The highest peaks of the Caucasus mountains. Geographical location of the Caucasus Mountains: description, photo
In the ridge 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 most high mountain in the Caucasus - Elbrus, which once active volcano, and occupying fifth place 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 Elbrus are Terskop, Big and Small Azau.
The temperature at the top of Elbrus remains virtually unchanged and is -1.4°C. Falls out here a large number of precipitation, but because of this temperature regime, it is almost always snow, so 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 at the top of the mountain feed the most big rivers these places are Kuban and Terek.
Climbing ElbrusTo see beautiful view, opening 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 located ski resort"Elbrus Azau". 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 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.
Geographical position Caucasus Mountains
The Caucasus Mountains are located between the Azov, Black and Caspian Seas. In addition, this territory can be called multinational, because The Caucasus is part of Russian Federation, Abkhazia and South Ossetia, as well as Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and.
Characteristics of the relief of the Caucasus Mountains
Orographically, this region is a mountain system consisting of the main ridge, Ciscaucasia and Transcaucasia (North and South Caucasus). The relief of the Ciscaucasia is distinguished by plains and foothills: Kuban, Taman Peninsula, Stavropol Upland. The Transcaucasus region is represented by more mountainous areas, which belong to South Ossetia and Abkhazia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, Georgia and Eastern Turkey. In addition, the Caucasus is divided into 2 mountain systems: the Greater and Lesser Caucasus. The Greater Caucasus stretches between the Caspian and the Black Sea for 1100 km. In the region of the highest point of the Caucasus - Mount Elbrus (5642 m), the width of the mountain range reaches 180 km. In addition, the Greater Caucasus is divided into three regions: Western, Central and Eastern. The Lesser Caucasus is a mountain system of the Transcaucasian region, which is limited in the west by Colchis and in the east by the Kura Depression. Maximum height Lesser Caucasus - 3724, length only 600 km. The Likhsky ridge region is a place connecting the mountain systems of the Greater and Lesser Caucasus. 
Natural and climatic features of the Caucasus
The mountainous terrain has caused climate change and the amazing landscape diversity of the Caucasus. Thus, the lowlands of Transcaucasia are distinguished by subtropical landscapes, where various climatic conditions allow you to grow citrus fruits, tea, cotton and other crops. High in the mountains, in the Elbrus region, the landscape changes dramatically - perennial ice and snow reign here. It should be noted that the geographical law of altitudinal zonality is weakly expressed in mountains with low altitudes.
The Caucasus Mountains can safely be called a museum under open air Therefore, environmental protection activities are actively developed here. Thus, in the Caucasus there are 3 national parks and 5 nature reserves.
Development of tourism in the Caucasus
The Caucasus region is distinguished by a variety of recreational resources that attract tourists. It can natural objects: gorges, canyons, caves, waterfalls; mineral springs and climate; historical and cultural monuments. In addition, the Caucasus Mountains will especially delight fans of extreme sports: rafting, canyoning, rock climbing, caving - this is far from full list extreme tourism destinations. 
Mountain tourism in the Caucasus
The most affordable and practically safe way to enjoy landscapes Mountain Caucasus is mountain tourism. To the most popular and well-developed areas mountain tourism refers to the Western Caucasus, where the network runs tourist routes various categories of complexity. For beginners, it is advisable to choose simple routes laid in the low-mountainous western part (Arkhyz region). Particularly popular are the routes that go to the sea: the extreme journey ends with a swimming and beach holiday. It should be noted that tourists who visit the Caucasus Mountains for the first time are advised to use the services of experienced escorts, even if they have experience in climbing in other mountainous areas.
Canyoning in the Caucasus
Canyoning is a type of extreme tourism associated with overcoming canyons without the use of kayaks, canoes, inflatable boats and other watercraft. There are several types of canyoning: technical, walking and play.
The Adygea region has excellent conditions for the development of this species. extreme recreation. Many routes follow the canyon of the Rufabgo River and the Big Rufabgo Creek. In addition, there are routes along the Meshoko River gorge and in the area of the Universitetsky waterfall.
