The Ural Mountains are located on the territory of Russia and Kazakhstan and are a unique geographical feature that divides the mainland of Eurasia into two parts.
Direction and extent of the Ural Mountains.
The length of the Ural Mountains is more than 2500 km, they originate from the coastArctic Ocean and end in the hot deserts of Kazakhstan. Due to the fact that the Ural Mountains cross the territory of Russia from north to south, they pass through five geographical zones. They include the expanses of the Orenburg, Sverdlovsk, Chelyabinsk, Aktobe, Tyumen and Kustanai regions, as well as the territories of the Perm Territory, the Komi Republic and Bashkortostan.
Minerals of the Ural Mountains.
In the bowels of the Urals are hidden untold riches known to the whole world. This is the famous malachite, and gemstones colorfully described by Bazhov in his fairy tales, asbestos, platinum, gold and other minerals.
Nature of the Ural Mountains.
This region is famous for its incredible beauty of nature. People come here to look at the amazing mountains, plunge into the clear waters of numerous lakes, go down into caves or raft down the rapid rivers of the Ural Mountains. You can travel through colorful places both measuring the expanses of the Urals with a backpack over your shoulders, and in the comfort of a sightseeing bus or your own car.
Ural mountains in the Sverdlovsk region.
The beauty of these mountains is best seen in natural parks and reserves. Once in the Sverdlovsk region, you definitely need to visit the "Deer Streams". Tourists come here to see the drawings of an ancient man painted on the surface of the Pisanitsa rock, visit the caves and go down to the Big Proval, marveling at the strength of the river that made its way through the Perforated Stone. For visitors, special trails have been laid in the park, observation platforms, cable crossings and places for recreation have been arranged.
Park "Bazhovskie Places".
There is a natural park in the Urals called "Bazhovskie Mesto" where you can go hiking, riding and cycling. Specially designed routes allow you to see picturesque landscapes, visit Lake Talkov Stone and climb Mount Markov Stone. In winter, you can travel here on snowmobiles, and in summer you can go down the mountain rivers in kayaks or kayaks.
Rezhevsky reserve.
Connoisseurs of the natural beauty of semi-precious stones should definitely visit the Rezhevskoy reserve of the Ural Mountains, which includes several unique deposits of ornamental, precious and semi-precious stones. It is possible to make a trip to the places of extraction only if accompanied by an employee of the reserve. The Rezh River flows through its territory, formed by the confluence of the Ayat and Bolshoi Sap rivers. These rivers originate in the Ural Mountains. On the right bank of the river Rezh rises the famous Shaitan stone. The locals consider it a place of mystical power.
Ural caves.
Fans of extreme tourism will be happy to visit the numerous caves of the Urals. The most famous of them are Kungur ice and Shulgan-Tash (Kapova). The ice cave of Kungura stretches for 5.7 km, although only 1.5 km of them are accessible to tourists. On its territory there are about 50 grottoes, more than 60 lakes and many stalactites and stalagmites made of ice. The temperature here is always below zero, so you need to dress accordingly to visit it. To enhance the visual effect, special lighting is used in the cave.
In the cave of Kapova, scientists discovered rock paintings that are more than 14 thousand years old. In total, about 200 works of ancient artists were found in its open spaces. In addition, you can visit numerous halls, grottoes and galleries located on three levels, admire underground lakes, in one of which an inattentive visitor risks swimming at the entrance.
Some sights of the Ural Mountains are best visited in winter. One of these places is located in the Zyuratkul National Park. This is an ice fountain, which arose thanks to geologists who once drilled a well in this place. Now a fountain of underground waters is beating from it. In winter, it turns into a bizarre icicle, reaching a height of 14 m.
Thermal springs of the Urals.
The Urals is also rich in thermal springs, therefore, in order to undergo healing procedures, there is no need to fly abroad, it is enough to come to Tyumen. Local thermal springs are rich in microelements useful for human health, and the water temperature in the spring ranges from +36 to +45 0 C, regardless of the time of year. Recreation centers have been built on these waters.
Ust-Kachka, Perm.
Not far from Perm, there is a health-improving complex "Ust-Kachka", unique in the composition of its mineral waters. In summer, you can ride catamarans or boats here. In winter, ski slopes, ice skating rinks and slides are at the service of vacationers.
