Tien Shan or " sky mountains» - one of the highest and most visited by tourists mountain systems throughout the CIS countries. This grandiose mountain country located mainly in the western part Kyrgyzstan a and on east China. Its northern and northwestern ridges reach Kazakhstan a, and the southwestern spurs ran through the territories Uzbekistan a and Tajikistan a. Thus, throughout the post-Soviet space, Tien Shan mountains stretched out in a kind of arch, more than 1200 km long and almost 300 km wide.
Scientists attribute Tien Shan to fairly old mountains of the period of the Caledonian and Hercynian folding, which underwent subsequent uplift in the Alpine era.
However, it must be said that the tectonic activity of this mountain system continues today, as evidenced by its high seismic activity.
Many glaciers give rise mountain rivers - tributaries of the Naryn as a river descends along a huge staircase from Tien Shan, overcoming 700 km of the way and gaining gigantic power. Not surprisingly, the number of large and medium-sized power plants built on Naryn e exceeds ten.
Remarkable in beauty Tien Shan lakes, and its main pearl - Issyk-Kul, which occupies a giant tectonic depression between mountain ranges Kungey- and Terskey-Alatau. Its maximum depth reaches 702 m, and the area water surface while it is 6332 square meters. m. The lake is the seventh largest and third deepest natural reservoir in the entire post-Soviet space.
The most significant lakes of the Inner Tien Shan are also Song-Kel and Chatyr-Kel, by now considered to be drying out. On the territory of the Syrts and in the zone of low moraine relief there are quite a few small lakes, in the highlands there are glacial and periglacial reservoirs, they are interesting in themselves, but of any serious significance for the climate Tien Shan do not represent.
Mountaineering potential of the Tien Shan.
Central Tien Shan.
There are two areas here - glacier regions South Inylchek and Kaindy.
Southern Inylchek.
It is located in the extreme eastern part of the country, on the border with Kazakhstan om and China, and includes eastern slopes of the Kokshaltau ridges, Inylchek-Tau, Saryjaz, as well as Tengri-Tag ranges and Meridional. This area is one of largest glaciers in the world - South Inylchek, the length of which is 62 km, and the width reaches 3.5 km, with an average ice thickness of up to 200 m. Also here are two seven thousandths» peaks- Victory Peak and Peak Khan-Tengri, 23 peaks over 6000m and about 80 peaks, with a height of 5000-6000m. More than 70 routes have been passed in the region, but two " six thousandths» peaks and about 20 « five-thousanders' remained unconquered.
The marked mountainous areas were practically not visited by climbers and still hold great prospects for pioneers.
Fann Mountains - through the eyes of a leader
Championship of Russia in mountain tourism technique (all-around) - through the eyes of an eyewitness
Moscow. Personnel training
Strategy and tactics of mountain hikes
The history of one state of emergency
Valera Khrishchaty
Icefall
Harmo Peak, 6595 m. Traverse
Fan mountains. Mountain hike 6 class
Traverses
First ascents
Tien Shan - 1993
Geography
Here we will talk about the high-altitude part of the Tien Shan, which includes a fairly large number of peaks with a height of more than 6000 m. If you take a map, you can see that only an insignificant part of this region lies on the territory of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, while a large part - on the territory of China. Strictly speaking, the Kyrgyz part of the high-altitude Tien Shan is the Tengritag, Kokshaaltau ridges (its eastern part to the Sarydzhaz river), and the Meridional ridge in a short section from the Marble Wall to Rapasov Peak. But if we take the area as a whole for hiking, it is worth adding here the “adjacent” ridges - the eastern tip of Terskey-Alatau, Adyrtor, Sarydzhaz, Inylchektau, Kaindy-Katta, Aktau.The largest glacier here is the southern Inylchek, in the area of Lake Merzbacher, its northern branch branches off from it - the northern Inylchek. Other large glaciers in the area are Semenova, Mushketova, Bayankolsky, Kaindy, Kuyukap. The southern Inylchek glacier has many tributaries, including large ones that have received their name. The northern tributaries are the Demchenko, Razorvanny, Semenovsky, and Stav glaciers.
