Probably many modern travelers at least once in life thought about what is the height of the Sayan Mountains.Why it might be interested in?As a rule, there is more than one explanation, the most important of which can be regarded as normal curiosity and an irrepressible desire to visit at all possible, if not the highest point of the planet as a whole, our country as a minimum.
This article aims to tell you about this wonderful geographical area of the country, as the Sayan mountains.The reader will learn a lot of useful information about this part of our rightly say vast country.
General
Sayan Mountains, photos of which can be found in almost any guide on the region of the Russian Federation, made up of two interlocking mountain systems located in southern Siberia within the Irkutsk Region, Krasnoyarsk Territory, Republic of Tyva, Khakassia andBuryatia and Mongolia's northern regions bordering the Republic of Tuva and Buryatia.
Mountains are divided geographically into Western and Eastern Sayan, each of which has a number of unique features of its own.
example, the western part is aligned and pointed ridges without glaciations, between which the intermountain valleys.For the eastern part of the Mid-typical peaks and glaciers.
Sayan mountains have many rivers belonging to the basin of the Yenisei.
mountain slopes are covered with taiga, passing in the alpine tundra.Between the mountain systems are many basins of different shapes and depths.One of the most famous - Minusinsk Basin, which has a large number of archaeological sites.In general it can be noted that the average amplitude of the heights of the Eastern Sayan is significantly different from an identical index western ridges.
where the name
Scientists say that these places its name was in honor of the eponymous Turkic tribe that lived in Siberia, in the upper reaches of the Yenisei River and Oka.
Sayan later merged with other mountain tribes and joined the people of the Republic of Tyva.The very same ethnic group belonged to the Samoyed tribes and representatives of the mountain called "Kegmen", while the Buryats have given them more difficult for the human ear modern name - "Sardyk."
About this tribe in their chronicles told Russian Cossacks Tyumenets and Petrov, who visited in 1615 in the birthplace of the Altyn Khan.Later in the book of Russian travelers Mount already were listed under the name of the Sayan Mountains, the highest point of which has been found later, is 3491 m.
Features Education
It should be noted that from a geological point of view, it is a relatively young mountains which,According to scientists, there were approximately 400 million. years ago.
Educated they are from ancient rocks with including volcanic origin.Before the formation of the mountain there was the ocean, as evidenced by the remains found fossilized algae.
Formation mountainous terrain was influenced by the climate.During ancient glacial mountains were covered by glaciers that shift changed the earth's surface, forming a spiky peaks and valleys with steep slopes.After warming the glaciers melted, filling in numerous basins and lowering terrain - there were lakes of glacial origin.
Geographical location
Many believe that the height of the Sayan Mountains is not as significant, and therefore deserves special attention.Let's check whether this is in fact, become better acquainted with their geographical features.
Overall, this hill is a continuation of the Altai mountain system, serving the border between China and Russia.
mountains consist of parallel mountain chains of interconnected nodes.With Altai Sayan mountain system associated ridge Shabin-giving.To the north and north-west of it extends Kaltanovsky range that abuts the Itemsky ridge, which stretches from east to south-west of the inflow of the Yenisei.In the south, the ridge is connected to Kaltanovsky Omaytura foothills.In the east of the ridge Shabin-Davan Sayan divided into two circuits.Northern Sayan known as Kur-taiga, and southern - Tuna-Taiga.
From Northern Sayan upstream Sosnovka and Kyzyn-su leaves mountain spur separating the Yenisei River and Kantegir.Next across the Yenisei Sayan Mountains takes a few chains in the north-east.
majestic Siberian river Yenisei pass through mountain ranges array called Western Sayan, forming a plurality of thresholds.