Rafting on the rivers of the Caucasus
Unlike canyoning, rafting, on the contrary, actively uses catamarans, kayaks and inflatable rafts for rafting down mountain rivers. Rafting routes in the Caucasus are distinguished by difficulty category: the second category is for beginners, and the sixth is the most difficult. Although, rafting above the third category is already quite dangerous.
Fans of rafting prefer rafting on the Zelenchuk or Bolshoy Zelenchuk rivers, which can be classified into category 3. The extreme journey lasts 5-7 days, but it is necessary to take into account the changeability of the weather. In addition to Zelenchuk, another mountain river is of interest - Vzmyta, which originates on the Central Caucasus Range. Rafting takes only 3-4 days. 
Speleotourism in the Caucasus
Caving is very popular among young people. It involves visiting various caves, mines, wells and labyrinths. In the Caucasus, optimal conditions for speleotourists are found in the Lagonaki Highlands. The most varied forms of speleorelief are presented here. These include extensive mines, wells, and horizontal galleries that stretch for kilometers. The Lagonaki cavities are suitable for both beginners (regular uncategorized routes) and professional speleologists (difficulty category 5).
The Caucasus Mountains are located on the isthmus between the Caspian and Black Seas. The Caucasus is separated from the East European Plain by the Kuma-Manych depression. The territory of the Caucasus can be divided into several parts: Ciscaucasia, Greater Caucasus and Transcaucasia. Only the Ciscaucasia and the northern part are located on the territory of the Russian Federation Greater Caucasus. The last two parts are collectively called the North Caucasus. However, for Russia this part of the territory is the southernmost. Here, along the crest of the Main Ridge, passes state border Russian Federation, behind which lie Georgia and Azerbaijan. The entire system of the Caucasus ridge occupies an area of approximately 2600 m2, with its northern slope occupying about 1450 m2, while the southern slope is only about 1150 m2.
The North Caucasus Mountains are relatively young. Their relief was created by different tectonic structures. In the southern part there are folded block mountains and foothills of the Greater Caucasus. They were formed when deep trough zones were filled with sedimentary and volcanic rocks, which later underwent folding. Tectonic processes here were accompanied by significant bends, stretches, ruptures and fractures of the earth's layers. As a result, large amounts of magma poured onto the surface (this led to the formation of significant ore deposits). The uplifts that occurred here in the Neogene and Quaternary periods led to the elevation of the surface and the type of relief that exists today. The rise of the central part of the Greater Caucasus was accompanied by the subsidence of strata along the edges of the resulting ridge. Thus, the Terek-Caspian trough was formed in the east, and the Indal-Kuban trough in the west.
The Greater Caucasus is often presented as a single ridge. In fact, this is a whole system of various ridges, which can be divided into several parts. The Western Caucasus is located from the Black Sea coast to Mount Elbrus, then (from Elbrus to Kazbek) the Central Caucasus follows, and to the east from Kazbek to the Caspian Sea - the Eastern Caucasus. In addition, in the longitudinal direction two ridges can be distinguished: Vodorazdelny (sometimes called the main one) and Bokovaya. On the northern slope of the Caucasus there are the Skalisty and Pastbishchny ridges, as well as the Black Mountains. They were formed as a result of interlayering of layers composed of sedimentary rocks of different hardness. One slope of the ridge here is gentle, while the other ends quite abruptly. As you move away from the axial zone, the height of the mountain ranges decreases.
The chain of the Western Caucasus begins at the Taman Peninsula. At the very beginning, it’s more likely not even mountains, but hills. They begin to rise to the east. The highest parts of the North Caucasus are covered with snow caps and glaciers. The highest peaks of the Western Caucasus are Mount Fisht (2870 meters) and Oshten (2810 meters). The highest part of the Greater Caucasus mountain system is the Central Caucasus. Even some passes at this point reach a height of 3 thousand meters, and the lowest of them (Krestovy) lies at an altitude of 2380 meters. Here are the most high peaks Caucasus. For example, the height of Mount Kazbek is 5033 meters, and the double-headed extinct volcano Elbrus is the highest peak in Russia.
