4.1.19

Report

OF THE TEAM OF THE UNION OF SPORTS SOCIETIES AND ORGANIZATIONS OF UZBEKISTAN ON THE ASCENT TO PIK IZVESTIYA 6840 m, MADE IN THE SUMMER SPORTS SEASON OF 1964. Tashkent – 1964

Geographical and Sporting Characteristics of the Pik Izvestiya Area

Pik Izvestiya (6840 m) is located in the heart of the Pamir Mountains, near the highest peak in the USSR — Pik Kommunizma — in the Petra I ridge.

To the south of the peak lies a spur of the Petra I ridge, approximately 5 km long, featuring three six-thousander peaks:

• Ordzhonikidze 6280 m
• Pioneer Pravda 6550 m
• an unnamed peak 6700 m

The eastern slopes of the spur give rise to the Izvestiya Glacier, which, merging with the Kommunizma Glacier, flows into the Bivachny Glacier; the Bivachny Glacier, in turn, flows into the Fedchenko Glacier, 20 km from its tongue.

The western slopes of the spur are almost snow-free, with sheer walls unable to retain snow cover.

Pik Izvestiya was discovered during the 1932 Tajik-Pamir Expedition and was first mapped. Its height, according to the expedition data, is 6840 m, but in the latest issue of the Soviet Alpinism Yearbook, it is listed as 6856 m. Located in an area of inaccessible Pamir peaks, Pik Izvestiya has not attracted the attention of climbers. Perhaps this is due to its mighty neighbor — Pik Kommunizma (7495 m), or possibly the presence of only one realistic route through the three aforementioned peaks of the southern spur of the Petra I ridge. However, in 1961, participants in an expedition led by E. Tamm, according to the yearbook, ascended Pik Pioneer Pravda via Pik Ordzhonikidze. We were unable to find the climbers' notes, but on the summit of Pik Pioneer Pravda, a cairn was found, under which a piece of paper about 0.5 cm² was discovered in a rock crevice after a thorough search.

On the summit of Pik Ordzhonikidze, due to the abundance of snow, no cairn was found. But in 1962, our group of four, while ascending Pik Ordzhonikidze, retrieved a note from approximately 5800 m altitude, left by a group from E. Tamm's expedition, stating that they were unable to find the cairn on the summit due to the abundance of snow. This note has not been preserved.

Located in an area of intense uplift of the Western Pamir, Pik Izvestiya, like its neighboring peaks, is characterized by sharp "knife-like" ridges and sheer walls, as evident in the attached photographs.

The area around the peak accumulates significant cloud cover due to its altitude, is rich in precipitation, and is constantly swept by strong, cold westerly winds above 5000–5500 m, reaching particular intensity in the morning hours. The approximate wind speed is 15 m/s, with individual gusts reaching up to 30–35 m/s. The remoteness from populated areas and transportation routes requires a carefully planned expedition, with prolonged stays at altitude demanding good physical preparation and acclimatization.

The area is generally interesting for routes to new peaks located in the upper reaches of the Bivachny Glacier. The following peaks await their first ascenders:

• Pik Libknekhta
• Pik Tel'mana
• Pik OGPU
• Pik Kommunisticheskaya Akademiya
• Pik Garmo
• Pik Revvoensoveta Kalinina
• Other unnamed peaks.

The approach to this area, rich in six-thousanders and sporting interest, poses a challenge. Multi-day caravan routes, crossings over the turbulent waters of Sauk-sai and Seldara, stand in the way of climbers.

Uzbek climbers, who had previously visited this area, decided in the 1964 season to transport all cargo by helicopters, landing participants at the tongue of the Fedchenko Glacier, while equipment and supplies were dropped from the helicopter in specially prepared containers at the Base Camp at 3900 m, located 36 km from the landing site.

Team Composition

Initially, the team composition differed slightly from the final lineup due to the time of submission of the application for primacy. This was because the initially planned budget for the expedition differed significantly from the amount approved just before heading to the mountains. The limited funds led to a reduction in the expedition's size: instead of 20 participants (15 for the ascent and 5 observers), only 13 people were selected after a strict vetting process.

The remaining composition included:

• Two observers
• One medic
• 10 positions for the assault team

All data regarding the assault, observation, and communication groups are presented in the following tables.

During the ascent to Pik Izvestiya, the observation group was stationed at the Base Camp (3900 m), conducting visual monitoring of the assault team.

Communication between the observation group and the Union of Sports Societies was facilitated through the radio station at the Fedchenko Glacier meteorological station and Darout-Kurgan.

