How the mountains were formed in Crimea. Crimean mountains

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Formation of mountains. Theories of the origin of mountains.

The process of mountain formation is called orogenesis(from the Greek oros - mountain and genesis - origin). To date, scientists have not yet come to a consensus regarding the mechanism of the formation of mountains. Let's consider main hypotheses of mountain formation, recognized by the scientific community.

1 hypothesis of mountain formation - Submergence of oceanic basins.

When carefully studying the map of the Earth, you can pay attention to the fact that mountains are mainly located along the edges of continents. This circumstance gave rise to the first hypothesis of mountain formation. According to this hypothesis, the rocks underlying the continents are lighter than the rocks that make up the ocean floor. Therefore, during the movements of matter inside the Earth, the continents are, as it were, squeezed upward, while at the edges of the continent they form fold mountains. The disadvantage of this theory is that it does not explain the presence of mountains inside continents (for example, the Himalayas). Also, this theory does not recognize the presence geosynclinal troughs – inland depressions of the earth’s crust that existed before the formation of mountains in these places.

2nd hypothesis of mountain formation - Kober's Hypothesis.

The hypothesis is named after the Austrian scientist Leopold Kober. Kober studied geological structure Alps The Alps are convenient mountains for studying, since they are young and have not yet suffered from destruction processes. So, during his research, Kober found out that the Alps consist mainly of sedimentary rocks. Scientists also found that these rocks were subjected to strong lateral compression, which resulted in the formation of powerful folds. Reflecting on the data obtained, the Austrian suggested that there was once a geosynclinal trough in this place, closed on both sides forelands (solid massifs) of Northern Europe and Northern Africa. Subsequently, these forelands began to converge, pushing upward the weak sedimentary rocks of the geosyncline. Layers of rock rose, crushed and toppled onto the approaching forelands. This is how, according to Kober, the Alps were formed. But, if this theory is completely suitable for the Alps, then in relation to the formation of other mountains of the Earth it does not stand up to criticism.

3 hypothesis of mountain formation - Continental drift hypothesis

This hypothesis of mountain formation is similar to the first in that it is based on the location of the main part mountain ranges on the outskirts of continents. But, unlike the first, it explains this circumstance by continental drift. Continents, as we know, are constantly in motion, moving at a speed of several centimeters per year. During this drift, mountains appear on the edge of the advancing continent. An example is the Andes (drift South America to the west) and the Atlas Mountains (African drift to the north).

At first, the hypothesis of continental drift was accepted by the scientific community, but was later rejected. The reason for this was the question of the force that moves the continents. None of the assumptions could explain the movements of the huge masses of the continents. At this point the theory was temporarily forgotten.

4th hypothesis of mountain formation - Hypothesis of convection (subcrustal) currents

According to this theory, in the depths of our planet there are convection currents that cause lowering (a geosyncline with a layer of sedimentary rocks is formed) and raising (mountains are formed) of the earth's crust. It would seem that the hypothesis has the right to life: it explains both the presence of geosynclines and the formation of mountains. But this hypothesis also cannot be considered fundamental, since it is based on unconfirmed scientific data. The presence of these same convection currents in the bowels of the Earth has not yet been proven; the viscosity, fluidity, and crystalline structure of rocks in the mantle - the shell of the Earth between the earth's crust and core - have not been measured.

5th hypothesis of mountain formation - Contraction, or compression of the Earth, hypothesis

The hypothesis is based on the theory that our planet has been constantly shrinking in volume since its formation. Compression occurs unevenly, abruptly from the center of the Earth, which ultimately leads to deformation of the earth's crust. During the first compression, the earth's crust, bending, forms a geosyncline, which is filled with seas and sediments. The young, relatively weak rocks of the geosyncline begin to be subject to pressure from nearby older massive rocks. During the next compression, this pressure increases, and folded mountains, complicated by thrusts, are formed in the geosyncline area.

This hypothesis explains the formation of mountains on the site of ancient geosynclines. However, there were objections to this theory. Some geologists believe that the compression of the Earth was not strong enough to lead to the formation of so many mountains. Also in opposition to this hypothesis is another hypothesis, which suggests that the Earth is not shrinking at all, but, on the contrary, expanding. If this is really so, then the significance of the contraction theory of mountain formation is reduced to zero.

6 hypothesis of mountain formation, modern - Theory of plate tectonics.

In the 60s In the 20th century, the movement of lithospheric plates was proven. Data were obtained on the processes of expansion of the oceanic crust (spreading) and the subduction of some parts of the crust under others (subduction). This circumstance gave a new impetus to the development of the theory of continental movement. The force that moves the continents has finally been found! Combining new data with old ideas gave rise to the theory of plate tectonics. It is with this theory and its manifestations that modern scientists associate the processes of mountain formation.

You can read more about the movement of lithospheric plates

Geological epochs of folding.

Mountain-building processes on Earth did not occur gradually and evenly, but in waves or cycles. These cycles are called tectonic cycles or folding epochs, since the mountain-building process is the process of transforming a geosyncline into a folded system.

The earth has experienced several geological eras of folding:

• Huronian (Baikal) folding era,
• Caledonian folding era,
• Hercynian folding era,
• Mesozoic folding era,
• Alpine folding era.

The Huronian (Baikal) era is the first geological era of folding.

The era of the Huronian (Baikal) geological epoch of folding.

Mountain systems formed during the Huronian (Baikal) geological era of folding.

Typical areas The development of geosynclinal formations formed as a result of the Baikal folding era are:

• fold systems of the Yenisei Ridge,
• Baikal mountain region.

In addition, many Paleozoic fold systems have ancient cores, formed during the Huronian (Baikal) geological era of folding ( baicalids). These include folding systems:

• Ural,
• Taymyra,
• Central Kazakhstan,
• Northern Tien Shan,
• Significant areas of the basement of the West Siberian Plate, etc.

Not all geosynclinal formations and structures formed in the Late Precambrian belong to the Baikal geological folding era. Her analogues found on all continents of the Earth, for example:

• Cadomian (Assyntian) - Western Europe (France),
• Katangese - Africa,
• Gadri and Brazilian - America,
• Luinskaya - Australia.

Areas of the Baikal (Huronian) and Caledonian geological folding era. Map.

Caledonian era - the second geological era of folding

The era of the Caledonian geological folding era.

Mountain systems formed during the Caledonian geological folding era.

During the era of mountain building, which took place in the Ordovician and Silurian periods, mountains formed:

• most of the British Isles,
• northwestern Scandinavia,
• western part of Central Kazakhstan, etc.

Also to the Caledonides(rock formations of the geological era of the Caledonian folding) relate:

• in Europe - the Caledonides of Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Northern England, the northwestern parts of the Scandinavian Peninsula, the islands of Spitsbergen;
• in Asia - the Caledonides of Central Kazakhstan (western part), Western Sayan, Gorny Altai, Mongolian Altai and Southeast China;
• folded structures of Tasmania and the Lachlan system Eastern Australia, Northern and Eastern Greenland, Newfoundland and Northern Appalachians;

Except Moreover, manifestations of the Caledonian geological epoch, folding was established in the Urals, in the northeastern part of the Verkhoyansk-Chukchi region, in the east of Alaska, in the Central and Northern Andes and in some other younger folded structures.

Hercynian epoch - the third geological epoch of folding

The era of the Hercynian geological folding era.

Mountain systems formed during the Hercynian geological folding era.

This era of folding is characterized by the formation of mountains:

• Western Europe,
• Ural,
• Tien Shan,
• Altai,
• Kunlun,
• Dzhungar-Balkhash and Ob-Zaisan fold systems.

Late Paleozoic tectonic movements are clearly visible in the following mountainous areas globe:

• in the Pacific mobile belt,
• in Transbaikalia,
• in Sikhote-Alin,
• in Japan (Honshu folding),
• V North America(Appalachian folding),
• in Australia,
• V North Africa(Moroccan Meseta), etc.

Areas of the Hercynian and Mesozoic geological folding era. Map.

Mesozoic era - the fourth geological era of folding

The era of the Mesozoic geological folding era.

Mountain systems formed during the Mesozoic geological folding era.

Geological era of Mesozoic folding, manifested mainly along the periphery Pacific Ocean, is divided into the following phases:

• Ancient Cimmerian (Indosinian),
• Yuno-Cimmerian (Kolyma, Nevada or Andean),
• Austrian,
• Laramie.

Ancient Cimmerian (Indosinian) geological era of folding appeared at the end of the Triassic - the beginning of the Jurassic.

• Crimea,
• Northern Dobruja,
• in Taimyr,
• in Northern Afghanistan,
• in Southeast Asia,
• in the Patagonian Andes,
• in Northeastern Argentina.

Yuno-Cimmerian (Kolyma, Nevada or Andean) geological era of folding appeared at the end of the Jurassic - the beginning of the Cretaceous.

