| Belukha Mountain | |
|---|---|
 The top of Belukha in theAltai Mountains in Russia is shown here in 2006. The mountain range is thought to be the birthplace of the Turkic people. | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 4,506 m (14,783 ft)[1] |
| Prominence | 3,343 m (10,968 ft)[1] Ranked 59th |
| Listing | Ultra, Ribu |
| Coordinates | 49°48′27″N86°35′24″E / 49.80750°N 86.59000°E /49.80750; 86.59000[1] |
| Geography | |
  Belukha Mountain Belukha Mountain (Altai Republic) Show map of Altai Republic Belukha Mountain Belukha Mountain (Kazakhstan) Show map of Kazakhstan | |
 | |
| Parent range | Altai Mountains |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | 1914 by B. V. Tronov & M. V. Tronov |
| Easiest route | basic rock/snow climb |
Belukha Mountain (/bəˈluːxə/; Russian:Белуха,IPA:[bʲɪˈɫuxəl], also known asBeluga Mountain,Icemount Peak (Kazakh:Мұзтау Шыңы /Mūztau Şyñy[mʊsˈtɑwʃəˈŋə]), orThe Three Peaks (Altay:Ӱч-Сӱмер /Üç-Sümer[ʏc͡çsʏˈmer]), is the highest peak of theAltai Mountains inRussia and the highest of theSouth Siberian Mountains system.[2] It is part of theGolden Mountains of AltaiWorld Heritage Site.[3]
Since 2008, one is required to apply for a specialborder zone permit in order to be allowed into the area (if travelling independently without using an agency). Foreigners should apply for the permit to their regionalFSBborder guard office two months before the planned date.[4][5]
Located in theAltai Republic, Belukha is a three-peaked mountainmassif that rises along theborder ofRussia andKazakhstan, just a few dozen miles north of the point where this border meets with the border ofChina. There are several smallglaciers on the mountain, including Belukha Glacier. Of the two peaks, the eastern peak (4,506 m, 14,784 ft.) is higher than the western peak (4,440 m, 14,567 ft.).
Belukha was first climbed in 1914 by the Tronov brothers. Most ascents of the eastern peak follow the same southern route as that taken in the first ascent. Though the Altai is lower in elevation than other Asian mountain groups, it is very remote, and much time and planning are required for its approach.
In the summer of 2001, a team of scientists traveled to the remote Belukha Glacier to assess the feasibility of extracting ice cores at the site. Research was carried out from 2001 to 2003: both shallow cores and cores to bedrock were extracted and analyzed (Olivier and others, 2003; Fujita and others, 2004). Based on tritium dating techniques, the deeper cores may contain as much as 3,000–5,000 years of climatic and environmental records. A Swiss-Russian team also studied the glacier.[6]
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This article incorporatespublic domain material from websites or documents of theUnited States Geological Survey.
