Borkoldoy Too
The highest peak, located at the source of the Jagalmai Glacier, reaches 5,170 meters, with an average elevation of 4,500 meters and a width of 34 kilometers. Major passes include Borkoldoy (4,000 m), Ashuusuu (3,640 m), and Tepshi (4,121 m).
Geology
The ridge consists of upper Silurian and lower Carboniferous limestone, marble, metamorphosed schists, basalt, porphyry, diabase, red Carboniferous rocks, sandstone, and other metamorphic formations. These rocks were uplifted along tectonic faults during the Neogene and Anthropogene periods, forming an anticline structure extending along an east-west direction. The structure is asymmetrical: the northern slope is shorter, while the southern slope is longer.
The terrain is characterized by distinct tiers:
- Upper Tier: Remnants of an ancient plain (elevation 4,000–5,000 m), with closed basins formed by ancient and modern glacial activity, now occupied by glaciers.
- Middle Tier: Developed during the Neogene and early Quaternary periods due to tectonic movements, consisting of three terraces separated by ridges.
- Lower Tier: Formed in the mid-Quaternary, featuring terraces and deep, V-shaped gorges with steep walls. Glacial movement in the upper reaches of rivers has created basin-like valleys.
Landscapes
The landscape changes according to elevation, following the principles of vertical zonation:
- Desert and Dry Steppe (2,600–2,800 m): Features plants like wormwood, saltwort, and spiny shrubs.
- Steppe (2,700–4,000 m): Dominated by feather grass, shrubs, and sedges.
- Subalpine Meadows (2,800–4,000 m): Home to various herbs and grasses, including sedge and feather grass.
- Alpine Meadows (2,900–4,200 m): Includes plants like gentian and saxifrage.
- Glacial-Nival Zone: Characterized by glacial and snow-covered landscapes.
References
- ^ Иссык-Куль. Нарын:Энциклопедия [Encyclopedia of Issyk-Kul and Naryn Oblasts] (in Russian). Bishkek: Chief Editorial Board of Kyrgyz Soviet Encyclopedia. 1994. p. 512. ISBN 5-89750-009-6.
- ^ "Борколдой кырка тоосу" [Borkoldoy Too] (PDF). Кыргызстандын Географиясы [Geography of Kyrgyzstan] (in Kyrgyz). Bishkek. 2004. p. 36.
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