Mount Yamantau

Mount Yamantau is a summit in Bashkortostan, Russia, rising to 1,640 meters (5,380 feet) and featuring two separate peaks with flat plateau formations at their tops. Mixed forests blanket the lower slopes, while the upper sections consist of rock outcrops and alpine meadows.

The mountain remained remote and difficult to reach until extensive construction began in the 1990s following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Satellite images documented the building of large facilities and infrastructure in what was otherwise an uninhabited landscape.

The name Yamantau comes from the Bashkir language, combining words for ‚bad' or ‚evil' with the term for mountain. Bears roam this area frequently, shaping local naming traditions and stories told by people living nearby.

The area is closed to visitors and controlled by military units that restrict access to all parts of the mountain. The surroundings are secured with fencing and checkpoints, so approaching is not possible.

Beneath the peaks sits the closed town of Mezhgorye, founded in 1995 and accessible only with special permits. The town includes railway connections and facilities originally designed to accommodate several tens of thousands of people.

Location: Bashkortostan

Inception: 2003

Elevation above the sea: 1,640 m

Part of: Southern Ural

Address: Mount Yamantau, Republic of Bashkortostan, Russia, 453570

GPS coordinates: 54.25490,58.10401

Latest update: December 4, 2025 23:44