The vast majority of the peaks included in the list of the highest mountains in Russia on the map belong to one mountain system - the Greater Caucasus. This one is huge mountain range located between the Black and Caspian Seas. Three Kamchatka hills - Klyuchevskaya, Kamen and Ploskaya Blizhnaya (13th, 18th and 70th places) and two peaks are barely catching up with the southerners Altai mountains— Belukha and Tavan-Bogdo-Uul (19th and 67th place).

To prevent Russian climbers from getting bored with the monotony, the Mountaineering Federation decided to include in the conditions for receiving the most honorable mountaineering title the conquest of not only the eight highest mountains on the list, but also the assault on Belukha and Klyuchevskaya Sopka.

10. Shota Rustaveli, height – 4860 m

Shota Rustaveli Peak is one of the peaks that make up the so-called Bezengi Wall - a giant mountain range stretching for 13 km. In addition to the Shota Rustaveli peak, the wall is formed by Dzhangitau (fifth place in the ranking), Katyntau (ninth) and Shkhara (sixth).

9. Katyn-Tau – 4970 m

The Kabardino-Balkarians have a sad legend associated with the name of this mountain. The mountain peak Tetnuld (“white”), one of the most beautiful, invariably arousing the admiration of tourists for its whiteness, decided to leave his old wife, Katyn (“wife”), for the sake of his young one, Dzhanga (“new”, “young”). Perhaps Tetnuld was a climber - the height of Katyn does not reach 5 km, but Dzhangy, or Dzhangitau, ranks fifth in the list of the highest mountains in Russia.

8. Mizhirgi – 5025 m

The list of Russian “five thousand meters” begins with Mizhirga - the highest and most dangerous mountains Russia, which every climber dreams of climbing. Mizhirgi, despite the modest eighth place in height, the mountain is very capricious and surpasses higher peaks in terms of difficulty.

7. Kazbek – 5034 m

This is one of the most beautiful peaks of the Greater Caucasus Range. Her image appears on many covers of travel magazines, photographs, postcards and stamps. A lonely white peak of a regular conical shape (Kazbek was once a volcano) stands out sharply against the background of green foothills. Unfortunately, due to the difficult geopolitical situation, ascents to Kazbek are no longer as frequent as they once were.

6. Shkhara – 5068 m

One of the most beloved peaks by climbers, and the highest mountain in the central part of the Caucasus range. You can climb it via a wide variety of routes, and several peaks will allow you to appreciate the beauty of the surrounding places from new points of view.

According to the results of recent measurements, Shkhara can move from sixth place to third - according to the latest data, its height is 5193.2 m. However, there is no doubt about which is the highest mountain in Russia - first place is ahead of all the others with a margin of almost half a kilometer.

5. Dzhangitau – 5085 m

Like Mizhirgi, Dzhangitau is considered one of the most difficult and dangerous peaks. Just three years ago, an experienced climber fell from its slopes (with fatal results), and a couple of years before that, a climbing group had to be rescued by helicopter.

4. Pushkin Peak – 5100 m

Most often they prefer to climb Pushkin Peak from the south side. However, experienced rock climbers prefer the northern side - in addition to a slightly more difficult route, you can admire the enchanting beauty of the surrounding nature.

3. Koshtantau – 5152 m

Koshtantau opens the top three among the highest mountains in Russia. Sometimes she is merciful to climbers and gives them beautiful weather, making the ascent easy and enjoyable. However, this rarely happens; Most often, the capricious beauty prefers to dress up in an icy robe, which makes the ascent much more difficult.

The conquest of Costantau began with a tragedy - two English climbers and their Swiss guides died while trying to climb it. Since then, several routes have been laid up the mountain, but they all have increased difficulty - from 4B to 6A (for comparison: the lowest category is 1B, the highest is 6B, and category 6A is in second place, up to 6B).

