Teletskoye is the largest lake in the Republic of Gorny Altai. Some legends are associated with it, and it is revered by the locals as sacred. The reservoir is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Altai Republic is truly proud of its pearl - Teletskoye Lake.
Title
The modern name of the lake appeared later, it was given by the Russians, who first visited here in 1633. The word "Teletskoe" came from the name of one of the peoples inhabiting the coast - the teles. The Altai name of the lake - Altyn-Kel - is translated as "golden". The Mongols call it a little differently - Altyn Nor.
Where is Teletskoye Lake located?
This lake is one of the largest in Siberia, the second deepest after Lake Baikal. The distance to the bottom is 323 meters. It is located in the north-east of the Altai Mountains. Teletskoye Lake is called the "sea" here. Gorny Altai is a subject of the Russian Federation with a single city, which at the same time is the administrative center.
The Altai Republic is located in the south of Siberia, bordering Mongolia and China. Teletskoye Lake is located on the map in two areas at once - Turochaksky in the north and Ulagansky in the south. The nearest large settlements: Artybash, Iogach, Yaylu, Balykcha. Almost the entire eastern side of the lake belongs to the Altai State Nature Reserve. Ranges are located nearby: Abakansky, Kuraysky, Shapshalsky, Chikhacheva, Torot, Sumultinsky, Altyn-tuu.
The origin of the lake and its shore
The origin of the reservoir is simultaneously tectonic, as evidenced by the steep banks bordering the lake, and great depth, and glacial. A huge ancient glacier moved down the Chulyshman valley and melted, filling a deep tectonic fault with water.
The slopes around the lake are steep and steep, they rise above the water surface by 1.5-2 kilometers. In the west of the lake, you can highlight the huge massif Altyn-tuu (Golden Mountain).
The shores of the lake are of two types. Accumulative are formed by rivers: they include sand, pebbles and boulders. There are sometimes serious waves on the lake, which form long sand spits, like on the sea. Small lakes are sometimes hidden behind the coastal ramparts, which, for example, can be seen in the Chulyshman delta. The second type of coast is associated with the destructive activity of the surf. Sand and gravel is distributed along the bottom of the lake, and shallows are formed. And indigenous hard rocks break off abruptly in the lake, creating great depths.
Climate
Where Teletskoye Lake is located, mainly two winds prevail. Verkhovka appears early in the morning in the summer, and subsides by noon. This air stream comes from the south or east and carries clear weather. In winter, the wind can blow for several days. A hair dryer comes with him - warm air from the mountains. The Nizovka blows from the north or west and can appear suddenly at any time. As a rule, this wind brings precipitation, cooling. It is especially dangerous for boats that prefer to wait out the weather in the bays. When compared with other regions of Siberia, the climate where Teletskoye Lake is located is quite warm, and winters are mild due to the hairdryers.
Here, even in the cold season, there are high temperatures. Snow often falls in the mountains and in the north of the lake, while on the south coast it is completely blown out by strong winds. The number of sunny days exceeds the number of cloudy days, although due to winds the weather is very changeable. Fogs are common here.
In winter, the lake freezes only from Artybash to Cape Azhi - the rest is rarely covered with ice, on average three times a year.
Rivers
The largest river that flows into the mountain lake Teletskoe is Chulyshman, and flows from Lake Biya. In the lower reaches, Biya merges with Katun and together they form the Ob - the largest Siberian water artery.
From the surrounding mountains into the lake are the waters of small rivers and streams. The largest of them are: Koksha, Kamga, Chelyush, Samysh, Greater Chile, Oyer. Every year, temporary waterfalls form on the surrounding mountains, their meltwater from the glaciers feeds Lake Teletskoye.
Vegetation
Where Teletskoye Lake is located, coniferous forests grow along the shores. Sometimes there are areas of the so-called black taiga where you can see cedar, fir and spruce. Larches grow at a distance of about 700 meters from the lake. In the south of the Teletskoye reservoir you can see birch forests, to which aspen, cedar and larch are mixed. Gardeners were able to grow high-quality fruits on the shores of the lake. In the villages of Bele, Yailu and Chiri, large apples are regularly harvested. Garden climate is greatly aided by the coastal climate - warm and with mild winters.
The fruit and berry garden was first planted by Dmitry Rachkin back in the mid-thirties of the last century. In 1927, N.P. Smirnov settled in Chiri. On rocky ground, he created a soil layer for the garden. Land for this purpose was brought from the Chulyshman delta in boats with oars. But, unfortunately, no one followed the example of a gardener.
Animal world
The fauna is represented by large animals such as musk deer, red deer, elk, roe deer. Predators are also found: bear, wolverine, weasel, sable, columns, ermine, Altai badger. Occasionally, a lynx is encountered. In the mountains in the south of the lake there is a snow leopard. Squirrels and chipmunks live in the forest, there is even a flying squirrel. Of the birds, black grouse, hazel grouse, capercaillie prevail. Some animals and plants that are found in the reserve are listed in the Red Book and are subject to protection.
Since the lake is very cold, it is poor in fish. Only 13 species live here: taimen, burbot, pike, grayling, Teletsk whitefish, uskuch, whitefish Pravdina and others. In 1964, a bream appeared in the lake.
Tourism
Back in 1834, when the scientist Helmersen visited this place, he was so delighted that he compared the local beauties with Switzerland. It was visited by botanists, geologists, artists, many famous people. And they all appreciated the beauty of Lake Teletskoye. Since 1928, organized tourism has been established here. The 77th route was especially popular.
Currently, a well-paved road from Biysk leads to the lake, and earlier on horseback they made their way to Lake Teletskoye. The main local camp in Soviet times was called the "Golden Lake". There was also a children's base “Little Bear”, where students from Tomsk often underwent internships. Along the shores of the lake, as now, it was possible to make a one-day cruise. In our time, such a trip costs about a thousand rubles.