What are the highest mountains in russia

The highest point in Russia. High mountains of Russia

Historically, the geography of Russiacovers both Europe and Asia. And if the western part of the country is more flat, then beyond the Urals, on the contrary, one of the largest mountain ranges is located.

The largest peak

The highest point of Russia is a mountain calledElbrus, is located on the border of Kabardino-Balkaria and the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, coordinates 43 ° 21’11 «north latitude, 42 ° 26’13» east longitude. The peak has a conical shape, is located in the northern part of the Caucasus and is visible even for a hundred kilometers.

Two separate volcano-peaks formedone tectonic base. Sometimes the height of Elbrus in different sources is different, since only one of the tops is taken into account. The eastern cone (5621 m) is considered relatively young and has the shape of a classic crater bowl. The western peak (the highest point of Russia) reaches 5642 m, it is more ancient and broken. Between the peaks the distance is about one and a half kilometers.

Geographical information

Elbrus is in a state of rest, but the volcanic processes in it have not stopped and continue to develop at a depth of about 6-7 km.

Slopes of the mountain are mostly flat, but withrising more than 4 km their steepness is approaching 35 degrees. The western and northern parts of the summit are more precipitous, vertical vertical slopes can be up to 700 meters.

The plots are covered with a stone scree before the snow-capped peaks. Most of the rocks are granites, gneisses, diabases and other volcanic products of ancient origin.

Elbrus as the highest point in Russia, having stretched for hundreds of kilometers its snow-ice thickness, has been determining the weather and climate of valleys, foothills and most of the surrounding region for millions of years.

Uncorrected height

The location of the Caucasus Mountains creates more complexconditions for climbers. The level of hypoxia is higher than that of Tibet and the Himalayas. This, combined with the low temperature of the air and the Arctic climate of Elbrus during the conquest of the summit, requires the mobilization of all physical possibilities, extensive knowledge, skills and skills in climbing.

Fairy Elbrus

Scenic mountain slopes were sung with dilapidatedtimes in epics, legends and epics. Bright and flowering valleys alternate with snow glaciers and bare rocky slopes. In the hidden corners of the mountain are hidden majestic and fabulous caves, attracting lovers of speleology. In the resort and protected areas of the Elbrus region, unique springs of mineral water, popular for their medicinal properties, are beaten.

Translated from the languages ​​of the peoples of the North CaucasusElbrus means «high,» «eternal ice mountain of happiness.» This peak, according to legend, remained the only land after the Great Flood. The poets of the Caucasus admired the greatness and beauty of the mountain, Pushkin AS and Lermontov M.Yu.

Now tourists and lovers of skiing and extreme recreation can admire the summit in the most popular Russian resort complex.

During the Great Patriotic War onHigh-mountainous slopes of Elbrus were real battles. The highest point of Russia was captured by German soldiers, and in the plans of the fascist command was to rename the biggest mountain giant in Europe to the «peak of Hitler». However, in the winter of 1943, military mountaineers of the Soviet Army threw the invaders from Elbrus.

Mountain five-thousandths

The complex and multifaceted geography of Russiahas 71 more peaks, each of which exceeds the mark of 4000 meters. Of these, 67 peaks are located in the Greater Caucasus, two mountains are in the Altai, three in Kamchatka.

Dykhtau is the second largest peak in the Caucasus(5204 m). Because of the steepness of the slopes, the rockiness and inclination of glaciers is considered one of the most difficult peaks in Russia. Therefore, and was conquered many years after Elbrus, in 1888. Dare to climb the mountain only the most experienced and desperate climbers.

Koshtantau is a peak 5152 m high. Almost the most inaccessible peak of the Caucasus Mountains. Conquered only in 1899. It features unique beauty and stunning marble glaciers.

The legendary Kazbek is the pride of every Caucasian. The height is 5033.8 m. The name is translated from different languages ​​as «a melting white mountain with an ice top». The first ascent was in 1868. Refers to sleeping volcanoes. His activities in 2002 led to a tragedy in the Karmadon Gorge.

In the caves of Kazbek, at an altitude of 3800 meters, is located the ancient Georgian Bethlehem monastery of Betlemy. And according to the traditions of the Chechens, it was to this mountain that the Prometheus titanium was chained.

