Alpinist areas of Inner Tien-Shan.

“The contrast between the northern and southern slopes of Terskaya Alatau is amazing. On these southern slopes, we did not see any wealthy high -mountain meadows, nor spruce forests. Yes, and the slopes of the ridge itself quickly turned into an even, slightly hollowed high -mountain plateau. These were famous cheeses. The lifeless and at first glance lifeless cheeses lying in front of us went far to the west and east. Small lakes scattered here and there, and slowly flowing meandering streams and rivers, were dark, huge boulders became dark in the ground. Outside the window, the cheeses were spreading, resting against the moraines; Behind the hills of the moraine, glaciers and firnya Akshiryaka began. "

K.V. Stanyukovych. "Through Central Tien-Shan." 1932.

Natural attractions ofArabel Valley.

“Tien-Shan” weather station is located at an altitude of 3635 meters above sea level, located 574 meters from right bank of Kumtor River, 170 meters from road, village of Barskon - Rudnik Kumtor, in Rudnik Kumtor, in southeastern part of Arabel Valley, in Jety-Oguz region of Issyk-Kul region. 
“Tien-Shan” weather station was built in the late 20s of the last century, taking into account the harsh natural conditions of the highlands. This region is characterized by low temperatures, strong winds, high high above sea level and the presence of permafrost, which imposed serious restrictions on design and construction work.
The delivery of building materials was carried out on horses and camels from the village of Karakol, through the gorge of Juka and the same pass of 3633.3 meters above sea level. The length of the distance from the Juka pass through the eastern part of the Arabel Valley to the weather station is 29 kilometers.
The distance from the beginning of the gorge of Juke and to the same pass of the same name was 50 kilometers, from Karakol to the beginning of the Juke gorge on the road for carts and tarantasses was 46 kilometers. Thus, the total distance from Karakol to the construction site was 128 kilometers.
At that time, such a distance for transporting materials on pack animals was titanic efforts. According to the stories of mountain tourists, shepherds are still in the upper gorge of the gorge of Dzhuku on the trail fragments of bricks. The highland areas make special requirements for the construction of buildings and infrastructure.
Main challenges during construction of “Tien-Shan” weather station were: 
- sparse air, at an altitude of more than 3635 meters above sea level, physical endurance decreases, which requires frequent acclimatization and limited work time,
- Strong winds - buildings should be resistant to squalling impulses reaching 30 - 40 m/s.
- sharp temperature changes - construction was carried out taking into account the possible expansion and compression of materials under the influence of temperature changes,
- Long winters and the short construction season - the main amount of work had to be performed in the warm season, when the temperature rises above zero.
One of the main problems was the construction of the foundation on eternal -free soils. If you do not take into account the features of permafrost, then under the influence of heat from the building the soil will begin to melt, which will lead to deformation of the structure.
The weather station was founded for a systematic study of weather conditions in the highlands of Kyrgyzstan. Its work is especially important for the study of glaciers, monitoring air temperature, atmospheric pressure, speed and wind direction, as well as precipitation.
The data collected at the station is used not only in meteorology, but also in hydrology, geology and glaciology. Located at a considerable height, the "Tien-Shan" weather station functions in conditions of harsh alpine climate. Winter here lasts most of the year, and the temperature often drops significantly below zero.
Winds in this area can be strong, and the amount of precipitation varies depending on the season. In summer, daytime temperatures are relatively soft, but nights remain cold. These weather stations are used in weather forecasting, which is important for mountain expeditions, climbers and mining enterprises.
In addition, studies conducted at the station help to evaluate the influence of climate change on the Tien-Shan glaciers, the water level in the rivers and the general condition of the region’s ecosystem. “Tien-Shan” weather station remains a key scientific object for studying natural processes in the highland zone of Central Asia, providing valuable data for specialists and researchers.