 Top view of the upper reaches of the Sarydzhaz and Tengritag ridges |
From the west, the region is limited by the level of the lower reaches of the Sarydzhaz River. The dimensions of the Kyrgyz part are 50-70 km in the latitudinal direction, 20-50 km in the meridional direction.
The Chinese part of the high-altitude Tien Shan borders on Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. And in the same way, the highest point of the Chinese Tien Shan is Pobeda Peak, which in China bears the name of Tomur. On the Chinese side, the high-mountain Tien Shan (with an average height of 5500-6000 m and possible passes with a height of 4700-6000 m) stretches for more than 100 km from west to east, having a width in the meridional direction of 50-70 km. This area is about 4-5 times larger than "our" side. And the whole area is practically unexplored. Strictly speaking, we can say that the entire high-altitude part of the Tien Shan is located east of the meridian 79o05 'and stretches east for several hundred kilometers (and further, but already falling below 6000 m), approximately between 43o and 41o parallels. The Kyrgyz part of the high-altitude Tien Shan in the "List of high mountain passes" is highlighted in a separate section - " East End central Tien Shan", in the "List of classified peaks" is scattered throughout the Tien Shan in alphabetical order ridge names. And in this area there is the northernmost seven-thousander in the world - Pobeda Peak (Tomur), 7439 m. Focusing on the ridges, whose names we are used to, we can also describe the Chinese part of the region a little. All the ridges along the parallels - these are Sarydzhaz, Tengritag, Kokshaaltau - have their continuation to the east, for another 30-40 kilometers, to the river Muzart. The Sarydzhaz ridge moves further to the east in the area of mark 4910 - this is somewhat south of the Kitaysky pass, Tengritag - between the peaks of the Marble Wall and the Russian Geographical Society, Kokshaaltau - from the village of Rapasov (6814). The Kokshaaltau ridge, along with its continuation, has an extensive network of southern spurs up to 50 km long, which are more like independent ridges. One of them - with the peak of Kashkar - can be safely called the Kashkartau ridge. Starting in the area of the "obelisk" at the village of Pobedy, it stretches to the south, and then with several branches to the west and east for 60-80 km, and the total length of all its spurs exceeds 200 km. The key peak of this ridge is the village of Kashkar - 6435 m, in the immediate vicinity of it one can note several more noticeable six-thousanders - this is Kashkar Yu., about 6250 m, and c. 6050 (although visually it seemed to me that it was higher, closer to 6300). This ridge can be considered the most developed today, because it was here that two expeditions were concentrated. It is in the vicinity of the Kashkartau ridge that the zone of the most grandiose glaciation of the southern part of the high-altitude Tien Shan is probably located. To the west of the ridge flows the huge Temirsu glacier (the length of the main body of the glacier is about 40 km) with an extensive network of tributaries - everything that is seen from above is amazing. Especially when you consider that none of the athletes who are fond of mountains have yet appeared on this glacier. From the east - the already "developed" Chonteren glacier, and to the south of the village of Kashkar - the Kochkarbashi glacier. And only in the Kashkartau ridge one can note several dozens of logical, but no one passed passes. In the area of the tongue of the Temirsu glacier, another six-thousander rises.The glaciation zone continues further to the east, mirroring all glaciers in the Meridional Ridge. The northern Inylchek glacier is reflected to the east by the Karagul glacier, and the southern Inylchek by the Tugbelchi glacier. Both of these glaciers are 35-40 km long.
Here it is worth noting several interesting objects for future expeditions. First of all, this is a continuation of the Tengritag ridge - between the Karagul and Tugbelchi glaciers, it stretches to the east for 30 kilometers, before it begins to decline, and along its entire length, regular marble pyramids rise - the twin brothers of the Khantengri settlement. The first of them - 6769, then sequentially - 6550, 6510, 6497, etc. The last of them, already at the level of the tongues of the Karagul and Tugbelchi glaciers - 6025. The main body of the Tugbelchi glacier flows at an altitude of 4000 m and below, and already approaches to these pyramids they break off on the Tugbelchi glacier with grandiose walls - at least in that part of the ridge that we saw in 2002. It is likely that in this continuation there will also be no simple passes, and there are no passed ones. In the eastern continuation of the Kokshaaltau ridge there are also independent very interesting objects - this is peak 6435 (according to other maps - 6342), which rises above the Tugbelchi pass, and somewhat to the east - a node in. 6571 - 3-4 peaks above 6000 m can be noted there.To the west of this node - the Kichikteren glacier - eastern neighbor Chonteren Glacier. The spur or ridge that separates the Chonteren and Kichikteren glaciers is a direct continuation of the Meridional ridge, which dissolves into the plain 40-50 kilometers to the south.
