Kara River: origins, length, depth, rafting, nature, fishing, stories and legends

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:44

Where is the Kara River? Komi, the Nenets Autonomous Okrug, the Arkhangelsk region and the northeast of the Bolshezemelskaya tundra are the lands of the northern part of Eurasia, through which it carries its waters. The riverbed in the low water varies from 150 to 300 meters. Its depth is three or more meters, in some places it reaches a five-meter mark. There are many shallow lakes in the area that have an irregular shape. The arctic climate is moderated by the proximity of the Gulf Stream and the influence of the sea. The climate becomes more continental as one moves inland from the coast of the Kara and Pechersk Seas. The indigenous population of the region lives in the village of Ust-Kara, located on the sea coast.

Description of the river

The Kara River is 257 km long. It begins when the two rivers Bolshaya and Malaya Kara merge together, flowing along the slopes of the Polar Urals from the northwestern side. The river separates the Nenets and Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrugs. On its way, it flows through several canyons, forming rapids and waterfalls. Buredan is the largestof them and is located 9 km lower than its confluence with the Nerusoveyakhi River. The river flows into the Kara Bay. And the village of Ust-Kara is located on the right bank of the bay. The river is fed by snow and rain, freezing begins in October and continues until June. The river has three tributaries, navigation is possible in its lower part, and in the upper reaches it is used for water tourism.

A village is located at the mouth of the Kara River. Further, it flows through uninhabited territory. Sometimes there are temporary camps of reindeer herders and fishermen's houses. The stormy river has a capricious and fickle character. Its width and water level changes all the time. In the dry season, the width is about 70 m, the depth on the rifts reaches one and a half meters. After heavy rains, the river deepens significantly, and the width in some sections can increase up to two times.

Climate

The sharply continental climate of the Polar Urals is characterized by a long winter with bitter frosts, blizzards and abundant snow cover. The duration of the winter period reaches nine months. On the mountain ranges, winter lasts a month longer than on the flat areas, but with milder frosts. In the midst of cold weather, the temperature in the foothills of the plains sometimes reaches -54, and the average is about 19 degrees. There is a lot of precipitation in this area both in winter and in summer. In the northern part of the Arctic Circle, polar night sets in from mid-December. With the onset of May, snow melts and rivers open up, but the average monthly temperature is negative. In June atfrosts often occur at night, but during the day it is warm, up to +20 degrees. After a short spring, summer comes quickly. The warmest month is July with an average temperature of up to 14 degrees above zero. Frosts are possible in the second half of August, but the average temperature is positive. The end of September is already the onset of winter, the water in the lakes freezes, a snow cover sets in. In October, strong snowstorms begin, and winter completely takes possession of the Polar Urals.

Chumysh River

Chumysh is formed when Kara-Chumysh and Tom-Chumysh unite. They originate in the region of the Kemerovo region, not far from the border of the Altai Territory. Before the confluence, the length of Kara-Chumysha will be 173 km, and Tom-Chumysha - 110 km. Both are located in the east of the Salair Ridge and flow towards the south. After the formation of the Chumysh River, near the city of Prokopyevsk, it changes direction, skirting the Salair Ridge from the south, and heads along the outskirts from the western side. There is a reservoir on the Kara-Chumysh River, which supplies water to two cities - Prokopyevsk and Kiselevsk.

Both rivers, forming at the confluence of the Chumysh, are mountainous, and are located in the taiga in the outback. The Chumysh River from the southern part of the Salair Ridge flows through the plain, but rifts can occur. The length of the river is 644 km. The water masses are replenished by snow and rain. In dry summer weather, there is little water. The river flows into the Ob, so it contains all the fish present in the Ob: ide, pike, carp, pike perch, perch, bream, nelma, sterlet, sturgeon. Fishing on Chumysh is wonderful, they are satisfied with itfans of spinning and float fishing.

Animal world

The harsh conditions of the Polar Urals have an impact on the animal world. But thanks to the long polar day and a large amount of food, animals have time to breed in a short summer. Most often there are such representatives of the fauna: hare, reindeer, wolverine, arctic fox, wolf and ermine. Birds are represented by larks, partridges, waders, waterfowl - geese and ducks. The main fish is grayling, which is found in all mountain rivers. Large shoals of char enter each spawning season. There are other fish: burbot, pike, pike perch, ide, carp.

