Mongolian territory stretches 3000 km from east to west. Altai
Tavan Bogd Mountain locates in the western borderline of Mongolia. The 5
highest peak of Mongol Altai mountain range called “Tavan bogd”, extends 900
kilometers. Mongolians name “bogd” the high mountains which they respect. Five
high peaks are more than 4000 m above sea level and one of them is Mongolian
highest point “Khuiten peak”. In 1956, mountaineer have climbed up to “Khuiten
peak”, 4374 m high above sea level since then over 1200 foreign and Mongolian
mountaineers climbed. The five peaks are covered with eternal snow cap.
20 km long glacier flows
in the canyon. There are magnificent river, fast flowing fresh water in the
slope of the mountain. In June and July, over 100 kinds of flowers grow, and
the snow capped peaks reflects in the beautiful clear lake that is thousands of
endangered animals pasture. There are plenty of sites of petro glyphs, carved
gravestones, cave paintings, deer shrine graphics, archaeological findings left from the ancient people lived in the 3000
BC.
All these marvelous
scenery attracts many tourists. One of the Mongolian ethnic group, Khazakhs
live in this mountainous area. They hunt with eagles, perform the Kazakhs khuumii, national throat singing voice. Many tourists like to go for trekking
near glacier, see flowers, explore Khazakhs lifestyle and eagle hunting, see the
trace of ancient people such as petro glyphs.
Potanin glacier: Is a huge mass of ice caused by the
pressure of gravity on high mountain areas. The Potanin ice river was
discovered between1876-1899 by Russian scientist G.Potanin while he was doing a
research in Mongolia, thus the river was named after him.
Potanin glacier is the
largest glacier in Mongolia, 20 km long and 5 km wide. It is considered the
glacier was formed 2 million years ago. In 1983, geography scientists studied
and defined the total area as being 659km2. In 2005, Scientists researched and
found that the ice has melted 378-242 cm. If global warming and climate change
continue at their alarming rate, by 2090 the glacier ice will have been
completely melted.
