The most famous mountains of our country. The highest mountain in Russia

Only the most desperate get there. The most high mountain in Russia it is Elbrus. She is also considered highest point Russia - 5642 meters. Plus, Elbrus is also the highest point in Europe.

Elbrus volcano is located in the Caucasus, on the border of the Karachay-Cherkess and Kabardino-Balkarian republics. Locals this mountain is called “Mingi Tau” or “Endless Mountain of Wisdom and Consciousness”. Scientists believe that Elbrus was once a volcano, but went extinct thousands of years ago, and then was completely covered with glaciers. The peaks are reminded of the long past only by the release of sulfuric acid and chloride gases in some areas on the eastern slopes of Elbrus, as well as mineral springs, including thermal ones.

The peak was first conquered back in 1829. Then it was a group of daredevils under the chairmanship of General G. A. Emanuel. Nowadays, it has become quite fashionable to conquer the highest mountain in Russia. There is more than one route along the slopes of the peak. Among other things, on Elbrus there is one of the most popular ski resorts Russia.

The main composition of Elbrus rocks is granites, gneisses, diabases of volcanic origin and tuffs. The mountain is located on the Side Range, and it is connected to the main Caucasian Range by a ridge called Hotyutau.

Height of Elbrus from the surface globe is equal to 3.5 thousand meters. It is mainly covered with glaciers, of which there are only 77, their area is 144.5 square kilometers. On the surface free of glaciers there are moraines. A most of The slopes are gentle, however, from a height of 4 thousand meters the average steepness becomes equal to 35 degrees. On the northern and western slopes there are steep rocky areas up to 700 meters high. All glaciers are cut by cracks, and in the lower part of the mountain they break off with icefalls. The opposite slopes, eastern and southern, are smoother. Surfaces below 3.5 thousand meters are made up of stone screes. They are quite often, even in summer, covered with melting snowflakes.

Natural and climatic factors that differ from sharply continental ones, such as, for example, in the Himalayas or Tibet, can create a high level of hypoxia. Arctic conditions on glacial surfaces, such as the slopes and peaks of mountains, are accompanied by the need to constantly gain altitude, and therefore set a fairly high tension of spiritual and physical strength, constantly pursuing dangers that require first-class mastery of technology to overcome them.

Mount Elbrus with two peak craters was formed about a million years ago. It is covered with snow and ice, which determines the weather and climate of a large area. The unusual relief, scientists say, did not form overnight. What is it also called, Double-Headed Mountain, appeared as a result of complex and lengthy geological processes. The first peak to appear, after the eruptions, was in the West, and then in the East, it began to grow on the site of the side crater of the peak.

Elbrus is a fairly modern volcano that is in a stage of relative dormancy. There have been no eruptions over the last millennium, however, experts say, this is not a sign that Elbrus has finished its volcanic activity. Apparently, the roof of the magma chamber is located at a depth of 6-7 kilometers from the surface. Based on geological data, the conclusion suggests itself that the volcano is still, as they say, on an ascending branch of development.

It is worth noting that the peaks of the mountain are two independent volcanoes that grew on a rather ancient volcanic foundation. The eastern cone, which is exactly 5621 meters in height, is quite “young” and it has retained the correct volcanic shape with a pronounced crater thicket. Well, the western cone, this is 5642 meters, is much older and has already been greatly changed, almost a third of its upper part was destroyed by a vertical fault. It is worth noting that the distance between the peaks is one and a half kilometers.

The huge snow cap of Mount Elbrus forms dozens of glaciers. And the streams erupting from them merge and give rise to three rivers in the region. These are Kuban, Malka and Baksan.

The glory of Mount Elbrus as the highest and most beautiful mountain in the Caucasus dates back to time immemorial. Before our era, Herodotus wrote about the peak. And the people of the Middle East and the Caucasus have written many songs and legends about Elbrus. Not only many Caucasian poets, but Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin and Mikhail Yurievich Lermontov dedicated inspired lines to him.

In the chronicles of history, Elbrus was first mentioned by a Persian scientist named Sherif-ad-Dni in his “Book of Victories,” when the famous Asian commander Tamerlane climbed the mountain to pray. This was during his Transcaucasian military campaigns. However, quite numerous mentions of Elbrus also date back to the era of antiquity.

For example, the ancient hero Prometheus was chained to one of the rocks of the mountain because he gave fire to people. And the famous Argonauts, according to Homer’s legends, went to the Caucasus, to Elbrus, for the Golden Fleece.

