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Pskem Mountains.
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“Nature reacts not only to physical disease, but also to moral weakness; when the danger increases, she gives us greater courage”
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.
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The Pskem ridge is located in the mountains of the Western Tien-Shan, on the border of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. The ridge is 160 kilometers long and adjoins the Talas Alatau. The main peaks of the Pskem ridge are Beshtor, 4299 meters above sea level, Aktyuyaulgen, 4224 meters above sea level, Tavalgan, 3888 meters above sea level, Piazak, 3718 meters above sea level.
In the upper reaches of the Pskem River, in a short spur, the peak Adelunga stands out, with a height of 4311 meters above sea level. In the south-west, the Koksuisky Range branches off, 60 kilometers long with the highest points of Ak-Tash peak, 3482 meters above sea level and Kazanbulak, 3369 meters above sea level.
The northwestern slope descends steeply into the valley of the Pskem River, it is little dissected. The southeastern slope is also steep and short, but at the confluence with the Sandalash and Chatkal rivers, several spurs depart, 15 - 25 kilometers long, which form a common system with the Chandalash ridge, about 100 kilometers long.
Typical alpine relief prevails with elevation differences from 2000 to 3500 meters above sea level. The total glaciated area of the Pskem ridge is 70 square kilometers, there are more than 100 glaciers. The height of the snow line on the north-western slopes is at an altitude of 3700 - 3800 meters above sea level, on the southeastern slopes - about 4000 meters above sea level.
On the slopes of the Pskem ridge, subalpine and alpine meadows are widespread, above 3500 meters above sea level, nival landscapes. At the southern end, near the confluence of the Pskem River with the Chatkal River, there are tracts of wild forests of walnut, maple, poplar. The Pskem River flows into the Charvak reservoir.
There are more than 60 passes in the Pskem ridge and its spurs. There are about 10 passes in the Kyoksuisky ridge. The heights of the passes vary from 2200 to 3800 meters above sea level, two passes are 4000 meters above sea level.
Authority:
Popov V. N. "Western Tien Shan". M., "Physical culture and sport", 1978.
Photos by
Alexander Petrov.