Reward for climbers

If the climber conquered the highest point of Russia (this is Mount Elbrus), the other seven highest peaks of the Caucasus and two more peaks, the Federation of Mountaineering is awarded the title «Snow leopard of Russia».

Belukha Mountain (4509 m) in translation means»three-headed peak of the Katun». Absolutely white and the largest mountain of the Altai Mountains. It consists of two peaks and a Belukha saddle with a length of 4000 m. Because of the severe climate, it was conquered only in 1914.

Tallest Mountains In Russia

1. Mount Elbrus

Standing 5,642 meters (18,510 feet) tall, Mount Elbrus is the tallest mountain in Russia and also the tallest mountain in all of Europe. The Elbrus mountain is an inactive volcano and is also one of the Seven Summits of the world (the tallest mountains on each of the world’s seven continents). It is located in the Caucasus Mountain Range in the Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia federal subjects of Russia. The mountain has twenty-two different glaciers in its permanent ice cap. It has also been part of the Prielbrusye National Park since 1986.

The Mount Elbrus has two summits, the lower of which was first climbed by Khillar Khachirov in July 1829 when he was guiding a scientific expedition for the Imperial Russian army. The tallest summit was ascended in 1874 during an English-led expedition, led by Florence Crauford Grove (1838-1902), Horace Walker (1838-1908), Frederick Gardner, Swissman Peter Knubel (1832-1919) and their guide Ahiya Sottaiev.

2. Dykh-Tau

Standing at 5,204 meters (17,073 feet), Dykh-Tau is the second tallest mountain in Russia. Dykh-Tau is located in the Caucasus Mountains and the Kabardino-Balkaria, a federal subject of Russia. The mountain is near the border with Georgia, and the Bezingi Wall of the Shkhara mountain in Georgia can be seen from it. The mountain is also considered one of the world’s Seven Second Summits and is considered an ultra peak. The Dykh-Tau mountain was first climbed in 1888 by Englishman Albert F. Mummery (1855-95) and H. Zarfluh.

3. Pushkin

Standing 5,108 meters (16,758 feet) tall Pushkin, also known as Pushkin Peak is the third tallest mountain in Russia. Pushkin straddles the border between Georgia and Russia. The Pushkin Peak is located in the mountain massif of Dykh-Tau in the Bezengi Region in the central area of the Caucasus Mountain Range. The Pushkin Peak was first summitted in 1961 by a Russian team from the Spartak club led by B. Kletsko.

4. Kazbek

Standing 5,033 meters (16,512 feet) tall Mount Kazbek is the fourth tallest mountain in Russia. Kazbek is located in the Khokh Mountain Range, which is part of the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range and is right on the border between the Kazbegi Municipality of Georgia and the Russian republic of North Ossetia-Alania. The mountain is a dominant volcano with an active geothermal system that encompasses the area around the mountain and produces hot springs. The mountain has some small glaciers around it, the most notable of which is the 5.5 km (3 miles) long Dyevdorak glacier. The mountain is associated with the Georgian hero Amirani from a classical Georgian epic, as well as the site of a Christian Orthodox religious retreat in the Betlemi cave. Mount Kazbek was first ascended by three members of the London-based Alpine Club, Englishman Douglas Freshfield (1845-1934), A.W. Moore (1841-87) and C. Tucker as well as their guide Frenchman Francois Devouassoud (1831-1905).

5. Shota Rustaveli

Standing 4,859 meters (15,941 feet) tall Shota Rustaveli, officially called Shota Rustaveli Peak, is the sixth tallest mountain in Russia.The mountain is part of the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range and has glaciated slopes, as well as valleys in the surrounding area that have some glaciers. Despite the mountain being named after Shota Rustaveli, a famous Georgian poet, the mountain is claimed by both countries as it extends its border into the Karbardino-Balkaria federal subject of Russia and the Svaneti province of Georgia.

6. Jimara

Standing 4,780 meters (15,682 feet) tall, Jiamra, also known as Mount Dzhimara, is the seventh tallest mountain in Russia. The mountain is located on the Khokh Mountain Range, which is part of the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range. Jimara is located in the Russian republic of North Ossetia-Alania, although it is located right on the border that Russia shares with Georgia.

7. Uilpata

Standing 4,646 meters (15,242 feet) tall, Uilpata is the eighth tallest mountain in Russia. The Uilpata mountain is located in the Caucasus Mountain Range in the North Ossetia-Alania federal subject of Russia by the city of Verkhniy Tsey. Not much is known about this mountain, and it has never been summited before.

