There are many interesting places in the world, among which are those that Mother Nature herself created. Ural is famous for its beauty. There are many beautiful picturesque lakes located among majestic mountains, fast rivers and mysterious caves. One of the most beautiful places is located in the heart of the South Ural Mountains, in the silence of dense and impenetrable forests, under guard of impregnable ridges. This is Yamantau Mountain. She is the pearl of the Urals. Its peak is marked on all maps and attracts many tourists who appreciate the pristine nature of the mountainous nature. Only the Big Iremel Mountain can be compared with the giant dome of Yamantau - another South Ural peak, which is only 60 meters lower.
"Evil Mountain"
As mentioned above, one of the mysterious and beautiful places that the Southern Urals is famous for is Mount Yamantau. Translated from the Bashkir language, “Yamantau” means “evil mountain”. Why they called her that, nobody knows for sure. Perhaps this is due to the fact that the slopes of the mountain range are swampy or littered with grass, and this did not allow cattle to graze here, or because there were many bears in the mountain forests, the meeting with which was rather dangerous. But such a name for the mountain is most likely determined by regular bad weather, because of which Yamantau often wraps itself in fog for a long time.
Legends and beliefs
Among local residents there are completely different versions of the origin of the name of the mountain, which are shrouded in secrets. They believe that on the top of the mountain there live evil virgins who take away everyone they meet. Many people who went to the Yamantau Mountains disappeared without a trace, and horses when they climbed a mountain died for unknown reasons.
In addition, Mount Yamantau is covered with numerous legends and beliefs, many of which are associated with the character of Bashkir mythology - Shulgan. In these stories, this hero was the personification of evil forces. Through Kapava - a cave located on Mount Yamantau, which is also called Shulgan-Tash - he first got into the underworld and became his master. Since then, he constantly replenished his kingdom with living people who disappeared in the mountains.
But despite the fact that it is still not known exactly why this mountain was called so, many tourists try to enjoy the beauty of this place from the side.
Where is Yamantau
If you are interested in this place, it's time to find out where Mount Yamantau is located. This beautiful and mysterious mountain range is located on the territory of the Beloretsky district in Bashkortostan and belongs to the South Ural Reserve. It is located on the watershed of the Bolshoi and Maly Inzer rivers. 10 kilometers from the massif is the closed city of Mizhhirya.
Description of the mountain range
Yamantau is a two-humped mountain range, the width of which is 3 kilometers. It stretches for 5 kilometers to the northwest and has two main peaks. The first is Mount Kuyantau, whose height is 1510 meters. Many still call it Small Yamantau. The second peak is Big Yamantau, which is the highest point of the Southern Urals. The height of the Yamantau (Bolshoi) mountain is 1648 meters. Numerous ridges adjoin it, including Yusha, Nary, Kapkala and Mashak. At the foot of the mountain lies a dense forest that stretches to a height of 1 kilometer. Then there are swamps, and at an altitude of 640 meters, a kumnik begins, many parts of which are rich in blueberries.
What can be seen in Yamantau
With its mysteriousness and unique beauties, Yamantau Mountain attracts many connoisseurs of nature who are not even stopped by the fact that tourists are not allowed to visit it at present. First of all, climbing to the top of the Greater Yamantau, you can see many picturesque glades, rivers, lakes, streams with clear water. Its slopes are composed of medium sized quartzite blocks, creating peculiar steps. The summit of Yamantau is a large, relatively flat rocky plateau covered with moss. There is still a concreted helipad and the ruins of the barracks, which still have beds left after the military stayed at the top until the 90s. In the center of the stone plateau a modest concrete obelisk is set up dedicated to the soldiers who died during the Great Patriotic War. Nearby you can see a small lake, which was formed in the crater from the explosion. From the top there is a stunning view of the central part of the South Urals. Between the Bolshoi and Maly Yamantau there is a very picturesque saddle surrounded by large kurums.
Journey to the top
Mount Yamantau is the territory of the reserve, access to which is very limited, so organizing trips to its surroundings is not so simple. In addition, on its slopes there is a secret object - the city of Mizhhirya, which is carefully guarded by the military. But this does not stop the solitary ascents that are carried out from Beloretsk through the villages of Kuzelga and Tatly. This path is considered the shortest. You can get to the top of Yamantau from the side of the Nara ridge. This allows you to bypass the restricted area on the left and not meet the patrol. The safest route lies on the eastern side of the mountain range, from the village of Nura. There are continuous swamps on the south side, so climbing is not possible here.
Despite all the difficulties, the popularity of Yamantau is not declining. Interest in this mountain is growing due to unverified information about the secret construction of the underground city, which is paid too much attention to foreign media.