West-Altay State Nature Reserve, Protected area in Ridder, Kazakhstan

West-Altay State Nature Reserve covers 86,122 hectares on the north-western spurs of the Altai, within the Ridder city administration and Altai district of East Kazakhstan Region. Its ridges — Ivanovsky, Ubinsky, Ulbinsky and Kholzun — reach 2,200–2,500 m, with the Lineysky Belok summit at 2,598 m. Forests cover 65% of the area, dominated by fir (26.7% of wooded land), Siberian pine (23.1%), larch (15.5%) and spruce (13.9%).

The territory was designated as a nature reserve in July 1992 through a resolution by the Supreme Council of the Republic of Kazakhstan. This designation came shortly after the country's independence to safeguard the Altai mountain ecosystem permanently.

The reserve takes its name from the western spurs of the Altai, the mountain system it protects. Its staff work from an office at 10 Semey Street in Ridder, while research is carried out from field stations in the reserve. The rivers White Uba and Black Uba rise on the Ivanovsky ridge and merge into the Uba, a right tributary of the Irtysh.

The reserve can be reached through the town of Ridder, roughly 100 kilometers northeast of Ust-Kamenogorsk. Guided tours can be arranged in advance, as access to certain zones is controlled.

The reserve encompasses four main mountain ranges: Ivanovsky, Ubinsky, Ulbinsky, and Kholzun. The highest point is Linesky Belok, rising to 2,598 meters (8,524 feet) and offering a sweeping view over the surrounding valleys.