Alpine lakes in Dzungarian Alatau.

“Nature scoffs at the decisions and orders of princes, emperors and monarchs, and at their request she would not change her laws one iota.”

Galileo Galilei.

Walks to lakes in mountains of Dzungarian Alatau.

Moraine, flowing lake Besh-Kol 1 is located at an altitude of 3457 meters above sea level in the upper reaches of the western tributary of the Karasai River. It is located in a vast circus between the Karaaryk-Tau mountains in the south and the southern slopes of the Dzungarian Alatau ridge in the Eskeldin district of the Almaty region.
In the upper reaches of the southern slope of the Dzhungarsky ridge there is an extensive circus with an area of ​​8.62 square kilometers and a perimeter of 12.63 kilometers. In this circus there are 5 large and 10 small lakes, from which the western sources of the Karasai River originate.
Lake Besh-Kol 1 is located in the northeastern part of the circus. The area of ​​the lake is 47853 square meters, the perimeter of the lake is 918 meters. The length of the lake from south to north is 354 meters, the largest width in the central part of the lake is 200 meters.
2 kilometers to the west and slightly north of Besh-Kol 1, in the crest of the Dzungarian Alatau ridge, there is the Demekpe pass, 3742 meters above sea level. 1.3 kilometers to the south-west in the moraine circus is the moraine lake Besh-Kol, located at an altitude of 3450 meters above sea level.
1 kilometer to the south and slightly west of Besh-Kol 1, there is a moraine lake Lower Karasai at an altitude of 3333 meters above sea level. At 1.7 kilometers to the north-west, in the crest of the Dzungarian Alatau ridge, there is the peak of Demekpe, 4012.8 meters high above sea level.
A river flows out of the southeastern part of the lake, which flows into Lake Lower Karasai after 1.1 kilometers. The lake receives food from snowfields located on the western, southern and eastern slopes of the Dzungarian Alatau ridge.
Geographical coordinates of Lake Besh-Kol 1: N44°58'53.63" E79°46'02.55"

Authority and photos by
Alexander Petrov.