Waterfalls of the Urals.
For the Ural Mountains, waterfalls are not common, all the more interesting to visit such a natural miracle. One of them is the Plakun waterfall, located on the right bank of the Sylva River. Fresh water falls from a height of more than 7 m. Local residents and visitors consider this source to be holy and gave it the name Ilyinsky.
There is also a man-made waterfall near Yekaterinburg, nicknamed “Rumbler” for the roar of water. Its waters fall down from a height of more than 5 m. On a hot summer day, it is pleasant to stand under its jets, cooling off and getting a free hydromassage.
In the Perm Territory there is a unique place called Stone Town. This name was given to it by tourists, although among the local population this miracle of nature is called "Devil's Settlement". The stones in this complex are arranged in such a way that the illusion of a real city with streets, squares and avenues is created. You can walk through its labyrinths for hours, and beginners can even get lost. Each stone has its own name, given for its resemblance to some animal. Some tourists climb the tops of the rocks to see the beauty of the green that surrounds the City.
Ridges and cliffs of the Ural Mountains.
Many cliffs of the Ural Range also have their own names, for example, Bear Stone, reminiscent from afar of the gray back of a bear that flashed among the greenery of trees. Climbers use a hundred-meter steep cliff for their training. Unfortunately, it is slowly falling apart. In the rock, archaeologists discovered a grotto in which there was a parking lot of ancient people.
Not far from Yekaterinburg, in the Visimsky Reserve, there is an outcrop of rock. An attentive eye will immediately discern in it the outlines of a man whose head is covered with a cap. It is called the Old Man Stone. If you climb to its top, you can admire the panorama of Nizhny Tagil.
Ural lakes.
Among the numerous lakes of the Ural Mountains, there is one that is not inferior in glory to Baikal. This is Lake Turgoyak, fed by radon sources. The water contains almost no mineral salts. Soft water has healing properties. People from all over Russia come here to improve their health.
If you appreciate the virgin beauty of mountain landscapes untouched by civilization, come to the Urals, to the Ural Mountains: this region will definitely give you a piece of its amazing atmosphere.
The Ural Mountains are a mountain system located between the West Siberian and East European plains, and represent a kind of border separating Europe from Asia. They were formed by the collision of the African and Eurasian lithospheric plates, as a result of which one of them literally crushed the other under itself. From the point of view of geologists, these mountains arose in a complex way, as they are composed of rocks of different ages and types.
With a length of more than 2000 km, the Ural Mountains form the Southern, Northern, Subpolar, Polar and Middle Urals. Because of this length, they were called the Earth Belt in the first mentions of the 11th century. Everywhere you can see crystal clear mountain streams and rivers, which then pour into larger reservoirs. Of the large rivers, the following flow there: Kama, Ural, Belaya, Chusovaya and Pechora.
The height of the Ural Mountains does not exceed 1895 meters. So, it is average in level (600-800 m) and the narrowest in width of the ridge. This part is characterized by peaked and sharp forms with steep slopes and deep valleys. The highest rise (1500 m) has the top of Pai-Er.
The subpolar zone expands slightly and is considered the highest part of the ridge. The following peaks are located here: Mount Narodnaya (1894 m), which is the highest, Karpinsky (1795 m), Saber (1425 m) and many other Ural Mountains, the average rise of which ranges from 1300 to 1400 meters.
They are also characterized by sharp landforms and large valleys. This part is also notable for the fact that there are several glaciers here, the largest of them stretches for almost 1 km in length.
In the northern part, the Ural Mountains, whose height does not exceed 600 meters, are characterized by smoothed and rounded shapes. Some of them, made of crystalline rocks, take on funny shapes under the influence of rain and wind. Closer to the south, they become even lower, and in the middle part they take the form of a gentle arc, where the Kachkanar peak occupies the most significant mark (886 m). The relief here is smoothed and more flat.
In the southern zone, the Ural Mountains rise noticeably, forming many parallel ridges. Of the highest points, one can note (1638 m) Yamantau and (1586 m) Iremel, the rest are a little lower (Big Sholom, Nurgush, etc.).
