Mountain Altai, Ukok plateau

Have you ever heard of the Ukok plateau? Maybe you already managed to go to this amazing and unique place? Unfortunately, in most cases the answer to both questions will be negative. So geographically, this natural object is located far enough away from popular tourist destinations. On the Ukok plateau (Gorny Altai), charter flights are not arranged, landscaped for a certain season of cafes and restaurants verandah, new hotels are not opened every year, but, nevertheless, it is worth visiting here at the first opportunity.

This article will tell you about this stunning object on the map of Russia. The reader will receive all the necessary information in order to once, in spite of everything, collect things and go to the Ukok Plateau. How to get there, what places to visit first and what to look for before and during the trip? We will try to give the most detailed answer to all these questions. So...

The sacred plateau of Ukok. general description

First of all, we note that this geographical object is located in the south of the Altai, high in the mountains, in the place where the border between Russia, Kazakhstan, China and Mongolia passes.

To date, the plateau is included in the UNESCO list. And the prerequisites for entering the famous list were in fact more than enough. We list some of them. Firstly, this territory attracts tourists with its pristine appearance and harsh wildlife. In general, Ukok plateau, a photo of which can be found in almost every satin dedicated to the Russian Federation, is considered difficult to access. And, by the way, it was the lack of human activity that contributed to the preservation of nature in its virgin form.

Secondly, now this area will open a lot of interesting for the tourist. For example, here you can find curative radon sources, wander among the walls of the once prosperous, and now - almost destroyed meteorological station of the times of the USSR, climb the mound-princess, admire the mountains, four-thousanders and stand on the shore of the cleanest lakes populated with grayling.

Features of the location

As already mentioned above, the Ukok plateau (the Republic of Altai) lies high in the mountains and has a rather severe climate. It is known that this territory in ancient times served as a place of worship of heavenly powers. It was here that monks ascended, sorcerers rushed and shamans rushed to search for answers to their eternal questions.

Now any journey to the Ukok Plateau is a chance to visit the most beautiful and inaccessible place. And at the same time, this object is open to all nationalities, for it is considered an area of intensive interaction of cultures of various Eurasian ethnic groups. That is why, by the way, he was nicknamed the altar of Eurasia.

In the central part of the plateau, at an altitude of more than 2 thousand meters, the Bertek Basin is located, and from the north the plateau is bounded by the same ridge. One can not but note the fact that there is absolutely no forest on the Ukok Plateau, but there are many streams, rivers, swamps and glacial lakes.

The most basic river with the complex name of Ak-Alakh flows along the Bertek Basin. From the south, the plateau is framed by a majestic massif called Tabyn-Bogdo-Ola. Glaciers feed the most important rivers in the region: Katun, Irtysh and Khovd.

The Ukok plateau is a geographical and cultural center of the Eurasian continent.

What does the name of this place mean?

It's hard to say unequivocally. For example, in Mongolian, "Ukok" means "a massive mountain" or "a large hill with a flat top". But in the Kyrgyz language, the word "Ukok" is used for the designation of all, without exception, plateaus.

Local residents call the plateau Ukok a kind of "the end of everything". The belief says that the pastures of the plateau are located on the very threshold of the firmament, already beyond the limits of human influence. By the way, Altai people also believe that it is impossible to shout and speak loudly in general, because it will be sacrilege and insult of spirits.

Plateau Ukok. How can I get to. Traffic junction

First of all, it should be noted that the road to the plateau is difficult to overcome roads through high-mountain passes, which in the valley of the river. Kaluga can be reached via the Chuysky tract. However, further this path becomes only for specialized transport.

By the way, we should take into account the fact that the main part of the year passes are in avalanche danger and covered with snow, and rockfalls often occur here.

Section 5. Getting there by car

In principle, to the village of Kosh-Agach can be reached by any kind of car, and at an acceptable speed it's really possible to get to the Warm key yourself. The pass itself can be overcome on motor vehicles only 2 months a year.

Only cars with four-wheel drive, mud wheels, power dodgers, a winch, a jack, two spare parts, a full tank and a fuel reserve of 60 liters can reach the plateau.

In addition, seasoned travelers recommend to go to the plateau Ukok, a photo of which is often found in modern guides throughout the country, teams of 2-3 cars.

Section 6. What is the "Quiet Zone of Ukok"

A "rest zone" is a new geological formation that has no analogues in the world, which serves as a kind of reserve for the natural resources of this territory. The international classification refers to the neoformation to the temporary VI category, which denotes a strictly given resource reserve.

Such a graduation will be used until the terrain is assigned a permanent category.

To the current tasks of the "Rest zone" is not only the conservation of natural resources, but also a ban on any economic activity that, one way or another, can damage the protected area.