Buredan - the largest waterfall in the Polar Urals

The Buredan waterfall is not the only one on the Kara, but the largest and most amazing phenomenon. It is located 9 km from the mouth of the Nerusoveyyakha River, where Kara makes a sharp turn and rushes into a canyon with a steep cliff, forming a waterfall with three tiers. The length of the canyon itself is about one and a half kilometers. It is encased in steep rocks. The picturesque three-tiered cascade of rifts and rapids Buredan on the Kara River stretches for ten kilometers.

The height of the water fall is 10 m. The Buredan waterfall is one of the largest not only on the Kara, but also in the European part of Russia. After a stormy fall, the river calms down, and depressions appear on its banks, formed from water and stones, similar to marble baths. In order to look at the waterfall, it is best to get to the former mining village of Khalmer-yu, which is located to the northeastVorkuta, and then on an all-terrain vehicle or by rafting down the river, get to Buredan.

History of the Kara-Kengir River

In the Karaganda region of the Republic of Kazakhstan, in the Ulytau region, a river called Kara-Kengir flows 295 km long. It originates from a spring seven kilometers from Lake Barakkol, and near the winter quarters of Surgita, it flows into the Sarysu River and is its right tributary.

In 1952, the Kengir reservoir was built to supply water to the industrial enterprises of Dzhezkazgan (now Zhezkazgan). Zhezkazgan is located on the shore of the Kara-Kengir reservoir and is considered a major center of non-ferrous metallurgy. In the river basin near the village of Malshybay there is a historical monument of the 13th century - the mausoleum of Alasha Khan. It is built in the form of a rectangle ten meters high. Burnt bricks were used for the construction of the building. Its walls from the outside resemble a carpet with an alai pattern. Popular legend says that Alysha Khan was a fearless and courageous leader of the Kazakh tribes.

Char on the river Kara

Kara is considered a fish river. And some fishing enthusiasts go fishing on a mountain river, which originates from the northern mountains of the Polar Urals. Here you can catch whitefish, muksun, omul, grayling, but the char is Kara's decoration. It is large and, according to experienced fishermen, much tastier than loaches in other Russian water bodies. And the spawning of this fish, unlike other salmonids, is not in autumn, but in the last days of June.

The char on the Kara River has a strong body and a powerfultail, which allows it to swim at high speed and cope with steep drops. The fish has a small head, and the mouth is filled with small and very sharp teeth. Loaches mostly live in the sea. However, for spawning, sexually mature individuals approximately once every three years after August 15 swim into the fresh water of the Kara and disperse throughout the river. The fish reaches four, and sometimes six kilograms. It stops annually in the same places for rest and spawning, choosing sections of the river with a rocky or pebbly bottom, most often above the rift. The char is an aggressive fish and devours all fish that swim by. This is exactly what hunters use.

Fishing for char

For fishing on the Kara River, when fishing for char, a rod or spinning rod is used. Fly fishing is carried out with a fly fishing rod, therefore a rod consisting of four or five knees, with a total length of at least seven meters, with a strong fishing line is required. Fishing is carried out on an artificial fly or lure, but due to the large width of the river, the fly fisher often cannot reach the loach site. That is why Kara hunters most often use spinning. And they take two with them at once, completely ready for fishing. Firstly, on a stormy river, a strong fish can leave a fisherman without tackle, and secondly, the char parking lot is located far from the shore, and a two-handed gun is needed to reach it.

The most suitable reel for char fishing is the inertial Nevskaya reel. It has the necessary strength, is easily adjustable and allows you to make quick wiring. The fishing line is used strong, withstandingload of at least 9 kilograms. But the baubles don't really matter. Loaches perfectly peck at both spinning and oscillating baubles of any color. In addition, she needs strong large-sized tees with sharp hooks and large beards. Inexperienced anglers may not immediately notice a bite, and with a small tee, the char quickly disappears. Under fortunate circumstances, fishermen catch very large fish, so they return from vacation satisfied and rested. And next year, many return to familiar places again.

