Golden autumn in the Dombai mountains. The unique nature of Dombay How to get from Mineralnye Vody to Dombay

Dombay is located in the middle between the Black Sea coast and Elbrus. In both directions in a straight line for about 65 kilometers. Perhaps this influenced the fact that Dombay is especially beautiful in summer. For three weeks I was waiting for a clear sunny day, so that the trip to the mountains would not be darkened by fogs and that all the peaks with which the Dombai glade is rich would be open. I managed to see the Dombai mountains in all their glory!

Dombay resort

At 9 am we crossed the border of the Teberdinsky nature reserve. In 20 minutes we reached the village of Dombai, from where the ascent was coming. From here, from the village, a stunning view of the beautiful BelalaKayu (3861m.) - one of my favorite photos))

Hotels and hotels

Most of the resort's hotels are open all year round. There are hotels in Dombai in summer, winter, spring and autumn for every taste and budget.

In general, there are more than a hundred accommodation options in Dombai. You can see them on our map.

The best hotels in Dombay

Budget hotels in Dombay

A large selection of apartments, cottages and apartments in Dombayskaya glade can be found using the form below.

Not everyone knows, but in Russia tour operators began to sell tours to Dombay... You can buy a tour on the following sites:

Amanauz - a river in Dombai

To get to the cable car, you need to cross the bridge. Here, through the rows of coniferous giants, the Amanauz River carries its waters.

Amanauz is a real mountain river. This stormy molasses is the source of the Teberda River. By the way, in translation Amanauz means "evil mouth".

The other side of the bridge offers a stunning view of Sofrudja (3781m.) And the "Crystal" hotel in the village of Dombay.

Dombai cable cars

There is a well-developed multilevel ropeway system at Dombai, we used the one we called the new one. The network of cable cars in Dombai allows you to climb to the top of Mount Mussa-Achitara. In the summer, the old and new line of the cable car is functioning. Looking ahead, it should be clarified that the system is 4-level, i.e. with two transfers. Upon arrival in Dombay, we were at an altitude of 1590 meters, from here we had to climb Mount Mussa-Achitara with a height of about 3163 meters. On weekends in the summer, Dombay is visited by a very large number of tourists and excursions. It is problematic to get to the ski lift as a savage in the morning.

Old pendulum cable car... On it you can only climb to the 2nd level.

Our ascent to the second level took place in a trailer that can be described as made in some kind of Swiss-futuristic style, in comparison with the trailers of the Soviet period familiar to the eye.

However, now, such booths can be seen in many places. They run in and out.

The scheme of the Dombai cable cars is as follows.

Climbing to the top of Dombai

It was not even 10 o'clock in the morning as I was already on the second level - an altitude of 2277 above sea level.

From here, in the rays of the rising sun, the entire village of Dombay and the Alibek gorge are perfectly visible, a view of Ertsog (3683m.) And Djalovchat (3884m.) Opens.

Ine peak and Dzhuguturluchat massif (3921m) are perfectly visible - translated as “mountain above the gorge of tours”.

Glacier on the ridge of Mount Dzhuguturluchat.

Here we spend no more than 10 minutes and continue the ascent further on open 6-seater seats. At the same time, we cross from the top the old lifts, also open, but of a 2-seater type.

A few minutes and we are on the third level. This level is the most equipped with various cafes and antennas.

The most interesting of the cafes - "3012" (apparently by the height of the location) looks stylized as a fortress of the Caucasian peoples.

On the way back, I dined here with trout for 200 rubles, I could not deny myself a little pleasure on such a beautiful day.

After lunch, I wandered for some time, took several photos, some of which for some reason very much remind me of Central Asia - Afghanistan-Pakistan, although I have never been there)))

Here the mountains move aside, become not so close, but on the other hand, now their entire huge array - the Dombai glade - appears. From here, you can clearly see the killed bison hiding in the Dombai-Ulgen gorge in translation - the highest of the mountains of the Western Caucasus - 4046 meters and its entire gorge. By the way, the very word "dombay" in translation from the Karachai language means "bison". Once upon a time, whole herds of these animals were found here.

The Amanauz massif is visible (3757 m.) - in the photo on the right.

Dzhuguturluchat glacier, Amanauz and Sufruju.

Semyonov-Bashi rises in all its glory (3608 m.) And the border of eternal ice begins.

By the way, from the third level, a stunning view of the entire Teberda gorge opens up, from there we arrived.

We had 3 hours of time - so much and so little to enjoy this beauty, plus we spent another hour on the descent.

Dombai Mountains. Dombay glade from the top of Mussa-Achitara

But the ascent is not over, further upward, to the very top of Mussa-Achitara, another cable car leads. As of the time I was there, the road had not yet been put into operation. It was built, however, according to the old Russian tradition, it refused to work and no one could understand why. In general, specialists were expected from Switzerland, where this miracle of technology was produced.

Well, this is not even the wilds of Mount Beshtau and not even a piece of iron, I thought and decided that I would climb anyway !!

The rise was given quite quickly. 10-15 minutes and I was already at the top of Mussa-Achitara main mountain Dombai. The height was already 3 kilometers away. From here the whole valley of the Dombai mountains opened up - the Dombai glade.

Dombayskaya glade is a place in the upper reaches of the Teberda River, which unites several mountain gorges. The connection of the gorges Dombai-Ulgen, Amanauz, Alibek and Gonachkhir - form a circus whose mountainous territory is united under the name Dombai glade or simply Dombay.

Dombay-Ulgen gorge

Far left - Amanauz - Sofrudzhu - Belalakaya - Ertsog + Djalovchat - Far right.

Dzhuguturluchat massif.

Alibek gorge

Amanauz gorge

Semyonov Bashi and the top of Mount Bolshaya Marka.

Teberda gorge

You take a few steps and Teberda begins at the confluence of the Amanauz and Gonachkhir rivers in front of your feet.

A view of the Teberda gorge opens up.

Gonachkhir gorge

You look to the east and you will see the Gonachkhir gorge with the Main Caucasian ridge on the other side.

The gorge is crowned like a crown with the snow-white cap of Elbrus.

Mussa-Achitara peak

Here, at the top, from where you can see all the mountains of Dombai, I spent almost an hour. I dabbled in a chair of a non-working cable car, I dined with a zabutovka, practically hanging my legs from a cliff at an altitude of more than 3 kilometers, burned out in the bright mountain sun and got incredible pleasure from the unforgettable views that Dombai glade gives.

By the way, Mussa-Achitara is also known as Musat-Cheri.

Dombai glade contains an uncountable number of mountains, massifs and peaks. I tried to highlight at least the main, most pronounced peaks.

Summer Dombay on video

In our video Dombay in the summer. Climbing to the top of Mount Mussa-Achitara and Mount Dombai glade.

Dombay in the summer. Descent down

Descending from the top was more difficult, as my way down went through the remnants of the snow cap, and the remaining snow looks more like heavily crushed melted ice. Sneakers are completely unsuitable footwear for crossing such a snowy tongue, even if it is a dozen meters wide.

Those who visit Dombay in the summer, at the top at the foot of the glacier, can see how the bells of Bieberstein grow.

