October, but already in March-May there is a huge number of both organized groups and "wild" tourists.