Our planet Earth was once a hot ball that gave off its heat into interplanetary space and gradually cooled. The Earth contained various chemical elements, and as it cooled, the heavier ones sank down. Lighter elements floated to the surface, they were the first to undergo cooling, and hardened faster. As a result of this process, three main shells of the Earth were formed: a frozen shell of granites and basalts; an ore shell of light metals and, finally, the core of the Earth, formed by heavy metals. The Earth's crust did not form immediately. During the solidification, violent processes took place; entire seas of molten mass broke through the solidifying crust. This mass also subsequently solidified, the resulting depressions were filled with water, and continents and oceans emerged.

The earth continued to cool. Its inner part decreased in volume, and the outer stone shell, under the influence of gravity, sank and wrinkled. On earth's surface large folds formed. These folds, sometimes reaching enormous heights, are mountain ranges of folded origin. During this formation of folds, the earth's crust cracked, and in some places molten masses erupted again. In such places, huge cones of ejected materials were piled up, and mountains of volcanic origin were formed.

Mountain-building processes did not occur everywhere and not always with the same intensity and at the same time. Mountains have their age. The youngest mountain ranges are the Alps, the Caucasus and the Himalayas. The Urals arose earlier than these mountains, and the Donetsk Ridge is even more ancient.

And today the earth's crust is not at rest. Some parts of it slowly rise, others fall.

Along with mountain-forming processes, processes of mountain destruction occurred and are occurring. Destructive factors are: wind, temperature changes and water.

The study of the outer shell of the Earth has shown that the rocks that make it up can be divided into three main groups: sedimentary rocks, igneous rocks, metamorphic (altered) rocks.

The products of rock destruction, dumped into the sea, and the remains of marine animals are deposited on the bottom of oceans and seas for many thousands of years, forming thick layers of sediment. Thanks to the movement of the earth's crust, these layers rise from the depths of the sea, sediments are compacted, and sedimentary rocks are formed. The main characteristic of sedimentary rocks is their layering and homogeneity; All sedimentary rocks are relatively weak in strength. Examples of such sedimentary rocks are sandstones, limestones, pebbles and clays.

Igneous rocks were formed when a molten mass solidified. These are very strong, monolithic rocks that lack any signs of layering. These include granites, porphyries and basalts.

Metamorphic, or altered, rocks are formed when sedimentary rocks are altered by high pressure and high temperature. From this group we can name: shales (modified clays), marbles (modified limestones). They still show signs of layering. Their strength is less than that of igneous rocks. Many of these rocks flake quite easily.

The processes of mountain building and destruction create the relief of mountains. In any mountain range or individual mountain we distinguish: foot, slope, ridge and peak. Sometimes several ridges meet at the top. The part of the ridge enclosed between two peaks is called a saddle; if there is a path through the saddle or even a path from one slope to another, such a saddle is called a pass.

The ridges are very often used as a route to the top, since they are the safest from avalanches and rockfalls. A steep mountainside is called a wall. Individual rock towers blocking the path along the ridge are called gendarmes.

On mountain slopes there may be excavations and trenches of varying depths. Wide openings are called couloirs and are often filled with snow or small glaciers. Narrow couloirs are called gutters. A wide vertical crack in a rock or ice slope is called a chimney. A narrow, inclined or vertical crack is called a crevice. From the slopes of mountains and from wide couloirs, sometimes entire “rivers” flow down from large and small fragments of rocks breaking off from the mountain slopes; these stone rivers are called screes.

Mountain ranges are separated from each other by gorges or valleys. If there were glaciers in these valleys, the bottom of the valleys is relatively flat, the valleys are filled with moraines - high ridges of large and small fragments cemented with sand or clay.

Map

A map is a distorted image on paper of the entire earth's surface or part of it. The distortion occurs due to the fact that a spherical convex surface, of which the surface of the Earth is an example, cannot be expanded on a plane without breaking, just as, for example, the surface of a ball cannot be stretched on a plane without tearing it. The exception is when the map shows a very small part of the earth's surface, which we can consider almost flat.

Maps vary in content and scale. According to the content of the map, there can be: economic, physical, topographical, maritime and special. The map scale is a ratio indicating how many units of length on the earth's surface correspond to a unit of length on the map. For example, a scale of 1: 100,000 indicates that 1 cm of the map corresponds to 1 km on the earth's surface. According to the accepted scales, maps (1: 500,000, 1: 250,000, 1: 100,000, 1: 50,000) and plans (1: 25,000, 1: 20,000, 1: 15,000 and 1: 10,000) are distinguished.

A topographic map also gives us an idea of ​​the terrain, which is conventionally depicted by shading or contour lines. In the first case, places with different heights are painted in different shades of green and brown. A more convenient way is horizontal lines, which make it possible to accurately determine the angle of inclination of the earth's surface. Horizontals are the projection onto a plane of lines connecting points that have the same height above sea level.