The place where the rivers begin, if you look closely at the photo below you can see a thin stream)))

Snows on the peaks lie all year round, as if bordering Dombay. In summer, the glaciers melt, from Mussa-Achitara there is an excellent view of the Dzhuguturluchat waterfall. He is certainly not the only one. Dombay is rich in waterfalls in summer, but not all of them are easily accessible.

To the left is the Tooth of Sofruju, to the right is BelalaKaya.

I spent almost half an hour on the second level. I never managed to find one of the symbols of Dombai - a hotel in the form of a flying saucer. But my search ended successfully. The flying saucer was presented to Dombai by the President of Finland Urho Kekkonen. The opening took place in 1979. The hotel can accommodate up to 8 people.

For the search I was rewarded with the herbs of the alpine meadows. Dombay in the summer is not only mountains, it is also nature of stunning beauty!

How to get to Dombai

Dombai glade is a mountainous area in the Caucasus. There is no airport or railroad... Nevertheless, getting to Dombai is not difficult. By the way, the entrance to the territory of the Teberda Nature Reserve is paid.

How to get to Dombai from Moscow

The fastest way to get to Dombai from Moscow is by plane. The nearest airport to Dombay is in the town of Mineralnye Vody. About a dozen flights of different airlines fly from Moscow to Mineralnye Vody every day at any time of the day. The flight time will be 2 hours.

How to get from Mineralnye Vody to Dombai

To Dombay from Mineralnye Vody just over 200 kilometers. If you go on your own transport, that is, there are 2 roads, through Cherkessk or through. The road through the pass is more picturesque if you are not afraid of mountain serpentines.

Alternatively, you can rent a car, spend the night in Dombai, and the next day visit Arkhyz, next to the Dombai meadow. You can even go to Elbrus or to. In addition to Dombai in the summer in the Caucasus, there are a lot of places that you can visit on your own. You can rent a car at affordable prices on the website.

You can get to Dombai by train through Nevinnomyssk. From Nevinnomyssk, and Cherkessk, Pyatigorsk and Mineralnye Vody, you can get to Dombai by regular bus from the bus station. Of the minuses, the bus runs to Teberda, there you need to change trains. You can view the flights and buy tickets.

You can take a taxi to move. You can order a taxi to the airport on the website or by clicking on the form below. You will be met with a sign and taken to the doorstep.

At the resorts of Mineralnye Vody you can also purchase one day excursion... Departure almost every day at 6 am, the price is about 1200 rubles per person. Individual excursions can be found.

How to get to Dombay by train

As I already wrote, it will not work to get to Dombai by train. By train, you can first also get to Mineralnye Vody, and even better to the station Nevinnomysskaya. From Nevinnomyssk by train, you can get to the nearest railway station to Dombayskaya Polyana in the city of Cherkessk.

Dombay or Elbrus? Where better to go

What to choose where it is better to go to Dombay or Elbrus, first of all, you need to understand why? I must say right away that if possible, it is better to go there and there. Better than mountains there can only be mountains. If this is not possible, let's consider several options to choose Elbrus or Dombay.

If we talk about skiing, then the Dombayskaya glade is more compact, it is more convenient to get to the tracks, but the tracks themselves lose to Elbrus. However, we will not stop on vacation in winter, since the article is about Dombai in summer.

If this is your first time in the Caucasus and can only spend 1 day on a trip, then feel free to choose the direction that is closer to you in distance. If the distance is approximately the same, then I would recommend choosing Elbrus. All the same, this is not only the most high mountain Europe, but also the highest mountain in Russia. Elbrus is considered the pearl of the Caucasus for a reason. You can take a cable car to the glacier itself, and there, if you wish and if the weather is good, you can take a snowmobile to Shelter 11. It will not be possible to see Dombay in the summer and visit the glacier. You can catch last year's snowfield, but this is far from a glacier.

If you are planning a trip to Dombay or Elbrus for several days, then it is better to choose Dombay. The infrastructure there is more compact, the service in hotels is slightly higher. The mountains are a little more picturesque and closer than in the Elbrus region. Dombai glade, and the whole of Teberda, is considered a place where air is useful for people with pulmonary diseases. Here people were even cured of consumption. But there is not so much greenery on Elbrus.

My article for the magazine "Russian Photo" - http://www.rosphoto.com/travel/zolotaya_osen_v_gorah_dombaya-5461

Photo: Igor Gorshkov
Text: Igor Gorshkov

Dombay is a mountain resort village in Caucasus mountains in Karachay-Cherkessia. He is known primarily as ski resort, however, this is an amazing and very beautiful place from the point of view of nature. Igor Gorshkov, a member of the Russian Photo club.

Autumn is a very beautiful time of the year, especially in the mountains. I had never been in the mountains in autumn, so I decided to go and see with my own eyes the beauty of the golden mountain autumn and Dombay, where I had never been either.

It is quite easy to get to Dombai, and you can live in a comfortable hotel among the mountains and get by with a minimum of things for walking in the mountains. In addition, there at this time is calm and off-season and, unlike summer and especially winter, the most low prices for accommodation. Well, and most importantly, all the beauties of the mountainous autumn Caucasus are nearby.

Golden autumn in Dombai, almost from the hotel view of the beautiful Ine peak.

From the village you can move in any direction: the gorges lead to a variety of beautiful places - waterfalls, glaciers, the foothills of the peaks. In addition to the northern one, this is a road, but it is also interesting to walk along it, it is very picturesque.

The road to Dombai is very picturesque, and such a picture meets those who come to this place in the midst of a golden autumn.

The weather for a little more than a week (and that is how long the trip lasted) was difficult, but interesting: both the sun and the rains, which were nevertheless a little more than we would like, and fogs, and on the last day of stay everything fell asleep first snow.

It was especially beautiful when the sun peeped out during the rain: moisture, fog, clouds on the mountain slopes and sunlight.

Mountain rivers flow in all gorges, and you can sometimes go down to them and take beautiful shots at different times of the day and weather.

Amanauz river on an autumn evening. Panorama. Shortly before the shot was taken, a mass of snow fell from the top of Sofruju (in the distance) - an avalanche. An impressive sight!

The same place the next morning: it rained at night, the water noticeably increased and turned brown. The log from the previous frame was simply washed away. Unfortunately, a couple of days later, excavators arrived at this place and raked a high ridge on the left, clearing the main channel (it is on the left), and this channel was filled up. But, apparently, it was necessary from a safety point of view, when the flow of water increases.

Sunset on the Dombai-Ulgen river.

River, peak and gorge Dombay-Ulgen. Panorama.

It was one of the darkest and most inclement days, snow and rain fell, a piercing wind blew, ripping off the golden foliage, but I really wanted to see a gap when I reached this place. And suddenly the mountains gave such a beautiful sky!
Then he was immediately addicted.

On rare sunny days, all mountain slopes and forests delighted with bright autumn outfits.

Autumn fogs in the mountains are always interesting and beautiful, however, sometimes, most often at dawn or dusk, they were so thick that you could not see the neighboring slopes, let alone the mountains.

