The largest mountain in the Caucasus. Geographical location of the Caucasus Mountains: description, photo

In the ridge of the Caucasus Mountains is Elbrus. It is also considered throughout Europe. Its location is such that several peoples live around it, who call it differently. Therefore, if you hear names such as Alberis, Oshkhomakho, Mingitau or Yalbuz, know that they mean the same thing.

In this article we will introduce you closer to the highest mountain in the Caucasus - Elbrus, which was once an active volcano, and ranks fifth on the planet among mountains formed in the same way.

The height of the peaks of Elbrus in the Caucasus

As already mentioned, the highest mountain in Russia is an extinct volcano. This is precisely the reason that its top does not have a pointed shape, but looks like a two-peaked cone, between which there is a saddle at an altitude of 5 km 200 m. Located at a distance of 3 km from each other, the two peaks are different: the eastern one is 5621 m, and the western one is 5642 m. m. Reference books always indicate a large value.

Like all former volcanoes, Elbrus consists of two parts: a pedestal of rocks, in this case it is 700 m, and a bulk cone formed after the eruptions (1942 m).

Starting from an altitude of 3500 m, the surface of the mountain is covered with snow. First mixed with scatterings of stones, and then turning into a uniform white cover. The most famous glaciers of Elbrus are Terskop, Bolshoi and Maly Azau.

The temperature at the top of Elbrus remains virtually unchanged and is -1.4°C. A large amount of precipitation falls here, but due to this temperature regime, it is almost always snow, so the glaciers do not melt. Since the snow cap of Elbrus is visible all year round for many kilometers, the mountain is also called “Little Antakrtida”.

Glaciers located on the top of the mountain feed the largest rivers of these places - the Kuban and Terek.

To see the beautiful view from the top of Elbrus, you need to climb it. This is quite easy to do, since the height of 3750 m can be reached along the southern slope on a pendulum or chairlift. The Barrels shelter for travelers is located here. It consists of 12 insulated trailers for 6 people and a stationary kitchen. They are equipped in such a way that you can wait out any bad weather in them, even for a long time.

The next stop is usually at an altitude of 4100 m at the Shelter of Eleven Hotel. A parking lot here was established in the 20th century, but was destroyed by fire. Then a new building was built in its place.

The peaks of Elbrus were first conquered in 1829 by the eastern peak and in 1874 by the western peak.

Nowadays, the Donguzorun and Ushba massifs, as well as the Adylsu, Adyrsu and Shkheldy gorges, are popular among climbers. Mass ascents to the peaks are increasingly being organized. On the south side is the Elbrus Azau ski resort. It consists of 7 trails with a total length of 11 km. They are suitable for both beginners and experienced skiers. The distinctive feature of this resort is freedom of movement. All routes have a minimum number of fences and dividers. It is recommended to visit it from October to May; during this period the snow is the heaviest.

Elbrus is, at the same time, a very beautiful and dangerous mountain. After all, according to scientists, there is a possibility that in the next 100 years the volcano will awaken, and then all nearby regions (Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia) will suffer.

The Main Caucasian (Water Dividing) Range is a continuous mountain chain stretching more than 1,100 km from northwest to southeast from the Black Sea (Anapa region) to the Caspian Sea (Mount Ilkhydag northwest of Baku). The Caucasus Range divides the Caucasus into two parts: Ciscaucasia (North Caucasus) and Transcaucasia (South Caucasus).

The Main Caucasus Range separates the basins of the Kuban, Terek, Sulak and Samur rivers in the north and the Inguri, Rioni and Kura rivers in the south.

The mountain system that includes the Main Caucasus Range is called the Greater Caucasus (or Greater Caucasus Range), in contrast to the Lesser Caucasus, a vast highland located south of the Rioni and Kura valleys and connected directly with the highlands of Western Asia.

For a more convenient overview, the Caucasus ridge can be divided along its length from west to east into seven parts:

Black Sea Caucasus (from the Anapa meridian to the Fisht - Oshten mountain group - approx. 265 km),

Kuban Caucasus (from Oshten to the source of the Kuban) - 160 km,

Elbrus Caucasus, or western (Karachay-Circassian) Elbrus region (from the source of the Kuban to the peak of Adai-Khokh) - 170 km,

Terek (Kazbek) Caucasus (from Adai-Khokh to Barbalo) - 125 km,

Dagestan Caucasus (from Barbalo to the top of Sari-dag) - 130 km,

Samur Caucasus (from Sari-dag to Baba-dag) - approx. 130 km,

Caspian Caucasus (from Baba-dag to the peak of Ilkhydag) - approx. 170 km.

A more enlarged division is also accepted:

Western Caucasus (bounded from the east by Elbrus);

Central Caucasus;

Eastern Caucasus (bounded from the west by Kazbek).

The entire system of the Main Caucasus Range occupies approximately 2,600 km². The northern slope occupies about 1450 km², and the southern slope - about 1150 km².

The width of the Caucasus Range in the western (slightly west of Elbrus, and including the Elbrus mountain range) and eastern (Dagestan) parts is about 160...180 km, in the central - about 100 km; both ends taper greatly and are (especially the western) insignificant in width.

The highest is the middle part of the ridge, between Elbrus and Kazbek (average heights about 3,400 - 3,500 m above sea level); Its highest peaks are concentrated here, the highest of which - Elbrus - reaches an altitude of 5,642 m above sea level. m.; East of Kazbek and west of Elbrus, the ridge decreases, more significantly in the second direction than in the first.

In general, in height, the Caucasus Range significantly exceeds the Alps; it has no less than 15 peaks exceeding 5,000 m, and more than 20 peaks higher than Mont Blanc, the highest peak in all of Western Europe. The advanced elevations accompanying the Main Range, in most cases, do not have the character of continuous chains, but represent short ridges or mountain groups connected to the watershed ridge by spurs and broken in many places by deep river gorges, which, starting in the Main Range and breaking through the advanced elevations, descend to the foothills and emerge onto the plains.