In the Urals, in addition to beautiful mountains and caves, there is a very picturesque, diverse nature, as well as many other attractions. And that is why it is so attractive to many tourists. Here you can choose routes for people of different levels of training - both for beginners and for lovers of extreme travel. In addition to all other advantages, the Ural Mountains are a storehouse of minerals, which include the following: ores of copper, chromium, nickel, titanium; placers of gold, platinum, silver; deposits of coal, gas, oil; precious malachite, diamonds, yam, crystal, amethyst, etc.).
As they say, only mountains can be better than mountains. And this is true, because their indescribable atmosphere, beauty, harmony, grandeur and clean air inspire and charge with positive, energy and vivid impressions for a long time.
Basic moments
This mountain system itself, which not only separates both continents, but is also an officially delineated cordon between them, belongs to Europe: the border is usually drawn along the eastern foot of the mountains. Formed as a result of the collision of the Eurasian and African lithospheric plates, the Ural Mountains cover a vast territory. It includes the expanses of the Sverdlovsk, Orenburg and Tyumen regions, the Perm Territory, Bashkortostan and the Komi Republic, as well as the Aktobe and Kustanai regions of Kazakhstan.
In terms of its height, which does not exceed 1895 meters, the mountain system is significantly inferior to such giants as the Himalayas and the Pamirs. For example, the peaks of the polar Urals are average in terms of level - 600-800 meters, not to mention the fact that they are also the narrowest in terms of the width of the ridge. However, there is a definite plus in such geological characteristics: they remain accessible to humans. And this is not so much about scientific research, but about the tourist attractiveness of the places through which they run. The landscape of the Ural Mountains is truly unique. Here, crystal clear mountain streams and rivers begin their run, growing into larger reservoirs. Such large rivers as the Ural, Kama, Pechora, Chusovaya and Belaya also flow here.
For tourists, a wide variety of recreational opportunities open up here: both for real extreme sportsmen and for beginners. And the Ural Mountains are a true treasure trove of minerals. In addition to deposits of coal, natural gas and oil, mines are being developed here, in which copper, nickel, chromium, titanium, gold, silver, and platinum are mined. If we recall the tales of Pavel Bazhov, the Ural zone is also rich in malachite. And also - emerald, diamond, crystal, amethyst, jasper and other precious stones.
The atmosphere of the Ural Mountains, regardless of whether you visit the Northern or Southern Urals, Subpolar or Middle, is indescribable. And their greatness, beauty, harmony and the purest air energize and positive, inspire and, of course, leave vivid impressions for the rest of your life.
History of the Ural Mountains
The Ural Mountains have been known since ancient times. In sources that have survived to this day, they are associated with the Hyperborean and Riphean mountains. So, Ptolemy pointed out that this mountain system consists of the mountains Rhymnus (this is the current Middle Urals), Norosa (Southern Urals) and the northern part - the Hyperborean mountains proper. In the first written sources of the 11th century AD, it was called the “Earth Belt” because of its great length.
In the first Russian chronicle, The Tale of Bygone Years, which dates back to the same 11th century, the Ural Mountains were called by our compatriots Siberian, Belt or Big Stone. Under the name "Big Stone" they were also applied to the first map of the Russian state, also known as the "Big Drawing", published in the second half of the 16th century. Cartographers of those years depicted the Urals as a mountain belt, from where many rivers originate.
There are many versions of the origin of the name of this mountain system. E. K. Hoffman, who developed the so-called Mansi version of this toponym, compares the name "Ural" with the Mansi word "ur", which translates as "mountain". The second point of view, also very common, is the borrowing of the name from the Bashkir language. She, according to many scientists, seems to be the most convincing. After all, if we take the language, legends and traditions of this people - for example, the famous epos "Ural-Batyr" - then it is easy to make sure that this place name has not only existed in them since ancient times, but has been maintained from generation to generation.
Nature and climate
The natural landscape of the Ural Mountains is incredibly beautiful and multifaceted. Here you can not only look at the mountains themselves, but also go down into numerous caves, swim in the waters of local lakes, get a portion of the thrill while rafting on turbulent rivers. Moreover, each tourist chooses for himself how to travel. Some people like independent trips with a backpack on their shoulders, others prefer the more comfortable conditions of a sightseeing bus or the interior of a personal car.
