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Report

Team of the Sverdlovsk Regional Committee for Physical Culture and Sports on the Ascent to Peak Engels via the South Face in the 1971 USSR Alpine Climbing Championship in the High-Altitude Technical Climbing Category

(Romanov's Route)

Team Captain: A.A. Mikhailov

Sverdlovsk, 1971

Brief Information about the Region and the Climbing Object

Peak Engels (6510 m) is one of the central peaks of the Southwestern Pamir. Climbing Peak Engels via any route is of great interest.

It was first conquered in 1954 by a team from the Georgian Alpine Club, including K. Kuzmin, via the south face with an exit to the hanging glacier to the left of the peak.

Subsequently, several more routes were established to Peak Engels, among which the most interesting are:

• routes by the ЦСКА (Central Sports Club of the Army) climbers led by V. Nekrasov via the southeast ridge;
• a group of Spartakovites led by A. Kustovsky, who ascended via the northeast face of the eastern ridge;
• teams from the ЦС ДСО «Труд» (Central Council of the "Trud" Sports Society) led by B. Romanov via the south face.

The team from the Sverdlovsk Regional Committee for Physical Culture and Sports entered Romanov's route as the main route for participation in the 1971 USSR Alpine Climbing Championship in the high-altitude technical climbing category.

Preparation for the Ascent and Participants

The team was primarily formed from climbers who were members of the «Буревестник» (Burvestnik) Sports Society.

During the team's preparation, significant attention was given to improving the physical and technical training of the participants, developing new technical equipment, selecting provisions, and studying reports on the climbing object. The team included the following climbers, who were rock climbers with experience in high-altitude and technical ascents:

During the autumn-winter period, training focused on developing endurance (cross-country running, ski racing).

In February 1971, the team conducted a training camp in the area of the former Tuyuk-Sug alpine camp, Alma-Ata, completing ascents of 3B and 4B difficulty categories. In the spring period, the primary focus was on improving rock climbing skills.

In April-May, Efimov, Lebedikhin, and Pushkarev participated in the «Буревестник» Central Council Championship and the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions Championship in rock climbing, achieving top placements.

A significant part of the preparatory training process included:

• team members (except Smirnov D.A.) working in June-July at the Nurek Hydroelectric Station as part of an all-union special construction team of highly qualified climbers;
• the team's participation in a gathering of the «Буревестник» Central Council in July.

Unfortunately, due to significant organizational work, A. Piratinsky, who was the deputy commander of the team, was unable to participate in the USSR Championship.

Ascent Description

August 8. The team in full: A. Mikhailov, S. Efimov, A. Lebedikhin, V. Pushkarev, V. Yakovlev departs from the base camp to the camp at 4850 m.

August 9. At 7:00, the group headed towards the wall. A ladder was used when crossing the bergschrund. The passage through the wide couloir was done on a snow-ice slope with a steepness of 55 degrees and a length of 250 m, directed towards snow-covered rock shelves. Then, a traverse along the shelves with a steepness of 40 degrees and a length of 150 m. Further, an 80-meter rock wall with a steepness of 70 degrees, featuring a very complex 4-meter sheer section, leads to the ridge. A traverse to the right upwards along rocks of medium difficulty for 160 m. We approach a 120-meter wall with a steepness of up to 80 degrees.

The first rope is passed through a rocky groove. Climbing is complex. The wall ends with a 20-meter chimney filled with ice. At the top of the chimney, there's a plug. Steepness is 90 degrees.

We reach a small ridge platform. From the platform, along smoothed slabs with small holds (steepness 60 degrees), after 40 m, we approach a monolithic wall with a few holds, having a steepness of 85 degrees and a length of 80 m.

The first ten meters of the second rope are passed through a crevice with a steepness of 95 degrees, using wooden wedges and ladders. At the top of the wall, a 20-meter gap with a steepness of 95 degrees leads to a platform at a height of 5585 m.

An 80-meter rope was used to lift backpacks. We set up a bivouac at 20:30. Overnight stay in a tent on belays through hooks hammered into the rocks. On this day, 67 rock hooks and 22 ice hooks were hammered.

August 10. From the bivouac, the path goes along the right side of the ridge through monolithic rocks like slabs with a steepness of 55 degrees and individual small walls. Climbing is complex but enjoyable. The length of the section is 200 m. At the top, there is an extremely complex overhanging 3-meter wall. After 80 m, along the boundary of rocks and ice, we approach a 15-meter groove with ice accretion. Steepness is 80 degrees.

Climbing is very complex. The groove leads under a rocky overhang 18 m high, which is passed on the right side through an internal corner with a steepness of 70 degrees. The rocks are wet weather. We pull up the backpacks. Then, 40 m of calm climbing leads to a shelf under a vertical chimney filled with ice. The length of the chimney is 40 m, steepness is 85 degrees. Climbing using artificial holds (ladders). We pull ourselves up with the backpacks. At the top of the chimney, there's a plug. Then, after 50 m of complex but enjoyable climbing along rocks with small holds, we approach under a 30-meter rocky tower with a steepness of 85 degrees and an overhanging section of about 5 m.