Mount Elbrus from the air - the roof of Europe

Thus, almost along its entire length (in the west - from the south, in the east - from the north) the watershed ridge is adjacent to a number of high basins, in most cases of lake origin, closed on one side by the heights of the watershed, as well as its spurs, and on the other - separate groups and short ridges of advanced hills, which in some places exceed the main chain in height.

On the northern side of the watershed, transverse basins predominate, and on the southern side, except for its western end, longitudinal basins predominate. It is also characteristic of the Caucasus Range that many of the primary peaks lie not on the Vodorazdelny ridge, but at the ends of its short spurs heading north (this is the position of the peaks Elbrus, Koshtan, Adai-Khokh, etc.). This is the so-called Lateral Caucasian Ridge, which stretches in the vast majority of cases (in many places) even below the Skalisty.

Northern slope of the Caucasus ridge

The northern, more developed slope of the Caucasus Range, formed by many spurs, generally adjacent almost perpendicular to the Main Range and separated by deep transverse valleys, reaches very significant development in the vicinity of Elbrus (Elbrus ledge). The most significant rise [Elbrus-Mineralovodskaya fault zone] is directed from this peak directly to the north, serves as a watershed between the waters of the Kuban (Azov) and Terek (Caspian Sea) and, descending with ledges further, spreads into the island mountains of Pyatigorye and the vast Stavropol Upland (the main rise forward ledges reaches the Pastbishchny ridge, bordering the horseshoe Kislovodsk basin, turns south (of Kislovodsk) to the east, along with gorges and river valleys, stretches to the Tersko-Sunzhensky interfluve - forming the Tersko-Sunzhensky upland, and further - up to the Andean ridge).

The northern slope is even more developed in the eastern part of the Caucasus ridge, where numerous, and very significant in height and length, its spurs form the vast mountainous country of Dagestan (Dagestan ledge) - a large mountainous region, closed by the high Andean, Sala-Tau and Gimryn (2334 m ) ridges. Gradually descending to the north, the northern slope is formed by many advanced hills, which in some places appear in the form of ridges and mountain spurs; These mountain ranges include the so-called Black Mountains (see) (Pasture Range), located north of the Main Range, at a distance of 65 km from it. The Black Mountains form gentle and long slopes, in most areas covered with dense forests (hence the name), and fall into steep cliffs to the south. Rivers flowing from the Main Range break through the Black Mountains through deep and narrow, very picturesque gorges (the Sulak Canyon is up to 1800 m deep); the height of this advanced chain, in general, is insignificant, although (in the west of the Dagestan ledge) in the upper reaches of the Ardon and Urukh, some of their peaks reach an altitude of more than 3,300 m above sea level (Kion-Khokh - 3,423 m, Kargu-Khokh - 3 350 m, Vaza-Khokh - 3,529 m (Rocky and Side ridges)).

view of the Caucasus Range from the Rosa Khutor base

The southern slope is particularly poorly developed in the western and eastern parts of the ridge, reaching a fairly significant orographic development in the middle, where it is adjacent to parallel hills that form the longitudinal valleys of the upper reaches of the Rioni, Enguri and Tskhenis-tskhali, and long spurs extending to the south, separating the Alazani basins , Iori and Kura.

The steepest and least developed section of the southern slope is where it falls towards the Alazani valley; The city of Zagatala, located at an altitude of 355 m at the southern foot of the Caucasus Range, is located in a straight line only 20 km from its crest, which here reaches an altitude of more than 3,300 m above sea level. The Caucasus Range is not particularly passable; Only at its western and eastern extremities are there convenient and low passes that are fully accessible all year round for communication.

Throughout the rest of the length, with the exception of the Mamison and Cross passes (see Georgian Military Road), the paths through the ridge in most cases are pack paths or even pedestrian paths, partly completely inaccessible for use in the winter season. Of all the passes, the most important is Krestovy (2,379 m), through which the Georgian Military Road passes.

Central Caucasus

Glaciers of the Caucasus

In terms of the number of glaciers, their area and size, the Caucasus Range is almost as good as the Alps. The largest number of significant glaciers is located in the Elbrus and Terek parts of the ridge, and there are about 183 glaciers of the first category in the Kuban, Terek, Liakhva, Rioni and Inguri basins, and 679 of the second category. In total in the Greater Caucasus, according to the “Catalog of Glaciers of the USSR” (1967 —1978), 2,050 glaciers with a total area of ​​1,424 km². The size of the Caucasian glaciers is very diverse, and some of them (for example, Bezengi) are almost as large as the Aletsch glacier in the Alps. The Caucasian glaciers nowhere descend as low as, for example, the glaciers of the Alps, and in this respect they present great diversity; Thus, the end of the Karaugom glacier descends to an altitude of 1,830 m above sea level, and the Shah-Dag glacier (ShahDag (4243 m), in the Bazar-Dyuzu region) - to an altitude of 3,320 m above sea level. The most famous glaciers of the Caucasus Range are:

Mount Fisht, Caucasus

Name of the glacier (Mountain from which it descends)

Bezengi (bass by Cherek Bezengisky) Shota Rustaveli peak, Shkhara

Dykh-Su [Dykh-Kotyu-BugoySu]

Karaugom (Urukh, bass. Terek) Adai-khoh

Tsaneri [Tsanner] (bass. Inguri) Tetnuld

Devdoraki (bass Amali) Kazbek

Big Azau (Baksan, Terek basin) Elbrus, southern shoulder

Snow Valley Jikiugankez

Malka and Baksan Elbrus, eastern shoulder

Tsey (Ardon, bass. Terek)

Lekhzyr [Lekzyr, Lekziri] (bass Inguri)

Ezengi (Yusengi)

Donguzorun-Cheget-Karabashi (west), Yusengi ridge (east)

Shkheldy glacier (Adylsu, Baksan basin)

Shhelda (4368 m),

Chatyntau (4411 m)

panorama of the Caucasus ridge

During the Ice Age, the glaciers of the Caucasus Range were much more numerous and extensive than now; from the numerous traces of their existence, found far from modern glaciers, we can conclude that the ancient glaciers extended in length for 53, 64 and even up to 106.7 or more kilometers, descending into valleys to heights of 244...274 meters above sea level. Currently, most of the glaciers of the Caucasus Range are in a period of retreat, which has lasted for several decades.