The fauna of the "Earth Belt" is no less diverse. The predominant position in the local fauna is occupied by forest animals, the habitat of which is coniferous, broad-leaved or mixed forests. So, squirrels live in coniferous forests, the basis of their diet is spruce seeds, and in winter these pretty animals with a fluffy tail feed on pre-stocked pine nuts and dried mushrooms. The marten is widespread in the local forests, the existence of which is difficult to imagine without the already mentioned squirrel, for which this predator hunts.
But the real wealth of these places is the fur trade animal, the fame of which extends far beyond the region, for example, the sable that lives in the forests of the Northern Urals. True, it differs from the dark Siberian sable in a less beautiful reddish skin. Uncontrolled hunting for a valuable furry animal is prohibited at the legislative level. Without this ban, it would certainly have been completely destroyed by now.
The taiga forests of the Ural Mountains are also inhabited by the traditional Russian wolf, bear and elk. Roe deer are found in mixed forests. On the plains adjacent to the mountain ranges, the hare and the fox feel at ease. We did not make a reservation: they live precisely on the flat terrain, and the forest for them is just a shelter. And, of course, the crowns of trees are well inhabited by many species of birds.
As for the climate of the Ural Mountains, the geographical position plays an important role in this regard. In the north, this mountain system goes beyond the Arctic Circle, but most of the mountains are located in the temperate climate zone. If you move from north to south along the perimeter of the mountain system, you can notice how the temperature indicators gradually increase, which is especially noticeable in the summer. If in the north during the warm season the thermometer shows from +10 to +12 degrees, then in the south - from 20 to 22 degrees above zero. However, in winter, the temperature difference between north and south is not so sharp. The average monthly temperature in January in the north is 20 degrees with a minus sign, in the south 16-18 degrees below zero.
Air masses moving from the Atlantic Ocean also have a significant impact on the climate of the Urals. And although as atmospheric flows move from the west towards the Urals, the air becomes less humid, you cannot call it 100% dry either. As a result, more precipitation - 600-800 millimeters per year - falls on the western slope, while on the eastern slope this figure varies between 400-500 mm. But the eastern slopes of the Ural Mountains in winter fall under the power of a powerful Siberian anticyclone, while in the south, in the cold season, cloudy and cold weather sets in.
A tangible influence on local climate fluctuations is also exerted by such a factor as the topography of the mountain system. As you climb the mountain, you will feel that the weather is getting harsher. Different temperatures are felt even on different slopes, including those located in the neighborhood. Different areas of the Ural Mountains are also characterized by uneven amounts of precipitation.
Sights of the Ural Mountains
One of the most famous protected areas of the Ural Mountains is the Deer Streams park, located in the Sverdlovsk region. Curious tourists, especially those interested in ancient history, make a "pilgrimage" to the Pisanitsa rock located here, on the surface of which drawings made by ancient artists are applied. Of considerable interest are the caves and the Big Failure. Deer Streams has a fairly developed tourist infrastructure: special trails are equipped in the park, there are viewing platforms, not to mention places for recreation. There are also rope crossings.
If you are familiar with the work of the writer Pavel Bazhov, his famous "Malachite Box", then you will certainly be interested in visiting the natural park "Bazhovskie Places". Opportunities for proper rest and relaxation are simply magnificent. You can make walks on foot, as well as cycling and horseback riding. Walking along specially designed and thought-out routes, you will take in picturesque landscapes, climb Mount Markov Stone and visit Lake Talkov Stone. Thrill-seekers usually flock here in the summer to raft down mountain rivers in canoes and kayaks. Travelers come here in winter, enjoying snowmobiling.
If you appreciate the natural beauty of semi-precious stones - it is natural, not subject to processing - be sure to visit the Rezhevskaya reserve, which combines deposits of not only precious, but also semi-precious and ornamental stones. It is forbidden to travel to the mining sites on your own - you must be accompanied by an employee of the reserve, but this in no way affects the impressions of what you see. The Rezh River flows through the territory of Rezhevsky, it was formed as a result of the confluence of the Big Sap and Ayati - rivers originating in the Ural Mountains. Shaitan-stone, popular among travelers, is located on the right bank of the Rezhi. The Urals consider this stone to be the focus of mystical natural forces that help in various life situations. You can believe it or not, but the flow of tourists who come to the stone with various requests to higher powers does not dry out.
