Tien Shan Mountains: characteristics, history, height and photos. Tien Shan Mountains: photo, description, length, geographical location Tien Shan Peaks

On the borders of five countries of Central Asia there are beautiful and majestic mountains - the Tien Shan. On the Eurasian mainland they are second only to the Himalayas and Pamirs, and are also one of the largest and most extensive Asian mountain systems. The Heavenly Mountains are rich not only in minerals, but also in interesting geographical facts. The description of any object is built from many points and important nuances, but only complete coverage of all directions will help to create a complete geographical image. But let's not rush, but let's dwell in detail on each section.

Figures and facts: all the most important things about the Heavenly Mountains

The name Tien Shan has Turkic roots, because the peoples of this particular linguistic group have inhabited this territory since time immemorial and still live in this region. If translated literally, the toponym will sound like Heavenly Mountains or Divine Mountains. The explanation for this is very simple, the Turks from time immemorial worshiped the sky, and if you look at the mountains, you get the impression that with their peaks they reach the very clouds, most likely that is why the geographical object received such a name. And now, some more facts about the Tien Shan.

Where does the description of any object usually begin? Of course, from numbers. The length of the Tien Shan mountains is more than two and a half thousand kilometers. Believe me, this is a pretty impressive figure. To compare, the territory of Kazakhstan extends for 3,000 kilometers, and Russia extends for 4,000 kilometers from north to south. Imagine these objects and appreciate the scale of these mountains.
The height of the Tien Shan mountains reaches 7000 meters. The system has 30 peaks with a height of more than 6 kilometers, while Africa and Europe cannot boast of a single such mountain.
I would especially like to highlight the highest point of the Heavenly Mountains. Geographically, it is located on the border of Kyrgyzstan and the Republic of China. There has been a very long debate around this issue, and neither side wants to give in. The highest peak of the Tien Shan mountains is the ridge with the triumphant name - Victory Peak. The height of the object is 7439 meters.

Location of one of the largest mountain systems in Central Asia

If you transfer the mountain system onto a political map, the object will fall on the territory of five states. More than 70% of the mountains are located in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and China. The rest comes from Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. But the highest points and massive ridges are located in the northern part. If we consider the geographical position of the Tien Shan mountains from a regional perspective, then this will be the central part of the Asian continent.

Geographical zoning and relief

The territory of the mountains can be divided into five orographic regions. Each has its own unique topography and ridge structure. Pay attention to the photo of the Tien Shan mountains, which is located above. Agree, the grandeur and stateliness of these mountains evoke admiration. Now, let’s take a closer look at the zoning of the system:

Northern Tien Shan. This part is almost entirely located on the territory of Kazakhstan. The main ridges are Zailiysky and Kungey Alatau. These mountains are distinguished by their average height (no more than 4000 m) and highly rugged terrain. There are many small rivers in the region that originate from glacial peaks. The region also includes the Ketmen Ridge, which Kazakhstan shares with Kyrgyzstan. On the territory of the latter, there is another ridge of the northern part - the Kyrgyz Alatau.
Eastern Tien Shan. Of the largest parts of the mountain system, we can distinguish: Borokhoro, Bogdo-Ula, as well as medium and small ranges: Iren-Khabyrga and Sarmin-Ula. The entire eastern part of the Heavenly Mountains is located in China, mainly where the permanent settlement of the Uighurs is located; it is from this local dialect that the ranges received their names.
Western Tien Shan. This orographic unit occupies the territories of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. The largest is the Karatau ridge, and then comes the Talas Alatau, which got its name from the river of the same name. These parts of the Tien Shan mountains are quite low, the relief drops to 2000 meters. This is because this is an older region, the territory of which has not undergone repeated mountain building. Thus, the destructive power of exogenous factors did its job.
Southwestern Tien Shan. This region is located in Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. In fact, this is the lowest part of the mountains, which consists of the Fregan ridge, framing the valley of the same name.
Central Tien Shan. This is the highest part of the mountain system. Its ranges occupy the territory of China, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. It is in this part that almost all six-thousanders are located.

"Gloomy Giant" - the highest point of the Heavenly Mountains

As mentioned earlier, the highest point of the Tien Shan Mountains is called Victory Peak. It is easy to guess that the toponym got its name in honor of a significant event - the victory of the USSR in the most difficult and bloody war of the 20th century. Officially, the mountain is located in Kyrgyzstan, near the border with China, not far from the autonomy of the Uyghurs. However, for a long time the Chinese side did not want to recognize the ownership of the object by the Kyrgyz, and even after documenting the fact, it continues to look for ways to take possession of the desired peak.

This object is very popular among climbers; it is on the list of five seven-thousanders that must be conquered to receive the title “Snow Leopard”. Near the mountain, just 16 kilometers to the southwest, is the second highest peak of the Divine Mountains. We are talking about Khan Tengri - the highest point of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Its height is only slightly less than seven kilometers and is 6995 meters.