Main Caucasus Range - Abkhazia

MAIN PEAKS AND GLACIERS OF THE CAUCASUS RIDGE

Bezengi is a mountainous region of Kabardino-Balkaria, the central, highest part of the Caucasus Mountains, including the Bezengi wall of the main Caucasus ridge and the side ridges adjacent to the north that form the Cherek Bezengi river basin.

Bezengi wall

The Bezengi Wall is a 42-kilometer mountain range, the highest section of the main Caucasus ridge. Usually the boundaries of the wall are considered to be the peaks Lyalver (in the west) and Shkhara (in the east).

To the north, the wall drops steeply to 3000 m to the Bezengi glacier (Ullu-Chiran). To the south, to Georgia, the terrain is complex, there are wall sections and high-altitude glacial plateaus.

Tops of the area

Bezengi wall

Lyalver (4350)

Yesenin Peak (4310)

Gestola (4860)

Katyntau (4974)

Dzhangitau (5085)

Sh. Rustaveli Peak (4960)

Shkhara (5068)

Mount Dykhtau, Side Range

Side ridge

Koshtantau (5152)

Krumkol (4676)

Tikhonov Peak (4670)

Mizhirgi (5025)

Pushkin Peak (5033)

Dykhtau (5204)

Warm corner

Gidan (4167)

Archimedes Peak (4100)

Georgia, Trinity Monastery near Mount Kazbek

Salynan-bashi (4348)

Ortokara (4250)

Peak Ryazan

Peak Brno (4100)

Misses-tau (4427)

Peak Cadets (3850)

Mount Shkhara

THE HIGHEST MOUNTAIN OF GEORGIA

Shkhara (Georgian: შხარა) is a mountain peak in the central part of the Main Caucasus (Watershed) Range, the highest point in Georgia. Elevation 5,068 m above sea level, some sources estimate 5,201 m. Located in Svaneti from the south and Bezengi in Kabardino-Balkaria from the north, on the border with Russia, approximately 90 km north of the city of Kutaisi. It is part of a unique 12-kilometer mountain range known as the Bezengi Wall.

It is composed of granites and crystalline schists. The slopes are covered with glaciers, on the northern slope there is the Bezengi glacier, on the southern slope there is the Shkhara glacier, from which the Inguri River partially originates. Popular mountaineering spot. Soviet climbers first climbed Shkhara in 1933.

At the foot of the southern slopes of Shkhara, at an altitude of 2,200 m above sea level, there is the village of Ushguli in the Mestia region of Svaneti, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

MOUNT TETNULD Main Caucasus Range

Tetnuld (Georgian: თეთნულდი “white mountain”) is a peak in the spur of the Bezengi Wall, the Main Caucasus Range in the Upper Svaneti region, Georgia, 2 km south of the peak of Gestola and the border of the Russian Federation (Kabardino-Balkaria).

Height - 4,869 m.

The peak is two-headed, composed of ancient crystalline rocks. The glaciers Oish, Nageb, (headwaters of the Inguri), Adish and others flow down from Tetnuld. The total area of ​​glaciers is 46 km².

The regional center of Mestia is located 22 km west of the peak.

Mount Gestola

TSEISKY GLACIER

The Tsey glacier (Ossetian: Tsyæy tsiti) is a valley glacier on the northern slope of the Greater Caucasus, one of the largest and lowest-lying glaciers in the Caucasus.

The Tseysky glacier is located in North Ossetia and is fed mainly by the snow of Mount Adai-Khokh (4,408 m). The Tseysky glacier descends to a height of 2,200 m above sea level, that is, below the vast majority of glaciers in the Caucasus. Its length, together with the firn fields, is about 9 km, the area is 9.7 km². At the very bottom it is quite narrow, and above it it widens greatly, reaching 1 km in width. Constrained by rocks at an altitude of 2,500 m above sea level, it forms countless cracks and has several icefalls, but higher up its surface becomes smoother again.

The Tseysky glacier is formed from 2 large and 2 smaller branches. From the ice arch of the Tseya glacier flows the beautiful Tseya (Tseydon) river, which flows from west to east through a deep, picturesque gorge covered with pine forest. It flows into the Ardon on the left side.

Near the Tseysky glacier there are mountaineering camps and the Ossetia tourist center, as well as the Goryanka hotel, the SKGMI scientific station and a weather station. There are two cable cars leading to the glacier. Mountain climatic resort area - Tsey.

Many poems by both famous authors (for example, “Tseyskaya” by Yuri Vizbor) and folk ones are dedicated to the Tseysky glacier and gorge:

What a wonderful camp Tsey, /

I have many friends here. /

And the mountains are nearby - I won’t hide that. /

As soon as you step outside the threshold, /

Before the eyes of Adai-Khokh, /

And the gray block “Monk” overhead...

Mount Adai-Khokh

Friend, give thanks for the cup,

I hold the sky in my hand

Mountain air of the state

Drinking on the Tseysky glacier.

Nature itself keeps here

A clear trace of bygone times -

nineteenth year

Cleansing ozone.

And below from the pipes of Sadon

Gray smoke stretches out,

So that when it comes to me

This cold didn’t carry me away.

There under the roofs, like a net,

The rain breathes and trembles,

And along the line a trolley

Runs like a black bead.

I am present at the meeting

Two times and two heights,

And prickly snow on your shoulders

Old Tsei gives it to me.

Moscow, 1983. Arseny Tarkovsky

Mount Monk

MOUNTAIN Donguzorun-Cheget

Donguzorun-Cheget-Karabashi or Donguz-Orun is the top of the Main (or Watershed) Ridge of the Greater Caucasus, in the Elbrus region. Located in the Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria of the Russian Federation. Height - 4454 m.

Nearby, at an altitude of 3203 m, there is the Donguzorun mountain pass across the Main Range between the valleys of the Baksan (Russia) and Inguri (Georgia) rivers. At the foot of the Donguzorun-Cheget-Karabashi flows one of the tributaries of the Baksan - the Donguz-Orun River.