Even further to the east, already beyond the Muzart River, there is another glaciation zone headed by the Muzart-Baskelmes glaciers (35-40 kilometers long) and a grandiose ridge from the south of the glacier with the main peak 6637 beautiful name The white lotus is exactly the peak on which there was one successful ascent of the Japanese expedition. This ridge to some extent looks like a continuation of the Tengritag ridge, cut here by the river. Muzart, just like Kokshaaltau, is cut through the river. Sarajaz. And the White Lotus peak is not the only one here - on a section of the ridge of 15-20 km, another 7-8 six-thousanders can be noted, which, again, no one has yet climbed. Heights - 6596, 6555, 6549, etc. We have not even seen this part of the Chinese Tien Shan, and I hope that the next expedition to this area will allow us to start at least look into this corner.
Entrances, approaches, decoration
Unfortunately, it is not yet possible to conduct "through" campaigns - starting in Kyrgyzstan and ending in China, or vice versa. You can only jump a little in one direction or another through a couple of passes. Therefore, for the time being, these parts of the regions should be considered separately.
From Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, there are two highways for entering the region. From Kyrgyzstan - through the city of Karakol (former Przhevalsk) along a decent road to the glaciers of Semenov, Mushketov, Yu. Inylchek (to the outpost of Maidaadyr), Kaindy. From Kazakhstan - through the district center Narynkol to the upper reaches of the river. Bayankol (the road ends at the Zharkulak mine), from where it is 12-15 km on foot to the Bayankol glaciers system. Mountain hikes basically begin and end at these points. But in the absence of special restrictions on funds, you can use a helicopter - for small groups passing (i.e. for replanting), for large groups - you can order and pay for a separate board. Today the situation has developed in such a way that the area is served only by Kyrgyz helicopters in the amount of 2 pieces. (I won’t be surprised if there will be one of them next year, because last season one burned down, but I really hope that the second one will be found). The flight is carried out from two points - Karkara (Kazakhstan, through Kazbek Valiev), Maidaadyr outpost (Inylchek river, Tien Shan Travel, Vladimir Biryukov).
There are several more camps serving clients in South Inylchek, in addition to Valiev and Biryukov, there are three more. The first two plus one more are located at the confluence of Yu. Inylchek with the Zvezdochka glacier, two more are on the opposite side, under the slopes of Gorky settlement. In Northern Inylchek, only the camp of Kazbek Valiev now operates (there used to be two). But according to V. Biryukov, this summer the Kyrgyz camp (Tian-Shan-travel firm) will also start working in Northern Inylchek. Through any of these firms, you can call in the area, choosing more suitable prices. I'm in different years used the services of Kazbek Valiev, Dostuk-tracking company (Bishkek, Shchetnikov N.). In recent years, I have been using the services of the Tien Shan Travel company of Vladimir Biryukov, also because I have many friends there. Depending on which method of arrival you use - through a company or on your own - transport prices will vary greatly. I don’t see the point of listing them here - you can see their prices through the company on their own websites, and I just don’t know the prices for self-hired transport - I haven’t used it for too long. As for the helicopter, I think these are more stable figures. Today, a helicopter hour in Kyrgyzstan costs $1,800, and a flight from Karkara or Maidaadyr costs $150 per person. When flying, for example, from Maidaadyr, you can scatter drops to 2-3 places in a flight hour and land at the beginning of the route (in 2001, using a helicopter, we brought drops to the South and North Inylchek, landed ourselves at the bottom of the Mushketov glacier , thus excluding traffic along river valleys from the route).If we talk about the most common way of arrival today, this is a vehicle from Bishkek through Karakol to Maidaadyr, then by helicopter to South or North Inylchek, or on foot (then you can drive a little further by car, or you can hire a horse-drawn transport and use it to get almost to the Yu. Inylchek glacier). The second option is from Alma-Ata to Karkara, from where by helicopter to the same place - that is, to the south or north of Inylchek. Other places to start routes are visited less frequently. And ascents are mainly carried out from the listed camps (a rare exception, repeated more than once in recent years, is climbing the Marble Wall from the Bayankol glaciers).
