Article. Published in the scientific journal "Geography and Natural Resources" No3, 2007 . The main directions and results of the study of the soil cover of a complex and distinctive Baikal region, where the steppes are replaced by mountain tundra at short distances . are presented. The possibility of using aerospace and paleopedological methods in soil-geographical studies of large and inaccessible territories of Siberia is shown . The relationships of soil formation processes with the main natural factors of the environment are revealed. Problems of ecological condition of soils under the influence of industrial emissions and development of underground resources are considered.