Mount Shikhan in Bashkiria is an amazing geological natural monument. This ancient formation consists of four components - Yurak-tau, Kush-tau, Shah-tau and Tra-tau. Isolated hills, forming a narrow chain, stretch for twenty kilometers along the river. White.
Wonders of Nature
In ancient times, the territory of modern Bashkiria was occupied by the ocean. At that time, Mount Shihan was nothing more than a reef. And still on a hill you can see the prints made by mollusks. The accumulation of fossils has become a kind of repository of the most diverse representatives of the ancient organic world. Among them are sponges, corals, bryozoans, algae, echinoderms, foraminifers and brachiopods.
Yurak-tau
Mount Shikhan (Sterlitamak is nearby) is the remnant of a reef that was once part of the Lower Permian massif. It belongs to the Late Paleozoic. The approximate period of formation is about 230 million years ago. Mount Shihan has a cone-shaped shape. The slopes are quite steep - about twenty to thirty degrees, but they do not form rocky ledges. The lower part is covered with scree. At the bottom of the slopesprings flow from the north side, and one of them is sulphurous. The length of Yurak-tau is 1000 m, the width is 850 m. The height above the ocean level is 338 meters, above the soil level - 200 m, and above the Belaya River - 220 meters. At the foot is located about. Moksha.
Kush Tau
This mountain Shikhan is located three kilometers from Yurak-tau. It is 140 km from Ufa and 18 km from Sterlitamak. In shape, it is a two-hump ridge, elongated from north to south. At the foot of the mountain there is a rest house called "Shikhany". The eastern slope is occupied by the slopes of the famous ski resort. Like other shikhans in Bashkiria, Kush-tau is a remnant of the Lower Permian reef massif.
Shah-tau
This mountain Shikhan rises five kilometers from Sterlitamak. Its length is 1.3 kilometers. Shah-tau is elongated in the direction of the southwest. The absolute height up to the start of the development process was 336 meters. The interest of researchers is attracted by large limestone ledges, where in the frozen rocks one can find shells of marine animals extinct millions of years ago, soaked in semi-liquid oil or tar.
The limestones of the mountain are being developed to obtain raw materials manufactured by the Sterlitamak production association Soda. Before this process was started, broad-leaved maple and oak forests grew on the slopes on the northern side.
As of 1975, the peak of the "King-mountain" (literal translation of the name) became thirty-five meters lower. Currently, there is practically nothing from this shihan.left.
Tra-tau
This mountain is located eight kilometers south of Shakhtau. In shape, it is a regular truncated cone. The southwestern slope is very steep. This shikhan is an unspoken symbol of the Ishimbay region. Since 1965 it has had the status of a natural monument. Tra-tau rises 280 meters above the ground. It is noteworthy that over a hundred species of herbaceous plants grow on a relatively small area of the mountain. Small caves can be found in the upper parts of the western and southwestern slopes. At the foot of the lake is Tugar-Salgan.
Yurmatians have long considered Tra-tau their sacred mountain. The area around this shikhan was considered forbidden for many centuries. It was there that all the most important ceremonies were held.
Beautiful legends
There are many legends about the ancient mountains, passed from mouth to mouth for more than one generation. One of them tells us about the unrequited feelings that flared up in the horseman Ashak for the beautiful Agidel. For a long time, the young man tried to achieve the favor of his beloved, but the girl did not pay attention to either expensive gifts or confessions. In the end, Agidel secretly left her parents' house, never to see Ashak again. The news of this made the young man very angry. He rushed in pursuit of the shrew. When Ashak caught up with Agidel, he hit the girl painfully with a whip. The father of the young beauty - Ural - did not want his daughter to raise a hand. In order to protect his child, he turned Agidel into a river. When Ashak realizedwhat he did, he tore his heart out. Since then, at the site of sad events, a river, as thin as a young maiden, has been flowing and four shikhans have stood.
There are many other beliefs that tell about the incredible story of the origin of these mountains. Indeed, it is difficult to believe that such a miracle of nature appeared without the intervention of magical powers.
The result of hard work
What used to be hidden in the bowels of the rocks can now be admired in the museum. It was discovered thanks to the efforts of Skuin Ivan Albertovich, a geologist who has been collecting the collection for more than twenty years. The museum is located in the quarry of Shah-tau mountain. Most of all, tourists want to look at mammoth teeth and beautiful stones of different sizes and shapes. Analogues of this collection cannot be found anywhere else in the world. This museum attracts not only ordinary travelers, but also geologists. The latter are given the opportunity to study the reefs of the Lower Permian period, brought to the earth's surface.
Recreational opportunities
Mount Shihan forms a unique recreational area. There you can have a great rest both in a large company and in a close family circle, pitching a tent on one of the many suitable sites.
Mount Shihan. Chelyabinsk Region
This granite rock mass is located on the territory of the Middle Urals. Nearby is the city of Verkhny Ufaley, and six kilometers away is the Strongman station. Lake Arakul was formed in the intermountain depression. Mount Shihan stretches for two kilometers from the northSouth. The maximum chain width ranges from forty to fifty meters. Peak - Chamberlain (80 m).
The way from Chelyabinsk to this natural monument will take about two and a half hours. Tourists are advised to stock up on repellents, as there are really a lot of mosquitoes in these places.
Conclusion
Mountains are unique creations of nature. They give us the cleanest air and offer magnificent views. Massifs that appeared millions of years ago have not only aesthetic, but also practical value, becoming a source of extraction of various minerals, precious metals and much more.