Dombai bowl of evening fog from Alibek gorge. Panorama.

Later, this fog rose to the peaks and filled the entire space, the way back to the village was almost all in a thick haze - we had to walk through a dark forest with one flashlight for two. After that, we always took lanterns with us, even if we planned to return before dark. And, by the way, they never returned before dark, the flashlights came in handy all the time. Therefore, you will be in the mountains - the lanterns are always with you, even if the walk is planned for half a day.

Be sure to bring comfortable and worn-out shoes. It so happened that for the first couple of days I felt very uncomfortable, apparently, over the summer my feet got out of the habit of boots, although they are far from new. I often remembered the words of Sebastio Salgado: no matter how good your camera is, it is important how comfortable your shoes are.

In the Dombai mountains, there are many different streams flowing along the mountain slopes or in the forests, many waterfalls, to which the main routes in the gorges go.

Alibek waterfall. A road and a trail in the Alibek gorge go to it. You can cross the river and get closer.

It should be borne in mind that all the gorges and environs of the Dombai village are the territory of the Teberda nature reserve, and there are foresters' posts on all roads, who charge a fee and give a ticket, but not always. In addition, this is also a border area, a little further there are border guards posts, and permission is required to be in this zone, rich in waterfalls, glaciers and other beautiful places. Foresters can make it with a Russian passport, but the passport must always be worn. Although in the autumn there were practically no border guards at the cordons, and we were not immediately given permission, and during the first days we hoped for the strength of a Russian passport, a ticket from a forester, the absence of border guards and human understanding, if suddenly a patrol did meet.

Dogs often followed us in the village. At first there was one dog who once accompanied me on a morning shoot by the river. Then at some point there were four of them. It was funny with them, but sometimes you had to take up a twig for educational purposes, otherwise the camera with a tripod could end up in a turbulent mountain river or just fly off onto the rocks. For some reason, the dogs liked to arrange all their games and fuss exactly in the place where I set up the tripod with the camera. One day a couple of dogs went far enough with us, despite the frequent rain and wind, and even posed for shots.

At the Devil's Mill in the gorge of the Amanauz River.

Here the river rages, sandwiched between the rocks. The animal became interested in something below, and managed to take several frames.
I had to buy sausages for the dogs upon my return - for the fact that, despite the weather, they walked with us all day in the mountains and also worked as photo models.

The ski area has a cable car and ski slopes. You can climb in several stages to a height of 3168 m above sea level to Mount Mussa-Achitara, look around the surrounding mountain peaks and even, if you are lucky with the weather, see the top of Elbrus (we were unlucky, he was hiding in a cap of clouds).

Hello, the mountains are so high!

Clouds flow through the Ptysh pass from Abkhazia. They flow down, bursting into the valley, and then fly up the mountain: then everything is covered with fog, but not for long, the wind quickly carries them away.

Play of light, shadows, clouds and mountains.

The top of Sofruju hid in the clouds, exposing only its tooth

High in the mountains we met a domestic alpine cat. In fact, this is one of the intermediate levels of the cable car, there are many buildings - and he lives somewhere there at a cafe and "hunts" for tourists with sandwiches.

Dombai romance

The sun is hiding behind the mountains. Sunset in the mountains occurs earlier than on the plain or by the sea. And below - cloudy weather.

Lilac twilight in the mountains

Wanderer over the sea of ​​fog. Self-portrait based on the painting of the same name by the 19th century German romantic artist Caspar David Friedrich.

Making this and other shots, we were late for the cable car, although according to the schedule in the ticket it had to work for a few more minutes. It took some time to admire the mountains, illuminated by the full moon and the starry sky above the clouds, but, unfortunately, the batteries for the camera sat down and failed to capture this amazing picture.
Then, some time later, after numerous calls to the hotel and unsuccessful attempts to find cable car workers, when we had already decided to go down on foot, excavator workers appeared and helped us go down in a duty trailer.

There are many beautiful places- gorges, lakes, waterfalls - but it is impossible to be in time everywhere in a short time, especially taking into account the weather.

Emerald lake Tumanly-Kol, which is also called Trout, in the Gonachkhir gorge.

The famous Sukhumi Military Road with good asphalt passes through the gorge, and a lot of cars and buses with excursions and tourists come to the lake. The lake shore is equipped with a parking lot, barbecues, tables and benches, so the most beautiful view it is almost impossible to shoot against the background of snowy mountains - all these benefits of civilization fall into the frame.

Luxurious asphalt road in the Gonachkhir gorge towards the Klukhorsky pass, the former Military-Sukhum road. The former, because now another country is just around the corner, well, the road fell asleep in the pass part.

Turquoise Gonachkhir

On the last day of our stay in Dombai, the first snow fell, and it was possible, albeit not for long, to admire the view of the snow-covered autumn mountain forests.
A little about photographic equipment.
All frames were shot with a Fujifilm X-T10 camera and a small set of lenses for it. Walking in the mountains with a small and light camera and the same optics was very cool and comfortable, despite the fact that I always had a tripod and some personal belongings with me.

Despite the fact that moisture protection was not officially announced by the manufacturer, the camera completely tolerated shooting in the rain - not a downpour, of course, but several times the camera and optics had to be dried in the evenings, although I tried to protect it from water as much as possible. We were very pleased with the presence of a built-in raw-converter and wi-fi, the possibility of choosing the famous Fujian "film" profiles and other settings.

I could quickly enough share my impressions of what I saw with friends and in social networks. Some of the presented photos were processed with the help of the camera.

Something about the filming process (on an old phone):

The first thing you think about when you remember Dombay- this is ski vacation... For some reason, in the minds of people, this region seems exclusively winter place recreation. In reality, when the snow melts, the fun seems to be just beginning. Do you remember what spring is? Rebirth time. Time for a new life. So on Dombai, everything wakes up by mid-April, everything boils and sparkles with the inexhaustible energy of life. The hiking season begins in May. And believe me, you will have something to see. The unique climate of the area and its unusual relief provide an interesting combination of flora and fauna and give birth to beautiful places for our eyes.

On these pages I suggest that you mentally walk with me along one of the most popular routes and enjoy nature at least a little.

Alibek. The popularity of this place is explained, first of all, by the fact that you can visit it at any time of the year and in any weather. Besides, the route is not difficult at all. Are we going?

The first four kilometers of the way we will spend among the mighty firs and spruces. It is not surprising. After all, we are with you in the first climatic zone - moderately warm. Some coniferous beauties in the Alibek gorge reach a height of 45-50 m. But in Arkhyz you can also meet 60-meter trees.

In fact, the forests of Dombai are quite diverse. Where it is driest, the slopes of the mountains are decorated with pine trees. In the southern surroundings, they are diluted with oaks, aspens, maples and birches. Lovers of indoor plants probably already fell in love with azalea. You can find its wild version in these forests. Do you know what a yellow rhododendron looks like? Exactly. It is bright yellow. And besides its sunny color, it has an intoxicating smell. You will certainly feel it if you get there in the spring. The uniqueness of this plant is also in the fact that it has been growing on earth for more than 3 million years. Just imagine, the first human beings admired these flowers. And now we have a chance.