2. Dykhtau – 5204 m

The poetic genius of the Balkar people decided to rest on the name Dykhtau. Translated from this language, the name simply means “steep mountain.” It's almost like a nickname.

The mountain looks harsh - the granite-gneiss rocks that make up Dykhtau are dark in color. And in contrast to the white snow and clouds (located at a lower altitude than the peak), they look especially gloomy.

The difficulty of climbing the mountain corresponds to its seriousness appearance— there are more than ten routes to the double peaks of Dykhtau, but even the simplest of them belongs to category 4A, above average.

1. The highest mountain in Russia – Elbrus, 5642 m

On the border between the republics of Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia is the Side Range of the Caucasus Mountains, where Elbrus, the highest mountain in Russia, is located. Elbrus has two peaks - western and eastern; the difference between them is 21 m.

This is not an easy mountain; she is a legacy of those times when young Caucasus Mountains were still fire-breathing. Elbrus is a huge volcano, fortunately, extinct a long time ago. Over the past tens of thousands of years, Elbrus has been covered with a shell of ice of enormous thickness - in some places it reaches 250 m, which is equal to the height of an eighty-story building.

Despite the terrifying height (Elbrus is considered the most high mountain not only in Russia, but also in Europe, and is also among the top ten), the mountain’s character is not evil and the path to the top has long been found. The first ascent of Elbrus took place in the first third of the 19th century. Since then, whoever has been there! People climbed not only on foot, but also on horses, motorcycles and cars. They carried ATVs and even 75-kilogram barbells. And since the early 1990s, regular competitions have been taking place in high-speed climbing of the snow giant. From the foot to the top of Elbrus the journey takes exactly 3 hours 28 minutes 41 seconds.

List of 80 highest mountain peaks in Russia

The table shows mountain peaks with a height of at least 4000 meters and located on the territory of the Russian Federation.

