mountain range in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Branching off from the Alay Mountains, it extends for 200 miles (320 km) east-west between the Fergana and Zeravshan valleys. Its highest point is Piramidalny Peak (18,077 feet 【5,510 m】). The range is composed mainly of schists, sandstones, and limestones. Below the snow line, groves of trees grow on the northern slopes, while the drier, sheer southern slopes are almost devoid of vegetation. In Tajikistan the road between Ŭroteppa and Dushanbe crosses the Shakhristan Pass at 11,083 feet (3,378 m).