8. Gora Shaukhokh

With a height of 4,636 meters (15,209 feet), Gora Shaukhokh is the ninth tallest mountain in Russia. The Gora Shaukhokh mountain is located in the Caucasus Mountain Range in the North Ossetia-Alania federal subject of Russia. Not much is known about this mountain, and it has never been summited before.

9. Kukurtli-Kolbashi

The Kukurtli-Kolbashi is the tenth tallest mountain in Russia. The Kukurtli-Kolbashi mountains are located in the Caucasus Mountain Range and the Karachay-Cherkess Republic of Russia. Not much is known about this mountain, and it has never been summited before.

5 Highest Mountains in Russia

There are about 20 mountain ranges in Russia. According to some sources, there are about 1,000 mountain peaks on its vast territory, although other sources, the total number of mountain peaks exceeds 2,000. In fact, it’s really hard to provide exact numbers. In our today’s article, we’re going to tell you about 5 highest mountains in Russia.

Mount Elbrus

Standing 5,642 meters high, Mount Elbrus is the highest mountain in Russia and also the highest mountain in Europe. It’s located in the Caucasus Mountain Range on the border between the Kabardino-Balkar and Karachay-Cherkessia Republics. In addition, Mount Elbrus is listed in “The Seven Summits of the World”. The mount attracts both climbers from all around the world and scientists who are eager to solve the mysteries of this great mount.

Mount Dykh-Tau

Standing at 5,204 meters, Dykh-Tau is the second highest mountain in Russia. Dykh-Tau is located in the Caucasus Mountains on the border between the Kabardino-Balkar Republic and Georgia. Mount Dykh-Tau is considered the most dangerous and little visited, as it has steep slopes, with frequent rockfalls and avalanches. Despite the fact that the mount is very difficult to clime and it’s extremely dangerous, there are climbers who want to get their doze of adrenaline.

Mount Koshtan Tau

Koshtan Tau is the most beautiful and difficult to access mountain peaks located in the Central Caucasus. Its height is 5,152 meters above the sea level. The name Koshtan Tau means “the mountain which looks like a faraway home”. Local people gave the name to the mountain: if you look at the top of the mountain from a distance, it looks like a tent or a hut.

Pushkin Peak

Pushkin Peak is the fourth highest mountain in Russia. It’s located in the central part of the Caucasus Mountain Range. Its height is 5,100 meters above the sea level. The mountain got its name in 1938 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Pushkin’s death. Pushkin peak opened for climbers not long time ago, as before that it was inaccessible because of unexplored trails.

Dzangi Tau

Mount Dzangi Tau is the fifth highest mountain in Russia. It’s 5,085 meters high and it’s located in the central part of the Caucasus Mountain Range on the border between Russia and Georgia. Dzangi Tau is one of the climbers’ most favorite mountain. For summitting this peak, climbers receive “The Snow Leopard” award. This is a good motivation for climbers from around the world and those people who love active lifestyle.

We’ve told you about the five highest mountain in Russia. We hope you’ll like the article. Would you like to visit one of these mountain peaks? Leave your comments.

Top 10 tallest mountains in Russia

5 min

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 wide open to the eyes of the layman. For all passionate travelers, we officially declare the most breathtaking mountains here!

Even if you are not an avid mountaineer 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 surely recognize this famous song by Vladimir Vysotsky. And who can really disagree with that?

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 you a list of the 10 tallest mountains in Russia

1. Mount Elbrus, 5642 m

Elbrus is an extinct volcano with two cones reaching 5642 meters and 5595 meters in height. The volcano was formed over 2.5 million years ago. Sulfur gases are still being emitted on its eastern slopes, and there are many mineral springs along the downdrafts.

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

2. Dykh-Tau, 5204 m

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

This is one of the great Caucasian peaks facing the magnificent Besingi wall across the Besingi glacier. The first ascent of Mummery and Zarflukh in 1888 was a major achievement of that time. Their route up the southwest ridge is no longer used as a regular route.

3. Shkhara, 5193 m

Shkhara is the highest point and eastern anchor of the massif known as the Bezingi (or Bezengi) wall, a 12-kilometer ridge. It is a large, steep peak in a heavily icy region and presents serious challenges for climbers. Its northern side (on the Russian side) is 1,500 meters high and contains several classic challenging routes.