There are other long-livers in these forests. On the floodplain areas, there are yew groves. The age of individual trees reaches 4000 years.

There is even something to eat here. Fruit forests consist of wild apple, pear, cherry plum, sweet cherry and blackthorn. In the glades, there are bushes of hazel and honeysuckle. There are gooseberries, barberries, currants and, of course, raspberries - a favorite snack for the brown bear. By the way, yes. These formidable animals are found here. But they behave quite peacefully. They feed mainly on berries, herbs and nuts. In early spring, the bodies of animals killed in avalanches are searched for.

But wolves and lynxes, who also live in these places, are no longer so kind. They gladly devour mountain goats, wild boars, chamois, and tours. Well, if you are not lucky, then they eat black grouse and mouse-like rodents.

There are also other predators here: foxes, jackals, forest cats, stone martens. Sometimes raccoon dogs come in.

An interesting fact is that even special, acclimatized Altai squirrels are found in Dombai. Just do not confuse them with fluffy creatures bearing the funny name of the dormouse. They also live in trees and settle in hollows, but have rounded ears without perky tassels at the ends.

And the forest, however, ends. The exit is already visible. A few more words about mushrooms, and we will go further with you. And how not to say? The forests are vast and there are sea of ​​mushrooms: morels, honey agarics, champignons. Under the trees and shrubs, you can find oak boletus and woodcutters. White, russula and chanterelles will delight. But there is a wonderful, dombai miracle here. The pride of the Caucasian forest is the coral mushroom. Imagine a handsome man up to half a meter in diameter. One found one and fed the whole detachment. They say it really tastes good. But besides, he is also handsome. Folded from small plates, it resembles a flower.

The meadows are dominated by cereals: variegated fescue, reed grass. And if in the spring the valleys are full of yellow swimsuit and blue gentian, then in June they are covered with the even white color of the tuberous anemone. From mid-summer until autumn, they are again seized by a riot of shades that change rather quickly. Either a pink knotweed blooms, or a lilac-purple letter, which is replaced by an orange carpet of bullocks.

The higher the mountains, the lower the grass. However, the harsh climate does not in any way affect the scenic beauty of the alpine meadows. True, the colors reach special juiciness only by the middle of summer. The whitish blue of the snow is replaced by the blue carpet of Bieberstein's bells. When it gets warmer, Ruprecht's yellow primrose takes over. The mountain violet is diverse in its shades. But let's not forget that the alpine belt is primarily about talus and rocks. Here grasses with a powerful root system, such as a dense clump, take root. It looks like pads with closely pressed stems. She is not afraid of frosts and winds.

Few animals are capable of adapting to such harsh conditions. These are mainly ungulate mammals: tours, chamois, red deer and, of course, bison. After all, the very name "" is translated as "bison". There is even such a mountain Dombai-Yolgen (killed bison).

The terrible time of the civil war of 1917-1924. for these powerful animals proved fatal. Of the 500 individuals living in these places, by the twenty-fourth year only 10 remained. The last bison was killed by some poacher in 1928. It would seem that everything. To some extent, it is. Currently, about 2,000 individuals live in the Caucasus. These are the descendants of bison once brought there from Askania-Nova.
The stone goat has large curved horns and special soft horny pads on the hooves. The dexterity with which these large animals (up to 150 kg) move along almost sheer cliffs is amazing. They can graze both at the very borders of the forest, and at eternal snows.

Chamois. Her grace is sung in verse. From a distance, the silhouettes look really beautiful. Although in essence it is an ordinary goat with thin and not very long horns. In winter, it is dark brown, by summer it turns red. Is it difficult for you to imagine what it looks like? Drive on and visit the Teberda Nature Reserve. Outside its borders, chamois are practically not found.

Along the streams, along the banks of which the grass is green, you can meet a female Caucasian red deer with a cub. A beautiful and touching animal. Suffice it to recall the cartoon about the deer "Bambi". But adult males are not so defenseless. Their huge, branchy horns are a formidable weapon when fighting enemies.

Let's return mentally to the Uzun-Tala glade we left behind. In addition to the waterfall, the silhouette of Mount Sulakhat is perfectly visible from it. It resembles the profile of a girl lying on her back. The people have composed a legend about this mountain:
The beautiful Sulakhat was born in the hardworking tribe of Alans. And this tribe was happy. The sun gave them a lot of warmth. It filled rye and barley with its light. The meadows were green, and beautiful chamois roamed them. But happiness is never eternal. Sadness came to these places too. Where the Alibek glacier lies inaccessible, a passage formed along which thorny winds began to rush into the valley. The harvest was destroyed, the fields thinned out and people began to die. Sadness came to Sulakhat with the winds. But not that saddened her that she was cold without a piece of bread in her father's house, while her lover fought with the winds in. And what she saw the tribesmen left without shelter and food. One day, embracing her father, saying goodbye, mentally, with her beloved and friends, she went to the glacier. Praying good spirits, she lay down along the ridge, blocking the road to the winds with her body.

Yes, the mountaineers are a brave people. Who else could have survived amid stormy rivers and overhanging glaciers? But let's finish our journey with you. After passing through the Alibek alpine camp, we will find ourselves on the glade of the same name. What colorful flowers can await us here, we already know. An indescribable view of the glacier opens up from the hillock. This place is a kind of fork. Walking less than a kilometer in one direction, you can get to the waterfall.

Have you ever seen an ugly natural waterfall? It seems that these do not exist. Each of them is unique. Each has its own "face" and its own "character". The Chuchkhursky waterfall is talkative, the Alibeksky is mighty. In appearance, like a light cape, Ptyshsky breaks down from a decent height.

If you still have a little time and energy left, we will walk with you to the Alibek glacier and Lake Turiy. Our road will run along the river. By the way, there are enough of them. The main river Teberda, formed by the confluence of the river. Amanauz and Gonachkhir. In addition to these, the water artery of the region is fed by the river. Muhu, Small and Big Khatipara, Khadzhibey, Jamaga, Shumku, Ullu-Muruju, Gedezh. An impressive list, isn't it? The very same Teberda flows into the familiar river. Kuban.

On the way, you and I will be able to see the Djalovchat glacier (salt lick). Named so for the lick salt found in these places, which is very attractive for tours. Ours called the glacier bilingual because it descends into the valley as if bifurcating.

We will walk past thickets of Caucasian rhododendron mixed with stunted birches and maples. We will admire the Alibek gorge. A slight rise and voila. A beautiful gem framed by rocks - Turye Lake.

There are three types of lakes on the territory of the reserve. Turye, along with Kara-Kel and Tumanly-Kel, belongs to the so-called moraine. They form in natural dams left by the glacier.

In the highlands, where glaciers are advancing and receding, bowls are formed on a solid surface, which are also filled with water. Such lakes are called tarn. They are distinguished by their special purity and depth. These include Fr. Klukhorskoe, Murudzhinskoe, Khadzhibey, Azgeks, etc.

The third type includes the dammed Baduk lakes. They were formed as a result of a collapse that occurred about two hundred years ago.