Of course, the Urals attract like a magnet fans of extreme tourism who enjoy visiting its caves, of which there are a huge number. The most famous are Shulgan-Tash, or Kapova, and the Kungur Ice Cave. The length of the latter is almost 6 km, of which only one and a half kilometers are accessible to tourists. On the territory of the ice cave Kungura there are 50 grottoes, over 60 lakes and countless stalactites and stalagmites. The temperature in the cave is always sub-zero, so for visits here, dress as you would for a winter walk. The visual effect of the splendor of its interior decoration is enhanced by special lighting. But in the Kapova cave, researchers discovered rock paintings, whose age is estimated at 14 or more thousand years. Approximately 200 works of ancient masters of the brush have become the property of our time, although there must have been more of them. Travelers can also admire the underground lakes and visit the grottoes, galleries and numerous halls located on three levels.
If the caves of the Ural Mountains create a winter atmosphere at any time of the year, then some sights are best visited in winter. One of them is an ice fountain, which is located in the Zyuratkul National Park and arose thanks to the efforts of geologists who drilled a well in this place. Moreover, this is not just a fountain in the usual “urban” sense for us, but a fountain of groundwater. With the onset of winter, it freezes and turns into a voluminous icicle of a bizarre shape, which is also impressive with its 14-meter height.
Many Russians, in order to improve their health, go to foreign thermal springs, for example, to the Czech Karlovy Vary or the Gellert baths in Budapest. But why rush beyond the cordon if our native Ural is also rich in thermal springs? To complete a full course of healing procedures, it is enough to come to Tyumen. Hot springs here are rich in trace elements useful for human health, and the water temperature in them ranges from +36 to +45 degrees Celsius, depending on the season. We add that modern recreation centers are built on these sources. Mineral waters are also treated in the Ust-Kachka health-improving complex, located not far from Perm and unique in the chemical composition of its waters. Summer recreation here can be combined with boating and catamarans;
Despite the fact that waterfalls are not so typical for the Ural Mountains, they are present here and attract the attention of tourists. Among them, one can single out the Plakun waterfall, located on the right bank of the Sylva River. It overthrows fresh water from a height exceeding 7 m. Its other name is Ilyinsky, it is given by local residents and visitors who consider this source to be holy. There is also a waterfall near Yekaterinburg, named for its roaring "temper" Grokhotun. Its peculiarity is that it is man-made. He throws his waters down from more than 5 meters high. When the summer heat sets in, visitors are happy to stand under its jets, cooling off and receiving hydromassage, and completely free of charge.
Video: South Ural
Major cities of the Urals
Millionth Yekaterinburg, the administrative center of the Sverdlovsk region, is called the capital of the Urals. It is also, unofficially, the third capital of Russia after Moscow and St. Petersburg and the third capital of Russian rock. This is a large industrial metropolis, especially charming in winter. He is generously covered with snow, under the cover of which he resembles a giant who has fallen asleep in a deep sleep, and you never know exactly when he will wake up. But when you get enough sleep, then, do not hesitate, it will definitely unfold to its full potential.
Yekaterinburg usually makes a strong impression on its guests - first of all, with many architectural sights. Among them are the famous Temple-on-the-Blood, erected on the site of the execution of the last Russian emperor and his family, the Sverdlovsk rock club, the building of the former District Court, museums of various subjects, and even an unusual monument ... to an ordinary computer keyboard. The capital of the Urals is also famous for its shortest subway in the world, listed in the Guinness Book of Records: 7 stations account for only 9 km.
Chelyabinsk and Nizhny Tagil also gained wide popularity in Russia, and primarily thanks to the popular comedy show Our Russia. The characters of the program, beloved by the audience, are, of course, fictitious, but tourists are still interested in where to find Ivan Dulin, the world's first gay miller, and Vovan and Gena, Russian tourists who are unlucky and drink-loving, constantly getting into frankly tragicomic situations. One of the visiting cards of Chelyabinsk are two monuments: Love, executed in the form of an iron tree, and Lefty with a savvy flea. Impressive in the city is the panorama of local factories located above the Miass River. But in the Nizhny Tagil Museum of Fine Arts you can see a painting by Raphael - the only one in our country that can be found outside the Hermitage.