Below I give excerpts from books and memoirs of participants in research and climbing expeditions about the “Tien-Shan” weather station:
K.V. Stanyukovych. "Through Central Tien-Shan." 1932.
“And the wind rushed along this lifeless plain with terrible power. He met us on the descent from the pass, escorted us all day while we walked along the plateau to the highland Tien-Shan observatory, blew the next day, and the next week, and all summer we spent here.
The wind, a continuous wind, the most vivid impression that the cheeses of the Central Tien-Shan leave the cheeses of the central tin. In the middle of this plateau, at the foot of a small slope, there is a low building. This is a highland Tianshan observatory; Behind the ledge protects it from the wind, in front - glaciers and white crests of the Akshiryak ridge.
And around, to the right and left, wide, slightly hollowed plains of cheeses. Here, in the observatory, we settled for the whole summer. In one of the rooms of the observatory, we processed our training camps, shifted and dried plants, dissected bird skins, rewritten diaries and showed records.
The results of our sorties were discussed here and plans for further work were thought out. It was crowded in our room, all the equipment was dumped in it, and a gramophone stood on the window. They twist his disc with a finger, and from his cracked membrane with wheezing and howl, the trembling marches of the Life Guards regiments fly out, then the dashing sounds of the match-the most fashionable dance in 1907.
Outside the window, the cheeses were spreading, resting against the moraines; Behind the hills of the moraine, glaciers and firny Akshiryaka began.” 
A. Letvet. "Ten travels in mountains of Central Asia." 1932.
“Here - at the foot of the Ak -Gryryak ridge, at the origins of the Naryn River, near the Petrovov glacier - at the height 3 600 meters above sea level is the "Tian-Shan" Highway Obsevtory. In the cozy house of the observatory, climbers will always find an exclusively welcoming welcome from its employees.
The observatory is an extremely convenient supporting point when the Ak-Shiyrak ridge is climbing, most of which exceeds 5,000 meters. Only one of them - the peak of Sary -Ter (5,200 meters) - was committed in 1932 by our group (A. A. and K. S. Letvet and V. A. Engelhardt) and in subsequent years - several groups of the observatory workers." 
Ella Mayuir. "Turkestan Solo." 1932.
“A stone cube, composed of stone in the middle of a wide valley, whose height is about twelve thousand feet, gradually increases to the proportion of the house: this is the Tien Shan glacier observatory, where we should stop at night. Surrounded by barbed wire - protection from wolves or robbers?
- Saint, windmer, hygrometers and thermometers are connected to the building tightly stuck in the mud with boards. No one appears to the barking.
We turn around the corner and see the courtyard, fenced with low walls, sheds, as well as the front door, which gives access to the left to the kitchen, and on the right - to the hallway leading to the living room. A round stove, a large table, bookstrokes with scientific works and dictionaries, dry batteries for a radio station - a meteorological bulletin is transferred daily to Tashkent, the distance to which is almost six hundred miles in a straight line.
Eight people work here, each of them spends in this desert plain for the year, where the average temperature is 43º F., approximately as on the ground of Franz Joseph. They know each other so well - the boss, his wife, students and ... Maria Fedorovna, on whom nutrition and cooking depends, which communicate with each other almost without words.
As for meteorological observations, the position of the station could be selected better. But its main goal is to observe the glaciers from which Naryn flows, since the irrigation of the entire plain depends on them. It was the very object on which the grant was allocated, and a million rubles were spent on the spot.
When the trenches dug under the foundations, the soil at a depth of five feet, as in the tundra, was represented by a continuous permafrost. Below was only the ice is unknown to what depth. “Perhaps a buried glacier is under us,” notes the most hairy of the students.
The maintenance of the station costs two hundred thousand rubles a year, of which thirty thousand rubles are spent only on firewood for heating and transportation. Our owners tell us that due to the sparse of air ... Work that requires constant mental effort is tedious and is difficult to do”.
Geographic coordinates of “Tien Shan” weather station: N41 ° 53'28 E78 ° 07'45

Authority and photography by:
Alexander Petrov.