There is very little left for us: to climb the snowfield and overcome the madder (an accumulation of rock debris). And so, our journey was crowned with victory. We can contemplate the largest and lowest glacier in the Western Caucasus - Alibeksky.

Every year it retreats 1-1.5 m upward. Here's another danger. The thawing surface is often slippery. And all because of global warming. Slowly but surely, the glaciers disappear. Over the past hundred years, their area has decreased by almost 20 square kilometers.

Of course, we will not save the glaciers. But we can very much take care of the rest of nature. All you need to do is be careful and attentive while hiking. So that it does not work out like with bison in 1928, let us take good care of the rare gifts of the planet Earth, one of which is Dombay, located in the vicinity of the Teberda nature reserve.

On a small territory of the Dombai Valley and the Elbrus region, almost all the fauna and flora of Russia are collected, all climatic and landscape zones our country. In addition, rare animals live here that are not found anywhere else. Gradually, the issues of preserving natural nature are becoming increasingly important, which is reflected in the legislative framework, work is underway to breed, preserve animals that did not originally live in this area, but have adapted to the new climate.

For this, new reserves and hunting-reserve farms appear. For example, since 1976 the Kabardino-Balkan nature reserve has been operating with an area of ​​53,300 hectares, located in the upper reaches of the Chegem (right tributary of the Baksan), Cherek Bizengiyskiy and Cherek Balkarskiy rivers. The Chegem Valley, as the Kabardino-Balkarian Reserve is sometimes called, is located on the border with the Elbrus region.

As a result, the Elbrus region is surrounded state reserves- from the east to the North Ossetian and Kabardino-Balkarian, and from the west - Teberda. The Elbrus region plays the role of a buffer zone, which removes the tourist load from reserves and serves as a "guard" of unique natural areas. If in the reserves, in principle, any kind of recreation is prohibited, then in the Elbrus region there is an opportunity to create a strictly limited number of roads, lay some routes and equip several parking lots. Thus, tourists can at least from afar, but get acquainted with these the most interesting places, admire the unique "pattern" of forests and meadows in the surrounding mountains. Hunting reserves and forestry are obliged to strictly monitor compliance with the rules.

The Central Caucasus belongs to an area with a temperate continental climate, where the altitudinal zonation is clearly expressed, and the vegetation, as well as climatic zones, are separated by Mother Nature herself. Borders are easy to spot even with the naked eye. The lowest belt, stretching from the meadow to a height of 2,000 - 2,400 meters, is represented by forests: fir, spruce (up to 45-50 meters high), on the southern slopes diluted with oaks, aspens, birches and maples. There are also fruit forests, consisting of cherry plum, blackthorn, cherry and apple trees, meadows overgrown with hazel and honeysuckle, gooseberries, barberries, currants and raspberries. Here you can collect all kinds of mushrooms: russula, boletus mushrooms, champignons, chanterelles, grass roots and oak trees, as well as a coral mushroom, which is considered one of the "identifying signs" of Dombai and whose cap sometimes reaches 0.5 meters in diameter, although in other places it regular sizes. A special microclimate is "responsible" for the fact that the flowers and herbs we are used to grow simply to an unrecognizable size.

The next zone is subalpine meadows, which stretch up to an altitude of 2,600 meters above sea level. Then there are alpine meadows, on which the grass grows up to two meters in height, and in contrast to them - low-grass alpine meadows, attracting attention with bright placers of flowers, in particular rhododendron and gentian. In spring and summer, the slopes of the mountains seem to be covered with a patchwork quilt consisting of bright floral spots.

The mountains

The most famous and highest mountain in Europe and Russia is Elbrus, whose western peak is at an altitude of 5,642 meters, and the eastern one - 5,621 meters above sea level - is located in these unique places. Elbrus is a gigantic volcanic massif that stands out from the general system of mountains. This is what determines the originality and uniqueness of the climate, landscape and relief in this region. The thickness of the glaciers on Elbrus reaches 400 meters, the total area of ​​glaciation is about 150 square kilometers.

Among the attractions of the Elbrus region there are magnificent gorges, which are located above 2,000 meters above sea level: Adyr-Su, Adyl-Su, Terskol, Baksanskoye, Yusengi. Each gorge is a separate natural site with a high degree of attractiveness for tourists.

The largest gorge is considered to be Baksanskoe, where most tourist routes and through which the path runs to Elbrus, the gray-haired patriarch of the Caucasus. It is here, in the upper reaches of the Baksan, its tributaries Adylsu, Irik and in the Malka valley, where mineral springs are concentrated, which have a different chemical composition and are used in the treatment of various diseases.

Dombay

The mountain resort Dombay is a real "heart of the Caucasus", surrounded by mountains and fir forests. The unique beauty of this area lies in the combination of dark needles of forests and bright green alpine meadows, interspersed with turbulent rivers, waterfalls, snow-white caps of eternal snow and dazzling glaciers. The cover of the earth's surface created by nature cannot even approximately be restored by a human hand.

The Dombay resort is located in the luxurious Teberda Nature Reserve, created back in 1936. A living museum of nature harmoniously combines majestic and profound mountains overgrown with forests and meadows, rapid mountain rivers and picturesque rumbling waterfalls, unrealistically beautiful alpine lakes and the lush vegetation of the shores. The total area of ​​the reserve is 85 thousand hectares, which are located on the northern side of the Main Caucasian Range.

There are 43 species of mammals in the Teberda Nature Reserve, the most recognizable and most widespread of them is the "symbol" of Dombai - the Caucasian stone goat (or West Caucasian tur). The main decoration of this animal is considered to be large saber-shaped horns (up to 1 meter long and up to 30 cm wide). The goats are best adapted to life in the mountains, every cell of their body is best suited to such living conditions.

The second "pride" of the reserve is the bison, which is considered the largest wild animal in Europe. This animal was practically exterminated during the Second World War, only a few specimens remained in zoos, although initially there were whole herds of bison in these mountains. Now the reserve is trying to revive the bison. Actually, in Karachai the word "bison" sounds like "dombay", hence the name of the resort itself. Hence the name itself high point Dombaya - Dombai-Yolgen, which is translated, according to one version, as "killed bison", and according to the other - is named after a skilled hunter who killed a bison alone.

In the forest zone of Dombai, wild boars and Caucasian deer, lynx and roe deer, jackals and foxes, stone and forest marten, brown bear and squirrel, and wolves are found. Caucasian black grouse and chamois are often found at the upper borders. By spring the forests are “densely populated” with birds: mountain turkey (snowcock), partridges, eagles, jackdaws and other “tree dwellers”. The rivers are so transparent that you can see how the trout struggles with the current and overcomes the rapids. The dipper, a small bird with a white breast, bravely diving right into the stormy waters, "hunts" right there.

One of the areas in which the work is carried out in the reserve is experiments on the acclimatization of animals and plants that did not live in this area before. So, now ginseng is cultivated here, they take care of sika deer, Altai squirrel and raccoon dog. Attempts to reproduce and preserve rare species of birds and animals that are on the verge of extinction do not stop.