You should probably know that to visit the area through any state, you need to register (if you enter / exit through different states, then in each of them) and passes to the border zone (so far, the expected complication of issuing passes has resulted in additional payment). All this is issued in different places (registration with the police, passes - with the border guards), so I prefer to use the services of companies.On the Chinese side, things are somewhat different. In order to enter the area, you must obtain a military permit ($650 per group), a permit to visit the Tomur National Park (another $650) and insurance for all participants ($72/person). So far, today I know only one tour operator who undertakes to arrange all this. And of course, the payment for the operator's services will also be added here.
To enter the region for the first time, we used the then-traditional way of entering the Kashgar Mountains - Moscow-Bishkek-Osh (airplane) - Irkeshtam checkpoint (car) - Kashgar city (car) - Aksu city (train) - settlement. Talak (machine). This journey took 6 days. Back were selected in the same way, but kept within 4-5 days. For the second time, we went directly to China, Moscow-Urumqi-Aksu (airplane) - Talak (car). This option took us 2 days, and today is the best route to enter the area. But if we talk about a flight from Moscow, there is no direct flight to Urumqi now, so we have to fly with a transfer. From the nearest cities, planes fly to Urumqi from Novosibirsk, Alma-Ata, Bishkek. Therefore, you can get by plane from any of these cities. Probably, you can still calculate the option of visiting these cities by train, and then by plane. The route by train completely probably does not make sense, although it is theoretically possible. Maybe this option will someday become acceptable - there are persistent talks about the construction of a railway link from Kyrgyzstan to China (Kashgar). Given the speed with which the Chinese are building, I would not be surprised if such a road appears in a year or two after the decision is made. In the meantime, it would be good if the road through Irkeshtam were built - perhaps the drive through Kyrgyzstan, especially to the Kashgar mountains (Kongur - Muztagata) would become quite convenient.
From the village of Talak, where the frontier post is located, you can still drive in jeeps to different sides- probably to the Temirsu glacier. The path known to us, used in all expeditions (both by the Chinese, and the Japanese, and by us), leads towards the Kokyardavan pass n / a (you can almost drive to the pass). Then a caravan of horses is organized (although the start is already possible on foot) and after 30-35 km along the valley of the river. Chontereksu can go to the tongue of the Chonteren glacier, where all the expeditions set up a base camp. The way on horseback can be covered in 1.5-2 days.In the neighboring valley - Kichiktereksu - there is a coal mining plant. The valley itself is more extensive than Chontereksu, there are many small settlements. Having descended along a quite decent path to the plant, you can go further by car. By the way, the trail here is really good, but it is easy to lose it, which we did from time to time. In the upper reaches of the river (in a section of 10 kilometers), it often forks, and the chosen path may simply turn out to be a dead end (for example, to a summer camp). The main trail, at the same time, goes 300-400 meters up or down the slope, which is quite difficult to guess. Sometimes local residents helped us get back on the trail, for whom we seemed to act as a visiting zoo. In the river valley You can also visit Kichiktereks at the start of any hike.
We did not try any other check-in options. One of them is along the Muzart River, along which the road rises quite far, and you can reach approximately the level of the Tugbelchi glacier. Probably, there are other options for arrival, but other expeditions have yet to get acquainted with them. There are a lot of dirt roads in these places, only local residents know them quite well (a simple example is that our tour operator did not know anything about the coal mining plant and the road there - otherwise we would have immediately planned one of the places where the hike would end.
The Tien Shan mountain system stretches from west to east in Central Asia and passes through the territory of Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and China (in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region). Most of the mountain ranges and ranges extend in a latitudinal or sublatitudinal direction. Only in the central part of the system there is an exception - a powerful ridge, which is called Meridional, it includes the highest peaks. The Pamir-Alai system connects the western ranges of the Tien Shan with the Pamirs. The northern border of the Western Tien Shan is considered the Ili, and the southern -. The limits of the Eastern Tien Shan are usually designated in the north by the Dzungarian, and in the south - by the Tarim basin.