During this phase of the Mesozoic folding era, the formation of mountains in the following regions and regions of the Earth took place:

• in the Verkhoyansk-Chukotka region,
• in the Central and South-Eastern Pamirs,
• in Karakoram,
• in Central Iran,
• in the Caucasus,
• in the Western Cordillera of North America,
• in the Andes and other areas.

Austrian geological folding era appeared at the boundary of the Early and Late Cretaceous.

Laramie geological folding epoch- one of the youngest eras of Mesozoic folding, manifested itself at the end of the Cretaceous - the beginning of the Paleogene.

During this phase of the Mesozoic folding era, the formation of mountains in the following regions and regions of the Earth took place:

• in the Rocky Mountain regions of North America,
• in the Andes of South America, etc.

In addition to the listed phases of the Mesozoic geological folding era The Pacific fold stands out independently. It manifested itself in areas adjacent to the Pacific Ocean:

• in East Asia,
• in the Cordilleras,
• in the Andes.

Alpine epoch - the fifth geological epoch of folding

The era of the Alpine geological folding era.

Areas of the Alpine geological folding era. Map.

Mountain systems formed during the Alpine geological folding era.

The Alpine geological epoch of folding was most widely manifested in the Mediterranean and Pacific mobile belts.

Area of ​​typical manifestation of the Alpine folding era – The Alps, which is what the origin of the name of this era is connected with.

In general, during this era of folding, the formation of mountains in the following areas of the globe occurred:

• in Europe:

Pyrenees, Andalusian Mountains, Apennines, Carpathians, Dinaric Mountains, Stara Planina, Crimean mountains, Caucasus mountains;

• in North Africa:

northern part of the Atlas Mountains;

• in Asia:

Pontic Mountains and Taurus, Turkmen-Khorasan Mountains, Elborz and Zagros, Suleiman Mountains, Himalayas, folded chains of Burma, Indonesia, Kamchatka, Japanese and Philippine Islands;

• in North America:

folded ridges Pacific Coast Alaska and California;

• In South America:

The Alpine folding era also includes archipelagos flanking Australia to the east, including islands New Guinea and New Zealand.

Geological epochs of folding on the territory of Russia:

• Baikal folding era (1200-520 million years) - Eastern Sayan, Yenisei Ridge;
• Caledonian folding era (460-400 million years) - Western Sayan, eastern Altai;
• Hercynian folding era (300-230 million years) - Ural Mountains, western part of Altai;
• Mesozoic folding era (160-70 million years) - Chersky ridge, Verkhoyansk ridge;
• Cenozoic era of folding (Alpine) (30 million years - BC) - Caucasus, Sredinny Range.

In ancient times, in place of the mountains in Crimea, there was a sea. The bottom of the Black Sea was uneven, divided by underwater ridges into deep elongated troughs in which sand and clay accumulated. In some places the ridges rose above sea level, forming rocky islands with an indented coastline. In the marshy areas of quiet shallow bays, tropical plants accumulated along with silt and sand, which later turned into coal.

In the eastern part of Crimea lies Kerch Peninsula, cut by the low Parpach ridge. In place of the mountains in the Crimea, in the Middle Jurassic era the sea continued to spread. Its bottom was uneven, divided by underwater ridges into deep elongated hollows in which sand and clay accumulated. In some places the ridges rose above sea level, forming rocky islands with an indented coastline. In the marshy areas of quiet shallow bays, tropical plants accumulated along with silt and sand, which later turned into coal.

The continuing subsidence of the bottom of the geosyncline in the Middle Jurassic era again led to the formation of faults along which magma again rushed from the depths. This era was the time of the most intense volcanic activity in the mountainous Crimea. Remains of Middle Jurassic volcanoes were found in many parts of Crimea - on Kara-Dag, near the village of Limeny (Blue Bay), near Melas and Foros, near the village of Karagach (Kizilovka) near Simferopol and in other places.

At the border of the Middle and Upper Jurassic epochs there occurs most important event in the geological history of mountainous Crimea: for a relatively short period, almost the entire landmass of mountainous Crimea becomes elevated above sea level. During this period of time, the main features of the “architecture” of the mountains in Crimea were formed. Then the sea returns to the mountainous Crimea again, but occupies a much smaller area. It was no longer an extensive geosyncline, but a narrow and long trough in which calcareous silts accumulated, which later transformed into limestones. Nowadays they form the uppermost part of the First Ridge.

The Late Jurassic trough, with some changes, also existed in the Lower Cretaceous era. By the middle of the Cretaceous period, the third major uplift in the history of the Crimean Mountains occurred: the islands, merging with each other, form the base of the future mountain range. Volcanoes appeared on some islands. The volcanic activity of the Cretaceous period was the last stage of volcanism in the mountainous Crimea. And although there were many more turbulent events in its further geological history, lava outpourings did not recur.
In subsequent geological epochs, the rise of the mountainous Crimea expands, and its modern appearance is formed. Initially a vast island, it gradually turns into a peninsula. Development proceeded unevenly: the earth's crust either sank, and the outskirts of the peninsula were flooded with the sea, or rose significantly in the form of a wide flat arch.

In the middle Neogene period(11 - 12 million years ago), the territory on the site of the mountainous Crimea was never again flooded by the sea. The surface, leveled by the sea, was raised by tectonic processes to a height of up to 1300 m. This is the level of the flat peaks of the First Ridge. The rise of the mountains in Crimea led to a sharp increase in the destructive activity of rivers. Massifs of rocks broke off from the coastal limestone cliffs of the First Ridge and slid down steep slopes to the sea.

Particularly prominent is one of the last stages of the geological history of the Earth - the Quaternary, which is also called glacial. At this time, in the northern hemisphere, not only high mountains, but the adjacent plains were also covered with ice. Large glaciers The mountain ranges of the Carpathians and the Caucasus, adjacent to the Crimea peninsula, also covered. In Crimea, no direct signs of glacial activity were found either in the foothills or in the mountains. But some scientists believe that during the maximum glaciation on the Russian Plain, the Crimean Mountains, already significantly elevated, were covered with powerful accumulations of snow, and perhaps even with glaciers. In the middle of the Quaternary period, Arctic foxes lived here, reindeer, lynx. The vegetation on the northern slope of the Crimean Mountains was represented by birch forest-steppe. And when the climate warmed, traces of glacial activity on the yailas were destroyed by the rapid dissolution of limestones.

Connected to the mainland by the narrow Perekop Isthmus, the mountainous Crimea has the shape of a quadrangle with a wide protrusion - in the east the long protrusion of the Kerch Peninsula, in the north-west the Tarkhankut Peninsula. The area of ​​Crimea is approximately 26 thousand square meters. km. Distance from the southern point Crimea - Cape Sarych to Perekop in the north - 195 km, in the latitudinal direction from the Kerch Peninsula to Cape Tarkhankut - 325 km. Crimea is washed from the south and west by the Black Sea, from the east by Sivash - a shallow lagoon Sea of ​​Azov.
The surface of Crimea is sharply divided into a northern, flat (steppe) part, occupying three-quarters of the peninsula's area, and a southern, mountainous part, which accounts for a quarter of the entire area.
The relief of the plain part of Crimea is quite monotonous. The picture is different in the mountainous Crimea. The mountains stretch along the southern coast of the peninsula in the form of a gentle arc more than 160 km long. They consist of three ridges, gradually rising to the south and breaking off at the Black Sea coast with a multi-hundred-meter ledge.

The first, or Main ridge, is the highest, stretches along the coast from Feodosia to Balaklava. Between its northern gentle and southern steep slopes there is a leveled surface of ridges, the so-called yaylas, wide in some places (up to 8 km), narrow in others, and even interrupted by deeply incised gorges.
The height of the yayl is different. Above all is Babagun-yayla. It contains the most high peaks Crimean mountains - Roman-Kosh (1545 m) and Demir-Kapu (1540 m).
The second ridge is significantly lower than the first (up to 600 - 750 m above sea level). It goes north, parallel to it, separated by a wide longitudinal valley.
The third ridge is the lowest, its height does not exceed 350 m at sea level. It is located north of the Second and is separated from it by a longitudinal valley, especially clearly expressed between Sevastopol and Simferopol.
In the eastern part of Crimea lies the Kerch Peninsula, cut by the low Parpach ridge.

The mountains on the Crimean peninsula are quite different. Some of them are picturesque, and some are very high and dangerous. In all cases, each of them has its own unique flavor.

The mountains of Crimea continue to be explored by scientists even today. However, it has long been known that they are formed by three ridges stretching parallel in the direction from northeast to southwest. Between them are two vast picturesque valleys.

The article provides more detailed information about some of the most remarkable mountains of Crimea: photos, names, descriptions, Interesting Facts etc.