The relief here is highly dissected: sharp ridges, steep slopes and rocky peaks predominate. The eastern part of the Greater Caucasus consists mainly of the numerous ridges of Dagestan (translated, the name of this region means “mountainous country”). There are complex branching ridges with steep slopes and deep canyon-like river valleys. However, the height of the peaks here is less than in the central part of the mountain system, but they still exceed a height of 4 thousand meters. The rise of the Caucasus Mountains continues in our time. Quite frequent earthquakes in this region of Russia are associated with this. To the north of the Central Caucasus, where the magma rising through cracks did not spill out to the surface, low, so-called island mountains were formed. The largest of them are Beshtau (1400 meters) and Mashuk (993 meters). At their base there are numerous springs of mineral waters.
The so-called Ciscaucasia is occupied by the Kuban and Terek-Kuma lowlands. They are separated from each other by the Stavropol Upland, whose height is 700-800 meters. The Stavropol Upland is dissected by wide and deeply incised valleys, gullies and ravines. At the base of this area lies a young slab. Its structure consists of Neogene formations, covered with limestone deposits - loess and loess-like loams, and in the eastern part also marine sediments of the Quaternary period. The climate in this area is quite favorable. Enough high mountains serve as a good barrier to cold air penetrating here. The proximity of the long cooling sea also has an effect. The Greater Caucasus is the border between two climatic zones - subtropical and temperate. On Russian territory the climate is still moderate, but the above factors contribute to rather high temperatures.
Caucasus Mountains As a result, winters in the Ciscaucasia are quite warm ( average temperature in January it is about -5°C). This is facilitated by coming from outside Atlantic Ocean warm air masses. On the Black Sea coast, temperatures rarely drop below zero (the average January temperature is 3°C). In mountainous areas the temperature is naturally lower. Thus, the average temperature on the plain in summer is about 25°C, and in the upper reaches of the mountains - 0°C. Precipitation falls into this area mainly due to cyclones arriving from the west, as a result of which its amount gradually decreases to the east.
Most precipitation falls on the southwestern slopes of the Greater Caucasus. Their number on the Kuban Plain is approximately 7 times lower. Glaciation has developed in the mountains of the North Caucasus, the area of which ranks first among all regions of Russia. The rivers flowing here are fed by water formed by the melting of glaciers. The largest Caucasian rivers are the Kuban and Terek, as well as their numerous tributaries. Mountain rivers, as usual, are fast-flowing, and in their lower reaches there are wetlands overgrown with reeds and reeds.
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 the town of 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 narrow 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 Western Europe. Forward elevations accompanying Main Ridge, 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 through in many places by deep river gorges, which, starting in the Main Range and breaking through the advanced hills, descend to the foothills and go to 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 transverse deep valleys, reaches very significant development in the vicinity of Elbrus (Elbrus ledge). The most significant rise [Elbrus-Mineralovodskaya fault zone] goes directly north from this peak, serving as a watershed between the waters of the Kuban (Azov) and Terek ( Caspian Sea) and, lowering with ledges further, spreads out into the island mountains of Pyatigorye and the vast Stavropol Upland (the main rise of the forward ledges reaches the Pastbishchny ridge, bordering the Kislovodsk basin like a horseshoe, turns south (of Kislovodsk) to the east, along with gorges and river valleys stretches to the Tersko-Sunzha interfluve - forming the Terek-Sunzha Upland, and further - up to the Andean ridge).
The northern slope is even more developed in the eastern part of the Caucasus Range, where numerous, and very significant in height and length, its spurs form a vast mountainous country Dagestan (Dagestan ledge) is a large mountainous region, enclosed by the high Andiysky, Sala-Tau and Gimrynsky (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 a height 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 ridge, reaching a fairly significant orographic development in the middle, where parallel hills adjoin it, forming the longitudinal valleys of the upper reaches of the Rioni, Inguri and Tskhenis-tskhali, and long spurs extending to the south, separating the Alazani, Iori and Kura basins.
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 or even pedestrian paths, partly completely inaccessible for use in winter time of the year. 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 - mountainous region 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, forming 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) - 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. 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 place mountaineering. 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 list World Heritage UNESCO.