Determining the geological age of the Tien Shan, scientists attribute the time of formation of the rocks of this mountainous country to the end of the Early and the beginning of the Middle Paleozoic (500-400 million years ago). This is evidenced by the nature of their fundamental folding: Caledonian in the north and predominantly Hercynian in other parts. Subsequently, this ancient mountain material, belonging to the Ural-Mongolian belt, turned into a plain - peneplain (very similar to the current Kazakh upland), which again ascended to the clouds relatively recently - during the Alpine orogeny, which began 50 million years ago and continues to this day. day. The folded reliefs of the foothills are called by the locals very expressively - "adyrs", that is, "counters". These reliefs are covered in layers by typically Alpine folding of a later time, formed by tectonic processes. In the bowels of the Tien Shan, these processes continue, and today up to 30-40 seismic events are recorded per year. Fortunately, all of them are of a relatively low level of danger, but the Tashkent earthquake of 1966 shows that this is not yet a guarantee that this will always be the case. Almost all large and many small lakes of the Tien Shan, both in the valleys and in the highlands, are of tectonic origin. The formation of mountains and gorges was also influenced, of course, by erosion processes: outcrops and removals of sedimentary rocks, erosion and displacement of river channels, accumulation of moraine deposits, etc. Mudflows in the Tien Shan gorges are a frequent occurrence, especially on the northern slopes Trans-Ili Alatau, which caused the city of Almaty (Alma-Ata) to suffer more than once.
In terms of an orography describing mountainous landforms, most often subdivide the Tien Shan into Northern, Western, Central, Inner and Eastern. Sometimes clarifying corrections are made to this terminology, for example, how the Southwestern Tien Shan, framing the Ferghana Valley, is characterized as a special structure. Within the framework of the concepts of geomorphology, some individual ridges are also distinguished, which have unique structural features. Plus, there is also the Gobi Tien Shan on the territory of Mongolia - two relatively low (up to 2500 m) local ridges isolated from the Greater Tien Shan.
The highest peaks - Pobeda peak (7439 m) and Khan-Tengri (6995 m) - belong to the Central Tien Shan. The ridges of the Northern and Western Tien Shan gradually decrease from east to west from 4500-5000 m to 3500-4000 m. And the Karatau ridge rises only to 2176 m. Often the ridges have an asymmetric outline. The Inner Tien Shan is dominated by the Terskey-Ala-Too, Borkoldoy, Atbashi ridges (up to 4500-5000 m) and the southern barrier - the Kokshaal-Too ridge (Dankov peak - 5982 m). In the Eastern Tien Shan, two bands of ridges, Northern and Southern, are clearly expressed, again oriented along the west-east axis. They are separated by valleys and basins. The heights of the most massive ridges of the Eastern Tien Shan - Khalyktau, Sarmin-Ula, Kuruktag - 4000-5000 m. it belongs to the southern strip by Lake Bagrash-Kol in the intermountain depression.
The Tien Shan rivers have the character of turbulent mountain streams, their average slope is 6 m per kilometer. The most productive river in terms of water energy is the Naryn, which, at its confluence with the Karadarya, forms the Syrdarya. Irrigation Big Fergana and Northern Fergana canals originate from Naryn. On this river there is a cascade of hydroelectric power stations: Toktogulskaya, Tash-Kumyrskaya, Uchkurganskaya, Kurpsaiskaya, Shamaldysaiskaya, new cascade hydropower plants are being built.
The first explorer of the Tien Shan was the Russian geographer and traveler P.P. Semenov (1827-1914), twice, in 1856-1857, the first European to climb the glacier of the Khan-Tengri peak, awarded for his discoveries an honorary title addition to the surname - Tien-Shansky. Following him, expeditions to the Tien Shan were made by I.V. Ignatiev and his other students, as well as the Hungarian zoologist L. Almasi and the German geographer G. Merzbacher.
Although the Tien Shan is the fifth highest (after the Himalayas, Karakoram, Pamir and Hindu Kush) mountain system in the world, and its peaks, covered with glaciers, look severe, below the snow line, the Tien Shan slopes are a multi-colored and diverse natural world.