Because of its symbolic significance, this mountain became the scene of many bloody battles during the Great Patriotic War. Thus, in August 1942, a German mountain division called "Edelweiss" established western peak Elbrus banners with Teutonic symbols. Six months later, as a result of the retreat of German troops to the West, the Edelweiss division found itself trapped on the top of a mountain, where it was destroyed by Soviet mountain rifle divisions. The banners were dropped and Soviet flags were installed in their place.

Elbrus. Indescribable beauty

The first time a person climbed to the top of the mountain was in 1829. The pioneer was a Kabardian named Kilar Khashirov, who was the guide of the expedition of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Well, the first person to conquer two peaks at once was the Balkar hunter and shepherd Akhiya Sottaev. The man visited the great mountain nine times during his long life. He first climbed it at the age of forty-something, and the last ascent dates back to 1909, when the hunter was one hundred and twenty-one years old. Since then, many people have visited Elbrus, the mountain has become incredibly popular, and mass sports climbs are constantly organized on it.

But don't get your hopes up. The highest mountain in Russia is not given so easily. Every year Elbrus takes about ten human lives.
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Mountains vary in height, shape, age, origin, geographical location etc. The article provides a description of the listed types of mountains.

Mountains by height

Lowlands

Lowlands or low mountains- mountain heights up to 800 meters above sea level.

Peculiarities:

• The tops of the mountains are round, flat,
• The slopes are gentle, not steep, covered with forest,
• Characteristically, there are river valleys between the mountains.

Examples: Northern Urals, spurs of the Tien Shan, some ridges of Transcaucasia, Khibiny Mountains on the Kola Peninsula, individual mountains of Central Europe.

Srednegorye

Middle mountains (medium or mid-altitude mountains) - the height of these mountains is from 800 to 3000 meters above sea level.

Medium-altitude mountains are characterized by altitudinal zonation, i.e. change of landscape with change in altitude.

Examples of medium mountains: Mountains of the Middle Urals, Polar Urals, island mountains New Earth, mountains of Siberia and Far East, mountains of the Apennine and Iberian Peninsulas, Scandinavian mountains in northern Europe, Appalachians in North America and etc.

Highlands

Highlands (high mountains) - the height of these mountains is more than 3000 meters above sea level. These are young mountains, the relief of which is intensively formed under the influence of external and internal processes.

Peculiarities:

• The mountain slopes are steep, high,
• The peaks of the mountains are sharp, peak-shaped, and have a specific name - “Carlings”,
• The mountain ridges are narrow, jagged,
• It is characterized by altitudinal zones from forests at the foot of the mountains to icy deserts at the tops.

Examples: Pamir, Tien Shan, Caucasus, Himalayas, Cordillera, Andes, Alps, Karakoram, Rocky Mountains, etc.

Mountains by shape

According to the nature of the summit endings, mountains are: peak-shaped, dome-shaped, plateau-shaped, etc.

Peaked mountain peaks

Peaked mountains are pointed mountain peaks that are shaped like peaks, hence the name of this species mountain peaks. They are characteristic mainly of young mountains with steep rocky slopes, sharp ridges and deep crevices of river valleys.

Examples of mountains with peaked peaks:

• Peak Communism (mountain system - Pamir, height 7495 meters)
• Pobeda Peak (Tian Shan mountain system, height 7439 meters)
• Mount Kazbek (mountain system - Pamir, height 7134 meters)
• Pushkin Peak (mountain system - Caucasus, height 5100 meters)

Domed mountain peaks

The dome-shaped, that is, rounded, shape of the top can be taken by:

• Laccoliths are unformed volcanoes in the form of a hill with a magma core inside,
• Extinct ancient heavily destroyed volcanoes,
• Small areas of land that have undergone a dome-shaped tectonic uplift and, under the influence of erosion processes, have taken on a mountainous appearance.

Examples of mountains with a dome-shaped peak:

• Black Hills (USA). The area was subject to dome uplift and much of the sedimentary cover was removed by further denudation and erosion. As a result, the central core was exposed. It consists of metamorphic and igneous rocks.
• Ai-Nikola (Ukrainian Ai-Nikola, Crimean tat. Ay Nikola, Ai Nikola) is a domed outlier mountain, the southeastern spur of Mount Mogabi near the western outskirts of the village of Oreanda. It is composed of Upper Jurassic limestones. Height - 389 meters above sea level.
• Kastel (Ukrainian Kastel, Crimean Catholicate. Qastel, Kaastel) is a mountain 439 m high on the southern outskirts of Alushta, behind the Professor’s Corner. The dome of the mountain is covered with a forest cap, and chaos has formed on the eastern slope - boulders of stone, sometimes reaching 3-5 m in diameter.
• Ayu-Dag or Bear Mountain (Ukrainian Ayu-Dag, Crimean Catholicate. Ayuv Dağ, Ayuv Dag) - a mountain on South Coast Crimea, located on the border of Big Alushta and Big Yalta. The height of the mountain is 577 meters above sea level. This is a classic example of a laccolith.
• Kara-Dag (Ukrainian Kara-Dag, Crimean Catholicate. Qara dağ, Kаara dag) is a mountain-volcanic massif, Crimea. Maximum height - 577 m (Mount Holy). It is a heavily destroyed volcanic form with a dome-shaped top.
• Mashuk is a remnant magmatic mountain (laccolith mountain) in the central part of Pyatigorye in the Caucasus Mineralnye Vody, in the northeastern part of the city of Pyatigorsk. The height is 993.7 m. The peak has a regular dome shape.

Plateau-shaped mountain peaks

Mountain peaks that are flat in shape are called plateau-shaped.

• Front Range Front Range) is a mountain range in the southern part of the Rocky Mountains in the United States, adjacent to the Great Plains on the west. The ridge stretches from south to north for 274 km. The highest point is Mount Grays Peak (4349 m). The ridge is composed mainly of granites. The peaks are plateau-shaped, the eastern slopes are gentle, the western slopes are steep.
• Khibiny (Kild. Umptek) - the largest mountain range on the Kola Peninsula. Geological age is about 350 million years. The peaks are plateau-shaped, the slopes are steep with isolated snowfields. However, not a single glacier was discovered in the Khibiny Mountains. The highest point is Mount Yudychvumchorr (1200.6 m above sea level).
• Amba (translated from Amharic as Mountain Fortress) is the name of the flat-topped hills and mesas in Ethiopia. They consist mainly of horizontal sandstones and layers of basalt. This determines the flat-topped shape of the mountains. Ambas are located at an altitude of up to 4,500 m.

Mountains by age

By age, mountains are divided into:

• Young mountains,
• Old (ancient) mountains.

Young mountains formed over the last 50 million years. In these mountain systems, internal processes are very actively developing, accompanied by the formation of mountains, earthquakes, and sometimes even volcanic activity. The youngest mountains on Earth are those belonging to the continental and island rings Pacific Ocean. Recognized as the youngest mountains in Russia Caucasus Mountains. Here is the highest mountain in Russia - Elbrus (5642 m). (In the picture on the left: The Himalayas are young mountains, geological age about 38 million years)

Features of the young mountains:

• the process of growth of young mountains is still ongoing,
• the relief is sharp, highly dissected,
• the peaks of the ridges are sharp,
• the mountain slopes are steep and high,
• high absolute altitudes,
• significant height amplitude,
• the valleys of numerous rivers are presented in the form of gorges, gorges,
• Young mountains are characterized by the development of glaciers.

Examples of young mountains are:

• Alps,
• Caucasus Mountains,
• Carpathians,
• Kopet-Dag,
• Pamir,
• Mountains of Kamchatka.

Old (ancient) mountains are several hundred million years old. They differ in that the internal processes in them have long since died down, while the external processes that influence the destruction of the mountains are still active. This will continue until the relief is completely leveled. On many modern plains there are areas where, by all indications, there were once ancient mountains. From these mountains, only roots remained in the depths, covered with a thick layer of sedimentary rocks.

Features of old (ancient) mountains:

• were heavily damaged,
• have less contrasting relief,
• the elevation differences are small,
• gentle slopes,
• The river valleys are well developed.

Examples of old (ancient) mountains are:

• Ural Mountains,
• Timan,
• Yenisei Ridge,
• Khibiny (Kola Peninsula, geological age approximately 350 million years).

By origin

Tectonic mountains are formed as a result of the collision of moving sections of the earth's crust - lithospheric plates. This collision causes folds to form on the surface of the earth. This is how folded mountains arise. When interacting with air, water and under the influence of glaciers, the rock layers that form folded mountains lose their plasticity, which leads to the formation of cracks and faults. Currently, the folded mountains have been preserved in their original form only in separate parts young mountains - the Himalayas, formed during the era of Alpine folding.

With repeated movements of the earth's crust, hardened folds of rock are broken into large blocks, which, under the influence of tectonic forces, rise or fall. This is how folded block mountains arise. This type of mountains is typical for old (ancient) mountains. An example is the Altai mountains. The emergence of these mountains occurred during the Baikal and Caledonian eras of mountain building; in the Hercynian and Mesozoic eras they were subject to repeated movements of the earth's crust. The type of folded-block mountains was finally adopted during the Alpine folding.

