Gyo-chin Mountains
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| Gyo-chin Mountains 거친 산 geochin san Ğajkğiʔn Rynadda Ğəjkğiʔn | |
|---|---|
 The Gyo-chin Mountains in the west of Oroshia. | |
| Highest point | |
| Peak | Kəvkəvəvi vaŋaŋč |
| Elevation | 1,782 m (5,846 ft) |
| Dimensions | |
| Length | 150 km (93 mi) southwest-northeast |
| Width | 50 km (31 mi) |
| Geography | |
| Country | Oroshia |
The Gyo-chin Mountains (Jogin: 거친 산, transliterated geochin san; Oroshan: Ğajkğiʔn; Namchogi: Rynadda; Yvlipkan: Ğəjkğiʔn) are a mountain range at the centre of the Oroshan Peninsula, in eastern Surucia. It is the most extensive part of the Oroshan orogeny, having been created some 250 million years ago.
History
The name "Gyo-chin" comes from the Jogin language, and means "rugged mountains". This is a calque of the native Oroshan name for the range, Ğajkğiʔn. The interior of the mountain range remains the traditional territory of the Namchog people, who refer to the mountain range simply as rynadda, "the mountains". The Rythenian name for the mountain range has been recorded in many ways over the centuries, coming from multiple sources. These spellings include Yaykyin (1678), Gigkin (1699), Gichin (1710), Gechin (1724), You-kin (1836), and Runda (1852).
Geography
The Gyo-chin Mountains form the backbone of the Oroshan Peninsula, and are located around 20 kilometres inland from the coast, except in the southwest, where river valleys have evened out the terrain. They run southwest-to-northeast, same as the peninsula, and are about 3 times as long as they are wide, measuring around 150 km long. Sometimes included is a mountainous protrusion to the south, separate from the main range, known as the Angaychin range. The Gyo-chins have been partially eroded, mostly by glaciation, but they are still relatively prominent. The highest peak is Kəvkəvəvi vaŋaŋč, at 1782 metres above sea level. The elevation and climate of the mountains restricts the flora to purely coniferous species throughout the vast majority of the range, along with animals like reindeer, off which the Indigenous population subsists.
Tourism
Since the traversing of the Gyo-chins by railroad during the Jogin colonial period, the mountains have become a popular area for winter tourism, especially skiing. Many areas are still very remote, which makes the mountain range popular for backcountry skiing and heli-skiing, the latter of which has been controversial, especially with Indigenous populations. Heli-skiing can be incredibly damaging for the environment, and has led to a decrease in reindeer populations in some areas.
The highest peak is protected under its eponymous national park, Kəvkəvəvi vaŋaŋč National Park, since 1977. The mountain had previously been a chosen spot for ice climbers in the winter and rock climbers in the summer, though these activities were banned after the creation of the park. A trail up to the base of the mountain was completed in 2018, and connects with a wider trail network through the mountains, managed by the park authority—most of the trails, however, are not on park land. In 1898, Seol Iseul published the first guidebook to the mountain range, and described his ascent to the peak, which prompted a wave of hikers and climbers around the turn of the century.
Angachyin range
The Angaychin range (Oroshan: Aŋkačğin)) is a mountain range to the south of the Gyo-chins, which is either considered a southern offshoot sub-range, or a separate range to itself. Given that it was created at the same time, in the same Oroshan orogeny as the Gyo-chin range, most geologists consider them to be part of the same range. The Angachyins run south-to-north, and are about 50 km, though only about 20km wide. The coastline runs closer to the Angachyins, with an average of only 2 or 3 kilometres to the beginning of the mountains. Ayptuk Island, Oroshia's largest island, is a part of the Angaychin range separated by water.
Gallery
West of Yaykvek
View of Kəvkəvəvi vaŋaŋč
In the extreme west of Oroshia, near the Pankvel River
Winter in the interior mountains
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