Moscow Federation of Alpinism and Rock Climbing

Report on the First Ascent to the Summit 5368 (Peak Alexandr Gubaev) via the Northwest Slope, Category 3B

Moscow, MAI Tourism Club, 2008

1. Ascent Passport

1. Region: Zaalai Ridge.

Valley: Kyzylsu (East Kyzylsu Glacier). Section number according to the 2001 classification table — 4.4

2. Summit name: 5368, proposed — Peak Alexandr Gubaev.

Route name: via the northwest slope

3. Category of difficulty — proposed 3B.
4. Route type: ice and snow.
5. Height difference of the route: 268 m (according to GPS readings)

Route length:

• main part of the route — 245 m.
• total route length — 428 m.

Length of sections: Category IV difficulty — 245 m. Average steepness: main part of the route — 51°, total route — 40.5°.

6. Number of pitons used on the route: rock — 0, ice — 22, including ITO — 0.
7. Team's climbing hours: 4 hours.
8. Team leader: Lebedev Andrey Alexandrovich (Moscow), Master of Sports of Russia (tourism), 1st class (alpinism)

Team members:

Zharov Andrey Viktorovich (Moscow, Zelenograd), 1st class (tourism)

Zhdanov Ivan Nikolaevich (Moscow), 1st class (tourism), 2nd class (alpinism)

Komarov Dmitry Alexandrovich (Moscow), 1st class (tourism)

Maksimovich Yuri Alexandrovich (Moscow), Candidate Master of Sports (tourism)

Timoshenkov Alexey Sergeevich (Moscow, Zelenograd), 1st class (tourism), 2nd class (alpinism)

Shapovalov Dmitry Sergeevich (Kiev), 1st class (tourism), Yanchevsky Oleg Zigmontovich (Kiev), Candidate Master of Sports (tourism).

9. Coach: Khokhlov Yuri Vladimirovich (Moscow), Master of Sports (alpinism).
10. Departure to the route: 11:30, August 24, 2008.

Summit ascent: 15:40, August 24, 2008. Descent to the glacier: 17:50, August 24, 2008.

2. Summit Photographs

Fig. 2.1–2.2. View from the west from the eastern moraine of the East Kyzylsu Glacier. Taken on August 28, 2008. Fig. 2.3. View from the west from the left side of the East Kyzylsu Glacier. Fig. 2.4. View from the northwest from the left side of the East Kyzylsu Glacier.

3. Route Profile Photographs

Fig. 3.1. View from the southwest to the assault camp and the route. Fig. 3.2. View from the route (from the slope of the summit) to the southwest towards Kurumdy

4. PHOTO PANORAMA OF THE REGION Fig. 4.1. View from the Transport Pass (N4 on scheme 1) to the valley of the East Kyzylsu Glacier. To the right of the summit 5368 m, Zarya Vostoka (6349 m) rises.

5. Summit Area Scheme

Scheme 1. Area of the East Kyzylsu Glacier and summit 5368

6. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SUMMIT 5368

Summit 5368 rises above the right side of the East Kyzylsu Glacier, is located north of the Zarya Vostoka massif (6349), and is the highest point of the northern ridges separated from the Zaalai Ridge watershed between the East Kyzylsu and Nura glaciers.

Summit 5368:

• is an ideal observation point;
• is visible from everywhere.

Along the northeast slope of the summit, an inclined shelf stretches, from which a glacier flows to the west-southwest. This glacier forms the northern branch of the first right tributary of the East Kyzylsu Glacier. The most straightforward approach to the summit is via this glacier.

7. Drawn Route Profile

Fig. 1. Black numbers along the graph — section numbers (marked at the ends of the corresponding sections).

8. Route Breakdown into Sections

Average steepness of the route — 40.5 degrees. Average steepness of the main part of the route (section 2) is 51 degrees. Route length — 428 m Fig. 9.1. Technical photograph of the route. Numbers indicate the ends of the corresponding route sections, see Table 1