In order to distinguish a depression from a peak on a map, they use conventional dashes - berg strokes, which indicate the direction of the slope. Each horizontal line has its relative or absolute mark (height above sea level). This makes it possible to understand the relief without berg strokes. Knowing the distance between two horizontal lines and the excess of one of them over the other, you can graphically determine the angle of inclination of the surface.

Using a map, we can judge the terrain, determine our location and choose the right path. To do this, we need to orient the map according to the cardinal points and determine the direction to the peaks of interest to us or another destination of the path. Orientation to the cardinal points is done using a compass. As you know, the magnetic needle is located approximately in the plane of the meridian, pointing one end to the north and the other to the south. When the needle stops, you need to turn the map so that the northern part of the map coincides with the northern end of the magnetic needle. (Usually on a map, north is at the top, south is at the bottom, east is on the right and west is on the left.) Any direction on a map or on the earth's surface is determined by azimuth. This is the name of the angle between any direction and the northern end of the meridian; this angle is counted clockwise, varying from 0 to 360°.

On a map, azimuth is determined by measuring the angle from the plotted coordinate grid, and on the ground by a compass. How can you now determine your location on the map? To do this, you need to see at least two peaks known to you, which are also shown on the map. Having determined the direction to these vertices, you can calculate the azimuths from these vertices to you. Having plotted these azimuths on the map with a pencil, you will find your place at the intersection of the two drawn directions. If you need to put some vertex on the map, to do this you need to solve the problem inverse to the one stated above. To do this, you need to observe the vertex from two points, plotting the azimuths determined from the two points from the corresponding vertices on the map, at the intersection point you will get the desired vertex. Using the same method, you can determine the distance to a point that is inaccessible for some reason. Knowing how to solve the two described problems, it is easy to draw up a rough sketch of the area.

A climber must be able to use a compass and map in fog. Often he has to travel in conditions where the destination is obscured and he has to navigate by compass. We have already said above that one point does not determine the direction in space, therefore, when moving in the fog, a group of climbers should be lined up along a given course and the compass should be handed over to the last one. The trailing one, observing the entire chain using a compass, will ensure progress in the given direction. You should use the compass in the same way at night.

Brief information on meteorology

Due to the fact that the Earth's axis of rotation is not perpendicular to the plane of the Earth's rotation around the Sun, average height The sun's height above the horizon is not the same for different points on the globe. For example, in the polar regions the Sun makes its visible path relatively low above the horizon compared to regions near the equator. The higher the Sun stands, the greater the amount of heat coming from the Sun. Therefore, polar regions receive less heat per year than equatorial regions. The sun's rays, penetrating through the atmosphere, hardly heat it, but greatly heat the surface of the Earth. As a result, the atmosphere is heated from below. As numerous observations show, temperature decreases with altitude by about 5-6° per 1 km. At a certain altitude above sea level, conditions are created that the heat that comes during the summer is not enough to melt the snow that has fallen during the winter. As a result of this, snow masses accumulate, forming a strip of eternal snow. The height at which the heat balance is zero is called the snow line. The closer the mountain region is to the pole, the lower the snow line lies.

The climate in any area is determined by the totality of weather throughout the year; in turn, the weather is determined by a combination of such meteorological elements as cloudiness, wind, rain, snow, hail, blizzard, thunderstorm.

Air masses of different temperatures and humidity move over the earth's surface. At the junctions of these masses, all meteorological elements are especially strongly developed. This division of air masses is called a meteorological front. A front always brings with it a change in weather.

In order to roughly say what kind of weather we should expect in the coming days, it is necessary to keep in mind that any intense movement in the atmosphere indicates the instability of a given air mass, which, therefore, we must wait for a change in these masses, the arrival of a front, and with it changes weather.

When determining the nature of the phenomena occurring, it is very important to establish whether these phenomena are local, indicating the stability of the weather, or whether they are of a general nature and associated with the general movement of air masses. Essentially speaking, all weather signs are indicators of local or general processes.

If in mountainous areas There is a mountain breeze, in the morning and evening a light wind blows from the mountains to the valleys, and in the afternoon it blows from the valleys to the mountains - this is a sign of stable weather. Stable weather is also indicated by the appearance of fog and dew in the valleys in the evenings. In a stable mass of air under clear skies, the atmosphere is cooled from below due to nighttime radiation from the earth's surface, and the temperature begins to increase with height in some cases. You can notice this sign and thereby determine stable weather by climbing the slopes and directly observing temperature changes. The same temperature distribution is indicated by the appearance of haze in the gorges in the evenings, as well as cumulus clouds floating at the same height during the day with slightly smoothed tops.

Any advance of the front indicates a change and worsening weather. A gradual decrease in atmospheric pressure is a sign of the approach of a front, bringing with it clouds, precipitation and increased wind. The advance of a bank of high clouds is also a sign of approaching bad weather. At night, the approach of a front can be determined by the crown around the moon. In the mountains, the approach of bad weather is often determined by the appearance of standing clouds over the peaks.

