View source for Belukha Mountain

{{short description|Highest peak of the Altai Mountains in Russia}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}
{{Infobox mountain
| name = Belukha Mountain
| photo = 2006-07_altaj_belucha.jpg
| photo_caption = The top of Belukha in the [[Altai Mountains]] in Russia is shown here in 2006. The mountain range is thought to be the birthplace of the Turkic people.
| elevation_m = 4506
| elevation_ref = <ref name="peaklist">[http://www.peaklist.org/WWlists/ultras/StansP1500m.html "The Central Asian Republics Ultra Prominence Page"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120829125357/http://www.peaklist.org/WWlists/ultras/StansP1500m.html |date=29 August 2012 }} Listed as "Gora Belukha" on Peaklist.org. Retrieved 2011-11-20.</ref>
| prominence_m = 3343
| prominence_ref = <ref name="peaklist"/><br /><small>[[List of peaks by prominence|Ranked 59th]]</small>
| listing = [[Ultra prominent peak|Ultra]]
| location = [[Altai Republic]], [[Russia]]
| range = [[Altai Mountains]]
| map = Russia#Russia Altai Republic#Kazakhstan
| label_position = left
| coordinates = {{coord|49|48|27|N|86|35|24|E|type:mountain_scale:100000|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| coordinates_ref = <ref name="peaklist"/>
| first_ascent = 1914 by B. V. Tronov & M. V. Tronov
| easiest_route = basic rock/snow climb
| mapframe = yes
| mapframe-wikidata = yes
| mapframe-zoom = 12
}}

'''Belukha Mountain''' ({{IPAc-en|b|ə|ˈ|l|uː|x|ə}}; {{lang-rus|Белуха|p=bʲɪˈɫuxəl}}, also known as '''Beluga Mountain''', '''Icemount Peak''' ({{langx|kk|Мұзтау Шыңы}} / {{lang|kk-latn|Mūztau Şyñy}} {{IPA|kk|mʊsˈtɑw ʃəˈŋə|}}), or '''The Three Peaks''' ({{langx|alt|Ӱч-Сӱмер}} / {{lang|alt-latn|Üç-Sümer}} {{IPA|alt|ʏc͡ç sʏˈmer|}}), is the highest peak of the [[Altai Mountains]] in [[Russia]] and the highest of the [[South Siberian Mountains]] system.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9015330/Mount-Belukha
|title=Mount Belukha
|work=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]
|accessdate=2007-07-31
|archive-date=22 June 2008
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080622031017/http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9015330/Mount-Belukha
|url-status=live
}}</ref> It is part of the [[Golden Mountains of Altai]] [[World Heritage Site]].<ref>{{cite web
|url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/768
|title=Golden Mountains of Altai
|publisher=UNESCO
|accessdate=2007-07-31
| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20070818104201/https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/768| archivedate= 18 August 2007 | url-status= live}}</ref>

Since 2008, one is required to apply for a special [[Border Security Zone of Russia|border zone]] permit in order to be allowed into the area (if travelling independently without using an agency). Foreigners should apply for the permit to their regional [[Federal Security Service|FSB]] [[Border Guard Service of Russia|border guard]] office two months before the planned date.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/forums/europe-eastern-europe-the-caucasus/russia/new-border-zone-regulation-altai-concern |title=Thorn Tree - New border zone regulation/ Altai concern |publisher=[[Lonely Planet]] |access-date=1 March 2019 |archive-date=6 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210106101232/https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/forums/europe-eastern-europe-the-caucasus/russia/new-border-zone-regulation-altai-concern |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://dontmind.freeshell.org/trekking/altai/#permit |title=dont you ever mind :: the great outdoors :: altai, russia, 2008 |publisher=dontmind.freeshell.org|access-date=8 May 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303235826/http://dontmind.freeshell.org/trekking/altai/#permit |archive-date=3 March 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
<!--[[Russian Pagan]] and [[Hindu]] followers often go on pilgrimages to Mount Belukha, which is considered to be the location of [[Shambhala]] both by some Pagans and locals of Altai-->

==Geography==
Located in the [[Altai Republic]], Belukha is a three-peaked mountain [[massif]] that rises along the [[Kazakhstan–Russia border|border]] of [[Russia]] and [[Kazakhstan]], just a few dozen miles north of the point where this border meets with the border of [[China]]. There are several small [[glacier]]s on the mountain, including Belukha Glacier. Of the two peaks, the eastern peak (4,506 m, 14,784&nbsp;ft.) is higher than the western peak (4,440 m, 14,567&nbsp;ft.).

==History==
Belukha was first climbed in 1914 by the Tronov brothers. Most ascents of the eastern peak follow the same southern route as that taken in the first ascent. Though the Altai is lower in elevation than other Asian mountain groups, it is very remote<!--what from?-->, and much time and planning are required for its approach.

In the summer of 2001, a team of scientists traveled to the remote Belukha Glacier to assess the feasibility of extracting ice cores at the site. Research was carried out from 2001 to 2003: both shallow cores and cores to bedrock were extracted and analyzed (Olivier and others, 2003; Fujita and others, 2004). Based on tritium dating techniques, the deeper cores may contain as much as 3,000–5,000 years of climatic and environmental records. A Swiss-Russian team also studied the glacier.<ref name="USGS">{{cite web |url=http://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/p1386f/pdf/F8_PaleoRecord.pdf |title=Glaciers of Asia— THE PALEOENVIRONMENTAL RECORD PRESERVED IN MIDDLE LATITUDE, HIGH-MOUNTAIN GLACIERS—AN OVERVIEW OF THE U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY EXPERIENCE IN CENTRAL ASIA AND THE UNITED STATES |publisher=US Geological Survey (public domain) |accessdate=2012-05-13 |author1=L. DeWayne Cecil |author2=David L. Naftz |author3=Paul F. Schuster |author4=David D. Susong |author5=Jaromy R. Green |name-list-style=amp |archive-date=8 April 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130408102600/http://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/p1386f/pdf/F8_PaleoRecord.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of highest points of Russian federal subjects]]
* [[List of Altai mountains]]
* [[List of Ultras of Central Asia]]
* [[List of glaciers of Russia]]
* {{portal-inline|Siberia}}

==References==
{{Commons category|Belukha Mountain}}
{{USGS}}
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Mountains of the Altai Republic]]
[[Category:Mountains of Kazakhstan]]
[[Category:Glaciers of Russia]]
[[Category:Altai Mountains]]
[[Category:Kazakhstan–Russia border]]
[[Category:International mountains of Asia]]
[[Category:Four-thousanders of the Altai]]
[[Category:Highest points of Russian federal subjects]]
[[Category:South Siberian Mountains]]