General information about Crimea

Two quite important natural factors for tourism coexist here: a clean and warm sea, unique and picturesque mountains. The second one is suitable for romantic hiking and rock climbing, as well as for various winter sports. Some mountainous areas have the status of natural reserves, along which a variety of tourist routes for climbers. Other mountains are interesting for lovers of antiquity, as they have the remains of the ruins of ancient fortifications, and some are simply picturesque and equipped with convenient viewing platforms.

In any case, almost all peaks offer magnificent views of the coast and sea.

Characteristics of the mountain system

The entire mountain system occupies the south and southeast of the peninsula, and is called the Crimean Mountains. The system was formed, as noted above, by three mountain ranges. They stretch from Feodosia (Cape St. Elijah) to Balaklava (Cape Aya). The length is 160 kilometers, width is approximately 50 km. The inner ridge has a height of 750 meters. It is represented by several cuestas that smoothly rise to 350 meters. The highest point of the mountains is located on the main ridge stretching along the southern coast of Crimea. This mountain Southern Crimea called Roman-Kosh. It rises to a height of 1545 meters and is located on Babugan-yayla (the highest massif of the Crimean mountains).

In general, there are many mountains in Crimea. Even during the entire vacation it is impossible to see them all. There is a big plus that is a feature of these places - no matter where the seaside resort is located, there is always a picturesque hill or mountain on the coast of Crimea where you can walk or go on an excursion.

A little about the origin of the Crimean Mountains

If the mountains of Crimea are considered in geological terms, then it can be noted that the Main Ridge is an elevated block with several faults on the northern side. A similar structure formed in the Early Cretaceous period, after other synclinal (concave) troughs closed in the southern part of the peninsula, and the surface of Crimea rose. All this gave the landscape its current shape. The mountains are mainly composed of sedimentary rocks 180-200 million years old. Moreover, they are distributed rather unevenly. At the very bottom there are quartzite sandstones and shales, crushed into folds, and then higher up there are conglomerates, igneous rocks and layers of clays and sandstones. Higher up there are Upper Jurassic limestones, conglomerates, clay and sandstones.

Geologically, the Crimean Mountains are part of the Alpine folded region of Europe.

The most famous mountains

The following Crimean mountains are of particular interest to tourists:

• Ak-Kaya (valley of the Biyuk-Karasu river near the village of Belaya).
• Bakatash (Dachnoe village).
• Taraktash (between the village of Kamenka and Sudak).
• Angarsk Pass (according to other Angar-Bogaz).
• Rock of Dates (between the settlements of Zelenogorye and Privetnoye).
• Baydarskie Gate pass (in Foros).
• Ai-George (on Solnechnaya Dolina).
• Cape Plaka (Utes village).
• Rock Diva and Cat Mountain (near Simeiz).
• Valley of Ghosts (near Alushta).
• Paragilmen (near the village of Old Mayak).
• Rock Red Stone (in Gurzuf).
• Ayu-Dag (or Bear Mountain in Crimea - the most famous in the whole world).
• Roman-kosh (opposite Mount Ayu-Dag).
• Ai-Petri (Alupka-Koreiz).
• Sokol (between settlements New World and Sudak).
• Demerdzhi (near Alushta).
• Kara-Dag (near the village of Koktebel).
• Meganom (Sudak-Solnechnaya Dolina).

All these mountains, massifs and rocks have their own separate history. Below are the most unique, bright and famous of them.

The highest mountain of Crimea

This peak is part of the huge Babugan-yayla massif, which is part of the Crimean Nature Reserve. This is Roman-Kosh. Some geologists are of the opinion that this mountain is a volcano, but not fully formed.

Its name is translated differently among the inhabitants of the peninsula. According to one version, it has Indo-Aryan roots and its meaning is “upper rest stop.” Another version is much simpler - translated from the language of the Crimean Tatars it means “forest pasture”.

Today, climbing to the top of Roman-Kosh is quite a difficult task. And this is due to the fact that it is located in Crimean nature reserve. Unaccompanied tourists are prohibited from entering it. Only official bus and car excursions with a ranger are allowed here. Otherwise, foresters can send you back and issue an administrative fine in Alushta.

It should be noted that from the height of Roman-Kosha, stunning landscapes open in all directions.

Northern and Southern Demerdzhi

Mount Demerdzhi (Crimea) is a large mountain range located near Alushta. It has two peaks: Northern (height 1356 m), Southern (1239 meters). The difference in height is almost 100 meters, but the one below is more popular.

South Demerdzhi is composed of limestones that have been exposed to rain and winds for thousands of years. Thanks to this, the rocks located at the top and at the foot acquired the most incredible shapes and shapes, reminiscent of people and animals.

From the Crimean Tatar language the name is translated as “blacksmith”, but even earlier the mountain was called Funa, which translated means “smoking”. The first name remains with the fortress built at the foot. Also located near Demerdzhi was the village of Luchistoye, which until the mid-20th century bore the name of the same name as the mountain. After the strong collapse that occurred, this locality was moved away from the array.

South Demerdzhi attracts with its Valley of Ghosts, views of Chatyr-Dag, Moonlight Glade, etc.

The Legend of Demerdzhi

A very touching legend tells that nomads once conquered the Funa fortress. They set up a forge on the mountain, in which local village men were forced to work. And all the work was supervised by a blacksmith with a black beard.

One day, one girl named Maria decided to stand up for the men and asked that the workers be released. The chief blacksmith agreed on the condition that she would marry him. When the girl refused, the angry blacksmith killed her, and at that moment the mountain shook, turning everyone on it into stone statues.

In Crimea this is one of the most beautiful mountains ranks fifth in height (1234 meters). It is known to almost every tourist who has visited this peninsula. It is at an altitude of 1234 meters that tourists find themselves when disembarking from the cable car. Construction of this crossing began in 1967 and lasted 20 years. It should be noted that Miskhor-Ai-Petri is a cable car with one of the longest unsupported spans in Europe.

Ai-Petri translated means “Saint Peter”. There is a legend associated with this name about a young man and his girlfriend. The young man's name was Peter. Their parents were against their marriage, and the young people, having climbed the mountain, decided to die together by throwing themselves from a height. However, there was no suitable area for both of them, so the young man had to jump first. At that moment, his girlfriend screamed out of fear, “St. Peter!”, after which she changed her mind about taking her own life.

A must-see for tourists is the observation deck on the Zubtsy. These rocks have been a natural monument since 1947, and from its observation deck the entire southern coast of the peninsula is visible.

There are 3 caves on Ai-Petri: Yaltinskaya, Trekhglazka and Geofizicheskaya. It should be noted that the air temperature in them never rises above +12 degrees.

Ayu-Dag, covered in legends

Bear Mountain in Crimea (see photo in the article) is familiar to many both for its bizarre appearance and for the fact that on one of its mighty sides it shelters the famous Artek camp in the resort Gurzuf.

This huge hill is located between Partenit and Gurzuf. It is clearly visible from many places on the Crimean coast; its appearance is easily recognizable in all photographs.

This mountain is interesting for both natural and man-made attractions. You can find minerals here such as pyrite, tourmaline, vesuvian and amethyst. The stands on Red Square in Moscow are lined with gabbro-diabase from these places. There are also lead crystals that appear as a result of volcanic processes.

Geologists have suggested that this massif is located directly above a major fault in the earth’s crust. Transverse deep cracks I testify to this.

The forests covering the mountain contain pistachios, strawberries and other rare plants that can be up to several hundred years old. Crocuses, snowdrops, orchids and wild gladioli bloom here in spring and summer. "Bear's Nose" is the only place where Crimean forest cabbage grows. Diverse and animal world in these places (16 species are listed in the Red Book).

The archeology of Bear Mountain is also rich. The remains of Tauri settlements, Christian and pagan temples were discovered on it, among which there are structures decorated with statues of Zeus and other Greek gods. Here you can see both the fortress walls and the burial ground of Christians. The descendants of the Scythians, Alans and Byzantines lived in these places. The massif was densely populated until the 15th century, but later people no longer settled here. Scientists explain this by the earthquake that occurred here, which blocked the supply to these places. drinking water.

Some interesting facts about Crimea

1. A hundred years ago the peninsula was called Taurida. And in the composition Russian Empire Crimea was called the Tauride province.
2. Archaeologists in the Crimean mountains, in the Kiik-Koba cave, discovered traces of a Neanderthal site.
3. Due to the presence of diverse climatic zones, the peninsula has many endemic species of plants and animals. In total, 240 species of such plants grow in Crimea.
4. The peninsula is famous for the longest trolleybus route on the planet. The trolleybus runs between Simferopol and Yalta, and the length of this route is 86 km.
5. In Crimea there is a power plant operating on solar powered and being, according to 2014 data, the most powerful. It was built in the village of Perovo by the Austrians in 2011.
6. The films “Farewell of the Slav” and “Treasure Island” were filmed in Malorechenskoye, and the legendary “Prisoner of the Caucasus” was filmed in the vicinity of Demerdzhi.