Centuries-old history of rocks: geology and structure

In the place where the Tien Shan Mountains are located, there is an ancient belt of increased endogenous activity; these zones are also called geosynclines. Since the system has a fairly decent height, this suggests that it was subject to secondary uplift, although it has a rather ancient origin. Research shows that the base of the Heavenly Mountains is composed of Precambrian and Lower Paleozoic rocks. The mountain strata were subjected to long-term deformations and the influence of endogenous forces, which is why the minerals are represented by metamorphosed gneisses, sandstones and typical limestone and slate.

Since much of this region was flooded during the Mesozoic, the mountain valleys are covered with lacustrine sediments (sandstone and clay). The activity of glaciers also did not pass without a trace; morainic deposits stretch from the highest peaks of the Tien Shan mountains and reach the very border of the snow line.

The repeated uplift of the mountains in the Neogene had a very significant impact on their geological structure; relatively “young” volcanic-type rocks are found in the parent basement. It is these inclusions that are the mineral and metallic minerals in which the Divine Mountains are very rich.

The lowest part of the Tien Shan, which is located in the south, has been exposed to exogenous agents for thousands of years: the sun, winds, glaciers, temperature changes, and water during flooding. All this could not but affect the structure of the rocks; nature greatly battered their slopes and “exposed” the mountains to the very parent rock. The complex geological history influenced the heterogeneity of the Tien Shan relief, which is why high snowy peaks alternate with valleys and dilapidated plateaus.

Gifts of the Heavenly Mountains: minerals

A description of the Tien Shan Mountains cannot do without mentioning mineral resources, because this system brings very good income to the states in whose territories it is located. First of all, these are complex conglomerates of polymetallic ores. Large deposits are found in all five countries. Most of the minerals in the depths of the mountains are lead and zinc, but you can find something rarer. For example, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have established antimony mining, and there are also separate deposits of molybdenum and tungsten. In the southern part of the mountains, near the Fregan Valley, coal is mined, as well as other fossil fuels: oil and gas. Rare elements found include strontium, mercury and uranium. But most of all, the territory is rich in building materials and semi-precious stones. The slopes and foothills of the mountains are strewn with small deposits of cement, sand and various types of granite.

However, many mineral resources are not accessible for development, because the infrastructure is very poorly developed in mountainous regions. Mining in hard-to-reach places requires very modern technical means and large financial investments. States are in no hurry to develop the subsoil of the Tien Shan and often transfer the initiative to the private hands of foreign investors.

Ancient and modern glaciation of the mountain system

The height of the Tien Shan mountains is several times higher than the snow line, which means it is no secret that the system is covered by a huge number of glaciers. However, the situation with glaciers is very unstable, because in the last 50 years alone, their number has decreased by almost 25% (3 thousand square kilometers). For comparison, this is even larger than the area of the city of Moscow. The depletion of snow and ice cover in the Tien Shan threatens the region with a serious environmental disaster. Firstly, it is a natural source of nutrition for rivers and alpine lakes. Secondly, this is the only source of fresh water for all living things that inhabit the mountain slopes, including local peoples and settlements. If changes continue at the same pace, then by the end of the 21st century, the Tien Shan will lose more than half of its glaciers and will leave four countries without a valuable water resource.

Non-freezing lake and other water bodies

The highest mountain of the Tien Shan is located near the highest lake in Asia - Issyk-Kul. This object belongs to the state of Kyrgyzstan, and is popularly called the Unfreezing Lake. It's all about low pressure at high altitude and water temperature, thanks to which the surface of this lake never freezes. This place is the main tourist area of the region; on an area of more than 6 thousand square kilometers, there is a huge number of high-mountain resorts and various recreational areas.

Another picturesque water body of the Tien Shan is located in China, literally a hundred kilometers from the main trading city of Urumqi. We are talking about Lake Tienshi - this is a kind of “Pearl of the Heavenly Mountains”. The water there is so clean and transparent that it is difficult to realize the depth because it seems that you can literally reach the bottom with your hand.

In addition to lakes, the mountains are cut by a huge number of river valleys. Small rivers originate from the very tops and are fed by melted glacial waters. Many of them are lost on the mountain slopes, others unite into larger bodies of water and carry their waters to the foot.

From picturesque meadows to icy peaks: climate and natural conditions

Where the Tien Shan Mountains are located, natural zones replace each other with height. Due to the fact that the orographic units of the system have heterogeneous relief, different natural zones may be located at the same level in different parts of the Heavenly Mountains:

Alpine meadows. They can be located both at an altitude of more than 2500 meters and at 3300 meters. The peculiarity of this landscape is the lush, hilly valleys that surround bare rocks.
Forest zone. Quite rare in this region, mainly in inaccessible high mountain gorges.
Forest-steppe. The trees in this zone are low, mostly small-leaved or coniferous. To the south, the meadow and steppe landscape is more clearly visible.
Steppe. This natural area covers foothills and valleys. There is a huge variety of meadow grasses and steppe plants. The further south the region, the more clearly visible is the semi-desert and in some places even desert landscape.