Volcanic mountains are formed during the process of volcanic eruptions. They are usually located along fault lines in the earth's crust or at the boundaries of lithospheric plates.

There are two types of volcanic mountains:

Volcanic cones. These mountains acquired their cone-shaped appearance as a result of the eruption of magma through long cylindrical vents. This type of mountain is widespread throughout the world. These are Fuji in Japan, Mount Mayon in the Philippines, Popocatepetl in Mexico, Misti in Peru, Shasta in California, etc.
Shield volcanoes. Formed by repeated outpouring of lava. They differ from volcanic cones in their asymmetrical shape and small size.

In areas of the globe where active volcanic activity occurs, entire chains of volcanoes can form. The most famous is the chain Hawaiian Islands of volcanic origin with a length of more than 1600 km. These islands are the tops of underwater volcanoes, whose height from the surface of the ocean floor is more than 5500 meters.

Erosion (denudation) mountains

Erosion mountains arose as a result of the intensive dissection of stratified plains, plateaus and plateaus by flowing waters. Most mountains of this type are characterized by a table shape and the presence of box-shaped and sometimes canyon-type valleys between them. The last type of valley occurs most often when a lava plateau is dissected.

Examples of erosional (denudation) mountains are the mountains of the Central Siberian Plateau (Vilyuisky, Tungussky, Ilimsky, etc.). Most often, erosion mountains can be found not in the form of separate mountain systems, but within mountain ranges, where they are formed by the dissection of rock layers by mountain rivers.

By geographical location

On this basis, it is customary to group mountains into mountain systems, ridges, mountain ranges and single mountains.

Mountain belts are the largest formations. There are the Alpine-Himalayan mountain belt, stretching across Europe and Asia, and the Andean-Cordilleran mountain belt, passing through North and South America.

Mountainous country - many mountain systems.

Mountain system - mountain ranges and groups of mountains that are similar in origin and have the same age (for example, the Appalachians)

Mountain ranges are interconnected mountains stretched out in a line. For example, the Sangre de Cristo Mountains (North America).

Mountain groups are also mountains connected to each other, but not elongated in a line, but forming a group of indefinite shape. For example, Mount Henry in Utah and Bear Paw in Montana.

Solitary mountains are mountains that are not connected to other mountains, often of volcanic origin. For example, Mount Hood in Oregon and Rainier in Washington.

Everyone knows that the highest mountain is Everest. Can you name the second tallest? Or at least three more from the TOP 10 list? How many eight-thousanders in the world do you know? Answers under the cut...

No. 10. Annapurna I (Himalayas) - 8091 meters

Annapurna I is the highest peak of the Annapurna mountain range. The height of the mountain is 8091 meters. It ranks tenth among all the peaks of the world. This peak is also considered the most dangerous - the mortality rate of climbers for all years of climbing is 32%, but in the period from 1990 to the present, the mortality rate has decreased to 17%.

The name Annapurna is translated from Sanskrit as “Goddess of Fertility.”

The peak was first conquered in 1950 by French climbers Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal. Initially they wanted to conquer Dhaulagiri, but found it impregnable and went to Annapurna.

No. 9. Nanga Parbat (Himalayas) - 8125 meters.

Nanga Parbat is one of the most dangerous mountains to climb among the eight-thousander mountains. The height of the Nanga Parbat peak is 8125 meters.

Among the Europeans, the peak was first noticed in the 19th century by Adolf Schlagintveit during his trip to Asia and made the first sketches.

In 1895, the first attempt to conquer the peak was made by British climber Albert Frederick Mummery. But he died along with his guides.

Then several more attempts were made to conquer it in 1932, 1934, 1937, 1939, 1950. But the first successful conquest occurred in 1953, when Hermann Buhl, a member of the German-Austrian expedition led by K. Herligkoffer, climbed Nanga Parbat.
Nanga Parbat has a climber mortality rate of 21%.

No. 8. Manaslu (Himalayas) - 8156 meters.

Manaslu (Kutang) is a mountain that is part of the Mansiri Himal range in Nepal.
In 1950, Tilman made the first reconnaissance of the mountain and noted that it was possible to climb it from the northeast side. And only 34 years later, after several unsuccessful attempts to conquer the peak, on January 12, 1984, Polish climbers Ryszard Gajewski and Maciej Berbeka climbed the main peak of Manaslu for the first time, conquering it.
The mortality rate among climbers on Manaslu is 16%.

No. 7. Dhaulagiri I (Himalayas) - 8167 meters.