Any strong movement in the high layers of the atmosphere indicates instability of the air mass. These winds in high layers can be identified by the appearance of cumulus clouds (wings), and at night - by the increased twinkling of stars. Powerful cumulus clouds with blurry tops usually herald a thunderstorm.

Glaciers

We have already said that above the snow line there is a continuous accumulation of snow. At the same time, the peaks are unloaded from snow and ice. This unloading is carried out by falling avalanches and glacial runoff.

Avalanches and snow slides falling from ridges and peaks usually accumulate in circuses and depressions surrounded by a number of ridges. These cirques are the origins of the glaciers. The snow that accumulates in circuses gradually turns under the influence of meteorological factors and under the influence of its own gravity into firn-grained dense snow. Further compaction leads to the formation of firn ice, consisting of individual crystals. Individual crystals are soldered together, forming continuous glacier ice, already devoid of signs of crystals. Under the pressure of snow masses, ice flows into gorges, forming a glacial river. The speed of glacier movement depends on the amount of snow and ice in the cirque and ranges from 25 mm to 1.25 m per hour. Descending along the gorge, the glacier destroys rocks, smoothes the bottom of the gorge, and carries with it stones falling onto it from the ridges and from the surrounding peaks. The glacier carries all destruction products down and, having reached the melting strip, deposits them in the form of lateral and end moraines.

Irregularities in the bed along which the glacier moves cause the glacial mass to crack. In places where the glacial mass flows through ridges running across the bed, cracks are formed, widening upward, and widening downwards above the depressions. These cracks are located across the flow of the glacier and are called transverse. If a glacier flows into a wider part of its bed, longitudinal cracks form in these places due to the spreading of the ice mass. The different speeds of ice movement in the middle of the current and near the banks of moraines cause the appearance of edge cracks directed at an angle to the banks. In the mountains, a climber has to overcome two more types of cracks: bergschrunds and randklufts. The Bergschrund is a large crack that separates the actual flowing glacier from its cirque. Rantklufts are formed near the shores of a glacier due to different heating of the coastal rocks and the ice itself by the sun's rays. In those places where the slope of the glacier is especially steep, the ice masses, breaking apart, pile up in blocks and form icefalls.

The upper part of the glacier, above the snow line, is usually covered with snow. The snow covers the cracks, forming snow bridges underneath them. Below the snow line, the glacier is exposed, and numerous streams flow along it. These streams then gather into one stream and, flowing from a grotto, usually located at the tongue (end) of the glacier, form a mountain river. Glaciers are divided into three main groups: valley glaciers, hanging glaciers and glaciers, which have a break in their flow.

Everyday life, bustle, reinforced concrete cities prevent us from observing the beauty with which we are surrounded, megacities buzz like a beehive. Hurry and running around negate attention to the world around you and your own thoughts. Mountaineering provides an opportunity to get away from it all and, willy-nilly, forces you to take your time, observe the weather and nature, and be measured in your thoughts and actions. Apparently, this is why I am so attracted to this sport (Ivan Kvashnin).

On July 14, 2017, employees of the AlpIndustry store in the Moscow Aviapark shopping center Ivan Kvashnin and Alexey Preobrazhensky climbed to the top of Kazbek, realizing their dream. From the ascent, the guys brought several films of amazing photographs and a sea of ​​impressions, two different views on the ascent. So, about mountains and thoughts.

Alexey Preobrazhensky

What does a person think about at an altitude of 3000 meters, walking up the mountain step by step with a heavy backpack on his back? For me, perhaps, this was the most important and decisive question on this journey.

In July 2017, my colleague Vanya and I climbed Kazbek from the Georgian side. I don’t want to talk about the technical aspects of our ascent, give exact numbers and describe how and what equipment we used. Something else was important to me - thoughts. And how they can affect perception environment and human behavior in extreme conditions.

It was the power of thought that helped me rise higher and realize why it was necessary. There is plenty of time for reflection and self-reflection on such a journey. A monotonous climb with a precise step is something akin to meditation. The brain gives commands to the muscles: “Go”, “Go”, “Another step”, “Second”. And at the same time it sets the mood: “You must!”, “You can do it!”, “You can handle it!”.

Losing myself, I thought about life below, about some small joys and about the fact that we do not notice the beauty around us at all and take for granted what we have. I thought about the people close to me, about how I could make them happier by simply giving a little more of my attention... And as I gained altitude, it seemed to me that my thoughts were becoming more pure and correct.

When an exhausted, weakened body alarmingly signals to the brain “That’s it! Stop! This is beyond my strength. If you continue like this, you will break,” the power of thought comes into play: “This is not the limit! You can! You are no worse than others! You must get there! And you go through the same amount of time.

