Description of the attraction
The Baksan River is located in the North Caucasus in the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic and is the main right tributary of the Malka. This is the second longest river in the republic. Pool area - 6800 sq. km, the average catchment height is 2030 m, the length is 173 km. Baksan takes its origin from the slopes of Mount Elbrus, from its southern and southeastern sides.
It is assumed that the Baksan river was named after the prince Baksan, who lived in this valley in the Caucasus. After the death of the Grand Duke and his seven brothers, who were killed in the IV Art. By the Goths who attacked the lands of the Antes, Baksana's sister buried them in the river valley. In memory of her brother Baksan, she changed the name of the Altud River to Baksan.
In the upper reaches, the Baksan River has a huge number of tributaries that flow down from the glaciers of Elbrus, the Greater Caucasus and the Main Ranges. In the mountainous part, the largest tributary of the Baksan is the Gundelen River, which flows into it near the village of Zayukovo. The Baksan valley is laid along mudflows and glacial moraines. In some places it narrows, and in some it expands, thus forming narrow gorges. The river has a mixed supply, namely: underground, snow and glacial. In the upper reaches of the Baksan, glacier and snow supply dominate; near the village of Zayukovo, their share slightly decreases, while underground, on the contrary, increases.
Paving its way through the Skalisty, Cretaceous and Lateral ridges, the river carries a lot of suspended particles, which are deposited in the form of sediments, mostly on a flat area. Baksan, like all other rivers of the region, forms a huge number of separate water streams: Yamansu, Baksanenok, Geduko and others. Before the confluence with the Malka River, in the Prokhladny region, the Baksan River receives two very large tributaries - Cherek and Chegem.
In the upper reaches of the Baksan River there are climbing camps Baksan, Elbrus, Dzhan-Tugan and others, as well as the Terskol observatory and the Elbrus National Park.