Unique natural phenomena - the Crimean Mountains. They are one of the calling cards of the peninsula and favorite place tourists. The Crimean mountains are a complex structure of mountain ranges, each element of which is completely unique and has its own historical significance.

Even those who do not show much interest in the mountainous Crimea are probably familiar with such names as Ai-Petri, Demerdzhi or Chatyrdag. Ai-Petri is famous for one of the best cable cars and views of the Black Sea and Yalta from its slopes and top. Demerdzhi is remembered by tourists for its Valley of Ghosts, and Chatyrdag for its amazing miraculous caves. However, in Crimea there are many other interesting mountain peaks, which do not bypass tourist routes.

Interesting fact:
The mountains of Crimea cannot be called very high; they are lower than the Caucasus, Altai and the Alps. Height itself big mountains Roman-Kosh is only 1545 m.

Origin of the Crimean Mountains

200 million years ago, a huge Tethys ocean existed in this place. The Crimean mountain ranges are mainly of sedimentary origin. But sometimes their formation was accompanied by the rise of hot magma to the surface. One of the most noticeable evidence of volcanic activity is Mount Karadag. Sometimes magma solidified inside the massifs, so it was formed famous mountain Ayu-Dag (Bear Mountain). But most of the Crimean peaks are composed of calcareous rocks, which are easily weathered to form bizarre shapes.

Diversity of the Crimean Mountains

The Crimean mountains consist of three main parts:

• the first (southern, or main) ridge;
• second (middle, or inner) ridge;
• third (outer) ridge.

The first ridge of the Crimean mountains

The southernmost and most high part Crimean mountains, with steep slopes approaching directly to the waters of the Black Sea. Most of the peaks are mountain plateaus covered with flowering alpine meadows, here they are called yayla. The main ridge consists of several massifs: Ai-Petrinskaya yayla, Yalta, Gurzuf and others.

Here are the most interesting natural objects: Chatyrdag caves, bizarre outlier figures of Demerdzhi, one and a half thousand meters high, led by Roman-Kosh. On the periphery of the Ai-Petrinskaya Yayla there is a stunning natural monument - Grand Canyon Crimea.

The mountains create a unique climate for Yalta, protecting it from harsh northern winds. Pine forests covering the foothills of the mountains have long been a favorite place for walks. And the peaks surrounding the city make it possible to make exciting hikes every day.

Second ridge of the Crimean Mountains

The second, or internal, ridge begins with the Mekenziev Mountains on the outskirts of Sevastopol and stretches to the Old Crimea. Average height mountains 400-500 m, maximum – 739 m.

The third ridge of the Crimean mountains

These are the low foothills, their maximum height 352 m. The outer ridge is located on the border of the steppe and mountain ranges. It stretches from Cape Fiolent to Simferopol and further to the northeast. The third ridge includes the Sapun Mountain hill in the center of Sevastopol.

This ridge is famous for many medieval cave cities. The most interesting: Chufut-Kale, Mangup and Tepe-Kermen. White Rock(Ak-Kaya) in the vicinity of Belogorsk became the location for filming many Soviet films. And thousands of years ago this mountain sheltered primitive people in its caves.

Posted Sun, 05/04/2015 - 07:27 by Cap

The surface of Crimea is sharply divided into a northern, flat part, occupying approximately three-quarters of the peninsula's area, and a southern, mountainous part. The relief of the flat part is monotonous: in the north it is a completely flat, table-like plain; railway station Dzhankoy is slightly shaggy. To the west on the Tarkhankut Peninsula there are low ridges, and near Simferopol the foothills begin.
The Crimean Mountains stretch along the southern coast of the peninsula in a gentle arc more than 160 km long and up to 40 - 50 km wide. They are clearly divided into three ridges: Main, Inner and Outer.
The main ridge stretches from Balaklava to Feodosia. Its peaks are leveled surfaces, wide in some places (up to 8 km), narrow in others, and even completely interrupted by deeply incised upper reaches of rivers. Such flat mountain peaks are called yayla (the word “yayla” is of Turkic origin, meaning “summer pasture”). The height of the Main Ridge above sea level reaches 1200 - 1500 m. The highest is Babugan-yayla, crowned by the Roman-Kosh peak (1545 m). The coastal strip adjacent to the Main Ridge is called the Southern Coast of Crimea. They also distinguish the Heraclean Peninsula, located between the western edge of the Southern Bank and the valley of the Chernaya River near Sevastopol.

Crimean Mountains (Mountain Crimea)

The internal ridge is significantly lower than the Main Ridge (up to 600 - 760 m above sea level). It stretches parallel to the Main River and is separated from it by an interridge depression of 10 - 25 km. In some places there are isolated low mountains and short ridges with flat tops, formed during the erosion of the Inner Ridge. These are the remnant mountains of Mangup, Eski-Kermen, Tepe-Kermen and others - natural bastions on which fortified cities were built in the Middle Ages.

Having examined the conglomerates, let's move on. The path goes to another clone of the Valley of Ghosts, goes deeper into the forest, winds along a steep slope and leads out to a vast area with a palisade of heavy weathering figures in the form of squat cones. A surprisingly pleasant place to relax. There was amazing silence all around, noisy roads were far away. Then the wide path gradually rises to the top of South Demerdzhi. You find yourself in a peculiar and picturesque world. The rocks, constantly blown by the wind, are cut into niches and cells. In some places there are so many of them that they look like giant honeycombs. We will climb along the ravine to a cliff with a triangulation sign on the top of South Demerdzhi (altitude 1239 m above sea level).
A wide panorama opens from the top. Before us is the spacious Alushta Valley and the trapezoidal Mount Kastel. In the west you can see the characteristic silhouette of Ayudag, and even further in the bluish haze the jagged crown of Ai-Petri. In the east, a huge flat and long Cape Meganom appears, in front of it is Mount Sokol, similar to a sugarloaf, near Sudak.

MOUNTAIN AI-PETRI
Mount Ai-Petri, depicted on postcards and photographs, topped with a stone crown of battlements, is one of the most popular symbols. From Miskhor or Alupka it looks like a fortress tower guarding the approaches to the Main Ridge. see photos of Mount Ai-Petri
The starting point of the excursion is the Ai-Petri mountain shelter on the yaila of the same name. We can get there by bus from Yalta or Bakhchisarai. You can also get to the yayla from Miskhor along cable car to the top station of the cable car, and from it it’s a stone’s throw to the battlements of Ai-Petri.

So, we are at the mountain shelter. If you face the sea, then to the left above the cliff we will see the Shishko rock, named after the engineer who led it at the end of the 19th century. construction of the Bakhchisaray - Yalta road. In the distance, the blue surface of the sea stretches to the horizon. The streets of Yalta run down to the bay. To the left, a spur of the Nikitskaya Yayla, ending with Cape Martyan, crashed into the sea. Behind it is the humpbacked contour of Ayudag. Closer to the Nikitsky spur in the direction of Yalta, the rocky Iograph ridge extends off, ending with Darsan Hill in Yalta. On the right is the cone-shaped Mount Mogabi, shaped like a volcano. But in reality it is a limestone rock that broke away from the Main Ridge and moved along the slope of the South Coast. To the right of Mogabi, Cape Ai-Todor is visible, stretching out with three “paws” into the sea, behind it resort village Miskhor.
If you stand with your back to the cliff, the hilly Ai-Petri plateau will open. To the left, the characteristic teeth of Ai-Petri rose above the horizon, directly, in the north, the rounded mountain Bedene-Kyr rises; on the right is a series of peaks, the outermost of which is Mount Roca.

Let's go to the deserted part of the yayla to the teeth of Ai-Petri. The round trip journey will be 7 - 8 km. A few tens of meters from the highway a rocky road begins. It bends smoothly, adapting to the depressions between the hills, leaving on the left an unusual geodetic sign in the form of a cast-iron globe on a stone pedestal. On the left along the way the jagged peak of Ai-Petri looms all the time.
Here is the vast Priaipetrinskaya basin. We found ourselves in a world of karst and mountain meadows. Gentle hills alternate with depressions, and limestone ridges with stepped slopes go into the distance. Blocks of limestone with cracks and through holes protrude from the thick grass; the stone is smoothed. There is no forest, only here and there in depressions, protected from the wind, there are groves of beech, hornbeam and pine. All around are lush flowering meadows with the intoxicating aroma of thyme, St. John's wort and lemon balm, and strawberry bushes. The rather rare Crimean ironweed gravitates towards the rocky areas of the highlands. Its pubescent pale green branches with seemingly strung yellow cups emit the aroma of lemon and, easily swayed by the wind, are visible from afar.
In some places on the yaila there are dogwood, rosehip and shaggy pear trees, and clumps of dark green juniper. In general, a real exhibition of the vegetation of the Crimean yayls!

