International Mountaineering Club 2003-2004

First Ascent Reports

in the area of Lake Sarez in the Pamirs

on the peaks of the Rushan and Muzkol ranges

International Mountaineering Club

Address: Moscow, Luzhnetskaya Embankment, 8, Russian Olympic Committee, office 330 Phone/Fax (095) 725-45-28, e-mail: mak@roc.ru, http://www.clubalp.ru↗

Club President

Valery Vladimirovich Kuzin – First Vice-President of the Russian Olympic Committee

Head Coach

Yuri Viktorovich Baykovsky – Honored Coach of the Republic of Tajikistan

Table of Contents

I. Table of Peaks

II. Overview of the Sarez Lake Area a. Map of the Republic of Tajikistan b. Description of the Area c. Road to Sarez Lake d. Map of Sarez Lake

III. Ascent Reports on Peaks in the "Birombanda" Area a. Map and Description of the Area 1. "Olimp-2004" (5674 m) 2. "Poytakt" (5601 m) 3. "International Mountaineering Club" (5337 m) 4. "Obzornaya" (4424 m)

IV. Ascent Reports on Peaks in the "Shadau" Area a. Map and Description of the Area 5. "10 let MChS" (5250 m) 6. "USOY" (5120 m) 7. "Spasateley" (5050 m) 8. "Gornykh gidov" (5080 m)

Map of the Republic of Tajikistan

(Route from Dushanbe to the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region, to the Sarez Lake area)

Description of the Sarez Lake Mountain Area

Road

You can get to Sarez Lake from Dushanbe:

• By helicopter from Dushanbe airport to the helipad on the Usoy dam;
• By car. Drive to the regional center Rushan. The road to the turnoff to Rogun has asphalt coverage. Further, the asphalt is practically absent, and the coverage is heavily damaged. From Rushan, it's 130 km to the village of Barchadiv - a difficult road. You need to cross several rivers. With high water, the road is sometimes flooded and washed away. The journey takes 2-3 days.

From the village of Barchadiv, it's a 20 km hike. It takes about the same time to go up and down - from 6 to 10 hours.

• At the beginning of the path (1 hour) and at the end (2 hours), there is no water.
• In the middle part, the trail runs along the Murgab River.
• The steepest section - with a difference of 700 m - is a long climb to the Usoy dam.
• The climb consists of three stages.

Features of the Area

Due to the possibility of a breakthrough of the Usoy dam, the Sarez Lake area is a strategic object and is closed to tourism. To visit it, in addition to a permit to enter the border zone of the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region, a special permit is required. As a rule, sports and tourist groups are not allowed to visit the Usoy dam area.

There are more than three dozen peaks in the area with heights of 4000-5900 m. The area is interesting for mountaineering ascents. You can make ascents on the following types of routes:

• Rock
• Combined
• Ice

Route difficulty categories: 2-5 cat. sl.

A major difficulty is the lack of trails along the coast. It's best to get to various gorges in the area by boat, which is available to the employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations.

Approaches are characterized by a large ascent.

Birombanda Area

Located on the right bank of Sarez Lake. The ridge stretches along the lake for 35 km and continues north to the village of Barchadiv. The area includes 10-15 peaks. The highest peak is "Radio Lyubiteley" (5857 m), where a radio repeater was installed in 2002 by climbers from Dushanbe (V. Khabibulin, A. Maskayev, I. Karatyschev). No other mountaineering ascents were made in the area before 2003.

Ascents can be made from the southwest, from the lake, and from the northeast, from the gorge.

There is practically no water in the area in the summer. All streams emerge to the surface near the lake shore. On the southwestern slopes, there is no snow in July-August. And on the northeastern slopes, there are glaciers and snow in the upper reaches.

The International Mountaineering Club team made all their ascents from the northeast.

From the МЧС house, take a boat (10 km) around the right-bank landslide slope and enter the gorge. Walk up the gorge along the middle talus for 5 hours. Establish a base camp at an altitude of 4700 m. From here, ascents are made to the peaks "Olimp", "Poytakt", and "МАК".