The hardest thing was in the parking lots, when the brain realized that the physical activity was over, and no longer kept the muscles in good shape. The body relaxed and did not obey when they wanted to occupy it with some household chores. There, in the parking lots, altitude sickness, caused by a lack of oxygen, made itself felt, and I constantly had a headache. At those moments, did I want to go down into comfort, into civilization? No. I understood that this was my conscious choice, that this was happening here and now and, perhaps, would never happen again. All these thoughts, securely recorded in the mind, helped to move forward and filled the climb to the top with meaning. Although for me the end point of our ascent was not so important as the process itself. Maybe that’s why the biggest impression on me was made by the Maili-Khokh peak, which we climbed on the eve of the assault on the summit. The four of us went there and were the first to climb there. last days. An interesting route and a stunning view from the top will remain in my memory for a long time and will remind me of our entire journey.

As for the most important and long-awaited event - the assault - as I already said, the summit was not an end in itself. The end point of my journey was somewhere deep inside me, hidden behind prejudices and limitations that I had to rise above and look at everything from a new height.

Ivan Kvashnin

Lyosha is a big romantic, and the mountains encourage him even more. It really does a good job of describing what happens inside almost every person when they are at altitude.

But I want to immerse you not in the spiritual world, but, probably, to bring you closer to reality and how I saw the “real” Lyokha, and not that romantic who flies in his thoughts and searches for the truth. Well, as Gagarin said, let's go!

Day #1

Having crossed the border at Upper Lars, we arrived in the town of Stepantsminda (Kazbegi). On the very first evening we plunged headlong into Georgian cuisine, with the thought that for the next ten days we would eat only sublimates and porridges.

We ate everything and a lot. As my friend’s grandmother said, if it itches, scratch it, there will be joy for the soul! After these words, Lyokha ordered himself a double portion of vegetables on the grill and lemonade.

On the way up to our hostel, Kazbek revealed himself in all his glory. The night was starry. From Stepantsminda the mountain looks very menacing and powerful. At the hostel I got a room with a view of the peak, and I couldn’t fall asleep until 3:00, looking at it through the window in anticipation. Then the alarm clock rang disgustingly and the next day arrived.

Day #2

We agreed with the locals about a transfer to the Gergeti Church. The transfer turned out to be a Mitsubishi Delica. Actually, Stepantsminda is the city of these machines. All along the road we admired the scenery, and cliffs a few centimeters from the sides of the car sometimes tickled our nerves and added spice to our adventures.

Having reached the place, we, without thinking twice, threw on our backpacks and went to the first place for the night called Zelenka or, as they also call it, Green Hotel. Having gained a little height, we entered the clouds. The humidity rose and it became cool. Step by step we moved away from Georgian cuisine and immersed ourselves in the realities of alpine-style climbing.

When we got to Zelenka, the wind picked up and it started to drizzle. We quickly set up the tent and began to cook. Fortunately, everything here has been furnished by tourists for “centuries”. There is a small spring, there are windbreaks for tents and “kitchens”. We threw a fleece over ourselves and began to cook. While they were cooking, they told funny stories. We ate buckwheat with dried vegetables, drank a couple of cups of hot tea, and settled down after a day of walking.

Day #3

This morning it was not the alarm clock that woke us up, but the sun. We were faced with magnificent clear weather with beautiful views and the snowy peak of Kazbek.

I asked Lyokha how he slept. The answer was not the most cheerful: “I hardly slept.” I chalked it all up to the fact that the first night in the wild is always like this, and what’s more, he didn’t get the most level place in the tent. Lyokha waved his hand with the words “It will happen again!” Optimism and love of life flow out of him like freshly squeezed juice...

We basked in the sun, had breakfast overlooking the mountain landscapes, and set off on our way to the weather station. On the way up from the parking lot, we had a view of the tongue of the Gergeti glacier and the Chkheri River, which originated from it and washed out the gorge. This view makes a lasting impression, giving you goosebumps.

Having forded a mountain river that flows like a waterfall into Chkheri, we ran into the first obstacle - the Gergeti glacier. It turned out to be completely open and did not conceal any treacherous dangers in the form of unreliable bridges and closed cracks. The sun was burning hot. Having crossed the glacier, avoiding the cracks, we ended up at the weather station. Here the altitude can already be felt, but not critically, 3600 m. Exhausted by the sun and walking in crampons on the glacier, we pitched a tent and went to register with the weather service. We had dinner and decided that we would not storm with 3600 - it would be long and tedious. Let's get to 3800, look at the condition and, if everything is good, we'll go further to 4200. We turned off the flashlights and started listening to rockfalls until we woke up from the stuffiness in the tent.

Day #4

The weather is whispering. We woke up at 6 in the morning, there was nothing to breathe in the tent, we opened the zipper - the sun burned our eyes. The air is fresh, you can sit back and think about the day.

With all sincerity, I nicknamed Lyokha the beekeeper, since the altitude was reflected on his face in the form of one continuous tumor.

The morning goes by like Groundhog Day: we pack up our gear, oatmeal, sir, tea and hit the road.

