Adventures travellers in Kyrgyzstan mountains.

“Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world” 

Gustave Flaubert.

Free independent traveler in Kyrgyzstan.

Southern border of the Inner Tien-Shan is the Kakshaal-Too Range, which extends from the southwest to the northeast for almost 600 kilometers. Within the limits of the Inner Tien Shan, the western part of the ridge enters the valley of the Sary-Jaz River in the east with the highest point - Dankov peak, 5982 m. a. s. l.
The northern slope is located on the territory of Kyrgyzstan ridge, southern - on the territory of the People's Republic of China.On the northern slope of the Kakshaal-Too ridge, within the indicated limits, 616 glaciers an area of ​​907.6 square kilometers.
Valley glaciers prevail (36% of the number and 76% of the area). In second place are the glaciers of the slopes, in third are the glaciers of flat peaks. The westernmost part of the Kokshaal-Too ridge to the gorge of the Kakshaal River in the east is a vast plateau about 4300 m. a. s. l., the rest of the ancient peneplen.
Here, as well as on the small ridges of Kokkiya and Sarybeles located to the north, there are 63 glaciers with a total area of ​​70.7 sq. km., of which 28 are glaciers of flat peaks, their area is 54.1 sq. km. The rest are small valley and caravan glaciers.
A section of the ridge with a length of about 70 km between the through valleys of the Kakshaal and Chon-Uzengu-Kuush rivers is the highest (average altitude 5700 m. a. s. l. In the center of this section, in the area of ​​Dankov peak, is located the Ak-Sai glaciation site - one of the largest in the Tien Shan. In total, there are 153 glaciers on this site with a total area of ​​443.4 sq. km.
Glacier valleys predominate in number and area, with most of these glaciers and the largest of them are grouped in the central part. These are valley and complex valley glaciers, occupying the upper reaches of the meridional valleys and feeding from firn fields that stretch as a continuous strip along the axial part of the ridge, and from the gentle slopes of the lateral spurs.
The wide ends of large glaciers go into the foothills, descending to a height of 3800-4300 m. a. s. l. The largest glaciers of this section are Komarova Glacier in the upper Kyzylunet River, Mushketov Glacier in the Ortotash River Basin, Nalivkin and Mullitsky Glaciers in the upper Aital River and others.
These are complex valley glaciers, merging from several streams with well-defined middle moraines. About 150 kilometers in the eastern section of the Kakshaal-Too ridge, 400 glaciers with a total area of ​​393.5 sq. km. in the Ak-Shyyrak river basin.
In the western, less high part of this section, the maximum height is 4880 m. a. s. l., there are many small disconnected caravan and hanging glaciers. To the east, the height of the ridge increases to 5390 m. a. s. l. In the same direction, the size of glaciers increases and the area they occupy changes type of glaciation.
Glaciers receive additional feeding by avalanches from the slopes, and the nutrition asymmetry is clearly expressed - from the western windward, more snow-covered slopes it much more than the leewards of the east. The end parts of glaciers are covered with moraines.
There are signs of degradation - fresh deposited moraines, patches of dead ice. Between the Terskey-Ala-Too ridge in the north and the Kakshaal-Too ridge in the south there are several latitudinal ranges that rise relatively low above vast expanses of syrts and intermontane basins.
These are the ridges of Jetim-Bel, Jetim, At-Bashy, Borkoldoy, Dzhangiger and others. In crest Alpine relief with ancient glacial forms - mostly occupied by modern glaciers - is developed in parts of these ranges. Icing is dispersed. Glaciers are located in the higher parts of the ranges. mainly on the northern slopes. In terms of number, hanging glaciers prevail on these ridges (65%), but valley glaciers occupy a large area (about 70%).
There are 17 glaciers larger than 5 square kilometers, but in general glaciation is represented by small glaciers. The height of the firn line is from 3900 to 4400 meters above sea level. To the north of the Kakshaal-Too ridge, separated by Chatyrkel and Ak-Says syrty and longitudinal valleys of the Muyuryum and Chon-Uzengu-Kuush rivers, they stretch from the south-west to the north-east At-Bashy, Dzhangiger and Borkoldoy ridges, which are a watershed between the rivers of the Naryn and Tarim depressions.