Place	Vertex	Height, m	The subject of the Russian Federation	Mountain system
1		5642	Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia	Greater Caucasus
2		5204	Kabardino-Balkaria	Greater Caucasus
3		5152	Kabardino-Balkaria	Greater Caucasus
4		5100	Kabardino-Balkaria	Greater Caucasus
5		5085	Kabardino-Balkaria	Greater Caucasus
6		5068	Kabardino-Balkaria (Russia), Svaneti (Georgia)	Greater Caucasus
7		5034	North Ossetia, Georgia	Greater Caucasus
8		5025	Kabardino-Balkaria	Greater Caucasus
9		4970	Kabardino-Balkaria	Greater Caucasus
10		4860	Kabardino-Balkaria, Georgia	Greater Caucasus
11	Gestola	4860	Kabardino-Balkaria	Greater Caucasus
12	Jimara	4780	North Ossetia	Greater Caucasus
13	Klyuchevskaya Sopka	4750	Kamchatka Krai	East Ridge
14	Wilpata	4646	North Ossetia	Greater Caucasus
15	Sauhokh	4636	North Ossetia	Greater Caucasus
16	Kukurtli-Kolbashi	4624	Karachay-Cherkessia	Greater Caucasus
17	Maylihoh	4598	North Ossetia	Greater Caucasus
18	Stone	4575	Kamchatka Krai	East Ridge
19	Belukha	4509	Altai	Altai Mountains
20	Sallynngantau	4507	Kabardino-Balkaria	Greater Caucasus
21	Tebulosmta	4492	Chechnya, Georgia	Greater Caucasus
22	Sugan	4489	North Ossetia, Kabardino-Balkaria	Greater Caucasus
23	Bazarduzu	4466	Dagestan	Greater Caucasus
24	Chanchakhi	4461	North Ossetia	Greater Caucasus
25	Donguzorun-Cheget-Karabashi	4454	Kabardino-Balkaria	Greater Caucasus
26	Shan	4452	Ingushetia, Georgia	Greater Caucasus
27	Warmth	4431	North Ossetia	Greater Caucasus
28	Chatyntau	4411	Karachay-Cherkessia, Georgia	Greater Caucasus
29	Adai-Khokh	4408	North Ossetia	Greater Caucasus
30	Songuti	4405	North Ossetia	Greater Caucasus
31	Tyutyubashi	4404	Kabardino-Balkaria	Greater Caucasus
32	Vologata	4396	North Ossetia	Greater Caucasus
33	Karaug	4364	North Ossetia, Georgia	Greater Caucasus
34	Adyrsubashi	4349
35	Laboda	4313	North Ossetia, Georgia	Greater Caucasus
36	Bachakhi	4291
37	Diklosmta	4285		Greater Caucasus
38	Caucasus Peak	4280		Greater Caucasus
39	Jorashti	4278
40	Bzhedukh	4271
41	Comito	4261	Chechnya	Greater Caucasus
42	Sullukolbashi	4251
43	Kayaartybashi	4250
44	Bashiltau	4248
45	Zeygalankhoh	4244	North Ossetia	Greater Caucasus
46	Zaromag	4203	North Ossetia	Greater Caucasus
47	Donchentykhoh	4192	North Ossetia	Greater Caucasus
48	Kalota	4182	North Ossetia	Greater Caucasus
49	Denunciation	4179	Chechnya, Georgia	Greater Caucasus
50	Addala-Schuchgelmeer	4151	Dagestan	Greater Caucasus
51	Chkalov Peak (Anchobala-anda)	4150	Dagestan	Greater Caucasus
52	Pukhgarty-Kom	4149
53	Syrkhibarzond	4148	North Ossetia	Greater Caucasus
54	Shalbuzdag	4142	Dagestan	Greater Caucasus
55	Tseyakhoh	4140	North Ossetia	Greater Caucasus
56	Fitnargin	4134	Kabardino-Balkaria	Greater Caucasus
57	Dyultydag	4127	Dagestan	Greater Caucasus
58	Tsmiakomhokh	4117	North Ossetia	Greater Caucasus
59	Barrels	4116	Dagestan	Greater Caucasus
60	Musostau	4110	Kabardino-Balkaria	Greater Caucasus
61	Baidukov Peak (Kasaraku-meer)	4104	Dagestan	Greater Caucasus
62	Bishnei Jenolshob	4104	Dagestan	Greater Caucasus
63	Belyakov Peak (Belengi)	4100	Dagestan	Greater Caucasus
64	Chimismeer	4099	Dagestan	Greater Caucasus
65	Chachkhokh	4098	North Ossetia, Georgia	Greater Caucasus
66	Tsunklyata	4084	Dagestan	Greater Caucasus
67	Tavan-Bogdo-Ula	4082	Altai	Altai Mountains
68	Maistismta	4081	Chechnya, Georgia	Greater Caucasus
69	Charundag	4080	Dagestan, Azerbaijan	Greater Caucasus
70	Flat Middle	4057	Kamchatka Krai	East Ridge
71	Taklik	4049	Dagestan	Greater Caucasus
72	Dombay-Ulgen	4046	Karachay-Cherkessia, Republic of Abkhazia	Greater Caucasus
73	Gockley	4046	Dagestan	Greater Caucasus
74	Kurmutau	4045	Kabardino-Balkaria	Greater Caucasus
75	Archon	4040	North Ossetia	Greater Caucasus
76	Izhenameer	4025	Dagestan	Greater Caucasus
77	Dougie	4020	Dagestan, Azerbaijan	Greater Caucasus
78	Deavgay	4016	Dagestan	Greater Caucasus
79	Kezgenbashi	4013	Kabardino-Balkaria	Greater Caucasus
80	Balial	4007	Dagestan	Greater Caucasus

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Elbrus. Indescribable beauty

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

But don't get your hopes up. The highest mountain in Russia is not given so easily. Every year Elbrus takes about ten human lives.
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On the vast territory of the Russian Federation there are more than 1000 mountain peaks, and according to some data, the total number exceeds 2000. Few people can now confirm specific numbers, but you should remember the most basic information: there are about 20 mountain systems in Russia. They form the backbone of the most majestic, most famous and highest mountains in Russia.