MOUNTAIN ACHISHKHO

Achishkho (Adyghe goat mountain: Achi - “goat”, shkho - “height”, “peak”.) (Nedezhui-Kushkh) is a mountain range in the Western Caucasus, located on the territory of the Krasnodar Territory of the Russian Federation. Height up to 2391 m (Mount Achishkho, 10 km northwest of Krasnaya Polyana).

The ridge is composed of clayey shales and volcanic (tuffaceous) rocks. The landscapes of the Achishkho ridge are characterized by ancient glacial landforms and ridge lakes (including karst ones), and there are waterfalls.

The ridge is located in a humid climate zone - the annual precipitation is up to 3000 mm (the highest value in Russia), the thickness of the snow cover reaches 10 m. The number of sunny days does not exceed 60-70 days a year.

The slopes of Achishkho are covered with broad-leaved, mainly beech, fir forests in the north, and mountain meadows on the tops.

The ridge is popular among hikers. There are dolmens.

Caucasian State Natural

biosphere reserve

The reserve is the legal successor of the Caucasian bison reserve, established on May 12, 1924, and is located in the Western Caucasus, on the border of the temperate and subtropical climatic zones. The total area of ​​the reserve is more than 280 thousand hectares, of which 177.3 thousand hectares are in the Krasnodar Territory.

On February 19, 1979, by decision of UNESCO, the Caucasian Nature Reserve was given biosphere status, and in January 2008 it was named after Kh. G. Shaposhnikov. In 1999, the territory of the Caucasian State Natural Biosphere Reserve was included in the World Heritage List

Kuban hunting

In 1888, on behalf of the Grand Dukes Peter Nikolaevich and Georgiy Mikhailovich, about 80 thousand acres of land in the Greater Caucasus Range were leased from the forest dachas of the Ministry of State Property and the Kuban Regional Military Administration. An agreement was concluded with the Kuban Rada for the exclusive right of hunting in these territories for the grand dukes. Subsequently, the territory became known as the Grand Ducal Kuban Hunt.

A few years later, the princes stopped traveling to Kuban for health reasons, and then in 1892 they transferred the right to hunt to Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich, who began actively developing the territory.

Bison Reserve

In 1906, the expiring lease period for the Kuban hunting territory was extended for another three years, after which it was planned to divide these lands between the villages of the Kuban Cossacks. In 1909, Kh. G. Shaposhnikov, who worked as a forester of the Belorechensky forestry of the Kuban Army, sent a letter to the Russian Academy of Sciences justifying the need to reserve the territory leased from the Kuban Army. The main reason for creating the reserve was the protection of the endangered Caucasian bison. The letter also outlined the boundaries of the reserve. Based on this letter, Academician N. Nasonov made a report, and the Academy of Sciences created a commission. As a military forester, Shaposhnikov participated in her work to organize the reserve. However, for a number of reasons related to the division of land by the Kuban Cossacks, the matter did not progress significantly.

Repeated attempts to create a reserve were made in 1913 and 1916. Finally, in 1919, a positive decision was made.

With the establishment of Soviet power in the region, the issue of the reserve had to be resolved anew. Only in May 1924 was the state Caucasian bison reserve established.

Cross Pass - the highest point of the Georgian Military Road

DEFENSE OF THE CAUCASIAN RIDGE

Fighting on the passes.

In mid-August 1942, the 1st and 4th divisions of the 49th German Mountain Rifle Corps, concentrated in the area of ​​​​Nevinnomyssk and Cherkessk, began to move freely to the passes of the Main Caucasus Range, since there were no our troops in this direction, but 46 The I Army, which was entrusted with organizing the defense, did not even have time to approach the southern slopes of the passes. There were no engineering structures at the passes.

By August 14, the 1st German Mountain Rifle Division reached the Verkhnyaya Teberda, Zelenchukskaya, Storozhevaya areas, and the 4th German Mountain Rifle Division reached the Akhmetovskaya area. Strong groups of specially trained enemy climbers, who had experienced guides, forestalled our units and, from August 17 to October 9, occupied all the passes in the area from Mount Elbrus to the Umpyrsky Pass. In the Klukhor and Sanchar directions, the Nazis, having overcome the Main Caucasus Range, reached its southern slopes, moving forward 10-25 km. There was a threat of the capture of Sukhumi and the disruption of supplies along the communications route along the Black Sea coast.

On August 20, the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command demanded that the commander of the Transcaucasian Front, along with the creation of a strong defense in the main operational directions, immediately strengthen the defense of the Main Caucasian Ridge, especially the Georgian Military, Ossetian Military and Sukhumi Military roads. The headquarters ordered to blow up and fill up all passes and paths, mountain passes on which no defensive structures had been created, and to prepare the areas defended by the troops for explosion in case of withdrawal. It was proposed to appoint commandants on all roads and directions, giving them full responsibility for the defense and condition of the roads.

Following the instructions of the Headquarters, the command of the Transcaucasian Front began to deploy forces to stop the advance of the Nazi troops on the passes of the Main Caucasus Ridge.

In the Elbrus direction, units of the 1st German Mountain Rifle Division, taking advantage of the absence of our troops, on August 18 occupied the Khotyu-Tau and Chiper-Azau passes, the Krugozor and Shelter of Eleven tourist bases on the southern slopes of Mount Elbrus. Units of the 8th Motorized Regiment of the NKVD and the 63rd Cavalry Division that arrived here threw the enemy back from these passes to the “Shelter of Eleven”, where he was held until January 1943.

The Klukhorsky pass was covered by a company of the 815th regiment. On August 15, the enemy threw a regiment here. Unable to withstand the strong blow, the defenders of the pass began to retreat to the southern slopes, where two more companies were located. The fighting was fierce. Having learned about them on August 17, the command of the 46th Army sent two battalions and an NKVD detachment to help the units of the 816th Regiment, which, upon approaching the battle area on August 22, stopped the further advance of the Nazis. On September 8, enemy units were thrown back to the Klukhor Pass, where they remained until January 1943.