MOUNT TETNULD Main Caucasus Range 
Tetnuld (Georgian: თეთნულდი " white mountain") - a peak in the spur of the Bezengi Wall, the Main Caucasus Range in the Upper Svaneti region, Georgia, 2 km south of the summit Gestola and the borders 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. total area glaciers - 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.
Tseysky glacier is located in North Ossetia and feeds mainly on the snows 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 routes to the glacier cable cars. 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 is located Mountain pass Donguzorun 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.
MOUNT ACHISHKHO
Achishkho (Adyghe goat mountain: Achi - “goat”, shkho - “height”, “peak”.) (Nedezhui-Kushkh) - a mountain range in the Western Caucasus, located in the territory Krasnodar region 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 Krasnodar region— 177.3 thousand hectares.
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.
Krestovy pass - highest point 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, occupied the Khotyu-Tau and Chiper-Azau passes on the southern slopes of Mount Elbrus on August 18, tourist centers"Horizon" and "Shelter of Eleven". 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 one left in this area settlement. 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 Potiyskaya 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 has stepped up reconnaissance main base fleet 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. Marine Corps. 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. Created early 1942 engineering structures due to the long period of construction, 30 - 40% of them had fallen into disrepair 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 the antilanding defense of Azov and Black Sea coast, 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-amphibious 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 on September 2, 1942 on the Taman Peninsula and attempt to land on the night of October 30 landing on east coast 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.
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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/
It is divided into two mountain systems: the Greater Caucasus and the Lesser Caucasus. The Caucasus is often divided into the North Caucasus and Transcaucasia, the border between which is drawn along the Main, or Watershed, Ridge of the Greater Caucasus, which occupies a central position in mountain system. The Greater Caucasus extends more than 1100 km from northwest to southeast, from the Anapa region and Taman Peninsula to the Absheron Peninsula on the Caspian coast, near Baku. The Greater Caucasus reaches its maximum width in the area of the Elbrus meridian (up to 180 km). In the axial part there is the Main Caucasian (or Watershed) ridge, to the north of which a number of parallel ridges (mountain ranges), including a monoclinal (cuesta) character, extend (see Greater Caucasus). The southern slope of the Greater Caucasus mostly consists of echelon-shaped ridges adjacent to the Main Caucasus ridge. Traditionally, the Greater Caucasus is divided into 3 parts: Western Caucasus (from the Black Sea to Elbrus), Central Caucasus (from Elbrus to Kazbek) and Eastern Caucasus (from Kazbek to the Caspian Sea).
Most famous peaks- Elbrus (5642 m) and Kazbek (5033 m) are covered with eternal snow and glaciers. The Greater Caucasus is a region with extensive modern glaciation. The total number of glaciers is about 2,050, and their area is approximately 1,400 km2. More than half of the glaciation in the Greater Caucasus is concentrated in the Central Caucasus (50% of the number and 70% of the area of glaciation). Large centers of glaciation are Mount Elbrus and the Bezengi Wall (with the Bezengi glacier, 17 km). From the northern foot of the Greater Caucasus to the Kuma-Manych depression, the Ciscaucasia stretches with vast plains and hills. To the south of the Greater Caucasus are the Colchis and Kura-Araks lowlands, the Inner Kartli Plain and the Alazan-Avtoran Valley [Kura Depression, within which the Alazan-Avtoran Valley and the Kura-Araks Lowland are located]. In the southeastern part of the Caucasus are the Talysh Mountains (up to 2477 m high) with the adjacent Lenkoran Lowland. In the middle and west of the southern part of the Caucasus is the Transcaucasian Plateau, consisting of the Lesser Caucasus and Armenian Highlands(city of Aragats, 4090 m). The Lesser Caucasus is connected to the Greater Caucasus by the Likhsky ridge, in the west it is separated from it by the Colchis Lowland, in the east by the Kura Depression. Length - about 600 km, height - up to 3724 m. Mountains near Sochi - Achishkho, Aibga, Chigush (Chugush, 3238 m), Pseashkho and others (Krasnaya Polyana resort area) - will host participants in the 2014 Winter Olympic Games.