Dhaulagiri I is the highest point of the Dhaulagiri mountain range in the Himalayas. The height of the peak is 8167 meters.

From 1808 to 1832, Dhaulagiri I was considered the highest peak in the world. Climbers paid attention to it only in the 50s of the 20th century, and only the eighth expedition was able to conquer the peak. A team of the best climbers in Europe, led by Max Eiselin, conquered the peak on May 13, 1960.

In Sanskrit, dhavala or dala means “white” and giri means “mountain”.

No. 6. Cho Oyu (Himalayas) - 8201 meters.

Cho Oyu is the sixth highest mountain peak in the world. The height of Cho Oyu is 8201 m.

The first successful ascent was made in 1954 by an Austrian expedition, which included Herbert Tichy, Joseph Jächler and Pazang Dawa Lama. For the first time, an attempt was made to conquer such a peak without oxygen masks and cylinders, and it was a success. With its success, the expedition opened a new page in the history of mountaineering.

Today there are 15 different routes to the top of Cho Oyu.

No. 5. Makalu (Himalayas) - 8485 meters.

Makalu is the fifth highest peak in the world. Located in the central Himalayas, on the Nepal-China border (Tibetan autonomous region).

The first ascent attempts began in the mid-50s of the 20th century. This can be explained by the fact that most expeditions wanted to conquer Qomolungma and Lhotse, while Makalu and other lesser-known neighboring peaks remained in the shadows.

The first successful expedition occurred in 1955. French climbers led by Lionel Terray and Jean Cauzy conquered the peak on May 15, 1955.

Makalu is one of the most difficult peaks to climb. Less than 30% of expeditions are successful.

To date, there are 17 different routes to the top of Makalu.

No. 4. Lhotse (Himalayas) - 8516 meters.

Lhotse is the fourth highest peak in the world, at 8516 meters. Located on the territory of Tibet Autonomous Okrug.

The first successful ascent was made on May 18, 1956 by a Swiss expedition consisting of Ernst Reiss and Fritz Luchsinger.

Of all attempts to climb Lhotse, only 25% were successful.

No. 3. Kanchenjunga (Himalayas) - 8586 meters.

Until 1852, Kanchenjunga was considered the highest peak in the world, but after calculations based on data from the 1849 expedition, it was proven that the highest mountain is Everest.

All peaks in the world tend to have a decreasing mortality rate over time, but Kangchenjunga is an exception. IN last years The mortality rate when climbing to the top has reached 23% and is only growing. In Nepal, there is a legend that Kanchenjunga is a woman mountain that kills all women who try to climb to its peak.

No. 2. Chogori (Karakorum) - 8614 meters.

Chogori is the second highest peak in the world. Chogori was first discovered by a European expedition in 1856 and was designated Mount K2, that is, the second peak of the Karakoram.
The first attempt to climb was made in 1902 by Oscar Eckenstein and Aleister Crowley, but ended in failure.

The summit was conquered in 1954 by an Italian expedition led by Ardito Desio.

To date, 10 different routes have been laid to the top of K2.
Climbing Chogori is technically much more difficult than climbing Everest. In terms of danger, the mountain ranks second among eight-thousanders after Annapurna, the mortality rate is 24%. None of the attempts to climb Chogori in winter were successful.

No. 1. Chomolungma (Himalayas) - 8848 meters.

Chomolungma (Everest) is the highest peak on Earth.

Translated from Tibetan, “Chomolungma” means “Divine (jomo) Mother (ma) of vital energy (lung).” The mountain is named after the Bon goddess Sherab Jamma.

The English name "Everest" was given in honor of Sir George Everest, the head of the British India Survey in 1830-1843. This name was proposed in 1856 by George Everest's successor Andrew Waugh after the publication of the results of his collaborator Radhanath Sikdar, who in 1852 first measured the height of "Peak XV" and showed that it was the highest in the region and, probably, in the whole world.

Before the first successful ascent to the summit, which took place in 1953, about 50 expeditions were carried out to the Himalayas and Karakoram (to Chomolungma, Chogori, Kanchenjunga, Nanga Parbat and other peaks).

On May 29, 1953, Everest was conquered by New Zealand climber Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay.

In subsequent years, climbers conquered the highest peak in the world different countries world - USSR, China, USA, India, Japan, and other countries.

Over the entire period of time, more than 260 people died while attempting to climb Everest. Nevertheless, more than 400 people try to conquer Chomolungma every year.

The answer to the question about eight-thousanders is that there are 14 of them in the world, 10 of them are in the Himalayas, and the remaining 4 are in the Karakoram.