On September 5, the enemy regiment, after a concentrated air strike and a fire attack by artillery and mortars, began an attack on the Marukh Pass, which was defended by two battalions. After stubborn fighting, the defenders were forced to leave the pass on September 7. Further German advance here was stopped by arriving reinforcements, but it was not possible to reset them from the pass until January 1943. The Sanchar Pass was defended by one company and a combined detachment of the NKVD. The fascist German command sent a regiment against them on August 25. The Nazis managed to drive our units out of the pass and almost unhindered to reach the area, which is 25 km from Gudauta and Sukhumi. An urgently created Sanchar group of troops was sent to meet the enemy, consisting of one rifle regiment, two rifle battalions, two NKVD regiments and a detachment of cadets from the 1st Tbilisi Infantry School. On August 29, the group came into contact with German units, stopped them, and on August 6, with the support of aviation, went on the offensive.

Two days later, she captured the village of Pskhu, which served as the enemy’s main base on the southern slopes of the Main Caucasus Range. Now the Nazis did not have a single settlement left in this area. By October 20, our troops in the Sanchar direction, with the support of the Black Sea Fleet aviation, pushed them back to the northern slopes of the Main Caucasus Range.

The role of the Black Sea Fleet aviation in the defeat of the enemy group in the Sanchar direction is enormous. DB-3, SB, Pe-2 and R-10 aircraft, based at the airfields of Gudauta and Babushery at a distance of 25-35 km from the front line, made 6-10 sorties daily to carry out bombing strikes on enemy troops, and on days of intense fighting - up to 40 sorties. In total, in September 1942, Black Sea Fleet aviation dropped about a thousand FAB-100s onto the Sancharsky and Marukhsky passes.

Thus, our troops, having almost no artillery and mortars, received the greatest and only support from naval aviation.

The fascist German command also tried to capture the Umpyrsky and Belorechensky passes. On August 28, the Nazis sent two reinforced battalions to the Umpyrsky Pass, which was defended by two companies. However, thanks to a well-organized defense and the brave actions of Soviet soldiers, numerous enemy attacks were repulsed. The Belorechensky Pass was stormed by an infantry regiment and several squadrons of enemy cavalry with artillery support. Thanks to the energetic actions of our forces and arriving reserves, the enemy was stopped and then thrown back far to the north.

So, by the actions of units of the 46th Army and the aviation of the Black Sea Fleet, the offensive of the German 49th Mountain Rifle Corps, specially prepared for combat operations in the mountains, was thwarted. By the end of October 1942, a stable defense of the Main Caucasus Ridge was created.

Anti-landing defense of the Poti naval base. In July - December, the defense of the Black Sea coast from the Soviet-Turkish border to Lazarevskaya was carried out by the forces of the Poti naval base together with the 46th Army of the Transcaucasian Front. In the second half of August, when Nazi troops approached the passes of the Main Caucasus Range, the 46th Army was redirected to repel this main danger; coastal defense became the sole task of the Poti naval base.

The composition of the base forces changed with the situation. The enemy intensified reconnaissance of the main fleet base and began bombing the base and ships. By the end of December, the base air defense area was replenished with a regiment and thus included three anti-aircraft regiments and a separate anti-aircraft artillery division. The base's rifle units also increased by one battalion and two platoons of Marines. But these forces were clearly not enough to organize a reliable defense of the coast, so it was built on the principle of creating separate resistance centers that covered the main directions. Between the nodes of resistance, blockages and abatis were built, separate machine-gun points were installed, and anti-personnel minefields were set up.

The strongest defense from land was created in the region of Poti and Batumi, where it was decided to equip four lines: forward, main, rear and internal. The forward line of defense was supposed to be 35 - 45 km from the base, the main line - 25 - 30 km, the rear line - 10 - 20 km from Poti and Batumi, the internal line - directly on the outskirts and in the depths of the vegetable gardens. To conduct street fighting, the construction of barricades and anti-tank obstacles was envisaged.

However, the planned engineering defensive structures were not built. The forward and main lines of defense were not equipped at all due to the lack of manpower, and on the rear line, work on the rear line was only 75% completed by October 25.

The entire land defense area of ​​Poti was divided into three sectors. The first sector was defended by a battalion of marines supported by eleven coastal artillery guns, the second sector by a coastal defense school and a border detachment (343 people and seven guns), the third sector by personnel of the 1st torpedo boat brigade and a border detachment (105 people and eight guns). ). There were about 500 people in the reserve of the commander of the Poti naval base. In addition, all sectors were supported by naval artillery.

In order to better use forces in the defense of the coast, a manual for the anti-landing defense of the Poti naval base was developed.

However, there were also significant shortcomings in the organization of coastal defense. The engineering structures created at the beginning of 1942, due to the long time frame for their construction, had fallen into disrepair by 30-40% and required extensive repairs. Coastal artillery was poorly prepared to repel the enemy from land. Batteries No. 716 and 881 had no shrapnel shells at all. Over 50% of the personnel of the 164th separate artillery battalion did not have rifles.

There were also major shortcomings in the organization of the air defense of the base, which were revealed during an enemy air raid on Poti on July 16. First of all, the surveillance and warning system was poorly developed. Thus, due to the location of patrol boats near the base, the command of the base air defense area did not have the opportunity to detect the enemy in time and raise fighter aircraft, and some anti-aircraft batteries were not even notified of the approach of enemy aircraft.

However, despite all these shortcomings, formations and units of the Poti naval base provided reliable basing for the fleet and created favorable conditions for the operations of units of the 46th Army on the passes of the Main Caucasus Ridge.

Conclusions on the actions of the Black Sea Fleet in the defense of bases and coasts

As a result of a five-month offensive in the second half of 1942, fascist German troops achieved significant successes. They captured the North Caucasus and the Taman Peninsula, reached the foothills of the Main Caucasus Range and the Terek River and captured the passes. The enemy managed to occupy economically important areas and create a difficult situation for our troops in the Caucasus, but he was unable to overcome the defenses of our troops and achieve strategic success.

During fierce defensive battles, Soviet troops and the Black Sea Fleet bled the enemy dry, stopped his advance in the foothills and at the turn of the Terek River, and thus thwarted Hitler’s plans to capture the entire Caucasus and the Soviet Black Sea Fleet.

