The Kakshaal Too (Kyrgyz: Какшаал Тоо, Qaqşaal Too, قاقشاال توو) is a large mountain range in the Central Tien-Shan. It stretches for a length of 582 kilometres (362 mi) (in Kyrgyzstan) between Kyrgyzstan and China. The width of the range is 54 kilometres (34 mi) and the highest point – Jengish Chokusu (7,439 metres (24,406 ft)).
The range consists of three parts:
The southern slopes are steep (50–60°), while the northern ones are gentler (30–40°). The ridges are sharp and often rugged, with many gorges and rocky cliffs. Major passes include Bedel, Kogirim, Bikirtik, Kaichy, Karabel, Akögüz, and Suuktör (4,200 m).[1]
The landscapes include high-altitude steppes (2800 – 3100 m), Alpine meadows (3100 – 3500 m), high-altitude tundra steppes (3400 – 3800 m), and glacial-nival belt (above 3800 m).[2]
The Kakshaal Too lies within the southern Tien Shan and formed during the Hercynian orogeny. Structurally, it consists of a mega-anticlinal formation trending northeast. It is mainly composed of limestones, siltstones, sandstones, conglomerates, and argillites of Paleozoic intruded by granites, granosyenite, and syenite.[2][1]
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