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Alpinist Activity of the Sports Committee of the Lithuanian SSR
Report on Category 2B Climb
On the first ascent to peak 5879 m (KPI) via the Western Counterfort by the team from the Sports Committee of the Lithuanian SSR (South-Western Pamir, Shakhdarin Range, Vakhan Range, Chondzhirav gorge).
Leader: BAYORENE Yu.G. Team Coach: GUDIALIS A.V. A. Bloshkis O. Usikas 780, 2200, 30°, 6 m, 5 hours traverse.
Committee for Physical Culture and Sports under the Council of Ministers of the Lithuanian SSR — 232675, Lithuanian SSR, VILNIUS, Zhemaites 6, tel. 63-53-53
Leader: Bayorene Yurate Genrikovna — Lithuanian SSR, Kaunas, Grazhinos 11-27, home phone 73-46-77, work phone 22-46-38.
Coach: Gudialis Algis Vitautovich 233021, Lithuanian SSR, Kaunas, Kanyuku 1st 4-17, home phone 26-45-91, work phone 22-53-41.
All heights mentioned in the report are taken from topographic maps.
Description of the Ascent Route to peak 5879 m (named after Kaunas Polytechnic Institute of Antanas Sniechkus) via the Western Counterfort, Category 2B
From the base camp at the confluence of the Vnukut and Chondzhirav rivers, the path to the peak goes along the right bank of the Chondzhirav river.
- From the base camp to the tongue of the Chondzhirav glacier — 3.5 hours
- Then along the glacier to the lateral moraine — about 2.5 hours
The total approach takes about 6 hours.
From the bivouac, the path goes along the glacier in the direction of Riga pass (5650 m). In the middle part of the glacier, crevasses are hazardous. This season, the icefall is bypassed from left to right. The icefall is traversed in crampons.
Having passed the ice falls, turn left towards the rocks. At the exit from the glacier to the rocks — a guiding cairn. Further, the path along strongly destroyed rocks 80–100 m leads to a 10-meter wall. The wall is bypassed on the right through an internal corner (5–6 m). Insurance is alternate. Then, along the destroyed rocks, approach the control cairn. From the control cairn, the path leads to a snowy slope, which is traversed in crampons. Having traversed 40 m, approach an icy slope with a steepness of 30–35°. The icy slope, 60 m long, is climbed with piton insurance. Then, exit onto the pre-summit ridge. To the right, along the route, there are hazardous snow and ice cornices. Control cairn — just above the summit on the rocks.
Descent from the summit along the South slope, to Riga pass, and further along the ascent route. Descent from the summit to the bivouac takes 1.5 hours.
View of the peak from the North. Photo No. 3. Lens "Industar-50-2" 3.5/50. August 14, 1984.
Brief Historical and Geographical Overview of the Region
The peaks are located in the South-Western Pamir, in the Eastern part of the latitudinal segment of the Shakhdarin Range, specifically in the Vakhan Range.
List of peaks:
- 5350 m (Vrang)
- 5998 m (Darius and Girenas)
- 6004 m (Lituanica)
- 5879 m (KPI)
- 5649 m (Academician Barshaukas)
Nearest peaks explored by climbers:
- peak Marx (6726 m) and peak Engels (6510 m) — to the East
- peak Armed Forces (6138 m) and peak Baikonur (6038 m) — to the West.
Travels in the Pamir in 1904. B.A. Fedchenko explored and described the region of the Shakhdarin Range, located between the Shakhdara and Pyanj rivers.
Alpinist exploration of the Shakhdarin Range began in 1946, when peak Karl Marx was conquered. In subsequent years, a number of expeditions were organized mainly in the area of peaks Marx and Engels. The central part of the Shakhdarin Range began to be explored in 1974, when the spurs, later named peak Luinitskiy, were accidentally discovered by V.P. Nekrasov. In 1975, an expedition of the Armed Forces led by Nekrasov V.P., having established a base camp at Lake Zardiv, conquered peak 5800 m via a Category 5B route along the NW edge. This peak was named after Luinitskiy. In subsequent years, army climbers, as well as other alpinists and expeditions, traversed a number of interesting routes of Categories 5B and 6B in this region, becoming prize-winners of the USSR Climbing Championship.
However, the part of the Shakhdarin Range between peaks Dzhentim and Marx remained unknown to climbers until 1983 and was visited only by rare groups of tourists. The reason for such late exploration of the region should probably be considered the fact that the peaks of these mountains are not visible from populated areas and roads, as well as the more focused attention of climbers on the area of peaks Engels, Marx, Luinitskiy, and Malkovskiy.
Preliminary reconnaissance of the Vakhan Range region (Yangung, Saryyang, Vnukut, Chondzhirav gorges) was carried out in 1983 by a reconnaissance group from the Sports Committee of the Lithuanian SSR (Gudialis A.V. and Siunitis R.Yu.). Photos of the peaks of the Vakhan Range were taken and routes were visually studied.
The most attractive peaks for climbers are those that have not yet been climbed, especially if these peaks reach or exceed 6000 m in height.
In the summer of 1984, an expedition from the Sports Committee of the Lithuanian SSR led by Gudialis A.V. arrived in the Vnukut gorge to study the region from an alpinist perspective, to climb previously unconquered peaks, and to assign them corresponding names.
General Characteristics of the Region
The expedition established its base camp at the confluence of the Vnukut and Chondzhirav rivers, at an altitude of 3520 m, approximately 3 hours' walk from the village of Vrang.
From an alpinist perspective, the region is very interesting for climbers from 2nd sports category to Candidate Master of Sports inclusive. There are many routes to the peaks, ranging from Category 3A to 5B, including rock, combined, snow, and ice climbs.
Approaches to the routes take 3–8 hours from the base camp.
Numerous first ascents are possible.
Rivers are turbulent. In the second half of the day, they are difficult to cross. The weather is stable, although in August 1984, a sharp cold snap, thunderstorms, and rains were observed for a week, due to which many ascents were not carried out.
The flora and fauna of the gorge are poor. Rarely found:
- Ephedra,
- Rhodiola rosea.
In the upper reaches of the Vnukut and Chondzhirav rivers — pastures, summer nomadic camps of shepherds.