In the steppes of the foothills, ephemera and ephemeroid plants predominate. They are replaced by high forbs, among the grasses there are many cereals. Even higher with an increase in humidity, meadows begin to serve as high-mountain summer pastures (dzhailau), islands of shrubs (saxaul, conifer, kopeck, dzhuzgun) and deciduous forests, which are dominated by wild fruit trees. Above 2000 m a.s.l. m. coniferous massifs begin, in which Tien Shan spruce and firs predominate. Behind them begins the zone of alpine and subalpine meadows, they rise to altitudes of 3400-3600 m, mainly on the northern slopes. Gradually they are replaced by syrts - dry rocky plains with a wavy surface and small lakes. The most common type of vegetation on the syrts is the so-called cushion plants, a kind of short-stemmed balls that are resistant to temperature changes and strong winds blowing from the peaks. Here, already on takyr-like soils, vast areas of permafrost often catch the eye as harbingers of a meeting with glaciers. Well, behind them grow ridges of low slate rocks and stretch snow fields adjacent to flat (at this level) peaks dissected by gorges.
In the valleys of the Western Tien Shan, rich in rivers and well protected from the north by high and monolithic mountain walls, mixed forests of walnut with cherry plum, buckthorn and apple tree in the undergrowth. The more arid valleys and basins of the Inner Tien Shan at altitudes of 1500-2500 m show signs of typical stony deserts and mountain steppes of Central Asia.
The Tien Shan fauna is no less rich. In the most in general terms it can be described as typical of Central Asia, and in addition, there are animals here, whose homeland is Siberia. Wild donkeys and goitered gazelles graze on the plains; mountain Altai deer, wild Siberian goats and mountain sheep (argali) are often found higher up. Of the other mammals, the typical inhabitants of the Tien Shan are endemic - the Tien Shan (or white-clawed) brown bear, badger, leopard, lynx, wild boar, tolai hare, wolf, fox, marten, manul. Of the rodents - ground squirrel, jerboa, gerbil, mole voles, forest mouse, Turkestan rat. In the mountain forests there are black grouse, capercaillie, partridges, snowcocks, pheasants. Ducks, geese, swans, cranes, herons live along the riverbeds in reed beds. And everywhere - the lark, wheatear, bustard, grouse, keklik (partridge), finches, eagles and vultures. Swans appear on the lake during the spring migration. Reptiles are most often represented by the viper, muzzle, and patterned snake. Lizards are everywhere. Many lakes of the Tien Shan are rich in fish (osman, chebak, marinka and other species).
More exotic animal world represented in Dzungaria, a geographical and historical region in the north of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China. There you can still find a wild camel and three representatives of the class of one-hoofed animals, these are the dzhigetai, the kulan and the Przewalski's wild horse, species that are almost completely exterminated in other regions of Central Asia. A tiger lives in the riverside thickets of Dzungaria, a Gobi brown bear is found in the mountains, and a red wolf is common.
As confirmed by the archaeological excavations of the burial mounds, the population of the Tien Shan, both settled and nomadic, bore more Caucasoid than Mongoloid features before the appearance of the Huns from the east and the Sarmatians from the west in the 6th-8th centuries, the Uighurs in the 9th century. , Mongols, starting from the XII century. The modern ethnographic map of the Tien Shan is mosaic, it is formed by dozens ethnic groups. Hence the large number of customs, rituals, and legends stored since antiquity. But in general, as travelers testify, loyalty to one's roots and wise calmness reign in this world, and it is extremely interesting to get acquainted with the local foundations of people's lives.
general information
State affiliation: Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, China (Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region).Ethnic composition: Uighurs (Kashgarians), Kazakhs, Kirghiz, Mongols, Hui (Dungans), Chinese, Uzbeks, Tajiks, Oirats (Western Mongols), etc.
Religions: Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism.
highest peaks: Peak Pobeda (or Tomur in Uighur) (7439 m), Khan-Tengri (7010 m with a glacier, 6995 m without a glacier).
The largest ridges: Meridional, Terskey Ala-Too, Kokshaal-Too, Khalaktau, Boro-Khoro.