The climate of the Heavenly Mountains is very harsh and unstable. It is influenced by opposing air masses. In summer, the Tien Shan Mountains are under the rule of the tropics, and in winter, polar currents dominate here. In general, the region can be called quite arid and sharply continental. In summer there are often dry winds and unbearable heat. In winter, temperatures can drop to record levels, and frosts often occur in the off-season. Precipitation is very unstable, with most of it occurring in April and May. It is the unstable climate that influences the reduction in the area of ice sheets. Also, sudden changes in temperature and constant winds have a very negative effect on the topography of the region. The mountains are slowly but surely being destroyed.

An untouched corner of nature: animals and plants

The Tien Shan Mountains have become home to a huge number of living beings. The fauna is extremely diverse and varies significantly depending on the region. For example, the Northern part of the mountains is represented by European and Siberian types, while the Western Tien Shan is inhabited by typical representatives of the Mediterranean, African and Himalayan regions. You can also safely meet typical representatives of mountain fauna: snow leopards, snowcocks and mountain goats. The forests are inhabited by common foxes, wolves and bears.

The flora is also very diverse; fir and Mediterranean walnut can easily coexist in the region. In addition, a huge number of medicinal plants and valuable herbs are found here. This is a real phyto-pantry of Central Asia.

It is very important to protect the Tien Shan from human influence; for this purpose, two reserves and one national park have been created in the region. There are so few places left on the planet with untouched nature, so it is important to devote every effort to preserve this wealth for posterity.

Figures and facts: all the most important things about the Heavenly Mountains

Where does the description of any object usually begin? Of course, from numbers. The length of the Tien Shan mountains is more than two and a half thousand kilometers. Believe me, this is a pretty impressive figure. To compare, the territory of Kazakhstan extends for 3,000 kilometers, and Russia extends for 4,000 kilometers from north to south. Imagine these objects and appreciate the scale of these mountains.
The height of the Tien Shan mountains reaches 7000 meters. The system has 30 peaks with a height of more than 6 kilometers, while Africa and Europe cannot boast of a single such mountain.
I would especially like to highlight the highest point of the Heavenly Mountains. Geographically, it is located on the border of Kyrgyzstan and the Republic of China. There has been a very long debate around this issue, and neither side wants to give in. The highest peak of the Tien Shan mountains is the ridge with the triumphant name - Victory Peak. The height of the object is 7439 meters.

Location of one of the largest mountain systems in Central Asia

Geographical zoning and relief

Northern Tien Shan. This part is almost entirely located on the territory of Kazakhstan. The main ridges are Zailiysky and Kungey Alatau. These mountains are distinguished by their average height (no more than 4000 m) and highly rugged terrain. There are many small rivers in the region that originate from glacial peaks. The region also includes the Ketmen Ridge, which Kazakhstan shares with Kyrgyzstan. On the territory of the latter, there is another ridge of the northern part - the Kyrgyz Alatau.
Eastern Tien Shan. Of the largest parts of the mountain system, we can distinguish: Borokhoro, Bogdo-Ula, as well as medium and small ranges: Iren-Khabyrga and Sarmin-Ula. The entire eastern part of the Heavenly Mountains is located in China, mainly where the permanent settlement of the Uighurs is located; it is from this local dialect that the ranges received their names.
Western Tien Shan. This orographic unit occupies the territories of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. The largest is the Karatau ridge, and then comes the Talas Alatau, which got its name from the river of the same name. These parts of the Tien Shan mountains are quite low, the relief drops to 2000 meters. This is because this is an older region, the territory of which has not undergone repeated mountain building. Thus, the destructive power of exogenous factors did its job.
Southwestern Tien Shan. This region is located in Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. In fact, this is the lowest part of the mountains, which consists of the Fregan ridge, framing the valley of the same name.
Central Tien Shan. This is the highest part of the mountain system. Its ranges occupy the territory of China, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. It is in this part that almost all six-thousanders are located.

"Gloomy Giant" - the highest point of the Heavenly Mountains

Centuries-old history of rocks: geology and structure

Gifts of the Heavenly Mountains: minerals

Ancient and modern glaciation of the mountain system

Non-freezing lake and other water bodies

From picturesque meadows to icy peaks: climate and natural conditions

Alpine meadows. They can be located both at an altitude of more than 2500 meters and at 3300 meters. The peculiarity of this landscape is the lush, hilly valleys that surround bare rocks.
Forest zone. Quite rare in this region, mainly in inaccessible high mountain gorges.
Forest-steppe. The trees in this zone are low, mostly small-leaved or coniferous. To the south, the meadow and steppe landscape is more clearly visible.
Steppe. This natural area covers foothills and valleys. There is a huge variety of meadow grasses and steppe plants. The further south the region, the more clearly visible is the semi-desert and in some places even desert landscape.