Ridge of Borkoldoy.

The most significant is the glaciation of the Borkolda ridge (average altitude 4300 meters above sea level, maximum 5170 m. a. s. l.) - 396 glaciers with a total area of ​​250.3 sq. km. The Borkolda Range is a complex, deeply dissected system of mountain ranges about 100 kilometers.
Most of the glaciers are located on the northern slope in the basins. the left tributaries of the Naryn rivers - the Karakol, Chakyrkorum and Tuyuk-Chakyrkorum rivers. On the At-Bashy ridge, the highest point, 4786 m. a. s. l., 149 glaciers with an area of ​​106.2 km. sq.
The area of ​​glaciation is approximately equally divided between the northern and southern slopes, but small kar and hanging glaciers predominate on the north, and on the south, which gently slopes down to Chatyr-Kol and Ak-Say syrts, mostly valley glaciers ending at an altitude of 3900-4100 m. a. s. l.
The largest glacier, with an area of ​​6.9 kilometers square, lies at the head of the Mustavas River. On the ridge Dzhangiger 164 glaciers with an area of ​​59.8 sq. km. Glaciation is more intense in the eastern part of the ridge, whose height is 4500-4700 m. a. s. l.
Hanging glaciers predominate. The largest glacier with a length of 4 km and an area of ​​4.5 sq. km. lies in the upper reaches of the Dzhaldzhir River. The average height of the ends of the glaciers is 4000 m. a. s. l. On the ridge Jetim-Bel, up to 4627 m. a. s. l., 116 glaciers, their area is 71.5 sq. km.
Small, mostly hanging, glaciers located along the ridge mainly in its western and central parts and occupy cars and circuses Northern exposure. On the northern slope there are more glaciers and they are larger. The average height of the ends of the glaciers is 3750 m. a. s. l. on the northern slope and 3900 m. a. s. l. on the southern.
On the ridge Jetim, altitude up to 4896 m. a. s. l., 195 glaciers with a total area of ​​135.6 sq. km. The degree of glaciation and the size of glaciers increase from west to east with increasing ridge height. The glaciers of the northern slope are larger.
On the Nura ridge, there are glaciers only on the northern slope - 29 glaciers with an area of ​​25.9 square kilometers. The ends of the glaciers descend to a height of 3740- 3790 m. a. s. l. On the ridge Suyuk 51 glacier with an area of ​​38.5 sq. km.
On the northern slope, small valley glaciers descend to the surface of the Arabel syrts (3900-4000 m. a. s. l.), and on the south - hanging glaciers. The largest is the Mitor Basin Glacier, with a length of 2.6 kilometers and an area of ​​3.8 sq. km. in the Taragai river basin.
In the Naryn-Too mountains (average altitudes 3800-4300 m. a. s. l., the highest point 4531 m. a. s. l., 239 glaciers with an area of ​​69.4 sq. km. In the northern slope, 2/3 of the glaciation area of ​​the Naryn-Too mountains is concentrated.
Small glaciers only one glacier is more than 2 sq. km.
The height of the ends of the glaciers is 3800-3900 m. a. s. l. Small glaciers, mostly kar and hanging, are also found in the western part of the Inner Tien-Shan on the highest sections of the Kekirim-Too Mountains (17 glaciers with an area of ​​3.6 sq. km., Jaman-Too (66 glaciers with an area of ​​19.8 sq. km., Bai Biche -Too and Ak-Chetash (8 glaciers with an area of ​​4.3 kilometers square) and Kapkatas (10 glaciers with an area of ​​1.6 kilometers square) (Bondarev, Zabirov. 1964; Bakov. 1983).
The orography of this area (the area of ​​Pobeda Peak) is the highest and most inaccessible part of the Tien-Shan. In the north of the Terskey-Ala-Too ridge, it is a watershed between the Sary-Jaz river basin and the rivers of the Balkhash Lake basin.
To the south of it are the latitudinal ranges of Sary-Jazz, Tengri-Tag, Engilchek-Too (Inylchek-tau), Kayyngdy-Katta and Postyshev. The southern boundary of the Central Tien Shan is the eastern part of the Kokshaal-Too ridge, which encircles the area under consideration at a distance of more 100 kilometers.
The average height of the crests of the latitudinal ranges of the Central Tien-Shan is 4,500-4,700 m. a. s. l., the ridges rise from west to east (the highest peaks are Pobeda peak, 7439 m. a. s. l., Khan Tengri peak, 6995 m. a. s. l., Peak Marble Wall, 6150 m. a. s. l.
The northern slopes of the ranges are short and steep, the southern longer and flat. These ridges in the east are connected by a meridional ridge stretched from south to north with heights of more than 6000 meters above sea level, from Which glaciers flow west, to Kyrgyzstan, and east, to the People's Republic of China.