Time and history of creation

The need to include a plateau in the list of specially protected areas is caused by an increase in aggressive human intervention. The first steps to preserve all the resources of the Ukok plateau (Gorny Altai) were made back in the 60-70's. XX century. Then the local authorities adopted a special resolution that controlled the pasture load, river pollution, hunting and fishing. In addition, several natural plateau objects were declared nature monuments.

In general, it should be noted that on Ukok there is a large concentration of archaeological monuments of different chronological periods, from the Paleolithic times to the present.

Animal and plant life

Until now, the flora of the "Rest zone" has not been fully studied. Although it is known that the main mass is composed of high-mountainous steppe species. Very poorly expressed forest and alpine features. With the high originality of the flora of the Ukok Plateau, reviews of which in guidebooks do not occur as often as one would like, its connection with Asian vegetation can be traced.

Annually here there are many kinds of rare plants: astragalus, ostrovodochniki, Altai rhubarb, low onions, briskness, rhodiola frosty, etc.

In the "Rest zone" is also very diverse animal life. Invertebrates are such lepidopterans that are rare enough in the wild, such as the common Apollo, Apollo feb, Mongolian jelly, Blackfather Keferstein, etc. There are only two species of fish in the waters of Ukok : grayling and Altai osman.

Until now, reptiles and freshwater are not found here, but many birds live. There are a lot of Anseriformes and Charadriiformes, there is a Tundrians and a White Partridge, which belong to the family of Chorophores.

In general, the "Rest zone" is inhabited by more than 20 species of mammals.

Many species of animals and plants are listed in the Altai Red Book.

Ukok - the edge of permafrost

The development of ice phenomena in the western basins of Ukoka determines the shallow occurrence of permafrost with the conditioned weak precipitation of atmospheric precipitation.

The role of numerous ice formations is mainly in the redistribution of surface runoff from autumn to the warm season.

Naladis often sit on faults formed by groundwater. Seasonal occurrence of these increases the intensity of the work of sources and frost weathering. In addition, due to them, there is a waterlogging of the adjacent territory, conditions are created for the development of moisture-loving vegetation on these sites.

Archaeological finds

In the 90 years of the last century sensational findings were made in the Bertek basin. There were found burials of cultures that existed in the III-II millennium BC. E.

Excavations of Scythian burial mounds made it possible for scientists to get acquainted with the culture of the Iron Age. The world discovery was the discovery in the rest zone of the funeral of the "Ukok Princess".

In addition, in this region was found a huge number of graves, stone calculations, ritual complexes and rock paintings.

In general, the plateau Ukok (reviews of curious travelers will not let you lie) is a truly magnificent natural and cultural treasury of Eurasia, requiring care and protection.

Who is the Princess of Ukoka?

This name was called the mummy of a woman, which was discovered during excavations by Russian archaeologists at the end of the 20th century. This discovery has become one of the most important in the scientific field.

The mound, in which the princess was buried, was in a dilapidated and ruined state at the time of the excavation in 1993. Excavations were conducted by the doctor of historical sciences and archaeologist from Novosibirsk - N.Polslimak.

Initially, in the mound of the plateau Ukok, the princess was not found. There was found a parking lot, which could be attributed to the Iron Age. On the site of one of the ancient burials, archaeologists discovered a deck with a woman's body filled with ice. We opened the burial chamber very carefully, trying not to damage the contents. Archaeologists had to gradually melt the ice for several days.

Inside, six horses with harness and saddles were found, a wooden deck, nailed with bronze nails. All this pointed to the burial of a noble person of the middle strata of society. During the research it turned out that the mummy belongs to the V-III centuries. BC. E. The princess was 25 years old.

Today it is stored in the Novosibirsk Museum. At the moment, for the storage of the mummy, the construction of a building resembling a mound in which it was found is under construction.

Problems of the region: Ukok and the construction of a gas pipeline

For today in the given region the serious problem has ripened. Gas workers and officials want to build a gas pipeline through the "Rest zone."

In the blog of the Head of the Altai Republic there is a special agitation sheet in support of the construction of the gas pipeline. This document allegedly underscores the importance for Altai of an agreement between Gazprom and a certain Chinese oil and gas company. He also said that the construction of this facility will allow gasifying the most remote areas, thus ensuring new revenues to the budget and jobs.

The Ukok plateau is a unique and important natural heritage and heritage of mankind. Its importance can be compared with the Eiffel Tower or the Louvre. To bring such a magnificent natural park as a sacrifice to the coming billions is extremely unworthy. Now the world is in full swing with growing indignation in connection with the destruction of unique monuments of the past, so the gas offensive on Ukok becomes even more unattractive.

The laying of the disastrous gas pipeline for Gazprom "Gazprom" violates not only the legislation of the Russian Federation, but also many international agreements, in particular those that are relevant to the UNESCO World Heritage List for years.