To my shame, I conquered only one mountain peak, BUT the highest point in Russia. With it I will begin my story about the highest mountains in Russia. But for a general idea, we will divide the most basic mountain systems in Russia into 6 parts: these are separate massifs of the Caucasus, the Urals and Khibiny, as well as the vast mountain systems of Southern Siberia, North-Eastern Siberia and the Far East.

5 HIGHEST MOUNTAINS IN RUSSIA

1. Elbrus - height 5621 meters.

The highest mountain peak in Russia and the highest point in Europe, located on the border of Karachay-Cherkessia and Kabardino-Balkaria north of the Greater Caucasus Range. The name of the peak is translated differently: from Iranian – as “high mountain”, from Georgian – as “ice”, from Karachay-Cherkessian – as “eternal mountain”, and from Kabardian – as “mountain of happiness”. However, any of the names testifies to the greatness and beauty of Elbrus.

This place is overgrown with interesting secrets and legends. greatest peak. And we will continue.

2. Dykhtau - height 5204 meters.

Its second name is “Jagged Mountain”. It is located on the border of Georgia and modern Kabardino-Balkaria, which is part of Russia. This mountain is very dangerous, because it has almost vertical slopes, on which rockfalls and avalanches occur all the time. For mountaineering, this mountain is a complex and dangerous object, but this fact stops few adrenaline junkies. In winter there are very low temperatures. This peak is considered the least visited precisely because of the dangers of the terrain.

3. Mount Koshtantau height 5152 meters.

One of the most inaccessible and beautiful peaks of the Caucasus. Its northern slopes are decorated with marble glaciers. For some, conquering Costantau becomes the last test in life. Thus, in 1888, climbers from England Fox and Donkin and two Swiss guides accompanying them died while climbing Koshtantau.

As you may have guessed, the highest mountain peaks are concentrated in the Caucasus. Well, we continue our story.

4. Pushkin Peak - height 5033 meters.

He received his name in honor of the 100th anniversary of Pushkin’s death, in 1938. It is located in the central part of the Main Caucasus Range in Kabardino-Balkaria and is part of the Dykhtau mountain range between Borovikov Peak and Eastern Dykhtau. Climbers often jokingly call Pushkin Peak the highest gendarme on the ridge: the beautiful peak dominates all other elevations of the ridge.

5. Dzhangitau - height 5085 meters.

Another one of the highest mountains Russian Federation is Dzhangitau, which is part of the huge 12-kilometer Bezengi wall, located on the territory of Kabardino-Balkaria. The name of the peak is translated from Karachay-Balkar as “new mountain”. It is for conquering this peak that climbers are awarded the honorary badge “Snow Leopard of Russia”, which is a good incentive for many travelers and active tourists. The first climber to receive this title is a citizen of the city of Sochi, Alexey Bukinich.

As long as humanity can remember its history, there have been daredevils who were attracted by majestic mountain peaks. The romance of mountaineering has existed for a long time, and to this day many devote their entire lives to conquering new heights. Russia is a country of harsh climate and unimaginable variety of terrain, the most attractive and dangerous of which are the mountains. Eight peaks are classified as “five thousand meters”, and all of them pose a real danger even for the most experienced climbers. Based on data from a special geographical register, we will present to your attention the 15 highest mountains in Russia, all of them, except Klyuchevskaya Sopka, are located in the mountain system Greater Caucasus.