How to get there?

There are several ways to get to the hard-to-reach Kara River, which is about 300 kilometers long.

First you need to get to Vorkuta. 70 km northeast of it is the former mining village of Khalmer-Yu, to which a passenger train runs from Vorkuta. And then use two routes:

1. Land - it is necessary to overcome the forty-kilometer path to the upper reaches of the Kara. You can use a passing all-terrain vehicle.
2. Water - by boat on the Harmel-Yu river to reach its confluence with Silovaya-Yakha (about 60 km), and then along it to Kara. Good boating skills are required.

Experienced anglers who have visited the Kara River several times warn about the necessary equipment. They advise you to take with you:

• tourist tent;
• inflatable mattress;
• sleeping bag;
• primus "Bumblebee".

The lack of forests and a small number of shrubs does not allow breedingbonfires. The economical and portable primus stove "Bumblebee" is used not only for cooking, but also for heating and drying clothes.

Water massifs of Kara-Koysu

In Dagestan, the Kara-Koysu River serves as a tributary of the Avar Koysu and flows through three districts for 97 km. Its sources begin on the slopes of the Dyulty-Dag ridge. Its waters are used to supply villages and irrigate fields located in the river basin. In 1940, the first power plant in Dagestan was erected on the river, and in 2005, the construction of another hydroelectric power station on Kara-Koysu was completed. The river is fed by snow and rain.

The waters of the river carry a lot of suspension and sediment, especially during high water. In places, the river is only 30 meters wide and is in the grip of vertical rock walls, reaching a height of several hundred meters. Above them there are even slopes suitable for agriculture, and then again stone walls. The river valleys are filled with stones and scree. During the melting of snow and precipitation, the Kara-Koysu River rages, and the water carries huge stones, sweeping away everything in its path and forming mudflows. In the rocky walls there are large niches with hanging ceilings, which were formed after the collapse of the blocks. In some places, vertical rocks descend under water and are washed away, forming landslides and avalanches.

Tourist routes along the Kara

Water rafting on various rivers is one of the types of water tourism. So, in Vorkuta, groups are recruited for traveling and fishing along the northern rivers. Anyone can choose a direction and apply for participationwilling. One of these routes is: the Buredan waterfall, located on the Kara River, - the Kara Sea.

This is an extreme route that runs in the mountains of the Polar Urals and along the coast of the Arctic Ocean. You can endlessly admire the untouched nature of the north, which you will probably not find anywhere else. The best time for a hike is from the second decade of July to the first decade of September. Applications are submitted in advance by e-mail. Prerequisites:

• clothing - thermal underwear, waterproof and windproof suits, high boots;
• food.

Boots and provisions can be purchased at Vorkuta shops.

The duration of the tour is eight days. Tourists gather in Vorkuta and stay in a hotel for a day. Then a transfer is made to the famous Buredan waterfall using a helicopter or an all-terrain vehicle. On the shore of the reservoir, a camp is set up for the night. Further rafting is planned along the river Kara, which lasts three days with two overnight stays and fishing, which is in abundance in the river. Upon arrival in the village of Ust-Kara, tourists walk on foot to the Kara Sea, where they spend the night in tents. The next day they return to Vorkuta and check into a hotel. A city tour is organized.

The hike is conducted by experienced instructors, all overnight stays are in the fresh air in tents, food is cooked on a fire, and rafting down the river on motor rubber boats.

Vegetation

The vegetation of the Polar Urals is not very diverse. Taiga forests grow only in the southern partand they consist of spruce and larch. Among the forests are moss-covered swamps, where cloudberries, blueberries and blueberries grow. When climbing the mountains, there are larch and birch groves, which alternate with small shrubs, birches and willows. A lot of space is occupied by meadows that are full of bright flowers of various colors. Still higher, the climate becomes quite severe, and there is no vegetation on the slopes of the ridges, except for mosses and lichens covering the stone placers. In the northern part of the region, vegetation is even scarcer. Only rare deciduous forests are found on the eastern slope. And on the western side - the basin of the Kara and Pechora rivers, as well as their tributaries, are overgrown with bushes of polar birch and willow, flowers and herbs. To the north, in the summer months, everything is filled with flowers on the sunny slopes. Mushrooms, blueberries, cloudberries and lingonberries ripen later.

