The Baikal Mountains or Baikal Range (, Baykalskiy khrebet;, Baigalai dabaan) are a mountain range that rises steeply over the northwestern shore of Lake Baikal in southern Siberia, Russia. The highest peak in the range is 2,572 m high Mount Chersky, named after Russian explorer Ivan Chersky.

Geography

The Baikal Mountains are connected with the Primorsky Range to the south, which also stretches along the lakeshore. The Akitkan Range, part of the North Baikal Highlands, is a northern extension of the mountain chain. These mountains are the origin of the Lena River. The Lena-Angara Plateau, part of the Central Siberian Plateau, lies to the west of the Baikal Mountains.

Flora

The mountain slopes near Lake Baikal are densely wooded with grey alder, Eurasian aspen, downy birch, Siberian larch, Siberian fir, Scots pine, and Siberian spruce.