It is passed diagonally upwards to the left. Very difficult climbing without backpacks, using ladders. We emerge onto a talus terrace under the main wall of the route (the first belt of rocks).

A convenient overnight stay on the terrace. Height is 5975 m.

On this day, 69 rock hooks and 5 ice hooks were hammered.

We worked from 8:00 to 19:30.

For the first two days, the Mikhailov-Efimov team worked first.

August 11. At night, snowfall began. It stopped around 11:00 in the day. We left the bivouac at 12:00. The rocks are heavily snow-covered. The first 40 m with a steepness of 35 degrees are passed by Lebedikhin first. Climbing is very complex. The second rope with an overhanging section is worked on by Efimov first. Climbing is extreme, using ladders. We pull up the backpacks in two tiers.

At 16:30, we set up a bivouac.

The Mikhailov-Efimov team processed 80 m of rocks leading to the marble belt. Overnight stay at a height of 6050 m on belays through hooks. On this day, 27 rock hooks were hammered.

August 12. We pass the 80 m processed yesterday along the suspended rope. Further, 80 meters of rocks resembling lamb's brows with crevices and couloirs with a steepness of up to 65 degrees lead under the second marble belt, representing a wall about 50 m with a steepness of 100 degrees and an overhang at the top.

Extremely complex climbing using ladders. We pull up the backpacks. Then, 60 m of wet rocks, partly with ice accretion, with a steepness of 70 degrees lead to a rocky overhang at the base of the junction of rock faces, leading to the pre-summit ridge.

At 15:00, we set up a bivouac. We lay out a platform for the tent, which is achieved with great difficulty. On this day, we departed at 8:30. Hooks hammered:

• 74 rock hooks;
• 4 ice hooks.

Overnight stay at a height of 6180 m with hook belays.

August 13. From the bivouac, the path goes along the right face of a pronounced junction of two walls heading to the ridge. After a 40-meter rock wall with a steepness of 70 degrees, there's a traverse along a shelf to the left for about 40 m. Then, upwards to the right along a wall with a steepness of 60 degrees to a 30-meter chimney with a steepness of 80 degrees, leading to a shelf. From the shelf, a 15-meter wall is passed using ladders. Backpacks are pulled up. Further, 80 m of ice with a steepness of 50 degrees lead under an internal corner with a snow-ice overhang of 0.5 m on the pre-summit ridge.

The internal corner is passed on the right side through a complex wall 35 m long with a steepness of 85 degrees. At 14:00, we reach the pre-summit ridge. We leave the backpacks and head lightly towards the peak of Engels. After 1 hour 30 minutes, we are at the summit. The summit is a snowy dome without rock outcrops. We descend to the point of exit onto the ridge. We set up a bivouac at 17:00. Departure time this day was 8:30. Overnight stay on the ridge. Height is 6400 m.

On this day, hooks hammered:

• rock hooks: 52;
• ice hooks: 10.

August 14. At 8:30, we begin our descent via the route of 5A category difficulty towards Peak K. Marx.

August 16:

• having evacuated the camp at 4850 m;
• the team in full descended to the camp at 4000 m.

Conclusions

The route is safe throughout. The overall steepness of the wall is more than 75 degrees, with a length of 1600 m, and a height difference from the start of the wall to the pre-summit ridge of 1300 m. The average steepness of the rock sections is more than 80 degrees, and in the upper part of the wall, more than 85 degrees. The route is rich in diversity of rock relief:

• walls;
• chimneys;
• overhangs;
• grooves;
• internal corners, etc.

There are:

• dry rocks;
• wet rocks;
• rocks covered with ice accretion.

In total, the team spent 43 working hours on the route. 289 rock hooks and 41 ice hooks were hammered.

Team Captain and Trainer: A. Mikhailov.

Table of Main Route Characteristics

Route and Profile of the Route via the South Face of Peak Engels

Legend of the Route Profile

• Overnight stay IV: 6180 m. Marble belt, section 25.
• Overnight stay III: 6050 m. Wall with an overhang, section 22.
• Overnight stay II: 5975 m. Sheer tower, section 20. Chimney with ice accretion, section 18.
• Groove, section 15.
• 3 m wall, section 13.
• Overnight stay I: 5585 m. Overhanging gap, section 11.
• Smooth wall 40 m, section 9.
• Slabs 60°, section 8.
• Chimney with ice and a plug, section 7.
• Rocky groove, section 6.
• Exit to the ridge, section 4.
• Internal corner.
• Tracked slope.
• Shelf.
• Shelf.
• Marble belt.
• Smoothed rocks.
• 3 m wall.
• Rocky overhang.
• Gray belt.
• Sheer tower.
• Chimney with ice accretion.
• Rocks of medium difficulty.
• Internal corner (wet rocks).
• Groove.
• Traverse.
• 3 m wall.
• Slabs.
• Crevice.
• Smooth wall 40 m.
• Slabs 60°.
• Chimney with ice and a plug.
• Rocky groove.
• Traverse.
• Exit to the ridge.

5050 m

Section 1: Crossing the bergschrund.

Height 6000 m

Passing the wall with an overhang.

Section 22.

Marble Belt