The significant summit of Shkhara in the west, 5193 m high, is itself a climbing target, and crossing the entire Besinga wall is considered “the longest, most difficult expedition in Europe”.

The peak was first raised in 1888 along the route of the Northeast ridge by the British-Swiss team of W. Almer, J. Coquin, and K. Roth. This route is still one of the easiest and most popular routes on the mountain. The first full course of the Bezindzhi wall was in 1931 by the Austrians K. Poppinger, K. Moldan, and S. Shintlmeister.

4. Koshtan-Tau, 5152 m

Koshtan-Tau is the fourth highest mountain in Europe. It is one of two “Brothers Bezengi” marking the eastern end of the Northern Massif. The Great Pyramid of Koshtan 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 but long. Moreover, the journey to this summit is challenging and arduous as you have to climb three steps of the Mizhirgi glacier.

Most of the other routes at the summit are difficult and dangerous. Several years ago, a whole team of Ukrainian climbers was killed at the summit during a rock climbing competition. The peak is also known as Koshtan-Tau.

5. Pushkin, 5100 m

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

Submitted in 1961 by the Spartak team led by Kletsko (3rd place in the USSR championship). The Kletsko route ran to the left of Borovikov Peak to the west of Mijirghi.

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

6. Mount Kazbek, 5032 m

Known locally as Mkinvartsveri or the summit of the glacier, Mount Kazbek rises 5,032 meters above sea level, making it the tallest mountain in eastern Georgia and one of the highest in Russia. The peak is located right on the border with Russia, but the easiest way to climb is 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 climbers’ destinations 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 cultural and historical significance 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 passing it on to mortals.

7. Mizhirgi, 5025 m

In early January 2009, Sasha Gukov, Sergey Kondrashkin, Alik Izotov, and Viktor Koval made their first winter ascent along the northern ridge of the Eastern peak of Mizhirgi.

Mizhirgi – 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 a five-man team from Vasily Pelevin in a hard 5B but is rarely repeated due to poor rock and rockfall at the bottom. In 2009, the team experienced a lot of bad weather, making five bivouacs before reaching the summit.

8. Shota Rustaveli Peak, 4859 m

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

Shota Rustaveli is usually 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 originates from the famous Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli.

9. Klyuchevskaya Sopka, 4850 m

Klyuchevskaya Sopka appeared 6,000 years ago. Its first recorded eruption took place in 1697 and has been active almost continuously since then, like many of the neighboring volcanoes.

The peak was first conquered in 1788 by Daniel Gauss and two other members of the Billings expedition. Other climbs were not recorded until 1931 when several climbers were killed by flying lava while descending. Since such dangers still exist today, few ascents have been made to the summit.

Klyuchevskaya Sopka is considered sacred to 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.

10. Belukha Mountain, 4905 m

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

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

Russia

Vast is the territory, huge is the country, mighty is Russia. The Russian Federation can boast of the most diverse climate and terrain that stretches over 11 time zones. If you look at the physical map of Russia, the majority of colours you’ll see are yellow or brownish, which might lead to the conclusion that the country is dominated by uplands, hills and mountainous terrain. Yet, don’t be deceived by the colour codes, in reality, the mountains here occupy only 40% of the country’s territory, while the rest (about 60%) have small differences in height and are flat. Plains prevail in the central part of the country and in the west, whereas the southern and eastern regions feature mountains. It should be noted that the European part of Russia has lower elevation a.s.l. than its Asian part. However, it is in Russia that the world’s largest plains and the highest mountains in Europe are located.

Geology and Relief-Forming Processes

Russia is rather stable regarding tectonic processes, most of them happened in bygone times. Most of the country is located on platforms – ancient slabs of the Earth’s crust, so Russia can be called a flat country. The oldest platforms are the East European and Siberian Plains, between them stretches a younger West Siberian Platform. The Scythian Platform, which adjoins the East-European one from the south, is one of the most recent tectonic formations. Folded areas have been formed at the joints of the platforms – these are called geosynclines. Those are young and mobile areas of the earth’s crust.