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1st place - Elbrus (5642 m)

At the same time it is the highest point in Russia and all of Europe. The peak is located between Kabardino-Balkaria and Circassia, in the northern part of the Greater Caucasus Range. The name "Elbrus" is translated from Georgian as "ice", from Kabardian as "mountain of happiness", from Iranian - "high mountain", from Karachay-Cherkess - "eternal mountain". One way or another, the peak amazes with its icy grandeur and is remembered for a long time. During the Great Patriotic War, the Nazis climbed Elbrus, after which they installed banners with a swastika at its highest point. The idea of ​​Nazi scientists was to rename the mountain "Hitler's Peak", but the enemy was destroyed by Soviet mountaineering soldiers in 1943. Conquering Elbrus is one of the newfangled trends; for this purpose, several routes of varying degrees of difficulty were laid along the mountainside. A ski resort has been operating at the foot of the peak for many years.

2nd place - Dykhtau (5204 m)

The conquest of Dykhtau took place in 1888, just at the time when Britain was searching for Jack the Ripper, and Brazil issued a decree abolishing slavery. The pyramidal peak is located in Kabardino-Balkaria, in the region of the northern ridge of the Caucasus Mountains. From a technical point of view, rise to " Steep mountain“It’s not easy, so only professional climbers can complete this path to the end. Most of Dykhtau is covered with a thick layer of ice, and includes three peaks - Main, Eastern and a separate one, named after A.S. Pushkin.

3rd place - Koshtantau (5152 m)

The name translates as “mountain that looks like a remote dwelling.” Koshtantau is considered one of the least accessible among all the peaks of the Caucasus. On the northern part of the mountain there are marble glaciers that have claimed more than a dozen human lives. Few managed to conquer the inaccessible peak, tragedies and deaths not uncommon here. For example, 11 years before the first ascent of it, in 1888, two English climbers and two Swiss ones died here.

4th place - Pushkin Peak (5100 m)

The mountain received its name in 1938, in honor of the 100th anniversary of the death of the great Russian poet. Pushkin Peak is located in the very heart of the Main Caucasus Range, on the territory of Kabardino-Balkaria and is part of the Dykhtau glacier. Mountain climbers jokingly compare the peak to a tall gendarme standing on the ridge due to the fact that Pushkin Peak dominates the other heights located nearby.

5th place - Dzhangitau (5085 m)

Translated from Karachay-Balkar, the name of the peak means “new mountain.” Dzhangitau is part of a 12-kilometer mountain range belonging to the Bezengi wall. It is considered one of the most popular peaks among climbers, and for its conquest the professional badge of honor “Snow Leopard of Russia” is awarded. The ascent to the very top was made in 1888 by John Kokin, and the first to receive a well-deserved award for passing the mountaineering standard was the Russian climber Bukinich.

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6th place - Shkhara (5193 meters)

Shkhara (or “striped”) has won recognition as one of the most beautiful peaks of the Caucasus Mountains. Its slopes shine with sparkling glaciers, and the geological component of the mountain is granite and crystalline schists, along which dazzling ice rivers flow. The entire area of ​​Shkhara is cut by faults, grottoes and caves, and the exits from them are often covered with sparkling waterfalls. The mountain simultaneously beckons, fascinates and inspires fear, and at its foot is located the small village of Ushguli, included in the UNESCO List World Heritage. The peak was first conquered by climbers from the Soviet Union in 1933.

7th place - Kazbek (5032 m)

Kazbek (or "ice peak") is a stratovolcano that went extinct in 650 BC. The first ascent was made by two Englishmen in 1868. The mountain is located on the Georgian-Russian border and, more than all other peaks, is shrouded in tales, myths and legends. Still local residents They perform a ritual of sacrifice on its slopes, and according to legend, once upon a time a young man was chained on Kazbek, punished by the gods for wanting to bring fire to humanity. Today, a military road passes by the peak, and on one of the slopes there is a non-functioning weather station.