The composition of the assault team at the beginning of the expedition was as follows:

1. El'chibekov V.A. — team captain
2. Voronin V.T. — deputy captain
3. Kalinin G.V. — participant
4. Lyabin A.P. — participant
5. Lyapkin A.V. — participant
6. Ovcharov G.N. — participant
7. P'yankov A.G. — participant
8. Kharlanov G.L. — participant
9. Chekanov G.A. — participant
10. Yakhin Kh. — participant

After an acclimatization sortie to the summit of Pik Ordzhonikidze with the entire team and the first, unsuccessful due to bad weather, assault sortie, Kharlanov G. left the team two days before the ascent to join a group of tourists from Tomsk.

On August 5, Ovcharov G. felt unwell and, on the doctor's advice, remained at the Base Camp (3900 m) to lead the observation group.

Thus, due to the aforementioned reasons, 8 people participated in the ascent to Pik Izvestiya.

Route Selection for the Ascent

During the ascent to Pik Kommunizma in 1959, El'chibekov V.A., Ovcharov G.N., and P'yankov A.G. observed the surrounding panorama and noted the possibility of ascending Pik Izvestiya from the side of Pik Kommunizma.

This possibility was confirmed in 1962 during an attempt to ascend Pik Akhmedi Donisha. Eight members of the current year's expedition participated in the 1962 ascent.

Thanks to this, Pik Izvestiya, the highest unclimbed peak in the Soviet Union, was chosen by the team as a potential target for ascent in 1964.

Particular attention was paid to the safety of the route: the ascent was planned through the peaks:

• Ordzhonikidze (6280 m),
• Pioneer Pravda (6550 m)
• the unnamed peak 6700 m, named by the team in honor of the jubilee of the Uzbek Republic as Pik 40 let UzSSR i Kompartii Uzbekistana.

The usual path to Pik Ordzhonikidze initially follows a couloir with a large hanging glacier in its upper part.

The group found the state of the icefall to be threatening, so the ascent route to Pik Ordzhonikidze was laid:

• to the left of the couloir
• along a steep talus and safe rocks
• with a further exit to the usual route.

The complete safety of the chosen path was confirmed by a landslide that followed the described couloir on the day the group returned from the acclimatization sortie. The group observed the landslide from the glacier at the foot of Pik Ordzhonikidze.

Preparation for the Ascent. Tactical Plan

Based on reconnaissance data from 1959 and 1962, and the experience of high-altitude ascents made by participants in previous years, the group adopted the following plan for ascending Pik Izvestiya. This plan can be broken down into four stages.

Stage I. Transporting expedition participants and all necessary supplies and equipment by car to the village of Darout-Kurgan (Alai Valley).

Stage II

• Transporting several participants by helicopter to the tongue of the Fedchenko Glacier
• Advancing them to the Base Camp at 3900 m on the Bivachny Glacier
• Dropping cargo from the helicopter at the Base Camp
• Setting up the Base Camp.

Stage III

• Acclimatization sortie by the assault team to the summit of Pik Ordzhonikidze with simultaneous cargo delivery to the summit
• Climbing in crampons to an altitude of about 6000 m
• Setting up a camp at 4600 m at the foot of Pik Ordzhonikidze, from where, after two days of rest, Stage IV — the assault on Pik Izvestiya via Pik Ordzhonikidze and Pioneer Pravda — was to be carried out, with a return via the ascent route.

The planned tactical plan was only partially executed due to bad weather; the assault was made on the second attempt. On the first attempt, the group returned from the summit of Pik Ordzhonikidze. Details of the return will be covered later in the report.

The plan included maintaining visual communication between the assault team and the observation group.

Equipment and supplies. The question of equipment did not cause concern, as the group was fully equipped for high-altitude ascents. Each participant had:

• a down suit,
• woolen trousers for altitudes above 6000 m,
• a down sleeping bag,
• woolen underwear. The rest of the equipment did not differ from the standard.

Particular attention was given to the packaging of supplies. Since all cargo was to be dropped from the helicopter, food was packed in tin cans. The entire cargo was sorted according to its use and packed in wooden boxes with double lining back in Tashkent.

It requires a lot of strength and energy at such altitudes to traverse the snowy гребёнка (comb-like snow formation), which has to be chopped through with an ice axe for several hundred meters. The passage is further complicated by its considerable length.

By 19:00, exhausted from the difficult ascent, we set up a bivouac below, 200 m from the summit, under a huge overhanging rock, where there are convenient, wind-protected areas on the snow.