An untouched corner of nature: animals and plants

Tien Shan or " Heavenly Mountains» - one of the highest and most visited mountain systems by tourists throughout the CIS countries. This grandiose mountainous country located mainly in the western part Kyrgyzstan a and on eastern China. Its northern and northwestern ranges reach Kazakhstan a, and the southwestern spurs ran through the territories Uzbekistan a And Tajikistan a. Thus, throughout the post-Soviet space, Tien Shan mountains stretched in a kind of arch, more than 1200 km in length and almost 300 km in width.

Scientists attribute Tien Shan to fairly old mountains of the Caledonian and Hercynian folding period, which underwent subsequent uplift in the Alpine era.

However, it must be said that the tectonic activity of this mountain system continues today, as evidenced by its high seismic activity.

Many glaciers give rise mountain rivers - tributaries of Naryn like a river going down a huge staircase from Tien Shan, covering 700 km of travel and gaining gigantic power. It is not surprising that the number of large and medium-sized power plants built on Naryn e, exceeds ten.

Remarkable in beauty Tien Shan lakes, and its main pearl - Issyk-Kul, which occupies a giant tectonic depression between mountain ranges Kungey- And Terskey-Alatau. Its maximum depth reaches 702 m, and the water surface area is 6332 sq. m. The lake is the seventh largest and third deepest natural reservoir in the entire post-Soviet space.

The most significant lakes of the Inner Tien Shan are also Song Kel And Chatyr-Kel, by now, considered to be drying up. On the territory of the Syrts and in the zone of low moraine relief there are quite a lot of small lakes; in the highlands there are glacial and subglacial reservoirs, they are interesting in themselves, but of no serious significance for the climate Tien Shan don't imagine.

Mountaineering potential of the Tien Shan.

Central Tien Shan.

Two areas stand out here - glacier areas South Inylchek And Kaindy.

South Inylchek.

It is located in the extreme eastern part of the country, on the border with Kazakhstan om And China, and includes eastern slopes of the Kokshaltau ridges, Inylchek-Tau, Saryjaz, and Tengri-Tag ridges And Meridional. This area is home to one of the largest glaciers in the world - South Inylchek, the length of which is 62 km, and the width reaches 3.5 km, with an average thickness of ice up to 200 m. There are also two " seven thousandths» peaks- Pobeda Peak And Khan Tengri Peak, 23 peaks over 6000m and about 80 peaks with a height of 5000-6000m. There are more than 70 routes in the area, but two “ six thousandths"tops and about 20" five thousand meters"remained unconquered.

The marked mountain areas have practically not been visited by climbers and still contain great prospects for pioneers.

Scheme map of the Eastern part of the central Tien Shan

Khan Tengri and the Sredinny Range from the slopes of Pobeda Peak. Photo: RISK online

Tien Shan is a Chinese word meaning "Heavenly Mountains". It is a great mountain system located mainly in Kyrgyzstan and the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) of China. Its northern and distant western ranges are in Kazakhstan, while the southwestern part reaches the borders of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. Inside the territory of the former USSR, the Tien Shan mountains stretch in an arch more than 1200 km long and 300 km wide. They border in the north with the Ili Valley and the Fergana Depression in the south, while the eastern outskirts seem to dock with the Alai ridge of the Gissar-Alai mountain system.

All Tien Shan ranges, excluding the meridional one, run from west to east and consist of four mountain ranges divided naturally: Central Tien Shan, Northern and Western, as well as Inner Tien Shan. The northern slopes of the ridges are cut by gorges of mountain river valleys and reach depths of 2,000 - 4,000 meters; they are short and shallow. The dominant height of the peaks is 4000 - 5000 meters, and the passes pass between the heights of 3500-4500 m. The climate is typically Central Asian and with the height of precipitation it becomes more and more - up to 900-1000 mm per year on the western slopes of the Fergana Valley.

Tien Shan has significant ice cover: 7,787 glaciers, the largest is South Inylchek, 60 kilometers long.

It has several regions: Trans-Alai Alatau, Inylchek, Kyrgyz, Kokshaal-too, Tengri-Tag, Tersky-Ala-too, Talas Ala-too, Fergana, etc.