The peculiar relief of the Ai-Petrinskaya yaila, as well as Chatyrdag and other yailas, is of karst origin. Water, penetrating deep into the massif of chemically pure limestone, developed vertical and horizontal channels, which gradually widened and deepened, turning into natural caves, mines and wells. And on the surface of the yayla, cup-shaped depressions appeared.
In the central part of the Priaipetrinskaya basin, the Trekhglazka, or Ledyanaya, mine is accessible for inspection. It opens to the surface with three holes - “eyes”, which determined its name. Along one of them we go down the stairs to a depth of 26 m (the height of a 10-story building!) to the bottom of the mine, to the shore of an underground lake with an area of ​​​​about 300 square meters. In winter, cold air accumulates at the bottom of the shaft and displaces warm air for many months. Due to condensation moisture flowing down, ice is formed, on which the snow that has fallen from above lies (preserving until mid-summer). Above the frozen lake there is the “eye” of the mine, a kind of window, flooding a multi-meter snow cone with bluish light.
In the central hall of the mine, thanks to the special microclimate, ice stalactites and stalagmites were formed, and ice crusts were formed at the bottom. Large accumulations of ice in Trekhglazka have long been known, and the residents of Yalta at the beginning of the 20th century. Ice was mined here to store food.

Limestone reef massifs are also found from Balaklava to Koktebel. This means that in the Late Jurassic, an extended barrier reef arose in the sea on the site of the present South Coast. And to the north of it, across the strait, lay ancient land.
At the cliff of the yayla, the teeth of Ai-Petri rise up like the fangs of a giant dragon. Among them are four especially large ones, up to 12 - 15 m high, and many small ones. The teeth were formed during the weathering of a reef massif cut by faults.
On the way back we will follow the path near the cliff of the Main Ridge. At the edge of the forest we will see a very old yew tree, whose age is estimated at a thousand years. Its crown has almost completely died off and there are many large growths on the trunk, but the dark green needles are still shiny. Even further, already on the southern coastal slope, you can see the “plane pine” - a tree so named because of its completely flat crown, formed by the strong Yaila winds. Then we go out onto the already known mountain road and follow it to the mountain shelter - the beginning of the excursion.

GRAND CANYON
A canyon is a deep narrow valley with steep walls. Often next to it there is a gorge - a valley with steep slopes and a narrow bottom, partially filled with water. From Crimean canyons The Grand Canyon in the upper reaches of the Auzun-Uzen River in the vicinity of the village of Sokolinoye on the northern slope of the Ai-Petrinskaya Yayla is of exceptional interest. Grand Canyon

As the beginning of the excursion, we will take the “Grand Canyon” bus stop on the Bakhchisarai-Yalta highway, 5 kilometers above the village of Sokolinoe. Along the forest road we descend into the valley to the fast river Sary-Uzen. We cross it and then the next one, Auzun-Uzen, flowing from the Grand Canyon. We will follow a path on a wooded slope to the upper reaches of Auzun-Uzeni, and soon a gap will open in the thicket of the forest and a rock wall will appear, cut by a huge chasm of the Grand Canyon. From below comes the sound of a mountain stream, hidden by a thick wall of forest. The path descends to a rapids river, spilling over into a small lake with crystal clear blue water. This a nice place called Apple Ford (there are many wild apple trees in its vicinity). Further, the Auzun-Uzeni valley can be divided into two parts: the lower part, up to the Bath of Youth, is the gorge, and the upper part is the canyon itself.
The gorge is easily passable. The rocky slopes are steeply inclined towards each other and are separated by a rock bed 10 - 20 m wide. A stream flows along the limestone bed, washing away either the right or the left rocky slope. In some places the water flows calmly, in others it breaks down like a silvery stream in cascades and waterfalls into small lakes and reaches. They say that trout are caught in such places. The water is so clear that it seems like there is no water at all and you can pick up pebbles from the bottom with dry hands.
Not far from the Apple Ford on the left bank protrudes a miniature peninsula, washed by Auzun-Uzenya and the stream spring water. A transparent stream flows from the depths of a rocky slope - from a crevice littered with boulders. Water comes from one of the largest karst springs in Crimea, Pania, with an average flow rate of 370 liters per second. It is Pania that provides the main water for Auzun-Uzeni.
Above the source, the power of the watercourse decreases sharply, and in dry weather it looks like a stream several tens of centimeters wide. The stone bed of the gorge, ground by flowing water, is composed of strong light gray, almost white limestones of the Oxfordian stage of the Upper Jurassic. The almost horizontal sections, barely inclined along the flow, are replaced by ledges up to 1 - 1.5 m high. This is how the layered structure of the limestone layer appears in the topography of the gorge bottom. A stream of water slowly flows along the grooves, breaks from the rapids into natural cauldrons and baths, flows out of them along the grooves, again falls into the next depression and so goes its way.
The boilers and bathtubs of the Auzun-Uzeni bed were formed during the destruction of the stone bed by jets of water falling from the ledge during a flood. The cascading water smashes forcefully against the rock bed and creates depressions, and the stones in it are rotated by the eddies and whirlpools of the river. The stones, like drills, deepen and widen the depressions, turning them into natural cauldrons with vertical surfaces. And when the waterfall ledge collapses and retreats, the cauldron turns into a bathtub. Such boilers and baths are called evorzion (from the Latin evorzio - destruction), or gigantic. At their bottom there are often boulders and pebbles, a kind of drilling tool. Ultimately, the evorsion cauldron takes on a jug-shaped shape.
The gorge ends with a three-meter ledge with a waterfall that falls into a large, water-filled bathtub about 5 m long. It used to be called Karagol, and is now called the Bath of Youth. Transparent and cold (9 - 11 ° C - on a hot summer day) the water in it never runs out. They say that after bathing in the bath, at least temporarily, the features of youth return - a delicate complexion, a smile and irrepressible vigor. Check it out!

Just beyond the Bath of Youth the canyon itself begins. The one and a half kilometer path along it is accessible only in dry weather and only to those who are healthy and have basic rock climbing skills. The limestone slopes rose rapidly, forming a grandiose narrow stone corridor. In some places, the bottom of the canyon narrows to 2 m, in other areas it expands to 8 - 10 m. And at a height of 50 - 60 m (the height of a 20-story building), the distance between the slopes does not exceed 15 - 20 m.
It is clearly visible that the sides of the canyon vary in height. The right one is relatively low - 50 - 60 m, while the left one is much higher - up to 250 - 300 m and absolutely vertical. Given this situation, it is not surprising that there is little light in the canyon: even in the midst of a sunny day, darkness reigns, and only a strip of blue sky shines far above.
The configuration of the canyon is curious - it is not at all rectilinear: its walls follow a zigzag pattern. Eleven straight sections, each 130 - 150 m long, are connected to each other in a knee-shaped manner. Therefore, in no place is the canyon visible through and through, and the traveler feels as if he had fallen into a stone trap. Around the next turn, other stone walls open up. Kingdom of silence. Only occasionally can you hear the rustling of stones crumbling from above and the distant noise of trees at a height of three hundred meters.
At the beginning of the canyon, a clear stream runs along a rock bed, cut by evorsion boilers and baths. The source was hidden on the right side of the second section of the canyon in a gloomy grove of yew trees that had been preserved in Crimea since the pre-glacial era. Behind the yew trees the dry part of the canyon begins. Under your feet there is a stepped rocky bed, along which you are forced to either walk or climb. Gigantic cauldrons and bathtubs with smooth, as if polished vertical walls up to two or more meters high, which are not so easy to catch your fingers on, follow each other. Then a log placed against the wall helps out.
The canyon strikes you with its stern grandeur all along the way. Around the next turn, new walls open up, unlike those just passed. Desertion and pristine silence, some kind of fantasy world in reality.
Towards the end of the path, do not miss the dry mouth of the Yokhagan-Su stream (in Crimean Tatar “missing water”). The rocky bed of the stream, drilled out by evorsion boilers, ends with a sheer wall from a height of 10 - 12 m.
Soon after the mouth of Yohagan-Su, the canyon walls become lower, move apart and turn sharply to the southeast. The gorge turns into the vast Kuru-Uzen basin with the waterless bed of the Kuru-Uzen river, which runs steeply down the slope of the Ai-Petrinskaya Yayla.
The Kuru-Uzen Basin is a completely different geographical and geological world, strikingly different from the Grand Canyon. The wide flat bottom of the basin is lined with pebbles; there are no traces of ledges or gigantic cauldrons, without which it is impossible to imagine the gorge just passed. Huge stone cliffs replaced forested slopes outlined by smooth, calm lines. The limestones of the Oxfordian stage of the canyon were replaced by younger sandstones and clays of the Tithonian stage. There is a tectonic contact (rupture) at the border of the canyon and the basin. Along the gap, a fragment of the large Yalta fault, the canyon block was uplifted, and the neighboring one sank, and the Kuru-Uzen basin of tectonic origin was formed in it.
So, we came to the beginning of the Grand Canyon. From here you can return the same way or go around the gorge on the right along the path near the cliff. The first path is short, but difficult due to numerous descents along the walls of evorsion boilers and baths; the second is longer, but without rocky obstacles.
Walking around the top of the canyon, we will see that the relief of the right slope is complex, more precisely three-story: above the gorge (first floor) rises a steep slope of the gorge (second floor), ending at the top with the flat bottom of an ancient river. The position of the canyon was determined by a powerful, extended fault in the earth's crust in a northeastern direction, along which the limestones are fragmented.

