Siberian ridges, Mountain range near Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia.
The Siberian Ridges are a mountain range in the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug in northern Russia. They run roughly north to south and form a natural boundary between the drainage basins of the West Siberian Plain.
The range took shape through tectonic movement and was gradually carved by erosion and glaciation over many millions of years. Russian geographers began mapping this territory systematically during the 18th and 19th centuries.
The Khanty and Mansi indigenous communities have long relied on these mountains for hunting and gathering, practices that remain central to their way of life. The ridges provide the resources and spaces where these traditions continue today.
The area is very remote and hard to reach without local knowledge and proper equipment. Winter conditions are especially severe, so most visitors choose to come during the warmer months.
The ridges form one of the longest watersheds in Siberia, sending rainfall in opposite directions toward entirely different river systems. Standing on the crest, a traveler is literally on the line between two vast river basins.
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