Tourist and mountaineering exploration of the “Soviet” part of the area began in the 30s, by a fairly large number of groups, and by and large has not been completed to this day. True, it is impossible to say that the area has been “settling in” all these years - and this is not only due to the Great Patriotic War, during the USSR the area was limited in access (issuing passes to the border strip took several months), and sometimes it was simply closed for access for 5-10 years. Therefore, if you study reports, both tourist and mountaineering, you can determine the “windows” when access to the area opened. Today, getting there is not a problem; you can register yourself (registration, issuing passes), or again through any travel agency.

Over the years of development in the area, dozens of passes have been climbed, the main peaks have been climbed, and many difficult routes have been laid to many of the peaks. Tourists covered all the ridges of the region with passes, while the zone of mountaineering interests is mainly concentrated in the Tengritag, Kokshaaltau, Meridional ridges, rare ascents today are made in the Saryjaz and Inylchek ridges. I’ll try to describe these ridges a little, assessing the difficult passes and peaks, moving from north to south.

Entrances, approaches, decoration

Unfortunately, it is not yet possible to conduct “end-to-end” hikes – starting in Kyrgyzstan and ending in China, or vice versa. You can only jump a little in one direction or another through a couple of passes. Therefore, for now these parts of the districts should be considered separately.

From Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan there are two highways for entering the region. From Kyrgyzstan - through the city of Karakol (formerly Przhevalsk) along a decent road to the Semenov, Mushketov, Yu. Inylchek glaciers (to the Maidaadyr outpost), Kaindy. From Kazakhstan – through the regional center Narynkol to the upper reaches of the river. Bayankol (the road ends at the Zharkulak mine), from where it’s a 12-15 km walk to the Bayankol glacier system. Mountain hikes generally begin and end at these points. But if there are no special restrictions on funds, you can use a helicopter - for small groups as a companion (i.e., for transfer), for large groups - you can order and pay for a separate board. Today the situation is such that the area is served only by 2 Kyrgyz helicopters. (I won’t be surprised if there will be one next year, because last season one burned out, but I really hope that there will be a second one). The flight is carried out from two points - Karkara (Kazakhstan, through Kazbek Valiev), the Maidaadyr outpost (Inylchek river, Tien Shan Travel, Vladimir Biryukov). There are several more camps serving clients in South Inylchek, besides Valiev and Biryukov there are three more. The first two plus one more are located at the confluence of Yu. Inylchek with the Zvezdochka glacier, two more are on the opposite side, under the slopes of Gorky. In Northern Inylchek, only Kazbek Valiev’s camp now operates (previously there were two). But according to V. Biryukov, this summer the Kyrgyz camp (Tien Shan Travel company) will also begin operating in Northern Inylchek. Through any of these companies you can visit the area, choosing more suitable prices. Over the years, I have used the services of Kazbek Valiev, the Dostuk-Tracking company (Bishkek, Shchetnikov N.). In recent years, I have been using the services of Vladimir Biryukov’s Tien Shan Travel company, also because I have many friends there.

Depending on which check-in method you use - through a company or on your own - transport prices will vary greatly. I don’t see the point of describing them here - you can look up their prices through the company on their websites, but I simply don’t know the prices for self-hired transport - I haven’t used it for too long. As for the helicopter, I think these are more stable numbers. Today, a helicopter hour in Kyrgyzstan costs $1,800, and an approach from Karkara or Maidaadir costs $150 per person. When flying, for example, from Maidaadyr, you can scatter drops to 2-3 places in a flight hour and land at the beginning of the route (in 2001, using a helicopter, we delivered drops to Southern and Northern Inylchek, and landed ourselves at the lower part of the Mushketov glacier , thus excluding traffic along river valleys from the route).

If we talk about the most common way to get there today, it’s by car from Bishkek through Karakol to Maidaadyr, then by helicopter to South or North Inylchek, or on foot (then you can drive a little further by car, or you can hire horse-drawn transport and use it to get almost to the Yu. Inylchek glacier). The second option is from Alma-Ata to Karkara, from where by helicopter to the same place - that is, to the South or North of Inylchek. People visit other places to start routes less often. And ascents are mainly carried out from the listed camps (a rare exception, which has been repeated more than once in recent years, is ascents to the Marble Wall from the Bayankol glaciers).

You should probably know that to visit the area through any state, you need to obtain registration (if entry/exit is carried out through different states, then in each of them) and passes to the border zone (for now, the expected complication of issuing passes has resulted in additional payment). All this is done in different places (registration with the police, passes with the border guards), so I prefer to use the services of companies.

On the Chinese side, things are somewhat different. In order to enter the area, you must obtain a military permit ($650 per group), a permit to visit the Tomur National Park (another $650), and insurance for all participants ($72/person). So far, today I know only one tour operator who undertakes to arrange all this. And naturally, payment for operator services will also be added here.