On the right bank of the Yenisei River Mountains smoothly into the steppes of Minusinsk district.Parallel Chain Sayan are different names.By Yenisei Kyzyrsuksky closely adjacent ridge, creating a narrow passage with a powerful waterfall called Big threshold.Next, it passes between the rivers Kyzyr-Suk and Big Oi to the banks of the Yenisei where Biryusinsk chain is reduced to a height of 1,600 feet.
addition to the two branches have the Sayan mountain range that separates the river and Kazyr Kizira.Next Agul spur goes to the north and northwest and shared river and Tagul Agul.As
formed the highest mountain Sayan: Myths and Legends of the Sayan Mountains
Power boulders, abutting almost heaven itself, has always been the target for inspiration and some respect from the peoples living in these regions.That is why in the folklore of the locals you can meet so many legends dedicated to just this topic.Let's get acquainted with some of them.
In ancient times, the heavenly deities sent to earth his son Geser to fight evil.In those days, all the gods and heroes lived in the mountains, and the throne was Geser on the highest mountain.Heavenly hero rid the world of injustice and monsters, accomplished many feats.His soldiers petrified and turned into mountains.Now they are called Sayan, and the highest of them, which was his throne - Munch-Sardyk.The tops of the Sayan Mountains have ancient names and shrouded in myths.Many of them were built of stones and logs so-called "care", or place of worship and sacrifice to the gods.
Overall, Geser - a mythological figure, worshiped by almost all the nations of Central Asia.Legend about this deity contains numerous narrative cycles and employs about 22 000 lines.The study of the epic lasts for a hundred years, but there is still no genuine data.Some believe that Geser is a fictional character, while others are of the opinion that the epic dedicated to Genghis Khan.It is also possible that Geser means translating the Roman title "Caesar" (Caesar).Buryat Geseriada considering a version that epic appeared before his birth.But the majority are inclined to believe that the traditions of the Geser tells the story of a military leader who lived in the XI-XII centuries.
Mysteries name
ancestors of modern Tuva is Soyots Turkic tribes that lived in the past in the mountains in the upper reaches of the Yenisei River and Oka.According to anthropologists, "Soyot" refers to the plural of the word "So Yeon" and, therefore, the tribe was also called So Yeon.Later the word mutate into Sayan.Mountain tribes called "Kegmen", which means "heavenly barrier".Buryats these mountains called "Sardyk", which translated means "trout."
the first time about the Sayan Mountains Petrov told Russian Cossacks and Tyumenets who visited in 1615 at the Altyn Khan.Sayan was the first conqueror Commissioner Pester checking the boundary line in the mountains and in charge of the frontier posts and signs in the 1778-1780 biennium.Sayan Research began in the XIX century.
Geologic features
Western Sayan has a folded structure and is part of the Caledonian belt of Paleozoic Altai-Sayan region.He stretches from the southwest to the northeast in the form of an ellipse that is bounded on all sides by faults.The internal structure is due to a complex cover-sharyazhnym type structure.
If disclose such a complex and multifaceted issue, as the height of the Sayan Mountains, not to mention that the western part of the mountain range is divided into several tectonic zones (North-Sayan, Tsentralnosayanskuyu, Boruss and Kurtushubinskuyu).In North Sayan belt includes volcano-sedimentary deposits of the Vendian-Cambrian with a compound ophiolite rocks in zones of melange.
For Kurtushibinskogo and Boruss zones typical Lower Paleozoic quartzites and diabase and clay-siliceous shale and ultramafic rocks.These rocks belong to the complex tectonic and sedimentary mixtures.Tsentralnosayansky belt consists of a complex of volcanogenic formations flyschoid Early Paleozoic granite with numerous layers.For this tectonic zone characterized by clusters and non-uniform changes in sedimentary rocks.Also, sometimes isolated separately Dzhebashskuyu zone having a more ancient (Riphean) origin, located along the northern part of the Western Sayan.It is dominated by altered volcanic and flysch sediments.
Eastern Sayan is divided, depending on its age.The northeastern portion adjacent to the south-west to the Siberian platform, refers to the ancient (Precambrian) type and southwest - to the younger (Caledonian) type.The first consists of altered Precambrian rocks, which include ancient gneisses and amphibolites.Central Derbinskoj anticline has a structure of the younger rocks - schist, marble and amphibolites.South-Western Sayan composed of volcanic and sedimentary rocks.In the north and west of the Eastern Sayan orogenic basins formed, consisting of volcanic clastic rocks.