Population of the Polar Urals

Most of this polar region is completely uninhabited. In the summer, there are yurts of nomadic reindeer herders, and along the banks of mountain rivers, in some places, houses for fishermen. Komi and Nenets are the indigenous inhabitants of the harsh terrain. They are engaged in reindeer herding, fishing and hunting for fur-bearing animals. Small towns and cities are located along the railway track. Not far from Labytnangi passes the trans-Yamal highway, around which the area begins to develop. In the northernmost part of the Polar Urals is the village of Ust-Kara, which has a helicopter connection with Vorkuta and Naryan-Mar. Its length along the coast of the Kara Sea is one kilometer. The village has a telephone, telegraph, post office,hospital, two shops and a bathhouse. The local population is very friendly and welcoming. Along the river, you can go to any tent, where you will be fed, warmed up and, if necessary, a helicopter will be called by radio.

Report on a boat trip along the Kara

Groups of people from several people in the summer make a water trip along the mountainous and amazing river Kara. The report on the rafting is in the public domain, so that everyone who wants to travel along the northern outskirts of the Polar Urals mountains, admire the nature of the harsh region and go fishing on the mountainous, seething river, can get acquainted with it. The main purpose of the alloy is fishing. Usually travelers are happy with biting, grayling bites on any lure.

The fish caught is quite large and weighs more than a kilogram. First, it is considered pieces, then weighed in kilograms, and then measured in bags. Travelers roast grayling roasted, boiled, s alted, smoked and even dried in the northern sun. At this time, the weather is excellent, in summer it is as bright as day at night. This information is included in the report. Rafting on the river Kara is always successful. The main attraction is the threshold with the Buredan waterfall. Nature in the tundra is monotonous. Delivery to and from the river can be done by helicopter or ATV.

Legends of the Ural region

The indigenous inhabitants of the Polar Urals inherited a large number of beautiful legends telling about the origin of the beauties of the northern lands. Here are two of them:

• Khanty and Mansi tell that once upon a time in the taiga lived a hefty andvery greedy giant. From year to year he put a lot of jewelry into a giant belt. Once, from the accumulated good, the belt fell to the ground and the Ural Mountains appeared with rich deposits of metals and gems.
• In the Northern Urals, there are seven stone remnants called Weathering Pillars. The legend says that a tribe lived in this area for a very long time, the leader of which was a wise man who had a lovely daughter and a daring son. And when the son was hunting, a heartless giant from another tribe wooed his daughter. After the beauty's refusal, the giant called his six brothers and the battle began. The son returned from hunting and directed a ray of the sun, reflecting from a magic shield, at the enemies. Since then, the seven giants have turned to stone and stand on the battlefield to this day.

Historical information

Among the most notable are:

• The Kara River (whose photos are in the article) has long attracted wanderers. In 1909, the geologist OA Backlund made the first trip along it. Having overcome the difficult path, he found himself at the middle course, from where he began to descend the river in a rubber folding boat. There was no accident, because the reindeer herders who met in front of the waterfall warned of the danger.
• In 1736, not far from the mouth of the Kara, the wintering of the Great Northern Expedition was organized, the participants of which were Stepan Malygin and Alexei Skuratov. After her, the Kara Sea acquired its name.
• In 1902, the first hydrographic expedition of the Arctic Ocean worked at the mouth of the Kara, led byAlexander Varneka.

Conclusion

Polar Ural is not exactly a popular place for tourism. The most hardened and those who appreciate extreme tourism come here. True lovers of the harsh northern nature will not be bored here.

And those who like rafting can travel on rubber boats along the river Kare, climbers can conquer the peaks, fishing enthusiasts can try their hand at spinning and fly fishing on a mountain river, and the rest can hike and admire the Buredan waterfall, the most beautiful canyons through which the river flows. Staying in this northern region will be remembered for a long time, and someone will want to return to these places again.