Byrranga Mountains

The Byrranga Mountains (Russian: Горы Бырранга) are a mountain range in the middle of the Taymyr Peninsula, Siberia, Russia, located north and west of the Taymyr Lake. They run for about 1,100 km, forming a looping curve that runs roughly in a southwest to northeast direction. The Byrranga range is composed of siltstones and intrusive rocks of neutral composition, but there are vast areas of exposed limestone formation. The range has deep canyons and ravines, as well as a few small glaciers in its eastern zones. These mountains are not very high, being on average about 500 m. The highest peak is 1,146 m.

Rivers Khutadabiga and Chetyrekh have their sources in the Byrranga Range. The lower Taymyr River flows northwards cutting across these mountains. The lowlands located to the north and the south of these mountains are covered with tundra, small lakes and wetlands (bogs and marshes).

Even though they were first explored in 1736, the Byrranga Mountains are one of the least known areas of the arctic. The climate is continental and harsh, with frequent blizzards in the winter.

This mountain range falls into the Krasnoyarsk Krai administrative division of the Russian Federation and is part of the Great Arctic State Nature Reserve, the largest nature reserve in Russia. However, the area is very remote, there is almost no population, and access is very difficult for the lack of roads and settlements.

References

* Location: [http://worldmaps.web.infoseek.co.jp/russia_guide.htm]
* Taymyr area information (there is a picture of the Byrranga mountains over a lake): [http://www.taimyr24.ru/about/area/2]
* Pictures: [http://taimyrsky.ru/ENG/mountfotoeng.htm]
* Geology: [http://www.geol.lu.se/kvg/avhandlingar/ha_kappa.pdf] and [http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=252989]