To enter the region for the first time, we used the traditional route to the Kashgar Mountains at that time - Moscow-Bishkek-Osh (plane) - Irkeshtam checkpoint (car) - Kashgar (car) - Aksu (train) - village. Talaq (machine). This journey took 6 days. We made our way back in exactly the same way, but it took 4-5 days. The second time we went directly to China, Moscow-Urumqi-Aksu (plane) - Talak (car). This option took us 2 days, and today is the optimal route to the area. But if we talk about departure from Moscow, there is currently no direct flight to Urumqi, so you have to fly with a transfer. From the nearest cities, planes fly to Urumqi from Novosibirsk, Almaty, Bishkek. Therefore, you can travel by plane from any of these cities. Probably, you can also calculate the option of visiting these cities by train, and then by plane. The entire route by train probably does not make sense, although it is theoretically possible. Maybe this option will one day become acceptable - there is persistent talk about the construction of a railway connection from Kyrgyzstan to China (Kashgar). Considering the speed at which the Chinese are building, I would not be surprised if such a road appears within a year or two after the decision is made. In the meantime, it would be good if a road through Irkeshtam was built - maybe the drive through Kyrgyzstan, especially to the Kashgar Mountains (Kongur - Muztag-Ata) would become quite convenient.

From the village of Talak, where the border post is located, you can also drive by jeep in different directions - probably to the Temirsu glacier. The path known to us, used in all expeditions (by the Chinese, the Japanese, and us), leads towards the Kokyardavan pass (you can almost get to the pass). Then a caravan of horses is organized (although it is also possible to start on foot) and after 30-35 km along the river valley. In Chonterex you can go to the tongue of the Chonteren glacier, where all the expeditions established a base camp. The route can be covered on horseback in 1.5-2 days.

In the neighboring valley - Kichiktereksu - there is a coal mining plant. The valley itself is more extensive than Chonterexu, with many small settlements. Having gone down a fairly decent path to the plant, you can then go further by car. By the way, the trail here is really good, but it’s easy to lose it, which is what we did from time to time. In the upper reaches of the river (in a section of 10 kilometers) it quite often branches, and the chosen path may simply turn out to be a dead end (for example, to a summer camp). The main trail, however, goes 300-400 meters up or down the slope, which is quite difficult to guess. Sometimes local residents helped us get back on the trail, for whom we seemed to act as a visiting zoo. To the river valley Kichikterex can also be visited at the start of any hike.

We did not try other check-in options. One of them is along the Muzart River, along which the road rises quite far, and you can get approximately to the level of the Tugbelchi glacier. There are probably other options for arrival, but other expeditions have yet to get acquainted with them. There are a lot of dirt roads in these places, only local residents know them well (a simple example - our tour operator knew nothing about the coal mining plant and the road there - otherwise we would have immediately planned one of the ending points of the hike there.

From the blogger's memoirs: Low emerald grass underfoot, endless blue sky above. Somewhere in the distance above the clouds, very close to space, sleeps a snow-white dragon - as ancient as our world.

The heavy silver plates of its ridge glowed brightly with ruby against the deep sea of the sky. The prickly, horse-bitten grass underfoot is covered with evening dew. We spend our last day in the Heavenly Mountains, remembering how we managed to climb almost into space.
The plane landed in Almaty. It turned out to be cheaper than flying to Bishkek. At night we have to get to Karakol. We drive along the Trans-Ili Alatau to Bishkek. The sun sets behind the desert land of Kazakhstan, illuminating the vastness of the ocher mountains with its last rays. The border with Kyrgyzstan at night - and we are already half asleep driving a Delika (this is an all-wheel drive minibus based on the Mitsubishi Pajero) along the Kyrgyz roads. It was one of the most difficult nights for me: the driver, a rude Russian man, apparently had not slept for several days. But the Delica is a car from Japan, with right-hand drive - and sitting in the traditional driver’s seat for me turned out to be like riding a roller coaster, the bolts of which are ready to pop out at any minute. The night was too long - both for me and for the driver. In the morning, before dawn, half asleep, I saw the soft, barely noticeable waves of the Issyk-Kul mirror. Like the crimson of dawn, a huge lake spilled over the valley. The driver feels really bad in the morning - he feels pounding, shaking from lack of sleep, and turns inside out. Cold water, nuts, wind in the face - almost nothing helps. Sometimes it cuts out right on the road, and the car is pulled to the side into a few oncoming cars. You have to push the steering wheel a couple of times to avoid a collision and wake up the poor guy. The peak of the Crystal Mountains looms ahead with a pink jagged edge. Dawn brings life and lightness, and lets go of the fear for their children a little. An orderly row of poplars, Karakol Bay - all this is now perceived as a gateway to a new world.
The car brought us to the Khanina camp site. This is the patron saint of all local tourists. A short, mustachioed, bald man, calm as a rock, opens the gates of his house for us early in the morning so that we can prepare for our first meeting with the Tien Shan. Based on the sad experience of last night, I decide that after transferring from Alma-Ata, it would also be better to turn to Khanin. You can rent equipment from Igor, buy gas, and go into the mountains as a watchman, and in the virtual absence of the Kyrgyz Ministry of Emergency Situations, he fulfills its role. But at the same time, of course, you need insurance, ready before the trip itself.
The watchman actively smears us across the seats on the mountain road. It’s probably hard to come up with a car more suitable than the ZIL for mountain roads and making tourists sick (more likely, turning us into an omelette).
The watchwoman brought us to the Karakol mountain camp. “Alpine camp” is a loud word, there are only a few large tarpaulin tents here, but there is everything a tourist needs: food, a bathhouse on wheels (for a couple of people), a clearing for tents. The only stone structure of the mountaineering camp is the toilet.
1. Around the Karakol alpine camp it is very convenient to walk radial routes for several days - which we took advantage of. Tourists visiting the Tien Shan have a long and very strange tradition of making loops around Lake Alakol and the Karakol alpine camp. Some people are attracted by aesthetics: views of the lake from passes and snowy peaks. And for some it’s just an opportunity to gobble up another watermelon in the climbing camp after finishing the ring and drag another one to the foot of the glacier, leaving part of the equipment in the climbing camp.
So we left the delivery, prudently made sure that there were watermelons, and hit the road. From the Karakol alpine camp a path rises up through thickets, clearings and dense forests. The trail leads up through waterfalls and gorges. Further, closer to the sky, clouds. The sun here becomes brighter, there is less air, but the pleasant azure overhead gives strength to move towards the goal - to Lake Alakol. Thus begins our wonderful hike through the emerald Heavenly Mountains. It seems that an abyss separates us from distant sharp peaks floating like graceful crystal above the clouds.