8th place - Mizhirgi (5025 m)

At first glance it may seem that the name of the peak has Asian roots, but this is not so. The name of the mountain was assigned by Tver researchers and is translated from one of the local dialects as “connecting.” The ridge is essentially a huge glacier, which once connected with its neighbors and became even larger. Geological processes still take place today, and, according to scientists, Mizhirgi may become even larger in the near future. It is believed that the first person to climb to the top of the mountain was the Balkar shepherd Attaev, and this was in the mid-19th century.

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9th place - Kukurtli-Kolbashi (4978 m)

The peak belongs to the western spur of the Elbrus massif, located in Karachay-Cherkessia. In different sources, the height of the mountain varies from 4624 to 4978 m.

Translated from Circassian, the name Kyukyurtlyu is translated as “sulfur mountain”.

10th place - Katyn-Tau (4970 m)

The name is translated from the Balkar language as “mountain woman”. The peak is located in the Bezengi region and is part of the Bezengi wall. Geographically, Katyn-Tau belongs to Kabardino-Balkaria, and the entire territory of the mountain is located in the territory protected area, which also includes the Cherek River.

11th place - Shota Rustaveli Peak (4860 m)

It is located in the central part of the Main Range of the Caucasus Mountains and is a border region between Georgia (Svaneti) and Russia (Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria). The peak received its name in honor of the great Georgian poet and statesman who lived in the 12th century. The mountain is considered very treacherous due to the likelihood of unexpected avalanches and glaciers falling into the neighboring canyon. The date of the first ascent is 1937, since then more than a dozen climbers have climbed to the top. The most suitable time to conquer the peak is summer and early autumn.

12th place - Gestola (4860 m)

It is one of the peaks belonging to the Benzeguy wall of the main ridge of the Caucasus Mountains. On the northern side, Gestola has the shape of a triangle, which clearly stands out against the background of the Benzegian Wall. From a bird's eye view, the peak looks like an almost perfect pyramid, at the base of which is a square, which is oriented to the cardinal points at an angle of 45 degrees. Today, there are many routes of varying degrees of difficulty along the slopes of Gestola, and you can climb to the top point from several parts, including through Lyalver and Yesenin Peak.

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13th place - Jimara (4780 m)

It is one of the many peaks of the Greater Caucasus. Located in North Ossetia, eastward from Bezengi, on the Khokh Ridge, the distance to Kazbek is about 9 km. Jimara is a cluster of glaciers, each of which has its own name - Midagrabin in the west and Suatisi in the south.

14th place - Klyuchevskaya Sopka (4750 m)

The second name is Klyuchevskoy volcano, located in the eastern part of Kamchatka. It is considered the highest among all volcanoes that operate on the continent of Eurasia. The approximate age of the giant is about 7 thousand years, the height of the hill periodically changes due to geological activity, and, according to the latest data, is 4835 meters.

15th place - Wilpata (4646 m)

The name of the peak was given by the Ossetian people. Wilpata is located in the Caucasus, in the south-west direction from the Tseysky ridge and is the most dominant among all the peaks of the Karaugom plateau. There are many climbing routes with difficulty from 2B to 5B along the slopes of Wilpata.

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Mountains vary in height, shape, age, origin, geographical location etc. The article provides a description of the listed types of mountains.

Mountains by height

Lowlands

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

Peculiarities:

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

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

Srednegorye

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

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

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

Highlands

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

Peculiarities:

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

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

Mountains by shape

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

Peaked mountain peaks

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

Examples of mountains with peaked peaks:

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

Domed mountain peaks

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

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

Examples of mountains with a dome-shaped peak:

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

Plateau-shaped mountain peaks

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

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

Mountains by age

By age, mountains are divided into:

• Young mountains,
• Old (ancient) mountains.

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

Features of the young mountains:

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

Examples of young mountains are:

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

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

Features of old (ancient) mountains:

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

Examples of old (ancient) mountains are:

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

By origin

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

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

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

There are two types of volcanic mountains:

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

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

Erosion (denudation) mountains

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

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

By geographical location

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

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

Mountainous country - many mountain systems.

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

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

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

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