Considering the size of Russia's territory, it is obvious that the country has many large and small mountain ranges. Most of them are located in the East Siberian region, usually in the southern and northern parts of the Asian territory of Russia.

In the European part of Russia there are two main mountain ranges - the Greater Caucasus, marking the southwestern border between Asia and Europe, and the Ural Mountains, located on the border of Asia and Europe. Russia's highest mountain, Elbrus at 5,642 meters, is located within the Caucasus range and is the highest point in Europe. The Ural Mountains are much lower, and the highest peak, Narodnaya, has a height of 1,895 meters.

There are four main mountain ranges on the southern side of the Russia map. The westernmost and highest of them is the Altai Range, shared by Kazakhstan, China and Mongolia. The highest peak here is Mount Belukha with an altitude of about 4,500 meters. More high peaks, can only be found in Kamchatka and the Caucasus. If you move to the east of the country, a downward trend is noticeable. The Sayan Mountains, which lie west of Lake Baikal, have a maximum height of about 3,500 meters. On the eastern side of the lake there are two main ridges - Yablonovy and Stanovoy, the height of which does not exceed 2,500 meters above sea level. The highest peak of the Stanovoy Range, Golets Skalisty, has a height of 2,467 meters.

The tallest Mountain chain in the northern part of Russia is located on the Kamchatka Peninsula. An active stratovolcano, Klyuchevskaya Sopka, with a constantly changing height from 4,750 to 4,850 meters, is the highest mountain peak in Russia outside the Caucasus. Unlike in the south, Russia's northern mountain ranges become smaller as you move west. Near the Kamchatka region, the Kolyma Plateau has a height 1,962 m meters, and the Chersky ridge rises to approximately 3,000 meters above sea level. The somewhat shorter Verkhoyansk ridge is located on eastern shores Lena River. On the other hand, between the Yenisei and Lena rivers lies the not very high, but huge Central Siberian Plateau, covering an area of ​​more than 3.5 million km².

Below is a list with brief description and photos, as well as a table of the ten highest mountain peaks in Russia.

Mountain Elbrus

Elbrus is the highest mountain in both Russia and Europe, reaching 5,642 m in height. Mount Elbrus is an inactive volcano and also one of the Seven Summits of the World (the highest mountains in each part of the world). It is located 10 km from the Caucasus mountain range, on the border of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic and the Karachay-Cherkess Republic - subjects Russian Federation. The mountain has twenty-three different glaciers on its slopes and is considered part of National Park Elbrus region since 1986.

Elbrus has two peaks, the smaller of which was first conquered by Kilar Khashirov in July 1829, when he led a scientific expedition at the suggestion of General Emmanuel. Climbing high peak dates from 1874. The expedition was led by the British led by Florence Crawford (1838-1902), Horace Walker (1838-1908), Frederick Gardner, the Swiss Peter Knubel (1832-1919) and their guide Ahiya Sotaev.

Dykhtau

At an altitude of 5,204 m, Dykhtau is the second highest mountain in Russia. Dykhtau is located in the Side Range Greater Caucasus, on the territory of Kabardino-Balkaria - a subject of the Russian Federation. The mountain is located near the border with Georgia, and from it you can see the Bezengi Wall. Dykhtau was first climbed in 1888 by Albert F. Mummery (1855-95) and H. Zarflukh.

Pushkin Peak

Pushkin Peak has a height of 5,100 m and is the third highest mountain in Russia. The mountain peak is located on the border between Georgia and Russia. The peak is located in the Dykhtau mountain range, in the Bezengi region in the central part of the Caucasus range. It was first conquered in 1961 by the Russian team from the Spartak club under the leadership of B. Kletsko.

Kazbek

With a height of 5,033 m, Kazbek is the fourth highest mountain in the Russian Federation. It is located in the Khokh mountain range, which is part of the Lateral Range of the Greater Caucasus and lies directly on the border between the Kazbegi Municipality in Georgia and the Russian Republic of North Ossetia-Alania. There are several small glaciers on Kazbek. The first ascent of the mountain took place in 1868, with the participation of three members of the London Alpine Club: Douglas Freshfield (1845-1934), Adrian Moore (1841-87) and S. Tucker, as well as their guide, the Frenchman Francois Devoissoud (1831-1905) .

Gestola

Gestola is the fifth highest mountain in Russia, with a peak height of 4,860 m. Gestola is located in the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range, right on the border with Svaneti (Georgia) and Karbardino-Balkaria (Russian Federation). The slopes of the mountain are covered with a huge amount of ice and also consist of glaciers, the most prominent of which is the Adishi Glacier.

