PAMIR ALAI


Alaysky range, p. Salute (4900 m), in the glacier-head of Iolisu, Aug. , 1998	Collector range, p. Stolb (4200 m), Sept. , 1997	p. Arhar 5200m seeing from p.Snezhny Kupol 5100m, Aug. 1994	Oibala range, unnamed peak, about 4990 m, Aug. 2007

High Alay

      High Alay (or Alai) is a watershed of rivers of Fergana and Alay valleys. It is in the southwest of Kirgizia and on the northeast of the central Tajikistan, included in the mountainous system of Pamir-Altay. High Alay is parted from Matcha (Matcha mountainous knot) by the valley of the river Soh in the west, the eastern border of this region is along the river Isfayramsay.
       The region inside can be divided into 5 parts (from the West to East): the region of the peak Tandikul, the region of the glacier Abramov, the mountain Kuruk-Say, Dugoba and Chekelik.
      The region highest peak — the peak Tandikul — 5539 m.
      Alay range is the central axis of High Alay which extends in the width on almost 200 km. From it to the northwest are mountains Kuruk-Say, and on the northeast — Collector range and on the south-east — Tekelik range.
      The average height of ranges reaches 4500 m. Rocks as a rule are demolished.
      The snow line practically doesn't go down till 3000 m, in gorges of the northern exposition — 3200, on the southern — 3600 m. The greatest glaciers — Inpan-Saldy, Tandikul, Yangidavan, Jamankirchii, Abramov, Gajir, Egorov, Dugoba. The glaciering increases on the southwest,   the quantity and sizes of glaciers decrease to the northeast.
       Rivers in valleys are rapid, the organization of fords inquires to support safeties.
It is moderate warm at the foothills of High Alay. The temperature is +35° Ñ in the shadow, it decreases till +10° Ñ at night. The average temperature of July is +20°Ñ.
       It is cool on altitudes higher 1500 m. Every 100 m of climbing decrease the temperature to 0,6—0,7°.
    On altitudes 2000—3000 m the average July is +15°Ñ, winter is cold. Higher 4000 m in the zone of ice and snow the temperature doesn't increase higher +10°Ñ during all period. Frost temperatures are even —30° Ñ.
    The average air temperature a year doesn't increase +12,2° Ñ in the region of Shahi-Mardana.
        The cardinal precipitations fall in January — May (on the height of 1200—1500 m — about 600 mm, 2000—3000 m — more 600 mm). The average year quantity of the atmosphere precipitations (Shahi-Mardana) doesn't increase 300 mm.
    Foothills of High Alay is formed by desert and sub-desert vegetation. There are trees and bushes only along the banks of rivers and arycs on the altitudes till 1500 m. These are mainly arch, willow and birch thickets. In the gorge of the river Archa-Kanish — a large grove of popular. There are apricot trees, apple trees, cherry-plums, walnut trees, platan trees in kishlaks. Among bushes are plenty of bayberries, dog-rose, wild cherry. Frequently are met efedra, sea-buckthorn, jida there. Higher 1 500 m are mainly juniper and grass, abundance of the vegetation is strike everybody. There are wormwood and usual couch-grass, geranium (mainly rocky, seldom Fergana's), Alay's kupalnitsa, Albert's buttercups, Alpian miatlik, well-grown fragrant thyme, St. John's wort, mint, there are eremurus, tulip, red and black poppy taken to the Red Book. Near the water — fragrant forget-me-not (nezabudka), various primroses and violets. Higher — gorechavkas and saxifrages, and higher, on moraines — wonderful edelweiss and famous pink rodiola ("golden root- Rhodiola Rosea").
      It is more comfortable to get to the Surdob-Kizil-Suu (Alay) valley by the northwestern Pamir highway from Dushanbe. On the way from Obigarm, the former spa of the all-union meaning, the highway goes to Vahsha. Here, behind Komsomolabad, one branch goes to the valley called Obi-Hingou (Pamir), another — to Surhob-Kizil (Alay) till the kishlak Jirgatal through Garm and Hant (it takes you one day to drive by car). Planes of the local aviation flyes from Dushanbe to Garm.