We reached 3800 quickly. The condition is good. The weather is good. Without hesitation we move to 4200. On the way we stopped for a snack. It’s clear from Lyokha that the altitude takes its toll, the body struggles, as does its inner ego. Due to the fact that they had been preparing for a long time, the sun came out on the slopes and stones flew down. We are on the edge of the glacier. In my head are the words of V. Vysotsky:

You're walking along the edge of a glacier,
Without taking your eyes off the top.
The mountains are sleeping, breathing in the clouds,
Exhaling snow avalanches.
But they don't take their eyes off you
As if you were promised peace,
Warning every time
Rockfall and grinning cracks.

We run through this dangerous section and set up camp at 4200. The sun is simply scorching. We are actually in the lens. We need to dig in and set up camp. I give Lyokha a shovel: we need to cheer him up a little. And physical activity is better for acclimation. In general, I always try to avoid doing something during acclimatization, so I decided to give him a shovel, thereby instilling the same habit :) And I sat down to melt the snow.

We set up camp, drank compote and had a snack. There was still a long time until the end of the sunny day, so they whiled away the time by playing cards and sunbathing.

While preparing dinner from sublimates, we recalled with sighs chakhokhbili, ajapsandali, ojakhuri on ketsi and other culinary delights of Georgia. The evening of the fourth day ended with these thoughts.

Day #5

We wake up. I leave the tent, understand that the sun will still have at least 2 hours to creep up the slope before us, I dress in everything warm and start preparing breakfast. While we were melting the snow and getting ready for the radial exit, the sun reached us and showed itself in all its glory.

We had an acclimatization hike to the top of Spartak. We did not cut the excess path without gaining height and decided to go straight, going around it on the right side, where we began the ascent. It was then that the same beautiful sun that we had been waiting for all morning began to burn us out like ants with a lens.

We reached the top of Spartak quite quickly, with one stop. After sitting at the top (about 4500) and admiring the beauty, we decided to go to Miley, since there was still a lot of time left. On the way back, Lyokha fell waist-deep into a crack. We were in sync and worked this moment out technically. Lyokha flew out of the crack like a champagne cork, but the oppressive feeling of danger intensified.

We arrived at the assault camp a couple of hours before dark. The scorching sun made me very tired. Lyokha is all emotional after he got stuck waist-deep in a crack. During dinner we looked at the forecast for the next few days - it made us think. Having weighed the strength, the bad forecast and the desire to climb, we decided to storm the summit tomorrow.

Day #6

Get up at 4 am. It’s cold, very cold... Somehow we start preparing breakfast. A couple of spoons of oatmeal and a glass of hot tea are a must. It’s good that the thermoses were filled yesterday. While the snow is melting, we're getting ready. The night is beautiful, starry, calm. For a long time I waited for this feeling, as if everything had frozen. There is no wind, no smells, no movement, as if the planet had stopped rotating...

By the time I began to actively get ready, Lyokha had already cooked porridge and heated the remains of yesterday’s tea in the pot. We had a snack, checked our equipment, and were on our way. We warmed up only when we started walking. The first steps were difficult: still sleepy, the porridge had not completely sunk, and Lyokha complained of a headache.

We are gradually gaining altitude. We met Poles going on an assault without acclimatization from 3600. I definitely didn’t envy their condition.

Lyokha and I walked at the same pace, stopping every 40 minutes. Around 4500 I was lucky enough to see the sunrise. The views are, of course, breathtaking. This makes me want to return to the mountains again and again.

While we were walking, there were two funny moments: first, the inscription on the snow “I’m still alive, your Tonya,” then someone went on air on our wavelength with the words “Dzhamshut! Quickly to the gate!

At 4900 there was a very beautiful bergschrund, we were able to walk inside it. After rest we moved on. We reached the jumper. The weather is just great, there are no clouds, you can see everything to the horizon! The pre-summit takeoff remains. We walk along the traverse and reach the stones that lie on the right side. Next is ice. Without thinking twice, we threw two ropes of the railing. The last steps - and we are at the top at 11:08. Joy filled us from head to toe. But we don’t rejoice for long: the window quickly closes and we run downstairs.

With enough determination, any idiot can climb this mountain,” Hall noted. “But the trick is to get back down alive.”

Jon Krakauer

Crushed ice hits your face, mixed with strong wind and poor visibility, and there is ice under your feet. I closed and removed the railings. Lyokha still had a headache. To myself, everything, I think, the main thing is to go down to the lintel, the main thing is to go down to the lintel, and then we’ll get there.

A dense, impenetrable cloud awaited us at the col, the wind died down, and the snow crumbs stopped burning. We stopped to catch our breath and have a snack. And then down, down and down again. Step by step, slowly and surely, through fatigue. Around 15:00 we were at the assault camp at 4200. We ate, drank, and warmed up. The realization that you were at the top has not yet come. So far only fatigue and thirst. We couldn’t fall asleep quickly, we talked about everything. Then, when it got dark, I fell asleep.