Shota Rustaveli Peak

Shota Rustaveli Peak, with a height of 4,859 m, is the sixth highest point in Russia. The mountain belongs to the Greater Caucasus Range and has glaciated slopes, as well as valleys in the vicinity of which there are glaciers. Despite the fact that the mountain was named after the famous Georgian poet and statesman Shota Rustaveli, it is sought after by both countries as it extends the border into Karbardino-Balkaria (Russia) and the province of Svaneti (Georgia).

Jimara

Dzhimara has a height of 4,780 m and is the seventh highest mountain in Russia. The mountain is located on the Khokh mountain range, which belongs to the Greater Caucasus Range. Dzhimara is located in the Russian republic of North Ossetia-Alania, right on the border with Georgia.

Wilpata

The peak of Wilpata is located at an altitude of 4,649 m and is part of the Caucasus Range in North Ossetia-Alania. Little is known about this mountain, and its peak has never been conquered before.

Sauhokh

With a height of 4,636 m, Mount Saukhokh ranks ninth in the list of “Highest Mountains of Russia”. Mount Saukhokh is located on the Caucasus Range in North Ossetia-Alania. Little is known about this mountain since it has not been conquered.

Kukurtli-Kolbashi

Kukurtli-Kolbashi is the tenth highest mountain in Russia with an altitude of 4,624 m (according to other sources 4,978 m) above sea level. It is located in the Caucasus mountain range on the territory of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic. There is very little information about this mountain, and until now its peak has not been conquered.

Table of the highest mountain peaks in Russia

Number	The highest mountains of Russia	Height, m
1	Mountain Elbrus	5 642
2	Dykhtau	5 204
3	Pushkin Peak	5 100
4	Kazbek	5 033
5	Gestola	4 860
6	Shota Rustaveli Peak	4 859
7	Jimara	4 780
8	Wilpata	4 649
9	Sauhokh	4 636
10	Kukurtli-Kolbashi	4,624 (according to other sources 4,978)

2.12.2019 at 23:01 · VeraSchegoleva · 17 750

Top 10 highest mountains in Russia

Although Russia is often seen through the prism of cities such as Moscow and St. Petersburg, it has much more to offer. Natural landscapes turn Russia into a paradise for travelers, which to this day is not so widely open to the eyes of the average person. For all the passionate hikers out there, we can officially say this is where the most breathtaking mountains are!

Even if you are not an avid climber or just a mountain climber, visiting these stunning peaks will add adventure to your Russian holiday.

« Is there anything better than mountains? Mountains you haven't visited yet" Ask any Russian and they will probably recognize this famous song by Vladimir Vysotsky. And who can really disagree with that?

The Caucasus, Altai, Ural, Siberia, Kamchatka - there are many places in the country where climbers and tourists can experience the magic of mighty peaks for themselves.

We present to you a list of the 10 highest mountains in Russia - extensive geography, as well as the highest points on the map with names and heights of peaks - information for grade 4.

10. Belukha, 4905 m

Rising in the Republic, Belukha is a three-peaked mountain range that rises along the Russia-Kazakhstan border, just a few dozen miles north of the point where that border meets that of China. There are several small glaciers on the mountain, including the Belukha Glacier.

Belukha was first raised in 1914 by the Tronov brothers. Most ascents to the east summit follow the same southern route as the first ascent. Although Altai is lower in altitude than other Asian mountain groups, it is very remote and requires a lot of time and planning to approach.

9. Klyuchevskaya Sopka, 4850 m

Klyuchevskaya Sopka appeared 6000 years ago. Its first recorded eruption occurred in 1697, and since then it has been almost continuously active, like many of its neighbors.

The peak was first climbed in 1788 by Daniel Gauss and two other members of the Billings expedition. No other ascents were recorded until 1931, when several climbers were killed by flying lava on the descent. Because such dangers still exist today, few ascents have been made to the summit.

Klyuchevskaya Sopka is considered sacred by some indigenous peoples, and is considered by them as the place where the world was created. Other volcanoes in the region have similar spiritual significance, but Klyuchevskaya Sopka is the most sacred of them all.

8. Shota Rustaveli Peak, 4859 m

The mountain better known as Shota Rustaveli Peak located in the central part of the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range on the border of Svaneti (Georgia) and Kabardino-Balkaria (Russia).

Shota Rustaveli is generally the ninth highest point in the Caucasus. The slopes of the mountain are glacial, and some of the glaciers descend well into the neighboring valleys. Its name takes its roots from the famous Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli.