The alpine position of the reserve also determines the nature of its vegetation cover. On the territory of the reserve, two main types of vegetation can be distinguished: forests (deciduous, mixed and coniferous) and mountain meadows (subalpine and alpine). In addition, the vegetation of rocks and taluses, as well as meadows within the forest belt of the reserve, stands out.

Forests occupy the bottoms of valleys, gorges and slopes of ridges, usually up to an altitude of 2200-2500 m. northern slopes the upper limit of the forest lies at a lower height, on the southern ones - at a higher one. Above the forest there is a mountain-meadow belt. The lower part of the belt is occupied by subalpine meadows, the upper one, adjacent to the belt of bare rocks and eternal snow, is alpine. The vegetation of rocks and talus is distributed mainly in the mountain-meadow belt and above it, but it also occurs within the forest.

The meadows of the forest belt (forbs-grasses and grasses-forbs) are more or less steppe, occupy glades on the lower terraces of rivers.

It should be noted that the boundaries of the forest, subalpine and alpine meadows do not run parallel to each other, but along a broken line. Sometimes the forest wedges into the subalpine or even alpine belt. Quite often in the forest you can find glades with typical subalpine vegetation. The width of the belts (vertically) of alpine and subalpine meadows also varies within a fairly wide range.

Due to the fact that the Teberda reserve is located on the border of the western and eastern parts North Caucasus, the flora of the reserve includes plants characteristic of both indicated floristic regions. So, in the reserve, West Caucasian species are widespread: Eastern spruce, Caucasian fir and Caucasian rhododendron, but East Caucasian species are also common - squat juniper and crenate spirea. In addition, elements of both steppe (feather grass, steppe timothy, fescue and many others) and Colchis flora (medicinal laurel) penetrate into the reserve.

Of great interest is a relic of the Tertiary period - berry yew.

The total number of flowering plant species in the reserve is about 1,100.

Deciduous forests mainly occupy the lower above-floodplain terraces, the near-channel part of the floodplain and the fanning cones of rivers and streams, and also constitute the upper edge of the forest belt in the southern half of the Teberda Nature Reserve.

In the northern part of the reserve (the valleys of the Teberda, Dzhemagata, Malaya and Bolshaya Khatipara rivers), the stand of deciduous forests includes eastern beech, Caucasian hornbeam, forest apple, pear, sweet cherry and cherry plum; ash, pedunculated oak, Norway and beautiful maples, warty birch, aspen; the undergrowth is dominated by hazel, Caucasian honeysuckle, European euonymus and broadleaf. Closer to the Main Ridge, hornbeam, oak, as well as wild fruit trees and shrubs almost disappear, instead of them the high-mountain maple (Trautfetter) plays a significant role in the valley forests.

Beech forests are especially spectacular at all seasons. Powerful "columnar-shaped beech trunks with smooth gray bark bear a mass of crooked branches and shiny dark green leaves. In autumn, when the leaves turn reddish-rusty, the beech involuntarily catches the eye. In general, deciduous and mixed forests of the Teberda Reserve, due to the variety of woody and shrubs, unusually good in September - early October Deciduous trees are painted in all colors from straw yellow to crimson, and against the background of these colors the dense green of spruce and fir stands out sharply.

In the lower part of the forest belt, along the above-floodplain terraces of larger rivers, significant areas are occupied by herbaceous vegetation. By its composition, it is usually meadow-steppe. Of the steppe plants, the following are widespread in the reserve: bluegrass, fescue, feather grass (Ioanna and hairwort), steppe timothy, slender slender, bedstraw, six-petalled meadowsweet and many others. Among the specifically mountain species in the meadows, Alpine bluegrass, Kura sainfoin, Chisetz, Istod great, some stonecrops and others are common.

Due to the fact that the composition of the grass stand of the meadows of the lower belt includes a large number of species of forbs, these meadows are full of a lot of flowers from May to August. Depending on the abundance of certain flowering plants, the size and brightness of their flowers in the meadow in different time different colors and shades prevail over the year.

At the upper limit of the forest in the southern part of the reserve, there are thickets of birch, beech, mountain ash. All these breeds have a shrub-like shape, their trunks are bent and curved. This form of trees is developed under the influence of their blockage with snow and avalanches. A visit to this "subalpine crooked forest" is of great interest. Here you can see how resistant the plants are to unfavorable environmental conditions, how they "hold on to life." Broken off, bent, with partially torn roots from the ground, trees still live and grow.

Conifers occupy the slopes of the mountains. Pine is distributed mainly on the slopes of the southern, southeastern and southwestern parts. V pine forests there is often an undergrowth of yellow rhododendron (azalea), which in spring is covered with a mass of strong-smelling bright yellow flowers.

The grass cover of pine forests is usually low. It is dominated by grass bluegrass, reed grass, often fescue and other cereals; among legumes, middle and Alpine clovers, lyadvenets, some ranks and compatriots are common, stonecrops and rejuvenates are found in large numbers.

Spruce and fir in the middle part of the reserve occupy the slopes of the northern exposure; on the border with the Peredovoy or Bokovy ridge, they are found in small numbers, and in the south of the reserve (near the Main ridge) they inhabit the slopes of all exposures, except for the southern one, where pine plays a significant role. In the southern part of the reserve, in dark coniferous forests, beech is quite widespread.

The most typical dark coniferous forests are located in the valleys of the Alibeka, Dombay-ulgen, Amanauza, Gonachkhira rivers.

Spruce and fir, reaching heights of more than thirty meters, have a dense crown and strongly shade the soil. As a result, the undergrowth and grass cover in a dark coniferous forest is usually poorly developed. With a low forest stand density in such a forest, the grass cover most often consists of reed grass, mountain fescue, acid wood; kupenes, russes are quite constantly present, and the linea fern is common from ferns. Almost always there are common blueberries in one or another quantity, and closer to the Dividing Range, Caucasian blueberries.

For the mountains of the northwestern Caucasus, the Caucasian rhododendron is typical with dark, rather large leaves and beautiful white or pinkish flowers. In the Teberda Nature Reserve, the rhododendron is widespread. It is part of the undergrowth in the upper part of the forest belt, and above, in the lower part of the subalpine belt, it forms thickets. In the north of the reserve, rhododendron, like fir and spruce, keeps on the slopes of the northern exposure, and in the southern part it is found in more illuminated places. Rhododendron thickets are usually clearly visible from a distance, differing from the surrounding vegetation in their dark green color. Rhododendron is especially good in mass flowering (June) when the bushes are covered with caps of flowers that make a sharp contrast to the foliage.

Above the forest and thickets of the Caucasian rhododendron, there are subalpine meadows.

Grasses reign supreme here. Among them there are a lot of variegated fescue, (mainly in the northern part of the reserve), which stands out for its powerful tussocks of a variegated, thin-legged Caucasian fire, Asian sheep, timothy grass, various clovers, sainfoin, astragalus, large-flowered initial letter with dark pink inflorescences, white anemone tuberculosis, yellow primroses of Ruprecht, bright blue forget-me-nots, pink-red spring and highlander.