Another city in the Urals that has become famous thanks to television is Perm. It is here that the “real boys” live, who became the heroes of the series of the same name. Perm claims to be the next cultural capital of Russia, and this idea is actively lobbied by designer Artemy Lebedev, who works on the appearance of the city, and gallery owner Marat Gelman, who specializes in contemporary art.
The real historical treasure of the Urals and all of Russia is also Orenburg, which is called the land of endless steppes. At one time, he survived the siege of the troops of Emelyan Pugachev, its streets and walls remember the visits of Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin, Taras Grigorievich Shevchenko and the wedding of the first cosmonaut of the Earth Yuri Alekseevich Gagarin.
In Ufa, another city in the Urals, there is a symbolic sign "Kilometer Zero". The local post office is the very point from which the distance to other points of our planet is measured. Another well-known landmark of the capital of Bashkortostan is the Ufa bronze sign, which is a disk with a one and a half meter diameter and weighing a whole ton. And in this city - at least, so the locals assure - there is the highest equestrian statue on the European continent. This is a monument to Salavat Yulaev, who is also called the Bashkir Bronze Horseman. The horse, on which this associate of Emelyan Pugacheva sits, towers over the Belaya River.
Ski resorts in the Urals
The most important ski resorts of the Urals are concentrated in three regions of our country: the Sverdlovsk and Chelyabinsk regions, as well as in Bashkortostan. Zavyalikha, Bannoe and Abzakovo are the most famous of them. The first one is located near the city of Trekhgorny, the last two are located near Magnitogorsk. According to the results of the competition, which is held within the framework of the International Congress of the Ski Industry, Abzakovo was recognized as the best ski resort in the Russian Federation in the 2005-2006 season.
A whole scattering of ski resorts is also concentrated in the regions of the Middle and Southern Urals. Thrill-seekers and simply curious tourists who want to try their hand at such an "adrenaline" sport as skiing come here almost all year round. Travelers here are waiting for good tracks for skiing, as well as for sledding and snowboarding.
In addition to skiing, descents along mountain rivers are very popular among travelers. Fans of such alloys, which also increase the level of adrenaline, go for thrills to Miass, Magnitogorsk, Asha or Kropchaevo. True, it will not be possible to quickly reach your destination, as you will have to travel by train or by car.
The holiday season in the Urals lasts on average from October-November to April. During this period, snowmobiling and quad biking are another popular pastime. In Zavyalikha, which has become one of the most popular tourist destinations, they even installed a special trampoline. On it, experienced athletes work out complex elements and tricks.
How to get there
Getting to all the major Ural cities will not be difficult, so the region of this majestic mountain system is one of the most convenient for domestic tourists. The flight from Moscow will take only three hours, and if you prefer to travel by train, the journey by rail will take a little over a day.
The main Ural city, as we have already said, is Yekaterinburg, located in the Middle Urals. Due to the fact that the Ural Mountains themselves are low, it was possible to lay several transport routes leading to Siberia from Central Russia. In particular, you can travel through the territory of this region along the famous railway artery - the Trans-Siberian Railway.
Ural is a unique mountain system, one of the most ancient and picturesque in the world. They are old, very old, from the Devonian period (about 40 million years ago). This massif looks like a complex mosaic in which hundreds of types of rocks are mixed. Since the time of the Soviet Union, more than 50 types of minerals and hundreds of minerals, precious and semi-precious stones have been mined here.
But ancient mountains are rarely high. Years erase their peaks, grind rocks, build up a layer of soil. Therefore, the highest point of the Ural Mountains cannot compete with the Alpine and Tibetan peaks. But still, for the sake of interest, we will make this list.
The Ural Mountains stretched almost across the entire border of Eurasia, separating two parts of the world from each other. The Ural belt is more than 2500 kilometers long, and it is conditionally divided into 5 zones:
- Southern Urals.
- Middle Ural.
- Northern Ural.
- Subpolar Urals.
- Polar Ural.