Day #7

We collect our things and run down before the sun comes out on the slopes. The descent was long and quite tiring, since we fell straight into Stepantsminda from 4200. At 16:00 we were at the hostel, dirty, burnt, but happy.

In conclusion, I want to say, go to the mountains, love the mountains. But keep it clean. The planet gives us life, it is our home. Take care of her!

Many poems and songs are dedicated to mountains. They attract not only writers, but also artists and filmmakers - no one is alien to romance. Let's give Interesting Facts about the mountains.

The peak of the highest mountain on Earth, Everest, is located at an altitude of 8848 meters above sea level. The first climbers reached this peak at half past twelve in the morning on May 29, 1953. They were Edmund Hillary from New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay, his Sherpa guide. Tenzing later stated that it was Edmund Hillary who was the first to reach the top of the mountain.

In the Khabarovsk Territory is located mountain range Conder, unique in that it has the shape of an almost perfect ring. Interestingly, this is not the crater of an extinct volcano, but the result of a magmatic intrusion. In this process, igneous rock emerges from the deep layers of the earth.

Most high point Africa is Mount Kilimanjaro. Its height is 5895 meters above sea level.

When talking about interesting facts about mountains, we should mention the Austrian Lake Grüner, surrounded by mountains. In winter, the depth of the lake does not exceed two meters. There is a nice park around the lake. In spring, the snow in the mountains begins to melt, feeding the lake with new water. By May, the depth of the lake increases to 12 meters and water covers benches, paths and even tree crowns. Thanks to the crystal clear water, the lake with its flooded park turns into a popular diving spot.

Angel Falls (meaning "angel"), falling from the top of Mount Auyantepui, is considered the highest in the world. The mountain that gives it its origin is translated from the dialect of the local Indians as “the devil’s mountain.”

The well-known heads of American presidents carved from stone were the result of the work of sculptors in the period 1925-1941. The original monument to Washington, Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt was designed by sculptor Gotsum Borglum. After his death, his son continued the work, but soon the project was completely stopped due to a stop in funding. The Presidential Monument was declared complete, despite the original intention of depicting the nation's leaders from the waist up.

The Austrian part of the Alps occupies 62% of the total land area of ​​this European country.

Mount Ararat, considered the symbol of Armenia and depicted on the coat of arms of this country, is not located in Armenia. Part of the territory of Armenia with the mountain in 1921 went to Turkey.

The first scientific measurement of the height of Mount Everest was carried out in 1856. The result was exactly 29 thousand feet (equivalent to 8,839 meters). Considering that round numbers are rarely found in nature, and wanting to avoid accusations that the measurements taken were approximate, scientists declared 29,002 feet as the height of the mountain.

There are many mysteries associated with mountains. The height of Mount Kailash is 6666 meters. The distance from this mountain to the English monument Stonehenge is 6666 km. People living near Kailash age much faster (12 hours is equal to two weeks). Evidence of this is the growth of nails and hair. The mountain has two huge ridge-cracks, the shadows of which, especially in the evening, form an image of a huge swastika.

In some areas of Indonesia, China and the Philippines, burials in the form of coffins nailed to rocks are found. One of the Chinese national minorities, the Bo people, considers mountains the most suitable place for burials. This is explained by their beliefs that mountains represent a ladder leading from the earthly to the heavenly world.

The entrance to the Lemaire Channel in Antarctica is marked by a rock with two peaks, officially designated on maps as Una's Tits, translated as “Una's breasts.” The peaks received their name in honor of an employee of one of the British Antarctic expeditions. This native Falkland Islands bore the name Una.

Interesting video. Noah's Ark found on Mount Ararat:

Happy are the people who have had the opportunity to see mountains in their lives. Nature created mountains - huge objects protruding to the surface. But mountains are not always visible to our eyes. Mountain ranges also stretch along the bottom of the oceans. Some peaks of mountain ranges protrude from the water, forming islands. Others, terrestrial, have huge ice caps on themselves and never take them off.

Mountains have always surprised people with their majesty, inaccessibility, and some special beauty. What could be better than the mountains? Only mountains. Mountains form where the earth is unquiet, as scientists say, in tectonically active areas. There are lonely mountains, there are mountain groups, mountain belts.

The best architect in the world is nature itself. She is the one who works to create beauty, including mountain beauty. Nature acts not only as an architect, builder, sculptor, but also as a decorator and illuminator. The light effects observed in the mountains leave no one indifferent. Due to different geological composition Mountain peaks change their color under the rays of the rising and setting sun.

Where is the sun hiding? Maybe in the mountains? Maybe it is these giants that reliably guard the sun when it is resting?

The oldest mountains on earth are several hundred million years old. Once upon a time they were subjected to severe destruction, serious passions were in full swing. But centuries passed, internal movements in them stopped long ago. Examples of old mountains are the Ural mountains. They consist of short, elongated ridges, massifs and ridges. It seems that the mountains of the Urals were created by a sorcerer from an old fairy tale. Or rather, the sorceress is the Mistress of the Copper Mountain. In any case, she most likely also had a hand in creating the amazing mountains of the Urals.