The Black Sea Fleet and the Azov Military Flotilla, operationally subordinate to the command of the North Caucasus Front and then the Transcaucasian Front, closely interacting with these fronts, provided them with great assistance in the defense and defeat of the Nazi troops in the Caucasus. The Black Sea Fleet and the Azov Flotilla reliably covered the coastal flank of our ground forces, organizing an anti-landing defense of the Azov and Black Sea coasts, allocating for this purpose about 40 thousand people from marine units, coastal and anti-aircraft artillery units, 200 anti-aircraft guns, 150 coastal artillery guns, 250 warships, vessels and watercraft and up to 250 aircraft.

Units of the marine corps, coastal artillery and aviation operating on land showed resilience, high moral and political spirit, mass heroism and an unyielding will to defeat the enemy.

Although the anti-landing defense of the coast by the Black Sea Fleet was organized in accordance with the situation and fully justified itself, it should be admitted that it was poorly saturated with rifle units, which gave the enemy the opportunity to land troops on the Taman Peninsula on September 2, 1942 and attempt to land on the night of October 30 landing on the eastern shore of Tsemes Bay.

The experience of the defense of Novorossiysk and Tuapse showed that the delay in organizing forces for defense, the shallow depth of defense and the dispersion of forces led to significant losses in manpower and equipment and the loss of Novorossiysk, and the timely creation of the Tuapse defensive region made it possible to organize a deep, strong defense of the base from land and not allow the enemy into the defended area. The experience of base defense also showed that one of the main reasons for their rapid decline was the lack of reserves at the base command, which did not allow them to repel enemy attacks in a timely manner.

The experience of base defense confirmed the need to organize interaction and unite all forces under a single command. The best form of such an organization was a fully justified defensive area, divided into sectors and combat areas.

The heroic defense of the Caucasus was a good combat school for units of the Soviet Army and the Black Sea Fleet. In the course of it, they accumulated enormous combat experience and mastered the tactics of action in the mountains. Soviet troops were re-equipped with light weapons, rifle units were reinforced with engineering units, commanders mastered the art of command and control in difficult conditions, the rear organized supply for troops in mountainous conditions, using aviation and all types of transport, including pack transport.

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SOURCE OF INFORMATION AND PHOTO:

Team Nomads.

B.A. Garf. Bezengi Gorge. - Moscow: State Publishing House of Geographical Literature, 1952.
A.F. Naumov. Central Caucasus. — Moscow: “PHYSICAL CULTURE AND SPORTS”, 1967.

http://www.sk-greta.ru/

Bush I. A. Glaciers of the Western Caucasus. Notes of the Russian Geographical Society on general geography. T. XXXIII. No. 4, 1905,

Dictionary of modern geographical names / Under the general editorship of academician. V. M. Kotlyakova. - Ekaterinburg: U-Factoria, 2006.

Around Elbrus. Tourist route map (M. 1:100,000). Pyatigorsk: North-Kav. AGP. 1992. Roscartography 1992, 1999 (with a more detailed description)

http://www.anapacity.com/bitva-za-kavkaz/glavnyj-kavkazskiy-hrebet.html

Topographic map K-38-13. - GUGK USSR, 1984.

Wikipedia website.

Opryshko O. L. Sky-high front of the Elbrus region. - M.: Voenizdat, 1976. - 152 p. — (The heroic past of our Motherland). — 65,000 copies.

Beroev B. M. Elbrus region: Essay on nature. Chronicle of the conquest of Elbrus. Tourist routes. - M.: Profizdat, 1984. - 208 p. - (One hundred paths - one hundred roads). — 97,500 copies.

http://ii1.photocentra.ru/

http://photosight.ru/

Caucasus Mountains– the great divide between Europe and Asia. The Caucasus is a narrow strip of land between the Black and Caspian seas. It amazes with the incredible diversity of climate, flora and fauna.

The pride of the Caucasus is its mountains! Without mountains, the Caucasus is not the Caucasus. The mountains are unique, majestic and inaccessible. The Caucasus is amazingly beautiful. He's so different. You can look at the mountains for hours.

The Greater Caucasus mountain range is home to many pastures, forests, and amazing natural wonders. More than 2 thousand glaciers descend through narrow gorges. A chain of large mountains stretches from northwest to southeast for almost one and a half thousand kilometers. The main peaks exceed 5 thousand meters and significantly influence the weather in the regions. The clouds that form over the Black Sea rain, hitting the mountain peaks of the Caucasus. On one side of the ridge there is a harsh landscape, and on the other there is lush vegetation. Here you can find more than 6 and a half thousand plant species, a quarter of which cannot be found anywhere else in the world.

There are many legends about the origin of the Caucasus Mountains:

A long time ago, when the earth was still very young, a huge plain stretched on the site of the modern territory of the Caucasus. The huge Nart heroes lived here in peace and love. They were kind and prudent, they greeted day and night with joy, they knew neither evil, nor envy, nor deceit. The ruler of this people was the gray-haired giant Elbrus, and he had a beautiful son Beshtau, and his son had a charming bride, the beautiful Mashuki. But they had an evil envious person - Korshun. And he decided to harm the sledges. He prepared a terrible potion in which he mixed the teeth of a wolf, the tongue of a boar and the eyes of a snake. At a big celebration, he added a potion to all the Narts' drinks. And having drunk it, they acquired the greed of a boar, the anger of a wolf and the cunning of a snake. And from that time on the happy and carefree life of the Narts ended. The father decided to take his young bride away from his son and, sending him on a hunt, wanted to forcefully marry Mashuki. But Mashuki resisted Elbrus. And in a fierce battle she lost her wedding ring. He saw Beshtau’s ring and hurried to help the bride. And a terrible life-and-death battle ensued, and half of the Narts fought on the side of Elbrus, and the other half on the side of Beshtau. And the battle lasted for several days and nights, and all the sledges died. Elbrus chopped his son into five parts, and the son, delivering the final blow, dismembered his father’s gray head into two halves. Mashuki came out onto the battlefield after the battle and did not see a single living soul. She approached her lover and plunged a dagger into her heart. Thus the life of a great and old people stopped.

