Ascent Passport.
- Ascent category — high-altitude.
- Ascent area, range — Central Pamir, Akademii Nauk range.
- Peak, its height, route — p. Kommunizma 7495 m, via the counterfort of the SW slope of the Belyaev Glacier.
- Estimated category of difficulty — 6B.
- Route characteristics: height difference — 2825 m, length of sections with 5–6 category of difficulty — 1425 m, average steepness up to 6950 m — 55°.
- Pitons hammered: on bivouacs — 4 rock; for belay: rock — 33, ice — 14.
- Number of climbing hours — 32.
- Number of nights and their characteristics: three nights at heights 6100, 6700, 6950 m.
- Full name of the leader and participants:
- Ilyinsky E.T. — MS, leader.
- Valiev K.Sh. — CMS, participant.
- Khrishtchaty V.N. — CMS, participant.
- Chumakov V.N. — CMS, participant.
- Coach — Ilyinsky E.T., Master of Sports, Honored Coach of KazSSR.
- Dates of departure and return: August 23, 1977 — August 28, 1977.
Brief explanation for the table
On August 22 at 17:00, the group approached the counterfort of p. Kommunizma and set up a bivouac at an altitude of 4670 m.
On August 23 at 7:30, they began ascending a steep ice slope towards the saddle on the counterfort.
In the lower part of the slope, they overcame a two-meter bergschrund and, wearing crampons with alternating belay using pitons and remnants of old ice screws, reached the saddle under the first rock tower. The rocks were steep, heavily destroyed, and were overcome with belay using protrusions.
After a short traverse across rock slabs, they reached the second tower. Here, the belay was via pitons and protrusions. A piton was hammered every 30–35 m. The rocks were местами up to 70° steep.
Having overcome the rocks of the second tower, they reached a ridge 60–70 m long. They traversed the ridge with alternating belay using protrusions.
Further:
— a 15-meter rappel down a rope to an ice saddle at the base of a snow-ice slope; — ascent in crampons up the snow-ice slope.
The first rock island, composed of slabs with flow ice, was encountered at an altitude of 5500 m. Here, the belay was via pitons. Having overcome the slabs, they bypassed the hanging glacier to the left across the ice. Here, too, the belay was via ice pitons. At an altitude of 5750–5850 m, they reached the upper part of the icefall. Here, there were many crevasses, which they overcame using snow bridges with alternating belay. Some crevasses had the character of bergschrunds with overhanging upper edges. Such walls were overcome with the first person being lifted or using ice axes.
At 17:00, they stopped for the night in the area of a large bergschrund.
On August 24, they departed at 10:00. They overcame the upper part of the icefall, the steepness of which had increased. местами, there was deep snow up to 1.0 m. In the upper part, under shallow snow, there was ice.
At 12:30, they reached a rock rib. The rocks were heavily destroyed, often covered with flow ice. Steep rock walls up to 70° and 5–6 m high were encountered.

Table of main characteristics of the ascent route to p. Kommunizma via the counterfort of the Southwest slope, 6th category of difficulty.
Around 13:00, a heavy snowfall began. Visibility was no more than 50 m. At 15:00, they set up a bivouac, having chopped out part of a sharp snow ridge at an altitude of 6700 m. For belay on the bivouac, they hammered 4 rock pitons.
On August 25, they departed at 9:00. On the rocks, there was snow up to 15–20 cm deep, flow ice, and almost no protrusions. The belay was via pitons.
At 13:00, they approached a steep rock tower of the shoulder of p. Kommunizma. In the lower part of the tower, there was a steep inner corner. The rocks were covered with snow and flow ice. The length of the section was 15 m. Having overcome it with thorough piton belay, they reached a rock rib with snow drifts. By chopping out the drifts and using piton belay, they traversed the rib, which led to the shoulder of the peak. Further, there was a straightforward snow ridge with cornices, which led to a large depression. Altitude 6950 m.
On August 26 at 10:00, they began the final ascent. On the slopes of the peak, there was a lot of fresh snow, and there was a constant avalanche danger.
Following the usual path: — they reached the summit at 18:00.
| Date | Sections | Average steepness | Length in m | Character of terrain | Difficulty | Condition | Weather conditions | Belay | Movement, length in m | Departure and bivouac stop time, climbing hours, weather conditions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23.08.77 | 1 | 60° | 250 m | ice slope with bergschrund | 4 | rare remnants of old ice screws | clear | 7 rock | alternating movement in crampons | Departure from Belyaeva glacier at 7:30 |
| 2 | 45–70° | 400 m | ridge with snow towers | 4–5 | heavily destroyed rocks | clear | 5 rock using protrusions | free climbing | ||
| 3 | 45° | 150 m | ice slope | 3 | snow-covered | warm | simultaneous | movement in crampons | ||
| 4 | 50° | 300 m | ice slope with islands of rock slabs | 5 | snow-covered, ice, iced slabs, icefall hazard | warm | 2 rock, 5 ice | alternating movement in crampons | ||
| 5 | 45° | 600 m | icefall | 4 | snow, ice, firn | warm | simultaneous and alternating movement in crampons, belay via ice axe | Stop for bivouac at 17:00, altitude 6100 m, snow-ice cushion, 9.5 climbing hours. | ||
| 24.08.77 | 6 | 50° | 350 m | icefall | 4 | snow, ice, firn | warm | 2 rock | alternating movement in crampons | Departure at 10:00, stop for bivouac at 15:00 on a sharp snow ridge, altitude 6700 m, 5 climbing hours. |
| 7 | 50° | 350 m | rock rib | 5 | snow-covered, destroyed rocks | snowfall | 10 rock | free climbing, 4 rock pitons on bivouac | ||
| 25.08.77 | 8 | 50° | 200 m | rock rib | 5 | flow ice, destroyed rocks, snow-covered | snowfall | 7 rock | free climbing | Departure at 9:00 |
| 9 | 90° | 15 m | inner corner | 6 | snow-covered rocks, flow ice | snowfall | 3 rock using protrusions | |||
| 10 | 70° | 160 m | rock rib | 5 | —, snow drifts | cold | 6 rock | simultaneous movement in crampons | Stop for bivouac at 18:00 in a snow depression at altitude 6950 m, 9 climbing hours | |
| 26.08.77 | 11 | traverse | 200 m | firn ridge | 3 | cornices, местами ice | cold | — | belay via ice axe | |
| 12 | traverse | 150 m | firn ridge | 3 | avalanche hazard | cold | — | — | Departure at 10:00. On the summit by 18:00, 8 climbing hours. | |
| 13 | 45° | 450 m | firn slope | 3 | — | frost | — | — | ||
| 14 | 45° | 240 m | firn ridge | 4 | — | frost | — | — | ||
| Total | 33 rock, 14 ice | on bivouac — 4 rock pitons |

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