Young mountains, as a rule, are no older than 50 million years. Young mountains are growing and maturing. This is accompanied by earthquakes and volcanic activity. The Alps, Himalayas, Caucasus Mountains are young, they still have to grow up.

The most attractive thing about the mountain is the peak. This is exactly what climbers strive for. Standing at the top, you feel absolutely happy. The whole world is at your feet, and you yourself are much closer to the sun and stars. What are the peaks of the mountains? Peak-shaped, rounded, arched, plateau-shaped.

“The mountain peaks sleep in the darkness of the night...”

Writers, poets, and artists spared no effort in describing the beauty of the mountains. The mountains gave them strength, inspiration, beauty. It is impossible to remain indifferent near the mountains. Mountains stir the soul and make you think about the universe.

Everything connected with mountains has beautiful names– mountain ridge, mountain range, mountain pass. The mountains themselves are beautiful. Solid rocky walls, solemn towers, hanging cornices, mountain ranges carved with cracks - this variety of configurations pleases the eye.

To go to the mountains, you don’t have to be a climber; even in hard-to-reach mountains there is always a path that will be accessible to people of any age and with any level of training. For a hill to be considered a mountain, it must have a height of more than 500 meters; there are many such places - the mountainous landform occupies about 40 percent of the land area. We present interesting facts about the mountains.

Bastei Bridge in Saxon Switzerland

Records

The most high mountain The solar system is located on Mars. The summit of Olympus has a height of more than 21 kilometers from the base; if we count from the conditional “level of the Martian sea”, then the height of this mountain is 26 kilometers. The tallest mountain from top to bottom is Rheasilvia, located on the asteroid Vesta.

The most high peak on the ground - Chomolungma, 8848 meters. If you count not from sea level, but from the base to the top, then the most high mountain is the Hawaiian volcano Mauna Kea, it rises 4205 meters above sea level, but part of the mountain is hidden under water, the height from the base is 10203 meters.

The mountain ranges have about a hundred peaks over 7,000 meters high. There are two peaks in the world that have not yet been conquered by climbers - Gangkhar Puensum (Bhutan), 7570 meters and Saser Kangri II (India), 7518 meters.

In the Himalayas, 30 peaks have an altitude above 7500 meters, 14 peaks have an altitude above 8000 meters.

Peak of Ama Dablam in Nepal

Mount Monadnock in the United States has a small height of 965 meters, but is known for being the most climbed mountain by climbers.

The highest camp site, which looks like a village, is located at the foot of Everest, at an altitude of 6330 meters. Despite the fact that all the buildings are tents, there is a hospital, a kitchen, and sleeping places. Smaller camps are located at altitudes of 5900, 6400, 7300, 7950 meters. Climbers stop in them for a while so that the body gets used to the altitude.

The Sherpa people of the Himalayas are accustomed to altitude. They help tourists make ascents. One of the Sherpas reached the top of Everest in 8 hours 56 minutes.

The most famous climber is Reinhold Messner. He conquered 14 peaks higher than 8 kilometers. In 1978, he and Peter Habeler climbed Everest without oxygen tanks for the first time. In 1980, he climbed Everest alone for the first time. In 1980, he conquered three 8,000-meter peaks in one year.

Everest was first conquered in 1953 by New Zealander Edmund Hillary and his Sherpa guide Tenzing Norgay.

The highest mountain in Africa is Mount Kilimanjaro (5895 meters). Despite the fact that the mountain is located in a hot area, its top is always covered with snow.

The Alps occupy two-thirds of the area of ​​Switzerland.

Most high waterfall- Angel (Venezuelan state of Bolivar), its height is 979 meters, the height of the continuous fall is 807 meters.

Highest active volcano- Chilean mountain Ojos del Salado, its height is almost 7 kilometers.

High mountain settlements

Fun facts about high mountain cities. La Paz is the highest capital in the world, with an average altitude of 3,600 meters (buildings are located at an altitude of 3 to 4 kilometers). In fact, the capital of Bolivia is not La Paz, but Sucre, but most government institutions are located in La Paz. El Alto Airport is located at an altitude of 4061 meters, ranking second in height in the world (the highest airport is in China, altitude - 4411 meters). The water in La Paz boils at 88 degrees Celsius. The local stadium is the highest certified by the International Football Federation; for other stadiums there is a rule that they should not be located at an altitude of more than 2.5 kilometers if they want to organize international matches. Interestingly, the central bus station of this city was designed by Gustav Eiffel, the architect of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

If we assume that La Paz is not the capital, then the highest capital of the world is Lhasa (Tibet), altitude 3650 meters. Lhasa is the capital of the Chinese Autonomous Region; until 1951, the city was the capital of the independent state of Tibet.

Peru has the highest mountain city in the world - La Riconada, the central part is at an altitude of 5100 meters. The population is quite significant, about 30 thousand inhabitants.