10. DESCRIPTION OF THE PATH FROM THE BASE CAMP TO THE ASSAULT CAMP. It is convenient to set up the base camp (BC) in the pocket of the left-bank moraine of the East Kyzylsu Glacier in front of the enormous moraine shaft of the glacier on the northern slope of summit 4834. Water can be taken from the river that flows from under this moraine shaft. There is also a clean stream that emerges from the ground above the clearing on the slope in its eastern corner. The path to the BC along the Kyzylsu River and the glacier moraine is well-known, obvious, and does not need a description, see Scheme 1. The group left the BC on the morning of August 21. From the base camp, one should cross the hilly and moraine-covered East Kyzylsu Glacier to its right side; here, near the right side, the glacier is flat. Along the East Kyzylsu Glacier, one should ascend to its large right tributary, bypass the first icefall on the right, and enter the alignment of this right tributary, see Scheme 1. Ascend the open ice to the second icefall, which is located just below the confluence of the two glacier branches. Here, near the right side of the glacier, on the stones of the medial moraine, a camp can be set up. The group arrived at this location at noon on August 22. After lunch, they conducted reconnaissance and found a bypass for the 2nd icefall. They decided to spend the night here to ensure better acclimatization (this was the 4th day in the mountains). The second icefall is bypassed on the right under the slopes of the Zarya Vostoka summit. On a short section of this bypass, one has to "run" about 50–70 meters through ice debris in the zone of ice fall. Above this section, there is an exit to the plateau where the two glacier branches merge. Along the plateau, approach the right edge of the 3rd icefall — the icefall of the northern branch of the glacier, which descends from summit 5368, see Fig. 11.1. The icefall is passed on the right (along the orographic left side). Here, it is not complicated — there are two or three 50-degree 5–10-meter walls, and at the exit from the icefall, there is a wide crevasse (up to 2 m), see Fig. 11.2. Most likely, the crevasse can be overcome using some ice plug. Above the icefall, there are many crevasses on the glacier; wandering around the crevasses ends above 4600 m when the thick snow cover begins, see Fig. 11.3. On the snow plateau at an altitude of 5100 m, opposite the ice northeastern slope of summit 5368, it is advisable to set up an assault camp, see Fig. 11.4. The group ascended to the 5100 m plateau on the morning of August 24. They set up tents and around 11:30 began the ascent, see section 12.

    11. PHOTO ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE PATH TO THE ASSAULT CAMP

Fig. 11.1. Icefall at the mouth of the northern branch of the right tributary of the East Kyzylsu Glacier (3rd icefall, see Scheme 1). Fig. 11.2. Final crevasse of the 3rd icefall. Fig. 11.3. Path to the assault camp above the 3rd icefall. Fig. 11.4. Assault camp (5100 m) and route to summit 5368.

12. Description of the Ascent to the Summit

Opposite the 5100 m assault camp, the ice slope of summit 5368 rises, undercut by a bergschrund, see Fig. 9.1 (technical photo).

The length of the slope above the bergschrund is 240–250 m, with a steepness of about 50°.

The bergschrund is not wide and is easily overcome via a snow bridge.

To avoid falling rocks, it is advisable to ascend via the ice strip between the rock outcrops, which leads slightly to the right of the summit, see Fig. 9.1, 11.4, and 13.1.

Further:

• 5 ropes of belays to the exit onto the ridge.

On the ridge, there are large and dangerous cornices to the east. Here, one needs to turn left and ascend along the line of cornice detachment to the summit, see Fig. 13.2. The highest point is on the cornice, and ascending to it is dangerous due to the risk of cornice collapse. It is better to stop near the line of cornice detachment. Descent to the assault camp is via the ascent route.

The group left the assault camp (5100 m) on August 24 at around 11:30 and reached the summit in 4 hours at 15:40. They descended to the assault camp (5100 m) by 17:50 and did not continue further because the ascent was also conducted for acclimatization, and to fulfill future plans, a night stay at 5100 m was required. The next day (August 25), the team descended to the BC by evening.

13. PHOTO ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE ASCENT TO THE SUMMIT Fig. 13.1. At the beginning of section 2. Fig. 13.2. The last meters of the summit ridge (Andrey Lebedev). Fig. 13.3. On the summit at the edge of cornice detachment (Andrey Zharov). Fig. 13.4. Panorama from the summit to the east towards the mountains surrounding the Nura Glacier. Fig. 13.5. Beginning of the descent from the summit. In the lower left corner, behind the descending participant, a rock outcrop is visible, on which a plaque can be installed. Fig. 13.6. Completion of the descent from the summit. Fig. 13.7. View from the assault camp towards the descending group.

Author of the report — Lebedev Andrey Alexandrovich, September 6, 2008.