When ascending "Olimp", you can establish a storm camp at an altitude of 5000-5100 m up the gorge.

In the area, the rock formations are heavily destroyed.

Shadau Mountain Area

Named after the Shadau River and Lake. There is water everywhere in the area. There is significant glaciation on the northern slopes. There are complex routes.

From the МЧС house, take a boat (6 km) across Lake Shadau and reach the mouth of the river. Walk along the right bank of the river (in the direction of travel) along the trail for 3 hours. Cross the first right tributary (River Khalifa Ilga) and start climbing up-right along the slope (2 hours).

Through a vaguely expressed watershed, enter the gorge and walk along the River Dzhutakhac to the meadows (to the right of the black moraine clearly visible from Lake Shadau). On the meadow, a herd of yaks grazes in the summer (without a shepherd). Be careful - yaks can be aggressive. It's convenient to set up a base camp near large stones next to the yak meadow. There is a stream.

The entire approach from the МЧС house to the base camp (4300 m) takes 5-7 hours.

For ascents to the peaks "10 let MChS", 5350, 5535, you can establish a storm camp in the upper part of the gorge, at an altitude of 4600 m (2.5 hours walk).

From the base camp, the peaks 5000, 5050, 5350, 5535, and "USOY" are visible.

Information about Sarez Lake

History of the Lake's Formation

On the night of February 5-6, 1911, a strong earthquake occurred in the central part of the Pamirs (currently on the territory of the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region of the Republic of Tajikistan). As a result of the seismic impact, a giant landslide occurred in the valley of the Murgab River, which was named the "Usoy dam" in memory of the village of Usoy, which was buried by it. All residents of the village died. The dam deposits blocked the valley of the Murgab River and caused the formation of a large lake.

Sarez Lake is located between the North Alichur and Muzkol ranges, at an altitude of 3239 m. Area: 86.5 km², length about 75 km, width up to 3.4 km. Average depth: 190 m, maximum - 550 m. Mainly glacial feeding. The range of level fluctuations is about 6 m. Freezes in late December - early January, breaks up in late March - May.

The average annual level of Sarez Lake rises by 0.2 m. From 1967 to 2001, it rose by 4.8 m. The excess of the lowest point of the watershed ridge of the Usoy dam over the lake is 41 m.

In a high-water flood, it can decrease to 32-35 m.

The unique lake is a natural pearl, a scientific object, and at the same time, the most serious potential threat to the whole of Central Asia. Scientists predict the inevitability of a lake breakthrough and the occurrence of a catastrophic mudflow along the bed of the Pyanj River. The destruction zone includes territories of:

• Tajikistan,
• Uzbekistan,
• Turkmenistan,
• Afghanistan,

where more than 5,000,000 people live, as well as all Russian border outposts located on the Tajik-Afghan border.

Until 1991, geologists and scientists from all over the Soviet Union regularly worked in the lake area. From 1991 to 2003, there were practically no scientific observations on Sarez.

Currently, a monitoring and warning station of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Tajikistan is operating year-round in the area of the Usoi dam. The МЧС house is located between two lakes: Sarez and Shadau. In 2005, another house will be put into operation, located directly on the dam. Next to it, a helipad is equipped.

In 2003-2004, the International Mountaineering Club, together with "Tsentrspas" of the Ministry of Emergency Situations and the Civil Defense of the Republic of Tajikistan, organized two scientific and sports expeditions, during which:

• 8 first ascents were made
• The coastline of the lake was surveyed
• A rafting trip was made along the Murgab and Bartang rivers to the Pyanj River
• The first diver's dive into the lake was made
• Underwater video filming was carried out.