7. Mizhirgi, 5025 m

At the beginning of January 2009, Sasha Gukov, Sergey Kondrashkin, Alik Izotov and Viktor Koval made the first winter ascent along the northern ridge of the Eastern Peak Mizhirgi.

Mizhirgi is the eastern auxiliary peak of Dykhtau, on the ridge in the direction of Koshtuntau; its northern side rises almost 2000 m above the basin of the Mizhirgi glacier.

The route was first climbed in August 1952 by Vasily Pelevin's five-man team on hard 5B, but is rarely repeated due to poor rock and rockfall at the bottom. In 2009 the team experienced a lot bad weather, making five bivouacs before reaching the top.

6. Kazbek, 5032 m

Known locally as Mkinvartsveri or glacier top, mountain Kazbek rises 5032 meters above sea level, making it the most high mountain in eastern Georgia and one of the highest in Russia. The peak is located right on the border with Russia, but it is easiest to climb from the Georgian side.

Because of the relative ease with which this dormant stratovolcano rises and the spectacular views from the summit, Mount Kazbek is one of the most popular destinations for climbers in the Caucasus Range. Most tourists flock to climb it during June and July, but local guides also offer winter skiing trips.

Mount Kazbek was first conquered in 1868 by an expedition of English and French climbers in the Alpine Club, but for a long time it had a cultural and historical meaning for the local population.

According to legend, the Georgian version of Prometheus was chained to this mountain as punishment for stealing fire from the gods and then giving it to mortals.

5. Pushkin Peak, 5100 m

Pushkin Peak located in the Dykh-Tau Bezengi mountain range (Central Caucasus, Russia) between Eastern Dykh-Tau and Borovikov Peak. From the top of Borovikov Peak a thin ridge runs north.

Conquered in 1961 by the Spartak team led by Kletsko (3rd place in the USSR Championship). Kletsko’s route ran to the left from Borovikov Peak to the west of Mizhirga.

There is another route on Pushkinskaya 5B, laid by Kudinov in 1972 (4th place in the USSR Championship), passing more to the right. It is on an avalanche-prone hanging glacier and is dangerous due to ice collapse from the upper hanging glacier.

4. Koshtan Tau, 5152 m

Koshtan– the fourth highest mountain in Europe. This is one of the two "Bezengi Brothers", marking the eastern end of the Northern Massif. Great Pyramid Koshtana is impressive and its northwestern face gives you a good idea of ​​how difficult climbing the Caucasus can be.

The north ridge route is fairly straight forward but long. Moreover, the journey to this peak is challenging and difficult as you need to climb three steps of the Mizhirgi Glacier.

Most of the other routes to the summit are difficult and dangerous. Several years ago, an entire team of Ukrainian climbers was killed on the summit during a rock climbing competition. Peak is also known as Koshtan Tau.

3. Shkhara, 5193 m

Shkhara is the highest point and eastern anchor of the massif known as the Bezinga (or Bezengi) Wall, a 12-kilometer ridge. It is a large, steep peak in a heavily icy region, presenting serious challenges for climbers. Its northern side (on the Russian side) has an altitude of 1500 meters and contains several classic difficult routes.

The significant peak of Shkhara to the west, 5193 m high, is a climbing target in itself, and crossing the entire Bezingi face is considered " the longest, most difficult expedition in Europe".

The peak was first climbed in 1888 along the North-East Ridge route by the British-Swiss team of W. Almer, J. Cockin and C. Roth. This route is still one of the easiest and most popular routes on the mountain. The first full move of the Bezinji Wall was in 1931 by the Austrians K. Poppinger, K. Moldan and S. Schintlmeister.

2. Dykh-tau, 5204 m

Dykh-Tau is the second largest in the Caucasus Mountains after Elbrus and the second highest in Europe.

It is one of the great Caucasus peaks, facing the magnificent Bezingi Face across the Bezingi Glacier. The first ascent of Mummery and Zarflukh in 1888 was a major achievement at the time. Their route up the southwest ridge is no longer used as a regular route.

1. Elbrus, 5642 m

Elbrus- This dormant volcano with two cones reaching 5642 meters and 5595 meters in height. The volcano was formed more than 2.5 million years ago. Sulfur gases are still emitted on its eastern slopes, and there are many mineral springs along the downdrafts.

Elbrus' total area of ​​138 sq. km is covered by 22 glaciers, which feed the Kuban River and some of the upper reaches of the Terek. Elbrus is a major center of mountaineering and tourism in Caucasus region. In 1964, an extensive tourist and mountaineering base with large sports facilities was opened.

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