AYAZMA TRAVEL
In the long strip of the Southern Coast, a special place is occupied by the area with the steep and inaccessible cliff of the Main Ridge between Balaklava Bay and the rocky Cape Aya, which moves closer to the sea. The area is unlike any other place on the South Coast and as a special part of it is highlighted in the tract. Experts in Crimean toponymy associate the name of the tract with the Greek word ayazma, meaning “sanctified, blessed.” Probably, in the proximity of the tract to ancient temple at Cape Aya.
The Ayazma tract occupies the space between Balaklava Bay and the outstanding half-kilometer-high Cape Aya. Connoisseurs of Crimean nature are not exaggerating at all when they admire the wondrous landscapes of the tract, its grandiose slopes steeply falling to the shore, and are surprised at the wild chaos of boulders and rocks.
And the artist will succinctly say: I see amazing world colors of the sea, sky and mountains.
The coastal forest of the tract is also unique with such common, and in fact rare, trees as Stankevich pine, tall juniper, evergreen strawberry and wild pistachio, which have come down to us from the pre-glacial period of the Earth's history. The landscape of the tract is no less striking than the famous landscapes of Batiliman, Laspi and Melas of the same South Coast.
You can get to the tract in two ways: from Balaklava along the path along the sea slope towards Cape Aya or from the 22nd kilometer of the Sevastopol-Yalta road, walk to the village of Reservnoye, and then go down to the sea. And it’s best to combine the two ways. From the Sevastopol - Yalta road, go through Rezervnoe to the tract, and then along the seaside slope to Balaklava. That's what we'll do.
From Sevastopol highway First it passes along the Heracles plateau, then enters the Sukhaya River gorge. Soon the steep walls of the gorge move apart, and we find ourselves in the wide and flat shallow Varnaut basin. At the 22nd kilometer of the highway, a 2 km long side road to the village of Reservnoye begins. The flat bottom and gentle slopes of the Varnaut Basin do not make much of an impression. At the outskirts of Reserve we turn right onto a country road. We cross a vast field and gradually climb through a low mountain forest to the pass. Along the way, here and there local rocks are visible - Upper Jurassic marbled limestones and conglomerates.
The forest suddenly ends, and we suddenly find ourselves on a low pass, approximately 300 - 350 m above sea level. A breathtaking panorama of the boundless sea and a mountain slope leading steeply to the sea, completely covered with forest, opens up. On the sides, rocky peaks and walls close the tract. In the unusually clean and transparent air, the distant Balaklava heights are clearly visible.
The descent from the pass is steep at first and requires attention. We will stick to the well-paved winding rocky path, going around protruding boulders and rocks one after another. And in some places there is so much debris that impassable stone fields appear. There is complete chaos, and there is no order in the arrangement of the stone material: blocks and fragments of different sizes lie next to the collapsed rocks. All this indicates multiple collapses of the limestone cliff of the Main Ridge.
And yet, in the stone chaos, pine grows magnificently - the main tree species of the tract, often forming small groves permeated with light. Take a closer look at the tree. This is not at all an ordinary slender Crimean pine with black-gray bark. Before us is a large spreading tree with brownish bark and a hemispherical crown, intricately curved serpentine branches, lush and long needles and sessile large cones directed strictly upward. In some trees, branches stretched horizontally, like ribbons in the wind. Pine is very decorative and at the same time highly individual. Concentrate a little, and you will immediately notice how different the trees are. Only at first glance they look the same. But the pine trees with a branched trunk are especially impressive. This unusual pine tree grows only in two areas of the Southern Coast - from Cape Aya to Balaklava and near Sudak in the New World. They call it Stankevich pine (named after the Crimean forester, the discoverer of this tree at the beginning of the 20th century), Sudak and Pitsunda. Stankevich's pine is classified as a protected tree and is listed in the Red Book of Ukraine.
The pine amazes with its irrepressible vitality and, regardless of the puzzling topography of the tract, it grows beautifully on inaccessible rocks, and then one would like to call it a “climbing tree.” And when you go down to the beach, you will see that pine is also salt-tolerant - it is not afraid of sea spray and fog and grows on the edge of a sea cliff no worse than among rocks in the mountains.
After about a kilometer and a half, the pedestrian path ends at a grandiose limestone cliff several hundred meters high. The rocky wall falls into the sea without any transition. Perhaps there is no such grandiose cliff above the sea anywhere in Crimea, maybe even on Karadag. The cliff ends with the majestic Cape Aya, rising to 557 m. This is the second highest mountain in the coastal part of the South Coast, second only to Ayudag (577 m above sea level).
The coastal cliffs and cliffs of the Ayazma tract involuntarily resurrect in memory the harsh peaks and turquoise bays of the Karadag mountain group in another, opposite, part of the Southern Coast - in eastern Crimea. And the characteristic rocky peak of Cape Aya, which looks like the head of an animal with a narrow ear sticking out, makes us remember Mount Koshka in Simeiz, which looks like an animal cowering before jumping into the sea.
The path from the tract to Balaklava is not difficult. From the foothill terrace it’s only a few hundred meters to the Golden Beach (in Crimea it’s a tradition: at least not far best beach call it "Golden") with a berth for boats. On sea ​​vessel V summer time you can quickly get to Balaklava. It’s even better to walk the path to Balaklava. From the beach along the path we go out onto the seaside slope of the ridge, then onto a dirt road and, leaving aside Genoese fortress, we find ourselves in Balaklava.

STONE MUSHROOMS
The valley of the south-bank Sotera river east of Alushta, unremarkable at first glance, is in fact extraordinary and attracts nature lovers. Well, at least because the remains of a mammoth were discovered in it, and in the cold water of a mountain river live... crabs. And the geologist will be attracted by the only “stone mushrooms” in Crimea, which will be discussed further.
Let's set off from the eastern outskirts of Alushta, which can be reached by city bus No. 1. The highway gradually gains altitude and quite soon leads to the Sudak Gate pass. The spacious mountainous Alushta amphitheater ends here and the eastern part of the South Coast begins. Panorama opens from the pass southeast coast, not shining with either bright greenery or sharp bends of the relief. Stone waves a string of hills goes into the distance. Coastline is not visible, but the calm, soft outlines of the coast are visible. On the left, South Demerdzhi with its jagged peak and stone peaks rises from an unusual angle.
From the pass it is clearly visible that the base of the Main Ridge is composed of dark gray and purple-tinged rocks of the Tauride series, outlined by calm lines. They stretch far to the east, almost to Sudak itself. And the huge cliffs of the Main Ridge consist of durable Upper Jurassic limestone.
In Crimea, rocks of the Tauride series are most common on the southern coast, and therefore this is the most suitable place to get acquainted with them. In the road cuts and steep cliffs of narrow valleys leading to the sea, it is clearly visible that the southern coastal slope consists of countless repeating thin layers of compacted clays, siltstones and sandstones. A characteristic feature of the layered strata is its rhythmic structure. The rocks that make it up are not located randomly, but strictly according to a pattern. Sandstone is followed by siltstone, followed by compacted clay. And then again sandstone, then siltstone, compacted clay and again the same repetition. But it is very interesting that in each such rhythm the constituent rocks are interconnected by gradual transitions.
The second characteristic feature of the Tauride series is that it is very difficult to locate. It is crumpled into folds of various shapes and sizes, ranging from centimeter-sized to large, several kilometers wide.
Take a closer look at the layers of sedimentary rocks. You will see that the lower boundary of the stone rhythms is sharp, unsmooth and complicated by small irregularities in the form of ridges, nipples and tubercles. These are flysch hieroglyphs - imprints of surface irregularities on which sandy sediment was deposited. Any of the hieroglyphs is a kind of “negative” of the unevenness of the bottom of the reservoir at the time of deposition of a layer of sand. Moving upward from the base of the rhythm, we will see that the size of the mineral particles gradually decreases and therefore in many cases it is impossible to accurately indicate the boundary between sandstone, siltstone and clay.
How was the Tauride series formed? How to explain its multiple rhythmicity, the gradual change in the size of clastic particles within the stone “rhythm” and the irregularities on the lower surface of the sandstone layers? These difficult questions are explained by the assumption of multiple inputs of bottom flows of turbulent sediments from the coastal part to the deep parts sea ​​basin during earthquakes.
Let's continue our journey. The highway follows loop after loop, going around valleys and gorges of small rivers and streams. Each of these valleys expands towards the sea with a small pebble beach. In the summer in such cozy places you will see a sports camp or recreation center.
At the 16th kilometer the highway crosses the valley of the Sotera River. In a side ravine, about a kilometer from the sea, at the end of the 19th century. N.A. Golovkinsky discovered mammoth bones. This was the first discovery of the remains of an Ice Age animal on the southern slope of the Crimean Mountains.
The Sotera Valley is especially attractive for its spectacular earthen pyramids, or “stone mushrooms”. To them from bus stop"16th kilometer" 25 minutes walk. From the highway along the forest road we will go up the Rocky Gorge of Sotera. After about 200 m the river turns left, and we should follow the right branch of the road up to the vast grassy terrace of Sotera. At its far end we will see a small gorge cut into Upper Jurassic brownish-brown conglomerates. On the right slope, among the sparse small-growing forest, high earthen pyramids “stone mushrooms” rose.
The caps of stone mushrooms are slabs of Upper Jurassic conglomerates several meters across. The legs, up to 4-6 meters high, are composed of a dense earthy mass with fragments of sandstone and limestone. Earthen pyramids were formed when the slope was destroyed by temporary flows of rain and melt water. The stone slabs lying on the surface did not collapse and remained in place, while the surrounding earthen mass was easily washed away. Over time, it was washed, and only under stone slabs it was preserved in the form of earthen pyramids. Taking a closer look at the slope, you will notice immature “stone mushrooms” with barely separated “hats”.