No information about mountaineering ascents in the area before 2003 was found. The road from Dushanbe to Sarez Lake:

• Takes 2-3 days by car
• Plus 1 day on foot

"Tsentrspas" base of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Tajikistan (former base of the KSP of Tajikistan)

Head: Colonel A.V. Pilkevich

Road along the Bartang River (from the turnoff from the Pamir highway to the village of Barchadiv)

Road along the Murgab River from the village of Barchadiv to Sarez Lake

• 20 km on foot
• with pack animals

Map of Sarez Lake

Birombanda Area

Map of the Birombanda area, Muzkol range, Central and Eastern Pamirs

International Mountaineering Club

August 13, 2004

Ascent Report on the Peak

"Olimp-2004"

height 5674 m, Central Pamirs, Muzkol range. Proposed route difficulty 3A

Ascent Passport

1. Area — Eastern Pamirs, Muzkol range. Republic of Tajikistan, Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region
2. Peak — "Olimp-2004". Height 5674 m
3. Coordinates of the peak: N 38°17.093′ (measured by GPS), E 072°42.198′
4. Route — along the Western Ridge
5. Proposed — 3A cat. sl., first ascent
6. Route characteristic — combined
7. Route characteristics: height difference — 950 m, route length — 1900 m
8. Used on the route: pitons — 30 (rock — 18, ice — 12)
9. Number of walking hours — 13 hours
10. Participants: Vladimir Khabibulin ( Candidate for Master of Sports, Tajikistan), Shabon Yaftaliev (3rd sports category, Tajikistan)
11. Date of ascent: August 13, 2004 Departure from base camp — 8:00 on August 12, Reached the summit — 9:30 on August 13, Returned to base camp — 12:00 on August 13
12. Organization: International Mountaineering Club "Tsentrspas" of the Ministry of Emergency Situations and Civil Defense of the Republic of Tajikistan General view of the peak "Olimp-2004" At the summit

Route profile Section 02. Snow-ice couloir

Photo at the summit. Bottom left is the Moscow Pass and the Western Ridge

View from the summit to the West

Summit Tablet

Route Diagram in UIAA Symbols to the Peak "Olimp-2004" (5674 m)

Route Description

to the peak "Olimp-2004"

The route starts from the camp at 4700 m on the Bizangov glacier. Move up the glacier to the Moscow Pass 5050 m. 300 m before the saddle, there is a steep snow-ice couloir that bypasses the difficult-to-pass rock belt and allows you to reach the western ridge of the peak. In the couloir, belaying is necessary on a 200 m section. The average steepness of the couloir is 50°, in some places up to 65°.

After passing the couloir, a relatively simple rock-ice section begins, which is traversed with simultaneous belaying on a 200 m section.

At an altitude of 5100 m, it is advisable to set up a storm camp to acclimatize and start early in the morning, as the snow on the northwestern side of the ridge is deep and loose.

The ascent should start at dawn, around 5:30, along the snow-rock ridge to the pre-summit gendarme, which is bypassed on the right with belaying along a rock-ice slope with a steepness of up to 50°.

Having bypassed the gendarme, we again reach the ridge and move to the rocky dome of the summit along relatively simple rocks to an altitude of 5600 m. The ascent to the summit is rock-ice - to the mark 5681 m (GPS) and the mark 5674 m according to the topographic map.

Ascent:

• To the 5100 m camp — 4 hours
• From the camp to the summit — another 4 hours

Descent is advisable to make along the northwestern ridge, but slightly descending from the summit towards the Temurkul-Dzhilga River, then traverse the same slope along a snowy slope, bypassing the main gendarme. Further descent along the ascent route takes 6 hours to the mark 5050 m.

The entire ascent from the 4700 m camp takes 13 walking hours.

Ministry of Emergency Situations and Civil Defense of the Republic of Tajikistan

Dushanbe, Lohuti St.–26, Index 734013, Phone 23–28–18, Fax 21–13–31. №24/1036

Certificate

Republic of Tajikistan, Dushanbe, August 25, 2004

Issued to the team of the International Mountaineering Club (IMC), which made the first ascent on August 13, 2004, to the peak with a height of 5674 m in the Muzkol range (Eastern Pamirs, Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region, Republic of Tajikistan).

