REPORT

on the ascent to the summit of Vostochnaya Ullu-tau-chana via the northern bastions of the shoulder, category 5B difficulty

2. History of the massif exploration

The exploration of the Ullu-tau-chana massif began in 1933, when A. Japaridze and G. Niguriani ascended to the Main Peak from the Lekzyr glacier via the Mestian pass, following a route of category 3B difficulty, and to the Western peak from the Garvash pass, following a route of category 2B difficulty. Before the war, both complete traverses of the massif were accomplished for the first time, with a category 4B difficulty:

1937 — L. Nadezhdin and V. Nazarov — from west to east, 1938 — A. Zolotarev, F. Kropf, V. Mauer, and V. Nesterov — from east to west;

and in 1946, the first ascent was made via the "board" to the Western peak, followed by a traverse of the massif to the east, category 5A difficulty — D. Gudkov, M. Zvezdkin, M. Chertkov, G. Odnoblyudov.

In the 1950s, the conquest of the northern walls began:

• 1951 — V. Abalakov, M. Anufrikov, A. Borovikov, N. Gusak, V. Kizel, V. Nagaev, L. Filimonov, V. Cheredova — Main peak ("Central") via the northern wall, category 5B difficulty,
• 1954 — E. Monucharov, E. Emelyanov, G. Kalepov, B. Sadovsky, G. Senachev, Yu. Chernoslivin — Eastern peak via the northern wall, category 5B difficulty.
• 1956 — E. Emelyanov, N. Vinyukov, P. Dyakonov, A. Kikoin, D. Kuzminykh, V. Kindyakov, A. Rafaelyan, V. Shakhov, A. Smorkalov, L. Sereskelidi — Eastern peak from the hut via the NE buttress, category 4B difficulty.
• 1959 — Yu. Chernoslivin, V. Ruzhevsky, G. Senachev, A. Chernyshov — Eastern peak via the snowy slope and bastion of the shoulder, category 5B difficulty.

Two first ascents were made in the 1960s:

• 1965, March — Yu. Chernoslivin, N. Margiani, Yu. Porokhnya, V. Ruzhevsky, E. Sokolovsky, M. Khergiani — snowy slope with rocky outcrops between the Main and Eastern peaks — category 5B difficulty.
• 1966, July — A. Naumov, Yu. Moiseev, M. Druy, Yu. Kozlov — Eastern peak via the Northern bastions of the shoulder — category 5B difficulty.

And finally, in 1971, a group consisting of V. Maltsev, A. Bakulin, E. Zubov, Yu. Solovyov, M. Ovchinnikov, G. Yakovlev — ascended via the snowy slope with rocky islands between the Main and Western peaks — category 5B difficulty.

3. Brief description of the route

This report is dedicated to the ascent to the Eastern peak of Ullu-tau-chana via the northern bastions of the shoulder, category 5B difficulty, in July 1972. The first ascenders, led by A. Naumov, were the only group to have been on this route before us, and they received 4th place in the 1966 USSR championships for this ascent. The almost purely rocky, kilometer-long route has an average steepness of 62° and contains about 400 meters of extremely difficult sections.

To the right and left of the route, there are paths with intense rockfall, making detours impossible, but they do not affect the route.

The upper bastion rocks are monolithic and heavily smoothed. The lower part of the wall is partially destroyed, and there are loose rocks on the monolithic upper part.

4. Route reconnaissance

During the preparation for the 1972 season, the group thoroughly studied the report of the first ascender, A. Naumov, and planned reconnaissance during the approach and ascent to the Sarykol-bashi peak, category 3B difficulty. However, bad weather and tight schedules due to being busy with instructor work at the "Dzhailyk" alpine camp made adjustments. As a result, the reconnaissance consisted of observing the route from the left bank of the Adyr-su river opposite the camp using a 40x telescope, from Mestian overnight camps, and from the Mestian hut using 3x binoculars, as well as observing and sketching the route from overnight camps under it, where the group made a supply and equipment drop on July 4-5. All this allowed for a thorough examination of the entire route, especially its lower part, to identify a section to cross the bergschrund, and to develop a tactical plan for the ascent, which was fully executed.

5. Group composition

The group set out on the ascent with the following composition: Master of Sports Khackevich I.G. — leader, Candidate for Master of Sports Nikulin M.G., Candidate for Master of Sports Sobolev S.S., Candidate for Master of Sports Kuznetsov A.B., Volkov V.I. — 1st sports category, and Ryabov Yu.I. — 1st sports category.

All participants are instructors at the "Dzhailyk" alpine camp, working there for more than a year, having known each other for a long time, and having experience with joint ascents.

In the 1972 season, they all worked a shift at the camp, were well-acclimatized, physically and technically well-prepared, and had a joint ascent to the Cheget-tau-chana peak, category 3A difficulty.