The largest rivers: Naryn, Karadarya (both belong to the upper reaches of the river basin), Talas, Chu, Ili.
largest lake: Issyk-Kul (area - 6236 km 2).
Other major lakes(at an altitude of more than 3000 m above sea level): Son-Kol and Chatyr-Kol.
largest glacier: South Inylchek (area - 59.5 km 2).
Major passes: Turugart (3752 m), Muzart (3602 m), Tyuz-Ashuu (3586 m), Taldyk (3541 m), Boro-Khoro (3500 m).
Nearest airports(international): Manas in Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan), Tashkent South (Uzbekistan), Almaty in Almaty (Kazakhstan), Divopu in Urumqi (China).
Numbers
Length from west to east: about 2500 km.Average length(in this case, latitude) from north to south - 300-400 km.
Total area: about 875 thousand km 2.
Number of passes: more than 300.
Number of glaciers: 7787.
Total area of glaciers: 10.2 thousand km 2.
Climate and weather
Generally sharply continental.The Fergana ranges (Southwestern Tien Shan) are located on the border with a subtropical climate.
January average temperatures: in the valleys of the lower belt of mountains - + 4 ° С, in medium-altitude valleys - up to -6 ° С, on glaciers - up to -30 ° С.
July average temperatures: in the valleys of the lower belt of mountains from +20 to +25°С, in mid-altitude valleys - from +15 to +17°С, at the foot of the glaciers from +5°С and below.
The drop in temperature for every 100 m rise is about 0.7°C in summer; 0.6°С in autumn and spring; 0.5°C in winter.
Average annual rainfall: from 200 to 300 mm on the eastern slopes and in the valleys of the Inner and Central Tien Shan, up to 1600 mm in the mid-mountain and high-mountain zones.
Economy
Minerals: ores of various non-ferrous metals, mercury, antimony, phosphorites (Karatau), hard and brown coal. In the Ferghana Valley and the Dzhungar Basin there are oil and natural gas industrial value. The Tien Shan is also rich in geothermal springs.Agriculture: cultivation of wheat, grapes, fruits, vegetables, sheep breeding, goat breeding, horse breeding.
Service sector: tourism.
Attractions
■ Peaks: Pobeda peak on the border of Kyrgyzstan and China, Khan-Tengri on the border of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and China.■ Lake Issyk-Kul(Kyrgyzstan).
■ Tianchi Alpine Lake("Heavenly"), China.
■ Valley of sacred springs Manzhyly-Ata(Kyrgyzstan) - a place of pilgrimage for Muslims to the mazar of a Sufi and a preacher, after whom the valley is named.
■ Rock "walls" in the Lyailak river basin(Kyrgyzstan): Ak-Su (5355 m), Blok (5299 m), Iskander (5120 m).
■ National parks: Ugam-Chatkal (Uzbekistan), Ala-Archa (Kyrgyzstan).
■ reserves: Issyk-Kul and biospheric Sary-Chelek in Kyrgyzstan, Alma-Ata and Aksu-Zhabagly in Kazakhstan, Sary-Chatkal mountain-forest in Uzbekistan, as well as a number of reserves (including in the walnut-fruit forests of the Southwestern Tien- Shan), the Altyntag nature reserve and the "landscape area" "Mountain Screen" (China).
Curious facts
■ Pobeda Peak, named in 1946 in honor of the victory Soviet Union in the Great Patriotic War, is among the seven-thousanders, for climbing which climbers are awarded the prestigious title of "snow leopard".■ During sunset, part of the top of Khan Tengri becomes almost scarlet, like the shadows of clouds near it. From here comes its second, "folk" name - Kan-Too, or Kan-Tau, meaning "blood (or bloody) mountain" (from the Turkic "kan" - "blood", "too" - "mountain"). there is a certain sacred meaning: the sharp, like a blade, and hard-to-reach peak of Khan-Tengri is associated among the indigenous inhabitants of the Tien Shan with the concepts of "homeland" and "struggle".
■ The northern slope of Khan-Tengri peak (6995 m), its western ridge (5900 m), connecting it with Chapaev peak (6371 m), resemble the configuration of the Himalayan ligament Chomolungma (8848 m) - its South Col (7900 m) - and the peak Lhotse (8516 m). And although the Tien Shan “understudy” is 2 km lower, climbers who are going to storm the highest peak in the world spend the final stage of preparation for this expedition here.