Team members: Vladimir Khabibulin (Candidate for Master of Sports, Tajikistan), Shabon Yaftaliev (3rd sports category, Tajikistan). Team coach: Yuri Baykovsky (Honored Coach of the Republic of Tajikistan). The peak is named "Olimp-2004". Location of the peak: N 38°17.093′, E 072°42.198′

Head of the Control and Rescue Service of the Republic of Tajikistan, Head of "Tsentrspas" of the Ministry of Emergency Situations and Civil Defense of the Republic of Tajikistan Colonel A.V. Pilkevich

Minister of Emergency Situations and Civil Defense of the Republic of Tajikistan Major General M.A. Ziyoyev

International Mountaineering Club

August 11, 2004

Ascent Report on the Peak

"Poytakt" (Capital)

height 5601 m, Eastern Pamirs, Muzkol range. Proposed route difficulty 2A

Ascent Passport

1. Area — Central Pamirs, Rushan range. Republic of Tajikistan, Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region
2. Peak — "Poytakt" (Capital), height 5601 m, named in honor of the 80th anniversary of the capital of Tajikistan, Dushanbe
3. Location of the peak: N 38°17.150′, E 072°40.550′
4. Route — along the Southern Ridge
5. Proposed — 2A cat. sl., first ascent
6. Route characteristic — combined
7. Route characteristics: height difference — 1000 m, route length — 1400 m
8. Used on the route: pitons — 30 (28 rock, 2 ice)
9. Number of walking hours — 12 hours
10. Team members: Leader — Vladimir Khabibulin (Candidate for Master of Sports, Tajikistan). Participants:
    • Shabon Yaftaliev (3rd sports category, Tajikistan)
    • Alexander Onishchenko (1st sports category, Tajikistan)
    • Igor Loginov (2nd sports category, Russia)
11. Team coach: Baykovsky Yuri Viktorovich (Honored Coach of the Republic of Tajikistan)
12. Date of ascent: August 11, 2004. Time of reaching the summit — 13:00
13. Organization: International Mountaineering Club "Tsentrspas" of the Ministry of Emergency Situations and Civil Defense of the Republic of Tajikistan. Peak "Poytakt" 5601 m. Photo from the Murgab River valley below the Usoy dam

Peak "Poytakt" 5601 m. Photo from Sarez Lake

Route to the Peak "Poytakt"

Photo from the ridge of peak "Olimp-2004" from the East

At the Summit

Photo taken towards the source of Sarez Lake to the South

Route Diagram in UIAA Symbols

Route Description to the Peak Poytakt

From the base camp at an altitude of 4700 m, ascend along the gorge for 1 hour. Further:

• To the pass between peak Poytakt and МАК along a snow-ice slope for 2.5 hours.
• In the upper part, crampons are needed.
• In the upper part, the slope becomes more gentle.
• Bypassing the moraine on the right, turn right and walk along the ridge towards the peak for 300 m along snow-ice fields with rock outcrops (section 01).

Along a steep snow-ice couloir, climb to the shoulder of the ridge (section 02). Along the ridge to the summit for 300 m (section 03).

Descent along the ascent route. The ascent takes 8 hours.

Ministry of Emergency Situations and Civil Defense of the Republic of Tajikistan

Dushanbe, Lohuti St.–26, Index 734013, Phone 23–28–18, Fax 21–13–31. №24/1026

Certificate

Republic of Tajikistan, Dushanbe, August 25, 2004

Issued to the team of the International Mountaineering Club (IMC), which made the first ascent on August 11, 2004, to the peak with a height of 5601 m in the Muzkol range (Eastern Pamirs, Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region, Republic of Tajikistan).