Northwestern slope of Kakshaal-Too ridge has about 1000 glaciers with a total area of ​​about 1,500 sq. km.

Northern slope of Kakshaal-Too carries on northern and northwestern slope, Engilchek-Too and Kaindy ranges, about 300 glaciers with a total area of ​​over 625 sq. km.

Largest glaciers of Kakshaal-Too ridge.

North Kakshaal-Too ridge.

Kaindy Glacier in Kakshaal-Too ridge.

With a length of 29.0 kilometers, an area of ​​37.2 square kilometers, located at an altitude of 3400 to 5520 m. a. s. l., belongs to the Kaindy River Basin.

Zvezdochka Glacier  in Kakshaal-Too ridge.

With a length of 17.3 kilometers, an area of ​​58.1 square kilometers, located at an altitude of 4100 to 7440 m. a. s. l, belongs to the Engilchek river basin.

Komsomolsky Glacier in Kakshaal-Too ridge.

With a length of 14.0 kilometers, an area of ​​55.8 square kilometers, is located at an altitude of 3800 to 6090 m. a. s. l., belongs to the Engilchek river basin.

Kuyukap Glacier in Kakshaal-Too ridge.

With a length of 12.9 kilometers, an area of ​​13.4 square kilometers, located at an altitude of 3800 to 5890 m. a. s. l., belongs to the basin of the Sary-Jazz River.

Dikiy Glacier  in Kakshaal-Too ridge.

With a length of 11.5 kilometers, an area of ​​24.3 square kilometers, located at an altitude of 4010 to 6920 m. a. s. l., belongs to the Engilchek River Basin.

Kanjailau Glacier in Kakshaal-Too ridge.

With a length of 11.4 kilometers, an area of ​​17.8 square kilometers, located at an altitude of 3160 to 5700 m. a. s. l., belongs to the Engilchek River Basin.

Proletarsky Tourist glacier in Kakshaal-Too ridge.

With a length of 11.0 kilometers, an area of ​​41.6 square kilometers, is located at an altitude of 3860 to 6540 m. a. s. l.l, belongs to the Engilchek river basin.

Glacier No. 215 in Kakshaal-Too ridge.

With a length of 8.8 kilometers, an area of ​​11.1 square kilometers, located at an altitude of 3800 to 5580 m. a. s. l., belongs to the Engilchek river basin.

Samoilovich Glacier in Kakshaal-Too ridge.

With a length of 8.0 kilometers, an area of ​​10.1 square kilometers, located at an altitude of 3440 to 5140 m. a. s. l., belongs to the basin of the Sary-Jazz River.

Shokalsky Glacier in Kakshaal-Too ridge.

With a length of 7.7 kilometers, an area of ​​7.9 square kilometers, located at an altitude of 3120 to 5440 m. a. s. l., belongs to the Engilchek river basin.

Central Kakshaal-Too.

Jangart Glacier in Kakshaal-Too ridge.

With a length of 11.3 kilometers, an area of ​​15.3 sq. km., located at an altitude of 3900 to 5160 m. a. s. l., belongs to the Ak-Shiyrak river basin.

Glacier No. 217 in Kakshaal-Too ridge.

With a length of 11.1 kilometers, an area of ​​12.1sq. km., located at an altitude of 3600 to 5148 m. a. s. l., belongs to the Ak-Shiyrak river basin.

Glacier No. 219 in Kakshaal-Too ridge.

With a length of 10.9 kilometers, an area of ​​15.9 sq. km., located at an altitude of 3300 to 5390 m. a. s. l., belongs to the Ak-Shiyrak river basin.