■ In the wreath of legends about Lake Issyk-Kul, there are stories that at the bottom of it there is a flooded Armenian monastery, where the relics of the Apostle Matthew were kept. Several legends tell about Tamerlane's stay here. But most of all the legends are connected with the shed hot (Turke, “issyk”) tears of the young beauty Cholpon. She wept so long that her tears formed a lake as beautiful as herself. In one of the legends, it is not she who cries, but the people for her. Two batyrs who claimed her heart - Ulan and Santash - entered into a fight not for life, but for death. But their forces were equal, and all their relatives went wall to wall. Cholpon could not stop them, and then she tore her heart out of her chest. The opponents froze, and then all together carried Cholpon to high mountain, put her face to the sun and began to mourn her. Their tears, flowing in streams, flooded the valley between the mountains.
The Tien Shan is one of the largest mountain systems in Asia. Its eastern part is in China. The word Tien Shan in translation from Chinese means "top of the Celestial Empire". The territory of Kazakhstan includes almost completely the Northern Tien Shan, parts of the Central and Western Tien Shan. The Central Tien Shan within Kazakhstan starts from the powerful mountain junction Khan-Tengri and extends to the west of Terskey Alatau, where the border with Kyrgyzstan runs along its eastern branch, to the northwestern part of the source of the Tekes River. The territory of the mountain ranges of the Ketmen ridge, the northern slopes of the Kungei Alatau, the Zailiysky Alatau, the Chu-Ili mountains and to the southwestern outskirts of the Talas and western parts of the Kyrgyz Alatau, the Ugam and Karatau ridges belongs to Kazakhstan.
The highest point of the Tien Shan in the Kazakh part is Khan Tengri Peak (6995 m). It is located in the south of one of the main ranges of the Central Tien Shan - Terskey Alatau. The main high mountain range of the Tien Shan, the Zailiysky Alatau, is 350 km long, 30-40 km wide, and 4,000 m high at an average height.
Many rivers flow along the spurs of the Tien Shan mountains, along the intermountain plains. The Bolshaya and Malaya Almatinki, Talgar, Issyk, Chilik, Kaskelen rivers originate from the northern slopes of the Trans-Ili Alatau, and the Charyn River from the eastern slopes. Many of them flow into the Ili River, the flow of which replenishes the water supply of Lake Balkhash. The mountainous part of the Chu and Ili river basins is not rich in water resources, only the river Kurty flows into the Ili. Many of these rivers are mainly fed by melted snow in the spring, and in the summer the entire flow dries up, their channels dry up. The Chu River originates in the Kyrgyz and Zailiysky Alatau and, after crossing the border of Kyrgyzstan, flows through the territory of Kazakhstan. The Arys, Boraldai, and Bogen rivers flow from the southwestern slopes of Karatau. From the northwestern slopes - some rivers that are fed by snowmelt in spring snowy waters and dry up in summer. In many spurs of the Tien Shan, there are lakes laid in depressions between the peaks of the mountains, and originate from glaciers. Below, on intermountain wines, small lakes are formed. The high peaks of the Tien Shan mountains are covered with glaciers. In total, there are 1009 glaciers in the Kazakh part of the Tien Shan with a total area of 857 km2.
In order to protect the nature of the Tien Shan, its flora and fauna, reserves and National parks. Among them, the Aksu-Zhabagly (1931) and Almaty (1935) reserves occupy a large place.
The Aksu-Zhabagly reserve - a repository of the pristine nature of the Western Tien Shan - is designed to protect 1400 plant species (268 rare among them), 238 bird species, 42 mammal species, 9 reptile species. In the reserve live rare species animals and birds: ground squirrels, bustards, little bustards. There are 112 species of trees growing in the Almaty Reserve. The snow leopard, brown bear, deer are taken under protection. There are also 38 species of mammals, 200 species of birds.
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. mountain ranges composed of igneous, basins - 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 common. 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 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 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. clearly expressed altitudinal zonality landscapes. 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, and the Eastern Tien Shan by the Dzungarian 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. high points Peak Pobeda (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