The Assault

August 7, July 3, the radio broadcast a weather forecast: improvement in weather is expected in the coming days over the Western and Garm Pamir. Three days were spent waiting for signs of the predicted improvement. Finally, today the sky is cloudless. Departure is around 9:00. By evening, we ascend to Camp 4600 m. There are 8 of us. The day before, Gennadiy Ovcharov, who felt unwell, remained at the Base Camp in charge of the observation team.

On August 8, we set out on the route and, without significant difficulties, having traversed the southern slopes of Pik Ordzhonikidze, we reach the "endless" slope, where we set up 2 high-altitude tents. The weather was cloudless throughout the day.

On August 9, having successfully cut a new trench in 2 hours, we reach the summit of Ordzhonikidze and begin our descent towards Pik Pioneer Pravda. The glue-like snow and narrow ridge with steep drops on both sides greatly complicate the descent, which is further hindered by the presence of steep rock walls on the ridge. On one of these walls, we leave a spare rope for the return journey. For the first time, we use pitons — "slesarka". By 16:00, having overcome snowy ascents, we set up a bivouac at the beginning of the "knife-like" ridges leading to the summit of Pik Pioneer Pravda. Tomorrow promises to be a challenging day.

On August 10, a strong wind blowing directly into our faces, sweeping snow off the ridge, prevented an early-gentle start, despite a cloudless morning. Only by 10:00 did we begin our progression along the route. Narrow, knife-like ridges take a lot of energy to ascend towards Pik Izvestiya.

On August 11, the morning is windless and cloudless. We depart at 9:15 and, after 1.5 hours, reach the highest point of Pik Pioneer Pravda. The summit is a broad, elongated ridge, on the northwest end of which a small cairn is discovered; upon dismantling it, we find a piece of paper the size of a kopeck coin in a rock crevice.

From the summit, we descend along gentle snowy slopes to a saddle. The saddle is formed by sharply defined "gendarmeres" 10–15 m high, with steep and difficult-to-traverse slopes; in one place, we even had to pull up our backpacks over the difficult rocky slopes of a gendarme. A few dozen meters of sharp, knife-like гребeшков (ridges), which took about 3 hours to traverse, and we, having successfully climbed the steep ascents under the rocks of Pik 6700 m, settle in for a bivouac. The weather today was not on our side. From 12:00, dry snow began to fall, reducing visibility to 10 m. However, the absence of wind and the ridge route allowed us to successfully overcome this section of the path.

So, tomorrow is the assault! The altitude is about 6500 m. August 12. Clear. Strong wind.

At 6:50, the first rope team, Voronin – Chekanov, sets out. Their task is to hang ladders on the rocks overhanging the bivouac site.

At 8:00, the remaining rope teams follow. The difficult, unusual for such an altitude, rock ascents and ledges are traversed using the ready-made ladders.

At 13:45, the rope teams one by one reach the summit of Pik 6700 m.

We build a traditional cairn, leave a pennant of our sports society in it, and in a note, indicating all necessary details, name this previously unnamed peak "40 let UzSSR i Kompartii Uzbekistana" in honor of the glorious jubilee of our republic.

At 16:00, under a strong wind blowing from the direction of the North Pamir firn plateau, we reach the summit of Pik Izvestiya. Several photographs are taken, and we begin our descent to Camp 6500 m.

We descend as the sun hides behind the slopes of Pik Kommunizma.

August 13, 14, 15 were spent descending via the ascent route. The narrow, knife-like гребешки on the descent were no less challenging than during the ascent.

On the late evening of August 15, the group благополучно arrived in the Base Camp, where they were warmly and joyfully met by the observers.

Conclusions on the Route

From the description of the ascent and the attached photographs, one can confidently judge the complexity and difficulty.

The combination of challenging sections and high altitude, as well as the fact that the path to the summit of Pik Izvestiya lies through three peaks, places this route significantly higher than routes on neighboring peaks: the route along the eastern edge of Pik Kommunizma and the route along the southwest ridge of Pik Akhmedi Donisha, traversed by some group members in 1959 and 1964, respectively.

The table below provides comparative data on the passage of these three routes:

Note: The total ascent to the summit is the sum of sections traversed with ascent.

The group spent 8 travel days on the route. About 30 pitons were hammered, which is considerable for a high-altitude ascent.

Considering the above, the group believes that the ascent to Pik Izvestiya via Pik Ordzhonikidze, Pioneer Pravda, and 40 let UzSSR is a route of the highest category of difficulty.

TEAM CAPTAIN (El'chibekov V.)

Assault Group:

Observation Group:

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