The main folded areas are

Interestingly, the lowest and the highest markers a.s.l. are located in close proximity to each other. The former is located in the Caspian Lowland, its height is only 28 m. The latter is Mount Elbrus (5,642 m) – the highest point of the Caucasus Mountains and Europe.

Volcanism and Seismic Activity

The Earth is never still, its internal forces that move magma to the upper layers of the Earth’s crust cause spectacular volcanic activity. This phenomenon is called volcanism. In parallel with volcanic activity and for the same internal reasons, there may appear seismic activity as well. It is basically the tremours caused by oscillations of the Earth crust. Those regions with registered volcanism are subject to earthquakes. At the same time, some weak vibrations of the Earth crust are recorded even in the plains, more often they are the echoes of powerful deep earthquakes.

In Russia, the Far East, especially Kamchatka and the Kuril Islands are most exposed to earthquakes. Here, on the Pacific coast of Russia, volcanoes are located along the coastal line and belong to the Kuril-Kamchatka island arc, the length of which is almost 2000 km. There are on average about 300 tangible fluctuations of the Earth’s crust per year. Historically, there have been earthquakes measuring 9 points on the Richter Scale with aftershocks of 4.5-6.6 magnitude. Fortunately, those powerful underground tremours of about 9 points and more are rather rare. Over 110 volcanoes are known on the Kuril Islands and about 170 on Kamchatka.

Vilyuchinsky volcano. Photo from PeakVisor App

Volcanoes are present in some other regions of Russia: the Caucasus, the Primorsky Territory, Siberia.

In addition to active volcanoes, there are many extinct dormant ones. Among the extinct is a small stratovolcano Baranovsky located in the Primorsky Territory (160 m a.s.l.), there is a railways station in its crater now. A remarkable Tunguska meteorite dropped in blazing flames from the skies quite close to it in 1908. Other extinct volcanoes include Mount Pobeda (the highest point on the Chersky Ridge), Mount Kazbek (the Caucasus).

The most formidable and the largest active volcano in Russia is Klyuchevskaya Sopka, in Kamchatka. Its height is quite susceptible to eruptions and tends to vary from 4,750 m to 5,000 m depending on the damage caused by the volcanic outbursts. This volcano has a naughty character, it can come alive once every 5 years, or it can show strong indignation and erupt red-hot lava almost every year.

Other most famous volcanoes of Russia, also located in Kamchatka, are Avachinskaya Sopka and Ilyinskaya Sopka. The former can wreak havoc any time because the volcano is just 30 km from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky – the largest city in the Kamchatka Region. And the latter, according to scientists, led in its time to irreversible global climate change when it was the centre of the largest volcanic eruption more than 7.7 thousand years ago.

There are relatively harmless volcanoes in Russia as well. They might seem innocuous from the outside since during the eruption instead of red-hot lava they throw mud masses out of their vent funnel. The Krasnodar Territory is especially famous for such volcanoes. Among the mud celebs are Miska Volcano (65.4 m), Tizdar (210 m), Hephaestus (or Rotten Mountain, that spews mud up to 20m but you can safely bathe in its healing muds that gather in small pools of 4 m in diameter), Shugo (163 m). Ejected mud together with dissolved gases is rich in microelements and has curative properties, hence many mud volcanoes are considered the sources of healing powers of nature and are protected by the state.

Wind Effects

The impact of wind on the terrain should not be underestimated. It can carry fine grains of sand and small debris from one area to another, collect and accumulate them in certain places, this seemingly innocuous process can actually destroy huge rocks. Rock dilapidation and erosion caused by wind is called weathering. It can be physical, chemical, and biological. Frost weathering refers to the physical type of weathering; during warm seasons water gets into cracks and cavities of rocks and expands under the influence of frost which naturally leads to cracking as well as partial or complete destruction of rocks. One of the brightest examples of wind work is Pillars of Weathering or Man-Pupu-Ner. This natural wonder is located in the Komi Republic on the territory of the Pechora-Ilychsky Reserve and is one of the seven wonders of Russia.

Water Effects

Water dripping day by day wears the hardest rock away they say. The mighty power of the water is one of the main forces in relief formation. On the one hand, water comes down as rain thus forming a surface runoff; on the other, when the snow melts, it seeps into the earth’s bowels, penetrating any crevice it might find.