Minerals Mountains
examining in more detail the notion of the height, Sayan can not be represented as an integral geological object.Why is that?The point is that the eastern part of their longer and more Western.For example, the first part of the peak rises above sea level at 3491 m (the highest point of the Sayan Mountains - Munch-Sardyk), while the second - only 3121 m. And the length of the east about 400 km more than the west.
However, despite these differences, the value and importance of the array to the economy of our country is difficult to overestimate.The fact that the number of useful species occurring in their sequences is truly impressive.
in the Western Sayan, there are deposits of iron, copper, gold, chrysotile asbestos, molybdenum and tungsten ores.The main wealth of mining of mineral resources - iron and chrysotile asbestos.Iron ore is a hydrothermal-metasomatic type associated with granitoids gabbro and enhance the core.Chrysotile asbestos is associated with Cambrian ultrabasites.
Eastern Sayan, the height of which predominates, is known deposits of gold, iron, aluminum, titanium ore and other rare metals, graphite, mica, magnesite.Deposits of iron represented ferruginous quartzites, volcanic-sedimentary hematite-magnetite, and magnetite ores.Aluminum ore bauxite presented, and urtite sillimanitsoderzhaschimi Proterozoic shales.By agroores are secondary phosphates.Also, there are small deposits of contact-metasomatic phlogopite and muscovite pegmatite.In the found reserves of quartz, graphite, jade, chrysotile asbestos, limestone and construction materials.
Western Sayan
This area stretches to the north-east to the Eastern Sayan, from the source of the river to the headwaters of Small Abakan river Kazyr and Uda.The highest point is considered to be the backbone of Kyzyl-Taiga (3120 m), which is part of Dividing Sayan Mountains.
For mountain landscape typical alpine terrain with steep slopes and extensive stone placers.Mountain peaks in the west reach heights of up to 3,000 m to the east, they are down to 2000 m. The foot of the slopes are covered with pine-deciduous forests, which go up in the dark taiga.
upper tiers at an altitude of 2000 m are mountain taiga with glacial lakes, cirques and moraines.On the territory of the Western Sayan is the Sayano-Shushenskaya Reserve.
Eastern Sayan
tops of the territory covered by never melting snows.The highest point of the Eastern Sayan Sayan mountains themselves, as mentioned above, is a mountain-Sardyk Munch (3490 m), which is adjacent to the Oka plateau.Plain then covered with alpine meadows, deciduous forests and mountain tundra, desert and rocky areas are found.In the central part is formed by an assembly of several mountain ranges, its highest peak (peak Grand) has a height of 2980 m.
Topographers' Peak (3044 m) is the second largest peak.Major glaciers are located in the major peaks.In addition, the Eastern Sayan Mountains has a "valley of the volcanoes" with traces of volcanic activity, which is a volcanic plateau.Recent lava emissions were approximately 8,000 years ago.In East Sayan it is the world-famous nature reserve "Pillars".
What to see in Sayan
Taking into account all of the above facts, it is not surprising that the height of the Sayan Mountains attracts a huge number of travelers from all over the globe.Everyone wants to feel a part of something huge and vast.
However, attracts here is not only the height, have a unique Sayan taiga landscapes with glacial lakes, waterfalls and rivers, creating unique landscapes.
most remote and unpopulated area of mountains considered central Sayan (Tofalariya).Among the Western Sayan taiga hidden natural "Stone Town" where the rocks resemble the remains of ancient castles and fortresses.Eastern Sayan known Shumak mineral springs and the "valley of the volcanoes."
especially beautiful area Munch-Sardyk with Oka plateau in July, when the mountains are covered by a colored carpet of poppies, rhododendrons, edelweiss, golden root and other plants.There are many gorges, rivers, lakes and streams, red deer and musk deer are found.Nature Munch-Sardyk almost untouched by man.Sam Ridge is located on the border between Russia and Mongolia, and a visit to this area is possible only with the permission of the border service, otherwise the height of the Sayan mountains can fascinate only from the outside.