Hollows, gently sloping terraces and less dry places are usually occupied by tall grass meadows. There are fewer grains here, this is the kingdom of forbs. Cow parsnip is especially attracting attention; their leaves reach more than a meter in length, and the plants themselves are sometimes taller than the rider. Large white and purple bells and many Asteraceae grow in the same meadows.

At an altitude of 2400-2600 m and higher, subalpine meadows are gradually replaced by alpine meadows. Alpine meadows differ from subalpine meadows not only floristically, but also in appearance. Low herbage, large size of flowers in comparison with the height of the stem allow even an inexperienced person to notice the difference between alpine and subalpine vegetation.

Some of the species are characteristic of both belts, only the appearance of the plants differs. Among the subalpine-alpine species, the following should be noted: variegated fire, Asian oat, stocky fescue, gloomy sedge, Caucasian scabiosa, Ruprecht primrose, Alpine aster, Caucasian young, Alpine forget-me-not, some gentians (gentians), etc.

A significant number of species are specific to the alpine belt. These include semi-smooth sibbaldia, many-leaved clover, three-toothed bell, glacial violet, pleasant primrose, some mytniks and saxifrage. Shrubs and shrubs play an insignificant role in the alpine belt. Too steep rocks and young talus usually do not have a continuous vegetation cover. In such places, a kind of vegetation is formed, which is characterized by an open cover and a small number of species of flowering plants. In such places, crustal and crusty lichens often prevail. Observing a number of talus within the mountain-meadow belts, one can trace the process of their overgrowth - from the appearance of individual higher plants to the formation of a closed cover.

The most typical species for rocks and talus are the following species: Caucasian dryad, Kuznetsov's carnation, variegated colpodium, pleasant primrose, spring minartia, stemless hamesciadium, Caucasian larkspur, Siberian saxifrage, Ruprecht's redneck, saxifrage, Caucasian leafy and hard-leg , rejuvenated Caucasian and low.

The vegetation of rocks and talus is spread throughout the reserve on the slopes of all exposures. In its most typical form, it can be observed within the alpine belt.

Depending on the exposure and height, the floristic composition varies within certain limits. In addition, in addition to the characteristic plants, as a rule, there are pitchforks characteristic of the surrounding rocks and talus plant communities.

Fauna of the Teberda reserve

The reserve is rich in vertebrates, there are 184 different species. The number of invertebrate species has not yet been established.

It is most convenient to trace the distribution of animals in the reserve by belts.

The forest belt is inhabited by animal species common for the European forest zone (however, they are mostly represented by Caucasian forms).

Of the beasts of prey, the bear is ubiquitous. Depending on the season, it is found in all valleys up to alpine meadows. The bears living in the reserve have a generally peaceful nature, feed on various plants and insects. In 1952, the staff of the reserve observed, for example, a bear grazing with aurochs.

There are two types of martens in the reserve: forest, or yellow-bodied, and stone, or white-bodied. Both of them inhabit the forest belt, but there are more of them in the southern part. The stone marten goes higher into the mountains than the forest marten. Martens feed mainly on small rodents; there have been cases of martens attacking squirrels.

On the banks of the rivers you can find the most valuable fur-bearing animal, the otter, whose main food is trout.

Sometimes a badger, widely dispersed in the Stavropol Territory, and a typical steppe animal, dressing, enter the northern part of the reserve.

Of the weasel family, the Caucasian weasel is numerous on the territory of the reserve. It is most often found in the northern part near human dwellings and hay stacks. Is of great benefit in the extermination of harmful rodents. Occasionally come across an ermine.

Of the canine family, the most numerous is the Caucasian fox, distributed mainly in the northern part. A raccoon dog acclimated here is rare.

The wolf is not a permanent inhabitant of the reserve. As a rule, wolves penetrate from neighboring areas only to the northern part. Thanks to the protection of the reserve, wolves do not cause noticeable harm.

The forest cat and lynx live from the cat family. The forest cat is quite common in the northern part. It feeds mainly on murine rodents. The lynx is widespread throughout the territory, especially along the valleys of the Teberda, Mukhu, Dzhemagat, Gonachkhir and Amanauz rivers. The trot often rises higher.

The wild boar is the most abundant of the ungulates in the forest belt. (It also occurs in the subalpine belt). There is also a group of Caucasian deer. The closest relative of the deer, the roe deer, is found in very small numbers in the Dzhemagat Valley.

The most interesting rodent is the Altai squirrel acclimatized here. Its main food is the seeds of conifers: pine, fir and spruce. She also feeds on beech nuts, berries and mushrooms.

Another interesting rodent, the poison dart frog, is the dormouse, a nocturnal animal that usually sleeps in a hollow during the day. It feeds on a variety of seeds, including pear and apple seeds.

There are also several species of mice and voles in the forest, of which the wood mouse, common vole and water rat are more common. The latter brings especially noticeable harm, eating vegetables in vegetable gardens and gnawing at the roots of fruit trees.

Of the insectivores, the mole is the most numerous. It is observed everywhere both in the forest and in the subalpine belts. Shrews are less often seen.

Of the bats, the most common are the red nocturnal and long-eared bat. They are nocturnal, and during the day they sleep, attached upside down in the hollows of trees or cracks in rocks. They hibernate for the winter. They feed on insects, including harmful ones, which are of great benefit.

If there are up to 40 species of animals on the territory of the reserve, then the number of bird species is three times more. Birds from the order of passerines are especially numerous and widespread.

The most common, ubiquitous bird of the reserve is the Caucasian black-headed jay. There are also numerous tits: Caucasian, great, blue tit, long-tailed. These are permanent inhabitants of forests, equally active both in summer and winter.

Chaffinch is extremely numerous, which nests on the territory of the reserve and is found in the forest belt up to its upper

borders. Mountain bunting is also widespread, flocks of which can be observed in autumn and winter. Nuthatch and pika are constant inhabitants of forests. An interesting dipper, this small bird feeds on various aquatic animals, in search of which it can run a considerable distance under water.

With the onset of spring, greenfinches, grosbeaks, wagtails (white, yellow and mountain), field and forest larks appear. Later, during the flowering of the lilac, you can hear the melodious song of the lentils. In summer, shrikes, flycatchers, warblers, warblers, warblers, redstarts can be found here.

Common birds of the forest belt are the Accentor and Wren. In coniferous forests, kinglets are not uncommon. In summer there are numerous swallows: city and village, nesting in the territory of the village. There are many blackbirds: mischiefs, fieldfare, black and songbirds. The white-throated thrush descends to the valleys for the winter, and lives in the mountains in the summer. Starlings, horned and crested larks are found only on migration. In winter, you can observe flocks of bullfinches, occasionally there is a crossbill, which is interesting because it nests in winter.

Of the woodpeckers, who are rightfully called "doctors" of the forest, the most common is the great spotted woodpecker, the lesser spotted woodpecker is rare. Both in deciduous and coniferous forests, the black woodpecker, or gall, green woodpecker can be found quite often in the deciduous forests of the northern part of the reserve.

In summer, in the upper part of the forest belt, one can hear the crowing of a cuckoo. At dusk it flies silently like a nightjar. Sometimes you can observe the fast and beautiful flight of swifts. Of the rakshiformes, the Roller is quite often found on migration in spring and autumn; large flocks of golden bee-eaters are in the reserve on migration from the end of August and throughout September. From early spring to late autumn, you can often see the hoopoe.