Kanaka, dawn over Crimea

Rivers and streams of the Crimean mountains
The main watershed of the entire Crimean Peninsula is located in the Crimean Mountains, most of the rivers originate on the main ridge, at an altitude of 600-1100 meters; on the yailas themselves, watercourses are almost completely absent, which is due to the hydrological manifestation of karst. The total drainage of the Crimean mountains is 773.5 million cubic meters, and the density of the river network is 0.2 km/km². Depending on the topography, rivers can be divided into groups: rivers, streams and gullies of the southern coast of Crimea, rivers and gullies of the north-eastern slopes of the main ridge of the Crimean Mountains and rivers and gullies of the north-western slopes of the main ridge of the Crimean Mountains.

The shortest watercourses are located on the southern coast of Crimea. The length of the rivers there usually does not exceed 10 km. Watercourses originate on the southern slopes of the Main Range of the Crimean Mountains and flow into the Black Sea; they are characterized by slopes of 172-234 m/km. The average heights of their catchments are up to 900 m. The catchments themselves are small: 1.6–161 km². The source of some rivers are karst springs. The river valleys in the upper reaches are narrow, in the form of gorges, then they gradually widen, acquiring a trapezoidal shape in the lower reaches. Floodplains are narrow and exist only in the lower reaches. The channels in the lower reaches are mostly slightly sinuous, straightened, deepened and reinforced with concrete slabs to prevent flooding. There are 36 main watercourses in this group with a total length of 293.6 km.

The main rivers of the southern coast of Crimea:

Uchan-Su (Waterfall)
Derekoyka (Fast)
Avunda
Ulu-Uzen Alushtinsky
Demerdzhi
Ulu-Uzen East
The most significant rivers of Crimea in terms of length and water content originate on the northwestern slopes of the Main Range of the Crimean Mountains. There are eight main rivers, their total length is 328 km. The rivers of this group flow into the Black Sea. Until about the middle of their course, the rivers have a character typical of mountain streams. There are large slopes here (up to 180 m/km). River basins have a shape elongated along the rivers, widened in the upper part, where the main number of tributaries flow into. The main rivers of this group:

Black (Chorgun) - length 34.1 km. It originates in the Baydar Valley, along which it flows for 7.5 km. Along its slopes there are a number of watercourses that feed the river in the upper part. The constant flow in the channel is sometimes interrupted: the river is hidden in sediment, leaving the channel dry. It fills with water after rainfalls and floods. Below the confluence of the Urkusta River, the Black River enters a narrow gorge about 16 km long. Here the water moves, compressed by almost vertical rocks, and its flow intensifies. The flow weakens after the river enters the Inkerman Valley. Here two right tributaries flow into the Chernaya, one of which (Ai-Todorka) has sufficient water content, since it is fed by springs, and the other (Sukhaya) brings rainwater into the river.
Belbek - length 63 km. The deepest river in Crimea. It begins at the confluence of two mountain rivers. Between the mountain ranges, Belbek is a turbulent, never-drying stream, with a narrow channel, fast current and steep high banks. In the lower reaches, Belbek cuts through clay sediments, its flow slows down. When it flows into the sea, the channel looks like a ravine 25-30 m wide.
Kokkozka - length about 18 km, a tributary of the Belbek. It flows in a narrow gorge known as the Grand Canyon of Crimea.
Kacha - length 69 km. It originates on the northern slope of the central ridge of the Crimean Mountains at the confluence of two rivers - Pisary and Biyuk-Uzen. Its banks are high and rocky, the riverbed is wide, and the bottom is pebble throughout almost its entire length. All tributaries flow into the Kacha in its upper reaches. During heavy rains, as well as in autumn and winter, Kacha can flood heavily. In summer, due to the use of water for irrigation, it dries up.
Marta - length 21 km, tributary of the Kachi.
Alma - length 84 km. It is formed as a result of the confluence of two streams. It has a deeply incised valley with high banks. It receives water from many mountain streams and rivers. Alma does not dry out, but during rains and snow melting it can overflow its banks. Its flow slows down at the very bottom. Sea water salinizes the waters of the Alma mouth area.
Rivers and gullies of the northeastern slopes of the main ridge of the Crimean Mountains, the total number of rivers and gullies of this group is 18, the total length is 393.9 km. The rivers of this group flow mainly in a northern direction and flow into the Sivash Bay of the Azov Sea, although due to low water levels, they often do not reach it and are lost on the plain. This also includes the Baybuga River, which flows into the Feodosia Bay of the Black Sea. Only the uppermost sections of the basins of these rivers have mountainous terrain, while the predominant part of the drainage basins is located in the flat part of Crimea. The average height of the catchment areas is 450-500 m. The dimensions of the drainage basins are small. The main rivers of this group:

Biyuk-Yanyshar

Salgir - length 238 km. The upper reaches of the Salgir pass through a narrow valley with rocky banks; here it has a mountainous character and a well-developed network of tributaries originating from numerous sources.
Angara - length 13 km. It is one of the rivers at the confluence of which the Salgir is formed.
Kizylkobinka (Krasnopescherskaya) - length 5.1 km. When merging with Angara, it forms Salgir.
Biyuk-Karasu (Bolshaya Karasevka) - length 106 km. Right tributary of the Salgir. It originates near the city of Belogorsk, in the upper reaches it flows through the chalk rocks of the intermountain region, then enters the steppe region, where it flows only during the part of the year rich in precipitation (in winter and early spring).
Indole - length 55 km. In the upper reaches it looks like mountain streams flowing through ravines.
Eastern Bulganak - length 48 km.
Grand Canyon of Crimea
Since 1974 it has been a state nature reserve. Located on the eastern side of the Kokkoz valley, deep in the northern slope of the Ai-Petrinskaya yayla, 4 km southeast of the village of Sokolinoe. The depth of the gorge reaches 250-320 m, the width is bottlenecks the canyon does not exceed 2-3 m. The Auzun-Uzen River flows along the bottom of the canyon. The Grand Canyon was first described in detail by Professor I. I. Puzanov in 1925.

Climate
The climate of the mountains is moderately cold and humid. Winter precipitation most often prevails over summer, which is a sign of the Mediterranean climate. Winter in the mountains usually lasts from mid-October to the end of March. In the upper parts of the slopes, a snow cover is formed, the thickness of which can reach a meter or more. The weather in winter is quite unstable, for example, temperatures in January can vary from −10 °C to +10 °C, and snow can fall in May. In winter, the slopes of several mountain ranges, such as Ai-Petri, Babugan-yayla, Chatyr-Dag and Demerdzhi, are prone to avalanches. Summer in the mountains is usually hot and dry. But even in summer, temperatures at night can drop to 0 °C. Fogs are very frequent throughout the year.

Each slope of the Crimean Mountains has its own climatic conditions, as it is influenced by different prevailing winds.