      From the kishlak Hait (Alay valley) it is comfortable to travel from rivers gorges South Tutek or Karagaushhana. From Jirgatal we recommend to climb through the glacier Tandicul. The giddy 35-km. auto way finishes near hot springs of Tandikul. All region is surrounded by glaciers called Ishtansally, Minbulak, Tandikul, Iedi-Stupny, Southern Tilbe, Chainok, Southern Yangidaoan where as a rule the tourist routes have passed to. Here near the confluence of rivers Ishtapsaldy and Agayurm where hot springs wellout is situated the holiday hotel of the Lenin farm of Jirgalsky region.
       To the East of Jirgal, on Alay valley space — the settlement called Daroot-Korgon. Planes of the local airlines fly from Dushanbe through Djirgatal or from Osh here. The way to Daroot-Korgon (260 km) and by a car from Osh through upland settlement Saritash is adventurous. You can easy climb to mountains by gorges of rivers Katta-Karamik (through the settlement called Ulug-Karamik), Kek-Suu (Abramov glacier) or Daroot where there is Tengizbay pass in Alay range.
      From Fergana the highways are straight from railway stations and cities Kanibadam, Margilan, Fergana, Kokand, Andizhan, Osh which will take one day to bring tourists to settlements Kan, Haydarken, Shahnmardan, Uch-Korgop from where you can start routes.
       From the settlement Kan you can go by the gorge of the river Soh till the kishlak Eardala where Soh is formed by 3 great roots: Ak-Terek which flows down from Matchin mountainous knot, Archabashy streaming down from Alay range from the same name glacier and Hojiachkan taking its running start on the East in the range Hojiachkan-Jialisu.
      There is an ascend by a path of the forest gorge of the river Gomishsay (Gaumish) from Haydarken. From roots of the gorge by Gaumish pass you can find yourself in the gorge of rivers Ju-Rasay (the first right tributary of Hojachkan) and by the pass called Kumbel — to the valley of the gorge of the river Ak-Suu that is nearer to the massif Dugoba. From roots of the river Jurasay you can also come to the gorge Ak-Suu through passes of Western and Eastern Aylama. There is an ascend on the crest of Alay range along the passing way Alau-Din after Kumbel, just in upper gorge of the river Ak-Suu. Such route goes to the gorge of the river Kek-Suu streaming from Abramov glacier. Descending by which among steep quaint rocks they comes out to the mountainous region of the gorge Kek-Suu where from by paths can go to Daroot-Korgon (Alay valley) or by Kek-Suu to climb to the glacier of Abramov.
        From Shahimardan (Hamzaabad) near which there is a tour-base "Shahimardan" through the settlement Iordan the highway extends to mountains till the woody gorge of the river Dugoba, where there is placed mountaineering camp "Dugoba" in encirclement of arch forest on the rocky terrace. From here the tourist paths stretch on the northern slope of Collector range, to Ikkidavan, Gajir, Kalkush, Surmetashdavan, Dugobashigou, Ak-Tash, Ulitor. You can also drive by highway to the gorge of the river Kek-Suu (7 km by a car) from the tour-base "Shahimardan" to the lake Kurbayakul from where tourists build routes to the Collector range passes.
        From the miner's town Kizil-Kiy and then through the settlement Uch-Korgoi the highway goes along the deep rocky gorge of the river Isfayramsay till cozy place Lyangar (2000 m) stretching spacious terrace of Alay range. From Lyangar the auto-way extends to mountains one more 10 km, but doesn't reach the valley Chat.
On the way from Uch-Korgon are met mouths of rivers Tegermash and Surmetash that are after Shibe. You can climb to the glacier knot called Dugoba from the gorge Isfayramsay along the gorge Suremetash.