Some researchers believe that Mugodzhary on the south side and Pai-Khoi on the north side should also be added to the system, but nevertheless, officially these five zones are considered the Ural Mountains. And each of them has its highest point.
This mountain, in fact, can hardly be called high: only 1640 meters in height. Nevertheless, all the other peaks of the Southern Urals do not even reach this value. It is worth noting that 1640 meters is the height of the Big Yamantau. The second peak, Small Yamantau, is even lower - only 1510 meters.
It is a low sloping mountain, covered with a thick layer of soil, sufficient to grow a real forest on it. But the top of the mountain is covered with snow and ice suitable for skiers.
Yamantau is an amazingly beautiful and picturesque mountain that attracts thousands of tourists from all over Russia and even other countries. To travel on it, basic training and equipment is enough. True, the pleasure is spoiled by the fact that the locals have long considered Yamantau a bad mountain, which is even reflected in its name. Rumors add fuel to the fire of doubts that Vladimir Putin's secret bunker has been built here. No one knows how true they are, but before you go here, it’s better to think carefully: “Is it worth it?” Moreover, this is not the only large mountain of the Southern Urals that deserves your attention.
A mountain with such a dissonant name is the highest point of the Middle Urals. True, the numbers are not too impressive: 1119 meters. Earlier we talked about the peaks of the Alps and Tibet, high, sharp, rocky, covered with glaciers. Oslyanka is completely different from them: low, sloping, softly rounded ... From a distance. Close up, it turns out that the slopes are quite steep, there are places where a rocky base comes to the surface. Most of the mountain is covered with meadows and forests, in the cold season it is tightly wrapped in snow.
It is perfect for tourist and hiking routes in the warm season, while in winter it is an expanse for skiers and snowboarders. In summer, you can supplement the tourist routes with river rafting.
By the way, this mountain has nothing to do with donkeys. The origin of its name is not known for certain. Most likely, the word “donkey, donkey” is the basis, that is, a stone on which knives are sharpened. The second version - "donkey" - a log. There is a third one, which claims that the name of the mountain is associated with the nearby Oslyanka River, but here the connection can be reversed.
It is always extremely interesting to figure out where the names of geographical objects come from, because there are whole stories behind them. Sometimes the connection can be traced immediately, often you have to figure it out. But in the case of Mount Telposis, it is not even immediately clear where it came from and what it means. The truth lies quite deep. Its original name is Tel-Poz-Iz, which in the Komi language means “mountain of the nest of winds”.
According to legend, it is on this mountain that the local god of the winds lives, so it’s better not to meddle there once again. True, this does not prevent tourists from all over Russia from climbing Telposis in pursuit of beautiful landscapes and thrills. Its height is 1617 meters. Enough to become the first in the Northern Urals.
This peak is the highest point not only of the Subpolar part of the Urals, but of the entire mountain range. Of course, in the same Alps, a peak of 1895 meters would never have made it to such a list, but for the Ural Mountains this is more than enough.
It officially received its name in 1927 during the study of this part of the Urals. The subtlety is that the geologist Aleshkov did not specify in his notes where exactly the emphasis should be placed: NATIONAL or NATIONAL. Both versions are found in the literature. The second looks quite logical, because at that time many objects received similar names. The first one also has the right to life, because the river NAROD flows next to it. And this word from the Komi language has nothing to do with the people.
The first peak of the northernmost, polar part of the Urals is Payer. This rock formation stands out sharply against the background of the surrounding landscape. There are several more peaks nearby - Western and Eastern Payer, 1330 and 1217 meters, respectively.
The total length of the Ural belt is more than 2500 kilometers. Just imagine: 2500 kilometers of picturesque mountains, which have everything: rocks, glaciers, snowfields, caves, forests, meadows, rivers ... These are incredibly picturesque and rich mountains, you can spend your whole life here and not even see a small part of their wonders. But that doesn't mean it's not worth trying.