And in this place the Caucasian mountains now rise: the helmet from the head of Beshtau - Mount Zheleznaya, the ring of Mashuki - Mount Koltso, five peaks - Mount Beshtau, nearby - Mount Mashuk and far, far from the others - the gray-haired or simply snow-covered handsome Elbrus.

The Caucasus Mountains are the result of the convergence of two plates

Let's look at one of the narrowest places of this grandiose mountain belt. At its northern outskirts, in the Ciscaucasia, there are flat areas that belong to a strong plate called the Scythian. Further to the south are the sublatitudinal (that is, stretching approximately from west to east) mountains of the Greater Caucasus up to 5 km high, the narrow depressions of Transcaucasia - the Rioni and Kura lowlands - and also the sublatitudinal, but convex to the north, mountain ranges of the Lesser Caucasus in Georgia and Armenia , Eastern Turkey and Western Iran (up to 5 km high).

To the south are the plains of Northern Arabia, which, like the plains of the Ciscaucasia, belong to the very strong, monolithic Arabian lithospheric plate.

Therefore, the Scythian and Arabian plates- these are like two parts of a giant vice that are slowly approaching, crushing everything that is between them. It is curious that directly opposite the northern, relatively narrow end of the Arabian Plate, in Eastern Turkey and Western Iran, there are the highest mountains compared to the mountains located to the west and east. They rise precisely in the place where the Arabian Plate, like a kind of hard wedge, most strongly compressed the pliable sediments.

Geographical position. On the huge isthmus between the Black and Caspian seas, from the Taman to the Absheron peninsula, there are the majestic mountains of the Greater Caucasus.

North Caucasus- This is the southernmost part of Russian territory. The border of the Russian Federation with the countries of Transcaucasia runs along the ridges of the Main, or Watershed, Caucasian Range.

The Caucasus is separated from the Russian Plain by the Kuma-Manych depression, on the site of which a sea strait existed in the Middle Quaternary.

The North Caucasus is an area located on the border of the temperate and subtropical zones.

The epithet “the best” is often applied to the nature of this territory. Latitudinal zonality is replaced here by vertical zonality. For a resident of the plains, the Caucasus Mountains are a vivid example of the “multi-storey™” of nature.

Remember where the southernmost point of Russia is located and what it is called.

Features of the nature of the North Caucasus. The Caucasus is a young mountain structure formed during the period of Alpine folding. The Caucasus includes: Ciscaucasia, Greater Caucasus and Transcaucasia. Only the Ciscaucasia and the northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus belong to Russia.

Rice. 92. Orographic scheme of the Caucasus

The Greater Caucasus is often presented as a single ridge. In fact, it is a system of mountain ranges. From the Black Sea coast to Mount Elbrus is the Western Caucasus, from Elbrus to Kazbek is the Central Caucasus, east of Kazbek to the Caspian Sea is the Eastern Caucasus. In the longitudinal direction, an axial zone is distinguished, occupied by the Vodorazdelny (Main) and Bokovy ridges.

The northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus form the Skalisty and Pastbishchny ridges. They have a cuesta structure - these are ridges in which one slope is gentle and the other is steep. The reason for the formation of a quest is the interlayering of layers composed of rocks of different hardness.

The chains of the Western Caucasus begin near the Taman Peninsula. At first, these are not even mountains, but hills with soft outlines. They increase when moving to the east. Mountains Fisht (2867 m) and Oshten (2808 m) - the highest parts of the Western Caucasus - are covered with snowfields and glaciers.

The highest and grandest part of the entire mountain system is the Central Caucasus. Here even the passes reach an altitude of 3000 m; only one pass - the Cross Pass on the Georgian Military Road - lies at an altitude of 2379 m.

The highest peaks in the Central Caucasus are the double-headed Elbrus, an extinct volcano, the highest peak in Russia (5642 m), and Kazbek (5033 m).

The eastern part of the Greater Caucasus is mainly the numerous ridges of mountainous Dagestan (translated as the Country of Mountains).

Rice. 93. Mount Elbrus

Various tectonic structures took part in the structure of the North Caucasus. In the south there are folded block mountains and foothills of the Greater Caucasus. It is part of the alpine geosynclinal zone.

Oscillations of the earth's crust were accompanied by bending of the earth's layers, their stretching, faults, and ruptures. Through the cracks that formed, magma poured out to the surface from great depths, which led to the formation of numerous ore deposits.

Uplifts in recent geological periods - Neogene and Quaternary - turned the Greater Caucasus into a high-mountainous country. The rise in the axial part of the Greater Caucasus was accompanied by an intense subsidence of earth layers along the edges of the emerging mountain range. This led to the formation of foothill troughs: in the west of the Indolo-Kuban and in the east of the Terek-Caspian.

The complex history of the geological development of the region is the reason for the richness of the subsoil of the Caucasus in various minerals. The main wealth of the Ciscaucasia is oil and gas deposits. In the central part of the Greater Caucasus, polymetallic ores, tungsten, copper, mercury, and molybdenum are mined.

In the mountains and foothills of the North Caucasus, many mineral springs were discovered, near which resorts were created that have long gained worldwide fame - Kislovodsk, Mineralnye Vody, Pyatigorsk, Essentuki, Zheleznovodsk, Matsesta. The sources are varied in chemical composition, temperature and are extremely useful.

Rice. 94. Geological structure of the North Caucasus

The geographical location of the North Caucasus in the south of the temperate zone determines its mild, warm climate, transitional from temperate to subtropical. The parallel of 45° N runs here. sh., that is, this territory is equidistant from both the equator and the pole. This situation determines the amount of solar heat received: in summer 17-18 kcal per square centimeter, which is 1.5 times more than the average European part of Russia receives. With the exception of the highlands, the climate in the North Caucasus is mild and warm; on the plains, the average July temperature everywhere exceeds 20°C, and summer lasts from 4.5 to 5.5 months. Average January temperatures range from -10 to +6°C, and winter lasts only two to three months. In the North Caucasus there is the city of Sochi, which has the warmest winter in Russia with a January temperature of +6.1°C.