2. The first few days after the city feel so unusual in this world! There is fresh air, wind in your face, hard climbs, and delicious lunches by babbling streams. You remember - and at first you don’t believe that such worlds exist. You think you dreamed. But when you close your eyes, you see and feel how the wind smoothes the grass on the peaks, and the mountains pick up the clouds, playing with them in flight.

3. The kilometer of elevation gain on the first day is not easy: we crawl like a train along a mountain path through fields of flowers, crossing streams, stopping in the shade of trees. Despite the severity of the route, you feel light and free.
4. Our reward for our efforts is a view of Lake Alakol in the evening at an altitude of 3.5 thousand meters. The lake feeds a large glacier from the Karakol wall, and it flows out into a narrow drain. It’s as if someone removed the plug from the banks - and the lake slowly merges, giving rise to a large waterfall. We decide to stand on the other side of the “drain”. It would seem that one jump and you are on the other side. But I’m very worried about my guys: below there is an abyss, the water is rushing down like a raging stream of a waterfall.

5. In the evening – our first stop on the lake shore. The Milky Way is clearly visible here, the night is cold and moonless. While I was filming, I almost sat in the lake, but it was getting cold! (however, this did not discourage the girls from wanting to swim).

6. In the morning - early rise, we climb to the Northern Alakol Pass to look at the lake from above, and descend into the Arashan Valley. “Alakol” means “Motley Lake” in Kyrgyz. And like any self-respecting mountain lake, its color changes depending on the strength of the wind, light, and weather. Meteorologists say so, but we believe that the motley lake has its own character. For example, on this gloomy day the lake seems to glow from within, not letting us get bored.

7. And someone even left a heart here.

8. Lead clouds fly from Issyk-Kul in the afternoon. As it turns out later, it’s like this here every day. The morning is clear, the freshness of the mountains, pure colors greets us, and the clouds see us off into the night, sometimes pouring rain or greeting us with snow. I am always accompanied by a couple of good angels, so I managed to capture them - they are trying to conjure the sun. Yes, yes, but did you think that only the camera takes photographs? Angels are also very important.

9. After sitting a little above the clouds, approaching the Cosmos, we slowly descend down to the Arashan valley.

10. You can hardly find greener mountains than the Tien Shan. And at sunset, the fine grass softly reflects the rays falling on it - and it seems that millions of sunbeams playfully skip between the emerald blades of grass. The mountains live, breathe and wait for the traveler, and the sun sometimes sends him farewell rays on a cool evening. Along the way we meet yurts, the Kirghiz wave warmly to us and smile with silver teeth.

11. Somewhere in the Arashan Valley there are thermal hydrogen sulfide springs hidden, but we pass by - we go around the ridge and again approach the snowy wall of the mountains.

12. The Tien Shan cannot be confused with any mountains: such an abundance of livestock, green lawns, and highest peaks cannot be found anywhere else. The pine trees in the valleys pierce the sky with tall, straight arrows, and the horses follow us with their gaze. It feels like the mountains are breathing, living – these are the brightest, greenest mountains I’ve ever been to. Even on a cloudy day at the foot of the glaciers, emerald fields of short grass spread out before the viewer.