Chuloktor Glacier in Kakshaal-Too ridge.

With a length of 10.7 kilometers, an area of ​​15.0 sq. km., located at an altitude of 3640 to 5319 m. a. s. l., belongs to the Ak-Shiyrak river basin.

Zhangartyn-Bashi Zapadny Glacier in Kakshaal-Too ridge.

9.5 kilometers long, 15.7 sq. km. in area, located at an altitude of 3530 to 5355 m. a. s. l., belongs to the Ak-Shiyrak river basin.

Zhangartyn-Bashi Vostochny Glacier in Kakshaal-Too ridge.

With a length of 8.5 kilometers, an area of ​​10.9 sq. km., is located at an altitude of 3630 to 4940 m. a. s. l., belongs to the Ak-Shiyrak river basin.

Glacier No. 211 in Kakshaal-Too ridge.

With a length of 8.0 kilometers, an area of ​​7.9 sq. km., located at an altitude of 3,500 to 5,062 m. a. s. l., belongs to the Ak-Shiyrak river basin.

Glacier Ak-Oguz in Kakshaal-Too ridge.

With a length of 7.4 kilometers, an area of ​​20.1 sq. km., located at an altitude of 3730 to 5148 m. a. s. l., belongs to the Ak-Shiyrak river basin.

Latitudinal Kakshaal-Too.

Mushketov Glacier in Kakshaal-Too ridge.

With a length of 13.3 kilometers, an area of ​​23.0 sq. km., located at an altitude of 3940 to 5200 m. a. s. l., belongs to the basin of the Chong-Uzengu-Kuush River.

Nalivkina Glacier

With a length of 13.2 kilometers, an area of ​​19.5 sq. km., located at an altitude of 3960 to 5700 m. a. s. l., belongs to the basin of the Chong-Uzengu-Kuush River.

Glacier No. 238 in Kakshaal-Too ridge.

With a length of 12.1 kilometers, an area of ​​27.1 sq. km., located at an altitude of 3620 to 4560 m. a. s. l., belongs to the basin of the Chong-Uzengu-Kuush River.

Karagerme Glacier in Kakshaal-Too ridge.

With a length of 11.6 kilometers, an area of ​​27.3 sq. km., located at an altitude of 3840 to 5840 m. a. s. l., belongs to the basin of the East Ak-Sai River.

Komarova Glacier in Kakshaal-Too ridge.

With a length of 10.7 kilometers, an area of ​​29.3 sq. km., located at an altitude of 3900 to 5210 m. a. s. l., belongs to the basin of the East Ak-Sai River.

Mullitsky Glacier in Kakshaal-Too ridge.

With a length of 9.7 kilometers, an area of ​​14.9 sq. km., located at an altitude of 3670 to 5010 m. a. s. l.l, belongs to the basin of the Chong-Uzengu-Kuush River.

Glacier No. 82 in Kakshaal-Too ridge.

With a length of 8.2 kilometers, an area of ​​16.2 sq. km., located at an altitude of 3880 to 4800 m. a. s. l., belongs to the basin of the East Ak-Sai River.

Korzhenevsky Glacier in Kakshaal-Too ridge.

With a length of 7.2 kilometers, an area of ​​12.8 sq. km., located at an altitude of 3860 to 5650 m. a. s. l., belongs to the basin of the Chong-Uzengu-Kuush River.

South Kakshaal-Too.

Glaciers No. 11, 12, 13, 14 in Kakshaal-Too ridge.

With a length of 11.1 kilometers, an area of ​​11.1 sq. km., located at an altitude of 4170 to 4630 m. a. s. l., belongs to the basin of the Western Ak-Sai River.

Glaciers No. 29, 30, 31 in Kakshaal-Too ridge.

With a length of 5.3 kilometers, an area of ​​6.8 sq. km.kilometers, located at an altitude of 3900 to 4740 m. a. s. l., belongs to the basin of the Western Ak-Sai River.

Authority:
"Glaciers." L.D. Dolgushin, G.B. Osipova. Series "Nature of the world." Moscow, the publishing house "Thought". 1989.

Photos by:
Alexander Petrov.