Surface waters represented by large and small rivers, streams and brooks, as well as temporary gutters, form various forms of relief due to the destruction of soil and rocks, the transfer of silt and debris over long distances, positioning them elsewhere. As a result, there appear bizarre hollows and potholes, ravines, and river valleys.

The Vishera River in the Perm Territory

Underground waters have their effect on rocks from the inside. They carry, dissolve, and oxidize various substances which facilitate the formation of cavities and karst phenomena of various shapes and sizes. Russia has abundant caves with fabulous grottoes framed by stalactites and stalagmites.

The most famous caves of Russia are the Kungurskaya Cave, the Kapova Cave, the Sumgan-Kutuk Cave, the Batovskaya Cave, the Vorontsovskaya Cave, the Bolshaya Azishskaya Cave, the Barloga Throat, the Sablinskie Caves, Pandora’s Box, the Divya Cave. Most of them are located in the Urals.

The Kungurskaya Ice Cave

Glaciation Effects

Ice Age could have been naturally shot in Russia as the country’s territory has experienced the most massive effects of the ancient glaciation age. Huge moving masses of frozen water, once filling part of the territory of modern Russia, have affected the entire natural environment. They smoothed out the unevenness of the terrain, creating glacial relief forms: they destroyed big elevations and huge rocks, carrying the debris over long distances and filling in the existing lowlands, yet leaving behind deep cracks and furrows. Some of the most impressive specimens of the glaciation retraction are located in Karelia. The rocks there are oftentimes called ‘ram’s forehead’ because the shape of the rock is even and flat on the slope where the glacier moved and rugged and curved on the reverse slope.

In Asian part of Russia, glaciation centres remain in the Polar Urals, some islands in the Arctic Ocean, the Taimyr Peninsula. These processes have left indelible traces – smooth mountains and rocks, multiple depressions in the mountains in the form of bowls, giant moraine ramparts, lakes on the plains in places of melted ice.

The Putorano Plateau (Taimyr)

Mountains

The towering majestic mountains of Russia rarely stand single. For the most part, mountains are adjoining each other and form continuous mountain ranges. These include the Caucasus Mountains, the Altai Mountains, the Ural Mountains and the Sayan Mountains.

The Caucasus Mountains

The Gem, the Jewel, the Grand-Spa, whatever the grandeur name is it is fit for the Caucasus. Don’t get me wrong or biased but this great California-size divide between the Middle East and Asia deserves every positive superlative one can think of. The Caucasus stretch over 1,100 km between the Black and Caspian Seas, and cover the territory of 160 km between Iran, Turkey and the southern flank of the Russian steppe. It is home to the countries of Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and the feisty Russian republics of Chechnya, Adygea, Kabardino-Balkariya, Karachaevo-Cherkessiya, Dagestan (not that violently gloomy as some wikitravel describes it), Ingushetia, Abkhazia and Ossetia, Stavropol and Krasnodar territories.

The Caucasus Mountains are rugged, of volcanic origin and young. They are believed to be about 25 million years old. The Caucasus Mountains are technically considered to be a continuation of the Himalayas as well as either part of Asia or part of Europe. They have historically served as a geographic barrier at the convergence of the continents of Europe and Asia, and due to specific tectonic processes, it has been hard to determine the exact course of the continental borderline, causing the border to change throughout the turbulent history of the region.

As there is no clear agreement on whether the Caucasus Mountains are a part of Europe or Asia, depending on the varying perspectives, Europe’s highest mountain is either Mount Elbrus 5,642 m (18,510.5 ft) or Mont Blanc in the Alps, at the Italian-French border, with a height of 4,810 m (15,780.8 ft). We have a very nice article on the Caucasus, its structure, geomorphic features, hiking and climbing opportunities.

The Caucasus are a trekker’s paradise, lest you hike in lousy weather. The amount of trails to take, routes to wander and encounters to enjoy are numberless. You can find anything in the Caucasus: medieval villages, natural wonders, great cuisine across the region and much more. Unfortunately, the development of the region’s international tourism has been hampered by some turmoil in the 1990s and now there is quite a vent of belligerent feelings in Nagorny Karabakh. Luckily, in most parts of the Caucuses travelling is quite safe, the only drawback though is there is not much information available online in English, but many tour agencies see a world of opportunity and start providing English-speaking guides or at least have their sites in English.