Flora of the Crimean Mountains
Due to the complex terrain and varied climatic and meteorological conditions, the Crimean Mountains offer a wide variety of vegetation in a small space. If we consider the Crimean Mountains from a botanist's point of view, they can be divided into zones: the southern slopes of the mountains, the flat top of the mountain range - a plateau and the northern slope of the mountains.

The vegetation of the southern slope of the Crimean Mountains is most typical for Crimea. It includes elements unique to Crimea. As the mountains rise, the vegetation of the southern slopes of the mountains changes greatly, forming characteristic belts:

Southern coastal vegetation (maquis belt) - occupies the lowest part of the southern slope. This belt is characterized by a predominance of shrubs. Only here do wild evergreens grow: butcher's broom, strawberry tree, Cretan cistus and ivy. In addition to wild evergreens, a number of cultivated trees grow in the southern coastal zone: cypress, laurel tree and olive tree. The following characteristic plants complete the picture of the vegetation of the maquis belt on the southern slope:
Shrubs and subshrubs: juniper, abraham tree, zamanikha, hazelnut, cotoneaster, hold-tree, cup tree, blackberry and rosehip.
Herbs: capers, milkweed, mad cucumber.
Ornamental species bred by humans: silk acacia, magnolia, chamerops, cork oak, plane trees, boxwood, bananas, ailanthus, wisteria. Fruits: sweet almond, sweet chestnut, pistachio tree, loquat, pomegranate, fig tree and walnut.
The belt next to the maquis, located above 226 m. This belt is dominated by woody vegetation, which forms deciduous forests of a mixed type, but with a predominance of oak and small-leaved hornbeam. But in addition to oak and hornbeam, you can find here, especially in the western part, Crimean pine, which differs from ordinary pine in its long needles (8-15 cm), sessile cones, and pyramidal tent.
The third horizontal belt of vegetation consists of almost pure beech forests, but in some places Crimean and common pine are found, as well as other tree species: aspen, maple, mountain ash, dogwood. Beech forests rise to the very top of the southern slopes of the mountains.
In general, the plant belts on the northern slope of the mountains are located in the same way as on the southern slope, only on the northern slope there is no maquis belt. Instead, there is a meadow-steppe or forest belt with mixed vegetation. Pine trees are found almost along the entire slope. However, it grows in noticeable quantities on slopes. On mountain cliffs, the most common red-trunked species with bright green short needles is Scots pine. And below, among the oak forests, pine with a gray trunk and long, sparse, dull needles predominates. The northern slope is mainly divided into:

The lower forest consists of oak and small-leaved hornbeam, among which grow hazel, aspen, euonymus, buckthorn, barberry and hawthorn.
Belt of beech and hornbeam forests. There are also areas with Crimean and common pine and isolated lindens, maples, dogwoods, mountain ash, and in rare cases, birch is found in the forests of the northern slope.
The juniper elfin belt is found at elevations above 5,000 feet. Here, in addition to juniper, yew and daphine are found.
Yayla is mostly treeless. This is explained by the law of vertical zonation: the yayla lies above the natural forest boundary. However, the plateau of the Crimean mountains does not lie at any one level, but at altitudes from 600 to 1500 m above sea level. And since one is located above the other in steps, the forest grows well on the slope between two yailas, such as, for example, between the Dolgorukovsky plateau and Tyrke. At one time, this was explained by the fact that humans had burned and cut down the forests on the plateaus over many centuries, but paleobotanical studies convincingly suggest that in ancient times, 10,000 and 100,000 years ago, the plateaus were not completely covered with forest. Rather, it was a forest-steppe; exposed to the winds, the elevated areas remained treeless. Here is the kingdom of herbs. On the Crimean yailas from late April to autumn the following flowers bloom here: crocuses, adonis, irises, violets, adonis, speedwell, cinquefoil, meadowsweet, bedstraw, yarrow, St. John's wort, oregano, sleep-grass, Bieberstein's edelweiss (Crimean edelweiss). Yayla grasses: fescue, steppe sedge, clover, cuffs, feather grass, bluegrass, fescue, wheatgrass, timothy, hedgehog, short-legged grass. There are at least five hundred plant species on Demerdzhi. Forty-five plant species are found only on the yayla, being endemic.

Fauna of the Crimean Mountains
Since the Crimean steppe passes into the region of the foothills, rising gradually, it is impossible to establish a sharp boundary between them, nor can they sharply divide their fauna. Only the fauna of the southern coast differs sharply from the fauna of the northern slope of the mountains.

Mammals
The foothills and northern slope of the mountains are characterized by various species of hamsters, ground squirrels and jerboas. From the order of insectivores, the hedgehog is often found. In the foothills, mountain forests and on the southern coast, the Crimean weasel is found, which is a cross between a weasel and an ermine. The badger is found in the forests of the northern and southern slopes, and the steppe ferret is found in the foothills.

Among the predators in the Crimea are the fox and the stone marten. Occasionally, silver foxes are found among common foxes. The wolf lived in the Crimean mountains back in the 19th century, but has now been exterminated.

The largest mammal in Crimea, the deer, lives in mountain forests. Crimean deer has been poorly studied. Currently, this animal survives in small numbers in more remote high-mountain areas. In addition to deer, roe deer live in mountain forests.

Wild boar is ubiquitous. In the area of ​​the Bolshaya and Malaya Chucheli and Chernaya mountains, a mouflon introduced from Corsica in 1913 lives, numbering 250-300 heads.

Squirrel and hare are ubiquitous.

Birds
Representatives of the southern Russian steppes are mainly found in the foothills of Crimea. Several species of larks live on the northern slopes: sky lark, steppe lark, crested lark; Various types of oatmeal also live: millet, bald grass, wheatear, golden bee-eater; there are a lot of rollers and other species (quail, hoopoe). For the mountain area, especially northern slopes, the most characteristic bird species are the shrike and the little shrike, the garden bunting, the nightjar, the noctuid owl, the starling and the goldfinch. There are also three species of nightingale found in this area: the western nightingale, the eastern nightingale and the Persian nightingale. The following birds are typical for mountain forests: Crimean tit, long-tailed tit, woodpecker, redstart, robin, warbler and jay. Mountain buntings are found high in the mountains. There is no noticeable difference between the bird fauna of mountain peaks and forests.

Yayla is especially poor in birds; here you can still find predators - the griffon vulture or, even more rarely, the vulture.

The forests on the southern slope are inhabited by blue tits, kinglets, crossbills and mountain buntings. In the cliffs there are: rock thrush, pika, wall climber, rock pigeon, tower swift and white-bellied swift.

The routes of migratory birds run through Crimean peninsula, reducing the distance of a non-stop flight (across the Black Sea) by one hundred kilometers.

Amphibians and reptiles
The following reptiles are found in the foothills: sand lizard, Crimean lizard, wall lizard. Amphibians include the edible frog, green toad, tree frog, spadefoot and crested newt.

On south coast you can find: night lizard, Crimean lizard, copperhead, yellow-bellied snake, leopard snake, yellow-bellied and river turtle, and among amphibians - tree and edible frog, newt and green toad.

Caves of Crimea
In the mountainous Crimea, researchers have discovered a very large number of small caves or mines, the exploration of many is still ongoing. Below is a list of the largest and famous caves and mines of Crimea:

Skelskaya stalactite cave became a natural monument in 1947. Opened in 1904 by teacher F.A. Kirillov. The cave consists of several halls, the length of the largest of them reaches 80 meters, width 10-18 m, vault height 25 m.
Medovaya - the walls of the cave are covered with thermogravitational deposits. Length 205 m, depth 60 m.
Kyzyl-Koba (Red Caves) - cave length 21,150 m, amplitude 275 m. The longest cave in Crimea. Located on the slope of the Dolgorukovsky massif. Since 1963, it has been a natural monument.

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SOURCE OF INFORMATION AND PHOTO:
Team Nomads
Tauride Mountains - article from the Great Soviet Encyclopedia (3rd edition)
Zakaldaev N.V., “Pass Mountain Crimea» | Tourist club KPI Globus
http://krim.biz.ua/geologija.html
Mountain encyclopedia. M.: “Soviet Encyclopedia”, 1984-1991. Art. "Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic"

Http://gruzdoff.ru/
Mouflons » Hiking in Crimea
Binbash-koba // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: In 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional ones). - St. Petersburg, 1890-1907.
Lebedinsky V.I., Makarov N.N. Volcanism of the Crimean Mountains. - Kyiv: Publishing House of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR, 1962. - 208 p.
Pchelintsev V.F. Formation of the Crimean Mountains / Responsible. ed. prof. S. S. Kuznetsov; Academy of Sciences of the USSR. Geological Museum named after A.P. Karpinsky. - M.-L.: Publishing House of the USSR Academy of Sciences, 1962. - 88 p. - (Proceedings. Issue XIV). — 1000 copies. (region)
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