Team members:

• Vladimir Khabibulin (Candidate for Master of Sports, Tajikistan)
• Alexander Onishchenko (1st sports category, Tajikistan)
• Igor Loginov (2nd sports category, Russia)
• Shabon Yaftaliev (3rd sports category, Tajikistan)

Team coach: Yuri Baykovsky (Honored Coach of the Republic of Tajikistan)

The peak is named "Poytakt" (Capital). Location of the peak: N 38°16.450′, E 072°40.960′

Minister of Emergency Situations and Civil Defense of the Republic of Tajikistan Major General M.A. Ziyoyev

International Mountaineering Club

August 15, 2004

Ascent Report on the Peak

"International Mountaineering Club"

height 5337 m, Central Pamirs, Rushan range. Proposed route difficulty 4B

Ascent Passport

1. Area — Central Pamirs, Rushan range, Republic of Tajikistan, Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region
2. Peak — "International Mountaineering Club". Height 5337 m
3. Coordinates of the peak: N 38°16.450′, E 072°40.960′
4. Route — along the internal angle of the Eastern wall
5. Proposed — 4B cat. sl., first ascent
6. Route characteristic — rock
7. Route characteristics: height difference — 630 m, route length — 950 m
8. Used on the route: pitons — 14, chocks — 63
9. Number of walking hours — 14 hours
10. Participants: Alexander Onishchenko (1st sports category, Tajikistan), Igor Loginov (2nd sports category, Russia)
11. Team coach: Baykovsky Yuri Viktorovich (Honored Coach of the Republic of Tajikistan)
12. Date of ascent: August 15, 2004 Departure from base camp — 9:00 on August 14; Reached the summit — 12:00 on August 15; Returned to base camp — 12:30 on August 15
13. Organization: International Mountaineering Club "Tsentrspas" of the Ministry of Emergency Situations and Civil Defense of the Republic of Tajikistan. General view of the peak from the Irkht Bay

Start of the route

General View of the Peak "МАК"

General view of the peak "МАК" from the East

View from the Summit to the Irkht Bay

bottom left is the shoulder at 5150 m

On the route. Section R0

Route Diagram in UIAA Symbols

to the Peak 5337 m

Route Description to the Peak 5337 m "International Mountaineering Club"

From the camp at 4770 m, move towards the peak along talus shelves for 300 m. The approach takes 30 minutes. The start of the route is a clearly expressed internal angle at the base of the rock massif. Up the internal angle for 50 m (R0). The rocks are destroyed. Use stoppers and excentrics. Good belay on the shelf.

From the shelf, move to the right and then up along the chimney with a plug at the top (R1). (Attention: the rocks are destroyed). Good belay on the shelf.

Along the internal angle (R2), one rope of very difficult climbing (key section!) to the shelf. Use: pitons, hexes, friends. Further, 20 m internal angle (R3) and 30 m wall of destroyed rocks (R4). Use: stoppers, hexes, pitons. Belay on the shelf.

50 m internal angle (R5) with an overhang (second key section!). Climbing is difficult. Use: stoppers, pitons, excentrics.

100 m up the wall (R6) to the right under the cornice. Under the cornice is a convenient place to bivouac.

From the bivouac, up the internal angle for 30 m, transitioning into a wall for 20 m (R7), to a shelf. Icicles hang from the shelf up to 2-3 m. Be careful! Icicles can fall down on the belayer; collapse on the person climbing on the rope. Use: stoppers and pitons.

For 50 m, move along destroyed rocks to the right to a shoulder (R8). From the shoulder, along the ridge to the right towards the peak for 200 m along destroyed shelves (R9). Climbing is not difficult, can be done simultaneously. (Be careful: icicles can fall from the summit.)

Along the wall to the summit for 100 m (R10). The rocks are destroyed. Use stoppers. The summit is dome-shaped. Destroyed rocks, snow.

Descent along the eastern ridge: first 250 m along the ascent route, then with intermittent belaying through outcrops to a clearly expressed shoulder. From the shoulder, left along talus shelves for 600 m to the base camp at 4700 m.

The entire ascent takes 14 hours.

Certificate

Republic of Tajikistan, Dushanbe, August 25, 2004

Issued to the team of the International Mountaineering Club (IMC), which made the first ascent on August 15, 2004, to the peak with a height of 5337 m in the Rushan range (Eastern Pamirs, Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region, Republic of Tajikistan).

Team members: Alexander Onishchenko (1st sports category, Tajikistan), Igor Loginov (2nd sports category, Russia). Team coach: Yuri Baykovsky (Honored Coach of the Republic of Tajikistan). The peak is named "International Mountaineering Club" (IM