Mount Narodnaya (emphasis on the first syllable) is the highest point of the Ural Mountains. A mountain almost two thousand meters above sea level is located in a remote area in the Subpolar Urals. The history of the origin of the name of this key Ural attraction is not an easy one. Serious disputes have been boiling over among scientists for a long time about the name of the mountain. According to one version, the peak, discovered just on the eve of the 10th anniversary of the revolution, was named after the Soviet people - Narodnaya (with an emphasis on the second syllable).According to another version, it was named after the Naroda River flowing at the foot of the mountain (the emphasis in the name of the peak in this case falls on the first syllable).
Apparently, the discoverer of the mountain - Aleshkov - nevertheless connected it with the people and called it Narodnaya, although he started from the name of the river. Professor P.L. Gorchakovsky wrote in his article in 1963: “As the late professor B.N. Gorodkov, the name of Narodnaya Mountain was derived from the Russian word for "people". A.N. Aleshkov believed that the idea of the highest peak of a mountainous country is in harmony with this word; the name came to him only by association with the name of the Naroda River ... " However, now it is officially customary to put stress on the first syllable - NATIONAL. Such is the contradiction.Meanwhile, scientists have found out that the old, original Mansi name of the mountain is Poengurr.
The history of the surroundings of Mount Narodnaya is very poor due to the inaccessibility of this area (hundreds of kilometers from settlements). The first scientific expedition visited these parts in 1843-45. It was headed by the Hungarian researcher Antal Reguli. Here Reguli studied the life and language of the Mansi, their traditions and beliefs. It was Antal Reguli who first proved the kinship of the Hungarian, Finnish, Mansi and Khanty languages! Then, in 1847-50, a comprehensive geographical expedition led by geologist E.K. Hoffmann.Narodnaya Mountain itself was first explored and described only in 1927. That summer, the Ural Mountains were studied by the North Ural Expedition of the USSR Academy of Sciences and Uralplan under the guidance of Professor B.N. Gorodkov. The expedition consisted of several detachments.
It is curious that before this expedition it was believed that the highest point of the Ural Mountains was Mount Telposiz (Mount Saber also claimed the championship in height). But the detachment of postgraduate geologist A.N. Aleshkov during the expedition in 1927 proved that the highest mountains of the Urals are located in the circumpolar part. It was Aleshkov who gave the mountain the name Narodnaya and for the first time in history measured its height, which he determined at 1870 meters. Later, more accurate measurements showed that Aleshkov "underestimated" the height of the mountain a little. It is currently known that its height is 1895 meters above sea level. Nowhere does the Ural reach great heights, as on this Mount Narodnaya.
Mount Narodnaya and its environs became a popular tourist route only from the late 1950s and early 1960s. At the same time, the appearance of the main peak of the Ural Mountains began to change. Signs, commemorative signs began to appear here, and even a bust of Lenin appeared. Also, among tourists, the custom has taken root to leave notes on the top of the mountain. In 1998, a worship cross with the inscription "Save and save" was installed here. A year later, the Orthodox went even further - they organized a religious procession to the highest point of the Urals.
Mount Narodnaya is surrounded by peaks named after geologists Karpinsky and Didkovsky. Among the truly grandiose mountains of this part of the Urals, Mount Narodnaya stands out only for its height and dark rock. On the slopes of the mountain there are many kars - natural bowl-shaped depressions filled with clear transparent water and ice. There are glaciers and snowfields here. The slopes of the mountain are covered with large boulders.
The relief in this part of the Urals is mountainous, with steep slopes and deep gorges. You have to be very careful not to get hurt. Moreover, it is very far from housing.
You can climb the highest point of the Ural Mountains along the ridge from the west, but rocky steeps and karts complicate the ascent. The easiest way to climb is from the north - along the spurs of the mountain. The eastern slope of Mount Narodnaya, on the contrary, breaks off with sheer walls and gorges.
Climbing equipment is not required to climb the highest point of the Ural Mountains. Nevertheless, to make a hike in this wild and mountainous area, it is worth having a good sports shape, and if you have insufficient hiking experience, it is better to use the services of an experienced guide. Keep in mind that the climate in the Subpolar Urals is harsh. Even in summer, the weather is cold and changeable.The most favorable period for hiking is from July to mid-August. The trip will take about a week. There is no housing here and you can only spend the night in tents.Geographically, Mount Narodnaya belongs to the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug.Relatively close to Narodnaya there is a less high, but very beautiful mountain Manaraga.
Loading...