13. And our path goes up again. We made the route in rings so that we could always go down to the mountain camp. And it’s always difficult to understand the scale when planning on a map: almost every day we had to either go up or down a whole kilometer! It’s the same today: a long, drawn-out climb to the pass among the cold mountains, under the drizzling rain.

14. High in the mountains there is a completely different world. Rocks dominate here, harsh, cold stones surround small clearings of grass. But even here streams gurgle, gophers peek busily out of their holes, and whistle warily. The whistle reflects a booming echo from the mountain range.

15. It feels like you are preparing to storm a big castle.

16. The morning greets with fog, we climbed under the very clouds. Taking the Taktyktor Pass in such weather is not an easy task. Therefore, we prepare as best we can.

17. For example, apply cream (a very important task when you have nothing to do!).

18. We storm stone walls and sharp rocks.

19. The glacial lakes under the Taktyktor pass (in common parlance - Traktor) offer a traditionally wonderful view. It feels like meteorites hit the earth and left these craters. Somewhere on the right the traces of tourists are lost, we descend along them.

20. We fall waist-deep into wet snow, it’s hard to walk. The glacier is closed, with a lot of snow - so we go in groups. We pass the remains of the first “meteorite”.

21. Wet, frozen, but happy, we get out to the open part of the glacier, where the ice under our feet is already solid. It feels like you are standing in a crystal bowl, the mountains support the sky. Here you are so close to the sky, to the clouds, that it seems you can reach them with your hand. Sasha is attempting to reach the nearest peak :-)

22. Impressive snow cornices rise on the peaks, and somewhere below, in the valley, the emerald grass is still green and the rivers are roaring.

23. Climbers and girls conquered the Traktor pass.

24. To understand the scale of the “glacial puddle”, you can look for a person in the frame. A giant dish with soft edges is attractive; between such lakes there is a complex system of ice bridges.

25. The glacier twists in tongues, cutting into the mountains with soft lines. We go down it, but the piercing wind does not let us in, greeting us with new sharp gusts.

26. But at the parking lot the sun and soft grass, flowering fields and lakes lost in pockets of moraines await us. Streams from the glacier gather into a large rapid stream, which spreads like an oasis at the foot of the valley, feeding the soil.

27. From the book about Semenov Tien-Shansky:
“From the moment Semenov saw the Heavenly Mountains, they bewitched him. He continuously looked at the snowy and colorful peaks, discovering more and more new beauty in them. Their giant horseshoe hung over the wild gardens, over the Ili Valley. Semenov saw how weightless clouds were born in dark holes. With incomprehensible speed they thicken into thunderclouds, and stifling direct showers fall on the valleys. He saw green and dark spots in the gardens; they floated over each other, connected with each other and changed colors, like waves in the solar wind. And on the left was the Kyrgyz steppe, already completely reminiscent of a foggy sea. It shimmered like the sea, with smoky air, shifting swells of sand, and wide shadows of clouds sliding in all directions.”

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32. In the evening, giant clouds rise from Issyk-Kul again. They overcome the ridges in a measured and orderly manner, waddling. It’s as if they reluctantly climb to the top. And the evening sun begins to break through them.

33. It turns out that we chose the most beautiful point for spending the night - from here you can see both the lake and the setting sun. This is a place for meditation and contemplation of wonderful natural phenomena.

34. And nature did not skimp on them: a wonderful rainbow over the Heavenly Mountains appeared for a moment in the rays of the setting sun.

35. When such wonderful things happen in the mountains, you want to jump for joy and happiness. Everything happens in a matter of seconds - but there are so many emotions: wind, rain, and snow over the mountain peaks. The light moves, emphasizing the contours of the mountains. The landscape comes to life and becomes spiritual at such moments.

36. In the evening, all the flowers drooped, the cold fell from the sky, and filled all the shadows of the stones with heavy tones.

37. And in the morning - again the warm sun, the quiet air of the valley. And only the whistle of marmots pierces the clean, clear atmosphere with an arrow.

38. One of the moraine lakes (which looked like a heart in the photographs above) reflects the deep wrinkles of the ancient mountains.

39. Our “motley lake” is very calm today. The azure sky is still lazily sleeping in the reflection, preserving the calm of the morning in cozy bays.

40. Today we have to return to the “drain” of the lake again, walk along its right bank.

41. The calmness of the lake is short-lived - after a while it will begin to slowly wake up, stretch, and again change its mood to some other color - whatever it wants today.

42. It is especially pleasant to find yourself on the shore of Alakol after the glacier - the warmth of the sun warms the soul.

43. And in the next part we will continue our journey through the Tien Shan and go to new heights! :-)