Looking at a photo of the Putorana plateau, you cannot immediately understand where it is: in the emerald expanses of Ireland, the plateau of Scotland, or even on another planet. In fact, the area is 250 thousand square meters. km is located in Russia in the north-west of Central Siberia. Since 1988, the Putoransky Reserve has been operating here - a special natural site protected by UNESCO.
Name history
From the Even language, the name is translated as “lakes with steep banks”, and from the Yukaghir dialect - “mountains without peaks”. The names reflect the essence - the plateau is a rugged mountain range with heights of up to 1701 meters (Kamen mountain) above sea level. It has been compared to The Lost World by Conan Doyle - only this little-explored area is located on the other side of the globe and in a completely different climate.
Land of lakes and waterfalls
The Putorana Plateau ranks first in Russia in terms of the number of lakes and waterfalls. There is no longer a place in the world that can compare with this plateau in terms of the depth of water bodies. If for dry science this is primarily a sample of a unique relief, then travelers who have reached here cannot even describe the beauty that has opened before them. Massifs, canyons, slopes and gorges … a unique landscape.
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Plateau formation
The plateau was formed theoretically at the turn of the Paleozoic and Mesozoic, when a huge mass of hot basalts poured out. Tectonic faults arose in the strata, and their different thickness led to the creation of stepped slopes. So in some places of the mountains, you can count up to 40 layers! And the cracks gradually turned into fjord-like lakes, which are considered the largest in Siberia - after Lake Baikal, of course. Here one of the highest waterfalls in Russia beats - it descends from the valley of the Kanda River. And the freshwater lake Vivi is considered the geographical center of our country.
Legend of an untouched place
The population of the plateau is literally a few people who work at the weather station. Old-timers say that during the New Year period, not far from the Khabarba waterfall - the highest in Russia - strange glowing circles appear from somewhere under the ground and form a fiery spiral going into the sky. No one can confirm or deny their words: in the conditions of the harsh polar winter, there are sorely lack of people who want to check, a tourist is a rare guest here.
Flora and fauna
Taiga rich in vegetation and mountain tundra sparing for colors cover various areas of the plateau. Wild reindeer, the rarest Putorana sheep, lynx, sable and birds of prey live here. A huge number of lakes serve as resting places for migratory birds. In the waters of the lakes, scientists have counted 36 species of fish.
I would like to see the beauty of the Putorana plateau with my own eyes, breathe in the purest mountain air and lower your palms into the clear water of the lake, but you will not be able to conquer the slopes alone! In addition to the fact that it is really easy to get lost here in the abundance of gorges, caves and other bends of the relief, passage through the territory (which would be more appropriate to call it an expedition) is allowed only with an experienced guide who will demonstrate the best sides of this amazing place and educate about the rules of conduct in the Putoransky Nature Reserve …