Inylchek Glacier
Inylchek Glacier is the largest glacier of the Tien Shan, lying on the territory of Kyrgyzstan, in the upper reaches of the Inylchek River. It is located in the most inaccessible part of the Central Tien Shan – the Khan Tengri massif, located to the east of the huge Issyk-Kul Lake. The glacier stretches for 60.5 km, and the total area of glaciation exceeds 657 km². The thickness of the ice cover in the lower parts of Inylchek reaches 150-200 meters, so the ice giant stores huge reserves of fresh water. It is noteworthy that the Inylchek glacier is also considered the fastest glacier in Kyrgyzstan, it “flows” down from the mountains with an average gradient of 2°.
Video: Inylchek Glacier
Highlights
The Inylchek Glacier has two large arms, which have been named North and South Inylchek. They start in the area of firn fields, at altitudes of 7000 meters. The Southern Inylchek stretches for 43.2 km and ends at an altitude of 2800 m, with its last 14 km covered with moraine deposits. The northern branch of the Inylchek glacier is 38.2 km long and ends at an altitude of 3400 meters. The two glaciers used to join, but now there is a stretch of dead ice between them, above which lies Upper Lake or Lake Mertsbacher.
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For a long time, due to the inaccessibility of the Central Tien Shan, the mountains around the Inylchek Glacier were poorly studied. The locals called the mountain massif in the upper reaches of the glacier “Tengri-tag”, which means “mountains of spirits” in the Uighur language. And its highest point was named Khan-Tengri, that is, “lord of spirits.”
Nowadays, mountain tourists pass through the glacier and make mountaineering ascents. In the upper reaches of the glacier, at an altitude of 4000 meters, there is a base camp “Southern Inylchek”. Those travelers who want to visit these places and see the huge glacier with their own eyes should understand that hiking in the high mountains requires special physical and technical training.
.Merzbacher Lake
The modern lake on the place where the two main branches of the Inylchek glacier used to meet was formed in the middle of the XIX century. It bears the name of the German explorer and traveler Gottfried Merzbacher (1843-1926), who was the first to discover this mountain reservoir in 1902.
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The lake lies at an altitude of about 3,300 m and covers an area of 4.5 km². It consists of two basins and reaches a maximum depth of 75 meters. Interestingly, the two parts of the mountain lake are at different levels – they are separated by about 400 meters. The lower, larger lake is dammed by a large “glacial” dam. Lake Merzbacher has an interesting feature: every year in mid-summer it suddenly disappears, and 2-3 days later, after the melting of the glaciers, it reappears.
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How to get there
Inylchek glacier is located 200 km from Lake Issyk-Kul. The glacier is accessible by foot from the base camps “Karkara” and “Southern Inylchek”. In addition, you can view the glacier from a helicopter. Such flights are organized during the mountaineering season – in July and August.
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