Many other birds visit the reserve during autumn and spring flights.

Of the owls, the gray owl is found throughout the reserve. The daytime predator of the buzzard, or buzzard, is ubiquitous. This is a useful bird that exterminates a large number of rodents. Goshawks and sparrowhawks are quite common in the forest zone, which cause harm by exterminating beneficial insectivorous birds. Kestrels can be seen throughout the area. Eagles are rare.

Among sandpipers in many places of the forest belt of the reserve, especially in its northern part, you can find woodcock and snipe. Small plover arrives at the end of April, is common in the riverside area. Along the river valleys, you can see a marsh hen, a pug and a carrier. The call of the corncrake can be heard in the northern part of the reserve, where it probably nests. Doves nest in the rocks, and whitenes nest in the forests.

Of the chickens, quail is found on the flight.

The reptiles of the reserve are not very diverse. There are four types of lizards: nimble, green, rocky, and legless, snake-like spindle. Of the snakes, there is a copperhead, an ordinary already and an ordinary viper; only the latter is poisonous.

Among amphibians, the Caucasian and lake frogs, the green toad and the tree frog-tree frog are common, the cry of which can be heard in the summer among the foliage on the trees.

The only commercial fish is brook trout, which is found in almost all rivers. Lake trout lives in the lakes Kara-kel and Tumanly-kel. Gudgeon and char are found in flowing waters, and loach in stagnant waters.

Invertebrates in the reserve are very numerous and varied. Insects dominate among them.

First of all, a variety of butterflies are striking. In early spring, urticaria, peacock's eye and others awaken from winter torpor. By the end of summer, they give a second generation, which hibernates. In some years, the thistle butterfly can reproduce in large numbers, and then in the summer you can observe an interesting phenomenon - the flight of butterflies over high mountain passes.

Of the summer butterflies, we will mention such as whites, jaundices, bluebirds, velvet moths, mother-of-pearl, checkers, sailfish, Apollo. There are especially many of these butterflies in the Dzhemagat Valley. On sunny days, multi-colored various butterflies complement the fabulous picture of nature.

There are no forest pest butterflies in the reserve. The beech moth does not cause much harm. There are numerous forest pests, especially bark beetles. Barbel beetles, weevils, grinders and golden beetles bring less harm.

The luminous beetles are interesting - wingless and winged.

There are numerous bloodsucking insects: midges, mosquitoes, horseflies and others that accumulate in the habitats of ungulates and cause them great concern. Anopheles mosquito is present in small numbers.

In late spring, a very interesting representative of the ancient retina-winged insects, the ascalafus, appears. In appearance, ascalafuses resemble dragonflies, differing from them in long antennae with a large club. Their larvae develop in fallen leaves.

In summer, there are many jumping and chirping insects: grasshoppers, filly, crickets. There are a lot of ants that serve as food for various insectivorous birds; the bear also enjoys them. Bumblebees and wasps are quite numerous in the reserve.

In winter, during a thaw, a large number of spiders inhabiting the soil surface and snow fleas appear on the snow in some places. There are so many fleas that the snow turns black in places. They are eaten in large numbers by tits.

Of the molluscs, slugs are most often found, occasionally snails can be found. They feed on some animals, birds and insects, for example, Ivan's firefly beetles.

There are many earthworms or earthworms in the reserve, which serve as food for various animals, even such large ones as bears and wild boars. Worms mainly feed on the mole and some birds. Earthworms loosen, mix and fertilize the soil, thus creating favorable conditions for plant life.

The only terrestrial crustacean is woodlice, the accumulations of which can be observed under stones, dead wood, in the forest floor.

In the subalpine belt animal world less diverse than in the forest.

A stone marten finds refuge here among the stones.

Where there are rocky outcrops, chamois is characteristic. This slender, beautiful animal is very well adapted to life in the mountains. Chamois stick in small herds and, at the slightest danger, instantly disappear from sight, showing amazing dexterity. In summer, chamois climb into alpine meadows and often graze near the tours, and in winter they descend into the upper reaches of the forest.

In a subalpine meadow, among the stones overgrown with grass, you can often find small haystacks, which the snow vole harvests for the winter. The stack is usually placed under a canopy of stone or rock. The weight of one stack can reach two kilograms. Here, in the meadows, the little mouse is found; traces of the underground activity of the mole are very numerous.

Common birds of the subalpine belt are stone partridges, or partridges. These game birds feed on insects, seeds, bulbs, and plant buds in summer. In winter, berries and seeds are obtained from under the snow.

Among the thickets of rhododendron and in birch forests on the slopes of the Semenov-Bashi, Khutyi, Khadzhibey, Bolshaya and Malaya Khatipara and Kel-Bashi ridges, there is an endemic of the Caucasus - the Caucasian black grouse (Mlokosevich). In summer, it feeds on seeds, flowers and leaves of various plants, as well as insects. Its winter food consists of birch buds and catkins.

An interesting bird of the subalpine belt is the red-winged wall climber. This small brightly colored bird deftly moves along the slopes in search of various kinds of insects, which it pulls out of narrow crevices between stones and rocks using its long and curved beak.

Flocks of black red-billed choughs (alpine crows) are found near the rocks. Near the stream you can see the white-toothed thrush, which descends into the valley in winter, as well as a beautiful king finch. There are numerous stoves, chases, mountain horses, redstarts.

Of the reptiles, the rock lizard and the viper live here.

Many butterflies fly in the meadows, among which the beautiful large Apollo butterflies stand out. The sorrel leaf beetle is striking with its golden-green color.

You can often find a giant slug on the rocks.

Above the subalpine belt, at an altitude of 2700 to 3400 m, there are alpine meadows, where in the summer they keep in herds the endemic of the Caucasus - the Western Caucasian tours (Severtsov tours). In the mornings and evenings, they graze, and during the day they escape from the heat on the rocks and near the snowfields. In winter, the tours go down to places where the snow is not so deep and where it is easier to get food.

In early spring, they can be observed in the upper reaches of the forest, where plants develop earlier and there is branch food.

Tour companions are the so-called mountain turkeys, or ulars. Tours are of great service to ulars in winter, when they get food from under the snow. Raking up the snow, they thereby provide an opportunity to eat and ulars. Ulars are very careful: it is more often possible to hear their cry than to see the birds themselves.

In the alpine belt lives a high-altitude vole - the Prometheus mouse - an animal leading a very secretive lifestyle. For the most part, it is underground, rarely coming to the surface.

Several species of eagles find their refuge in the rocks, among which there is a bearded viper and a buzzard. Here you can also find huge griffon vultures.

Alpine jackdaws fly in flocks, unlike choughs, they have a yellow beak. A brightly colored stone thrush is occasionally encountered. Of the reptiles, the red viper (Kaznakova) lives.

Among insects, ground beetles, bumblebees, solitary bees, butterflies and various dipterans are numerous.

Based on the materials of the Book "Essays on the Teberda Reserve" Stavropol Book Publishing House 1958