Greater Caucasus Mountains

The eastern Greater Caucasus rises above the upper Samur valley, separating the mountain communities of southern Dagestan from the lands beyond the main ridge. High crests and steep tributary valleys break the country into sheltered pockets of settlement and pasture. Rutul-speaking villages lie along the Samur and its branches, surrounded by other peoples with languages of their own. Mountain tracks connect the valleys, while the highest slopes remain exposed to snow and cold for much of the year.