The highest mountain city in the world with a population of more than 50 thousand people is Cerro de Pasco, Peru. The central part is located at an altitude of 4380 meters, the population is about 70 thousand people.

The highest metropolis is El Alto, with a population of more than 1 million people. The height of the central part is 4100 meters.

The highest mountain city in the territory former USSR- Murghab, Tajikistan, population - 6300 people, height of the central part - 3612 meters.

The Dagestan settlement of Kurush is located at an altitude of 2600 meters. It is considered the highest in the Caucasus and Europe, the population is 830 people.

Danger

The weather can be deceiving - it can be hot during the day, but the temperature can plummet at night. You need to be careful, since hypothermia, which can lead to serious health consequences and even death, can occur even at a temperature of 10 degrees Celsius. And this temperature can be in normal summer, so you should always take warm clothes with you to the mountains and take care in advance of the possibility of making a fire and preparing warm food.

In winter, it is easy to get frostbite in the mountains. Contrary to popular belief, alcoholic drinks do not warm you up, but contribute to rapid hypothermia, and, if there is severe frost outside, then frostbite of the extremities. Alcohol dilates blood vessels, and heat leaves the body faster. So in the cold it is better not to drink alcohol, but to warm up with quick movements. In addition, alcoholic drinks dull vigilance; under their influence a person can even fall asleep, which is very dangerous in the mountains, where frost can come suddenly even in the summer.

Avalanches pose a great danger. In order for a dangerous wave of snow to fall, it is not necessary that the slope be steep; under certain conditions, when a layer of melted water forms between the snow and the ground, an avalanche can fall on a slope of only 8 degrees. So a gentle mountain may seem completely harmless in appearance, but in fact it is fraught with mortal danger. It is very difficult for a person stuck in an avalanche to get out, since the snow compressed by the avalanche has almost the same density as concrete, so you need to be very careful and try not to climb snow-covered slopes. Sports climbers should have the most reliable insurance and third-party observers who can help if problems arise.

Nowadays, a popular wingsuit sport is flying, when an athlete glides in a special suit with small wings, this clothing is called a wing suit. Despite the spectacular nature of this sport, it is very dangerous; according to statistics, about 2 jumps out of 1000 end in death, as athletes jump from cliffs; most deaths occur due to impacts on a rock (about a third of tragic cases). When jumping from an airplane, the mortality rate is lower, but also significant - up to 30 tragic cases per 100,000 jumps.

Mountaineering is also dangerous, especially when it comes to the Himalayan peaks. Most dangerous mountain Annapurna is considered, every fourth climber dies during the ascent. The world's highest mountain, Qomolungma (Everest), has similar statistics. Since it is very difficult and dangerous to bring the bodies of the dead down from this mountain, the dead remain on the slopes, this is an eerie reminder that you should not take too many risks, even for significant sporting achievements. Here it is impossible to refer to the inexperience of the athletes, since the most experienced climbers, the strongest and most courageous people, climb eight-thousanders, but probably also the most reckless, because even if they manage to descend safely, it is very often with frostbite, which can result in amputation of limbs . Mountaineering is a great sport, but you need to be extremely careful when climbing difficult peaks.

In Russian ski resort In Dombay in 2013, a large Zorb ball, in which there were two people, rolled into a deep mountain gorge. There were two people in the balloon - one tourist suffered a compression fracture of the spine and died on the way to the hospital, the other received a concussion. The cause of the tragedy was non-compliance with safety rules - one person was catching the ball at the bottom of the long route; there were no barriers on the side of the cliff. After the attraction employee failed to catch the ball, it rolled (actually flew) down the rocky slope for another one and a half kilometers and ended up in such an inaccessible place that even trained rescuers found it difficult to reach it.

There are many “mountain” sports - mountaineering, rock climbing, ice climbing, hiking, alpine skiing, snowboarding, sledding, mountain biking, sledding through volcanic ash, zorbing (ballooning down a mountain), hang gliding, paragliding, kite flying (often combined with skiing), wingsuit, bungee jumping, speleology, rafting ( rafting and other floating means), canyoning (traversing canyons without equipment). All mountain sports are dangerous, but this does not mean that they should not be practiced. You need to follow safety precautions, be careful, and not drink alcohol, then entertainment associated with a high level of adrenaline in the blood may not become completely safe, but at least it will be safer. Remember, unnecessary risk is always unacceptable, do not do anything that could threaten your health and life.

Mountaineering is a rewarding activity. An example of “folk mountaineering” can be South Korea. In South Korea, the most common entertainment among people of any age is hiking in the mountains. It is not surprising if after the holiday people do not sleep off, but get together and go to the mountains in a group. Perhaps this tradition exists because holidays in this country are very short and can only be a few days a year. There are also few public holidays - about 10 days a year, and if they fall on Sunday, they are not transferred to Monday. People use every possible moment to relax in nature. And mountains in South Korea are almost everywhere - this is a country with complex but very picturesque terrain.