6. Ascent diary

The group left the camp on July 15 at 10:00. Passing the Mestian overnight camps, they crossed to the left (orographically) bank of the Adyr-su river along the edge of the Adyr-su glacier tongue. Up the moraine ridge, bypassing the glacier tongue, they ascended via a snowy couloir with a rocky belt in the upper part to the snowy plateau of the cirque. To the right in front of the cirque, on the spurs, there are rocky islands — a bivouac site. From the camp — 4 hours.

On July 16 at 4:00, the first pair set out on the route, followed by the rest 20 minutes later after packing the tent. The whole day had good weather, but it was cool due to the clouds and the north-facing slope.

The path initially went along the closed glacier, then ascended via a snowy slope, crossed the bergschrund via a "plug," and ascended via ice with pitons under the rocks. They traversed 10 meters to the most convenient exit to the rocks and then ascended. The steepness and difficulty continually increased. Vertical ascents alternated with inclined sections, sometimes simply ledges, leading to the right and eventually to a couloir with falling rocks. Going further to the right was not possible. From there, a very difficult path went straight up the wall, bypassing a characteristic "tooth" on the left, and then up a nearly vertical, smoothed wall with few handholds. 80 meters of very difficult climbing, and the rocks became somewhat easier. The 1st bastion was passed, but there was no place for a tent, only individual ledges for 1-2 people (point 9).

After searching for a path and discussing, they decided to ascend to the 2nd bastion without backpacks. First, they went left and up to the ridge, then exited with a small descent to a steep ice slope under almost overhanging rocks and made a long ascent left and up along the rocks, cutting steps. Pitons were alternately driven into ice and rocks. Then, a nearly vertical, sometimes very difficult couloir with many loose rocks led to the top of the 2nd bastion (point 14).

A platform for a tent on an almost horizontal snowy ridge was made in 2 hours; one person started cutting, then two. The others hauled the backpacks up the nearly vertical 80-meter wall, to the right of the path taken, directly from point 9. The last person climbed up for the backpacks using a rope. By 20:00, everyone was at the overnight camp.

On July 17 at 8:00, they began the ascent to the 3rd bastion. The smoothed rocks were initially very difficult, then became somewhat easier and transitioned into a fairly simple ridge, abutting a wall of the 4th bastion. To the right, there was a snowy-icy slope with a small steep ridge.

The weather was decent in the morning, but completely deteriorated by the end of the day. Simultaneously with processing the wall, they started cutting the ridge. Since, after cutting through the ice and reaching the rocks, they still hadn't obtained a wide enough platform, they had to build it up from below with large, about 0.5 meters, snow blocks.

Three of them made the platform in 3 hours; they set up the tent as sleet was starting. On the 4th bastion, they hung 50 meters of rope. By 14:00, everyone was in the tent; heavy snow was falling.

On July 18, the weather gradually improved from morning. From 6:00, they began ascending via the hung ropes on "abalazes" and further processed the wall.

The approach to the wall was via destroyed rocks to the left of a huge rock standing in front of it; they ascended via an internal angle and then along the wall, aiming left and up, for 40 meters. Since the rope went zigzag, they had to extend the first 40-meter rope.

Further, they had to go to the right: along a smooth slab (3 piton hooks) and a snowy-icy slope. Via a chimney filled with ice, they exited to a counterfort and then to the ridge of the 4th bastion (point 24). The route turned to the right, but to lift the backpacks, four had to go to the left, first along the ridge, then to the right of it along a ledge. From almost the overnight camp, they hauled the backpacks 100 meters up to it, and 2 participants ascended.

The path along the ridge was not difficult, with detours to the right. Then, they crossed a couloir and ascended via simple but very destroyed rocks to a steep snowy ridge — the overnight site. Again, they spent about 3 hours cutting and arranging the platform. The next day, it became clear that from this site to a wide, flat saddle under the "ogurtsy" was only 1-1.5 hours away. The tent was set up by 20:00.

On July 19, the weather was excellent, but it was very cold in the morning at high altitude among the snows. The group set out around 8:00; via simple, heavily destroyed rocks, they exited left and up to a saddle in the Ullu-tau ridge. Without backpacks, they ascended to the summit via a route of category 3B difficulty.

Returning to their backpacks, they began descending from the saddle to the south via a snowy couloir (in August, it's icy). Not reaching the end of the couloir, they exited left to the rocks and descended to the glacier along them.

The path to the Mestian pass goes with a slight ascent.

By 19:00, the group was back at the "Dzhailyk" camp.

8. Overall assessment of the participants' actions

The ascent participants are instructors at the "Dzhailyk" alpine camp, working there for more than a year, having known each other for a long time, and having experience with joint ascents both in previous seasons and in 1972.

All participants actively worked both during the preparatory period and throughout the ascent. On the route, the group acted clearly and cohesively. Practically everyone got to work at the front, which they constantly strived for.

All participants demonstrated good physical, technical, and moral preparation and successfully coped with the route.

Table

Main characteristics of the ascent route

Ascent route: Ullu-tau-chana Eastern via the northern bastions of the shoulder Height difference of the route: 950 m Including the most difficult sections: 400 m Steepness: 62°

Note to point 7: Where not specifically noted, the route was climbed using free climbing with piton belay.