Mount Elbrus, the highest peak in Europe

The Altai Mountains

Being snuggly tucked in the centre of Asia, the Altai Mountain Range seems to be a no-man’s land. But such remoteness is deceptive. Despite rather huge distances and wild nature, the Altai is bustling with life. It is shared by four countries: Russia, Kazakhstan, China and Mongolia.

Topographically, the Altai mainly lies in the Southern Siberia and consists of high and middle-rise mountain ranges separated by deep river valleys and vast inland and intermountain troughs. It stretches from north-west to south-east for more than 2000 km. The Altai Mountains are the watershed between the basin of the Arctic Ocean and the northeastern region of Central Asia. The highest point is Mount Belukha (4,506 m).

There are UNESCO’s protected areas in the Altai, among which five are located on the Russian territory, one in Kazakhstan, Mongolia and China have two each. Russian must-visit reserves include

Ukok Calm Nature Park

The Russian painter, traveller and great visionary N.K. Roerich painted hundreds of pictures of the Altai. You can read about his travels in the Altai, the Himalayas, the Middle East and the US in our article here.

The Ural Mountains

For many, the Urals are like The Wall from GOT by George Martin – the end of the world behind which lie the wildlands and White Walkers are stalking the lost souls. Despite this grim misconception, life is bustling there. The natural and man-made wonders are astounding, the hospitality is heart-warming and adventures are those of a ‘buck-list-of-a-lifetime’. The Urals is a must-experience place.

The Urals is called the Land of Legends and that is not for nothing. The lands are rich, diverse and remained pretty underexplored until the last 50 years or so. You can feel the true frontier experience and create your personal legend while traversing the Urals.

The modern Ural Mountains are a large mountain system that stretches from the shores of the Arctic Ocean to the steppes of northern Kazakhstan. Geographically, the Ural Mountains are divided into five parts, from north to south:

The length of the Ural mountain range is more than 2,000 km (with the Pai-Khoy and the Mugodjary it is more than 2600 km), the width varies from 40 to 150 km. The highest mountain is Mount Narodnaya (1,895m). You can read about the Urals in more details here.

Historically, there have been quite a few versions about the origins of the Ural Mountains. In the scientific community, there used to be so many heated debates that it is impossible to enumerate every conceivable and inconceivable version of the formation of the Urals Mountains.

The two basic warring camps are those who support the continents’ movement theory and those who are after sea retrieval. The former tend to believe that during a certain period of development of planet Earth, the continents were mobile and clashed with each other. And the origin of the Urals Range is a product of these collisions.

Floodplain Synya, Polar Ural mountains

The ocean-theory disciples are closer to the theory that once the Ural Mountains were washed by seas or oceans, or were completely hidden underwater, which stands to reason because the fact that the water actually washed the slopes of the mountains is confirmed by a remarkable amount of archaeological findings.

The Sayan Mountains

The Sayan Mountains or Sayans are formed by two ridges in the south of Siberia – the Western Sayan and the Eastern Sayan Mountains. They are located in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, the Irkutsk Region, and the Republics of Khakassia, Tyva, and Buryatia as well as the northern regions of neighboring Mongolia. The name comes from a Turkic-speaking tribe of the Sayans who lived in the upper reaches of the Yenisei and Oka rivers. Interestingly, the local peoples used to call this range the Sardyk (for the Prisayan Buryats) or the Belogorye or Goltsy (for the Russian population). The name Sayans was used only by scientists, researchers and travelers, but it gradually penetrated the general usage.

Sunset in the mountains of Eastern Sayan

The Sayan ridges are located at right angles to each other. The Western Sayans border with the Altai in the south-west. This range is rather flat and islet-shaped, almost free of glaciers. Its highest point is Kyzyl Taiga Mountain (3,121 m). The Eastern Sayans, on the contrary, are covered with ice caps. The highest peak is Munku-Sardyk Mountain (3,491 m). It is located in the ridge of the same name, and is considered the highest point of the Sayan Mountains in general. The mountain system has many lakes, mountain rivers, waterfalls, and a mysterious landscape.

Beautiful sunset in Ergaki national park

Apart from the regular bucket list filled with hiking, trekking, climbing, fishing, horse-riding in the Sayans, other fun must-dos include:

Welcome to Russia, the country of wild spirit and vast unexplored territories. This is an adventure of a lifetime.

Snowboard freeride at the Caucasus Mountains