Using the map, determine whether in the foothills of the North Caucasus there are any obstacles to the path of arctic or tropical air masses. What atmospheric fronts pass near this area? Analyze on maps how precipitation is distributed in the North Caucasus, explain the reasons for this distribution.

The abundance of heat and light allows the vegetation of the North Caucasus to develop in the north of the region for seven months, in the Ciscaucasia - eight, and on the Black Sea coast, south of Gelendzhik - up to 11 months. This means that with the appropriate selection of crops, you can get two harvests a year.

The North Caucasus is distinguished by a very complex circulation of various air masses. Various air masses can penetrate this area.

The main source of moisture for the North Caucasus is the Atlantic Ocean. Therefore, the western regions of the North Caucasus are characterized by high rainfall. The annual precipitation in the foothill areas in the west is 380-520 mm, and in the east, in the Caspian region, it is 220-250 mm. Therefore, in the east of the region there are often droughts and hot winds. At the same time, they are often accompanied by dusty, or black, storms. Storms occur in the spring, when the top layers of parched soil, still loosely held together by newly emerged plants, are blown away by strong winds. Dust rises in clouds into the air, obscuring the sky and the sun.

Measures to combat black storms include properly planned forest shelterbelts and advanced agricultural technology. However, until now, due to black storms, several tens of thousands of hectares have to be reseeded (re-seeded), from which the most fertile layer of soil is blown away during dust storms.

Highland climate very different from the plains and foothills. The first main difference is that much more precipitation falls in the mountains: at an altitude of 2000 m - 2500-2600 mm per year. This is due to the fact that mountains trap air masses and force them to rise. At the same time, the air cools and gives up its moisture.

The second difference in the climate of the highlands is the decrease in the duration of the warm season due to the decrease in air temperature with height. Already at an altitude of 2700 m on the northern slopes and at an altitude of 3800 m in the Central Caucasus there is a snow line, or the border of “eternal ice”. At altitudes above 4000 m, even in July, positive temperatures are very rare.

Remember by what amount the air temperature decreases when rising for every 100 m. Calculate how much the air cools when rising to a height of 4000 m, if its temperature at the surface of the earth is +20 ° C. What happens to the moisture in the air?

In the mountains of the Western Caucasus, due to the abundance of precipitation during the winter, a four to five meter layer of snow accumulates, and in the mountain valleys, where it is blown away by the wind, up to 10-12 m. The abundance of snow in winter leads to the formation of snow avalanches. Sometimes one awkward movement, even a sharp sound, is enough for a thousand-ton mass of snow to fly down a steep ledge, destroying everything in its path.

Explain why there are practically no avalanches in the mountains of the Eastern Caucasus.

Think about what differences will be observed in the change in altitudinal zones on the western and eastern slopes.

The third difference in the high-mountain climate is its amazing diversity from place to place due to the height of the mountains, slope exposure, proximity or distance from the sea.

The fourth difference is the uniqueness of atmospheric circulation. Cooled air from the highlands rushes down through relatively narrow intermountain valleys. When descending for every 100 m, the air warms up by about 1°C. Descending from an altitude of 2500 m, it heats up by 25°C and becomes warm, even hot. This is how a local wind is formed - the foehn. Hairdryers are especially frequent in the spring, when the intensity of the general circulation of air masses sharply increases. Unlike a foehn, when masses of dense cold air invade, bora is formed (from the Greek boreas - north, north wind), a strong cold downward wind. Flowing through low ridges into an area with warmer rarefied air, it heats up relatively little and “falls” at a high speed along the leeward slope. Bora is observed mainly in winter, where the mountain range borders the sea or a large body of water. The Novorossiysk forest is widely known (Fig. 95). And yet, the leading factor in climate formation in the mountains, which greatly influences all other components of nature, is altitude, leading to vertical zonation of both climate and natural zones.

Rice. 95. Scheme of formation of the Novorossiysk forest

The rivers of the North Caucasus are numerous and, like the relief and climate, are clearly divided into lowland and mountainous. There are especially numerous turbulent mountain rivers, the main source of food for which is snow and glaciers during the melting period. The largest rivers are the Kuban and Terek with their numerous tributaries, as well as the Bolshoy Yegorlyk and Kalaus, which originate in the Stavropol Upland. In the lower reaches of the Kuban and Terek there are floodplains - vast wetlands covered with reeds and reeds.

Rice. 96. Altitudinal zone of the Greater Caucasus

The wealth of the Caucasus is its fertile soils. In the western part of Ciscaucasia, chernozems predominate, and in the eastern, drier part, chestnut soils predominate. The soils of the Black Sea coast are intensively used for gardens, berry fields, and vineyards. The world's northernmost tea plantations are located in the Sochi region.

In the Greater Caucasus Mountains, altitudinal zonation is clearly expressed. The lower zone is occupied by broad-leaved forests with a predominance of oak. Above are beech forests, which with height transform first into mixed and then into spruce-fir forests. The upper border of the forest is at an altitude of 2000-2200 m. Behind it, on mountain meadow soils, there are lush subalpine meadows with thickets of Caucasian rhododendron. They pass into short-grass alpine meadows, followed by the highest mountain belt of snowfields and glaciers.

Questions and tasks

1. Using the example of the North Caucasus, show the influence of the geographical location of the territory on the features of its nature.
2. Tell us about the formation of the modern relief of the Greater Caucasus.
3. On the contour map, indicate the main geographical objects of the area and mineral deposits.
4. Describe the climate of the Greater Caucasus, explain how the climate of the foothills differs from the high-mountain regions.

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

From the legendary Taman to the gray Caspian Sea

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

The land of five dozen nations

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

Twenty-five sky-high peaks

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

The Great Caucasus is replete with rivers, lakes and waterfalls

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

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

Flora and fauna of the Great Caucasus

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

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

Stele "Soaring Eagle"

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

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

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

Peaks from Novorossiysk to Gelendzhik

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

Appanage estate of Russian sovereigns

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

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

Markotkh near Gelendzhik

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

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

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

The famous ski resort "Krasnaya Polyana"

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

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

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

Republic of Adygea

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

Dagestan - a country of mountains

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

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