Ascent Passport

1. Region — Western Sayan, Ergaki Ridge, p. 6.2

2. Summit — Zvezdny, 2265 m, via "Cosinusoid" on the NE wall

3. Proposed — 5B category of difficulty — first ascent

4. Route type — combined

5. Route characteristics:

   height difference — 570 m, total route length — 1020 m, wall section length — 670 m, sections with 6th category of difficulty — 320 m, 5th category of difficulty — 90 m, average steepness of the entire route — 63.3°, wall section — 64.8°, 1st bastion — 51.5°, 2nd bastion — 72.2°.

6. Equipment used on the route: anchor pitons — 107/85, 2 left on pendulum swings, 4 on rappels, camolots — 82/92, about 165 ITOS on "fifths", about 16 ITOS on skyhooks, 2 ITOS on bolt pitons, 7 bolt pitons hammered and left, 3 ears twisted, 4 ears left, on all stations for platform installation and one intermediate key section.

7. Number of climbing hours — 37.5, days — 5. Descent 5.5 hours via Temerev I.'s route, 6A category of difficulty.

   Overnights — 4, all on the wall platform.

8. Leader: Zhigalov Alexander Vladimirovich MS

   Participant: Matyushin Nikolai Olegovich 1st sports category

9. Team coaches:

   Balezina Valery Viktorovich MSIC, HPT

   Zakharov Nikolai Nikolaevich MSIC, HPT

10. Departure date:

    To the route — at 10:20, December 9, 2015

    To the summit — at 11:00, December 13, 2015

    Return to Base camp under the wall — at 19:10, December 13, 2015

11. Ascent organized by — Ministry of Sports of Krasnoyarsk Krai

    1 — via left part of NE wall, 5B (Yarunov, 01); 2 — via center of NE wall, 6A (Temerev, 13); 3 — via center of NE wall, 6A (Khvostenko, 01); 4 — via NE wall, 5B (Balezina, 97); 5 — via NE wall and bastion of NW ridge, 5B (Balezina, 01); 6 — via "Cosinusoid" of NE wall, first ascent, orient. 5B (Zhigalov–Matyushin, 15)

2015

Peak Zvezdny, 2265 m

1. via "Cosinusoid" of NE wall, orient. 5B (Zhigalov–Matyushin, 15);
2. via center of NE wall, 6A (Temerev, 13);
3. via center of NE wall, 6A (Khvostenko, 01);
4. via NE wall, 5B (Balezina, 97);
5. via NE wall and bastion of NW ridge, 5B (Balezina, 01).

December 13, 2015

Route profile on the right. Taken from station R9 of Temerev's route — 6A category of difficulty.

Peak Zvezdny, 2265 m

72.2° average steepness of 2nd bastion

51.5° average steepness of 1st bastion

64.8° average steepness of wall section

63.3° average steepness of entire route

Start of route, 1695 m

Drawn route profile

p. Dinosaur, 2221 m

p. Gamma, 2081 m

p. Zvezdny, 2265 m

p. Zvezdny (W), 2100 m

pass Pikantny, 1800 m

Photopanorama of the area

Team's Tactical Actions

The idea of a new route on Peak Zvezdny in Ergaki emerged in me back in spring 2015. After unsuccessful attempts on Peak Svobodnaya Koreya in Ala-Archa and a second, most unsuccessful attempt at a first ascent on Peak Svarog, I planned to make a first ascent on the NE wall of Zvezdny.

I envisioned the line to be as direct and as challenging as possible among the available options on this wall. Between the routes of Khvostenko O. — 6A (2001) and Balezina V. — 5B (1997), I planned the first ascent line. All preparations for the expedition had to be halted due to a series of upcoming events.

More than half a year later, after an unsuccessful attempt at a first ascent on Peak Pobeda, with a broken finger phalanx, I spent some time at home. Having recovered from long trips and rested from the mountains, I began to slowly flip through old photos of walls and routes. That's when I came across the NE wall of Zvezdny with the drawn first ascent line. After some hesitation, I started slow preparations for the event.

By this time, Kolya Matyushin returns from the next alpine gathering, I ask him, and he doesn't think twice, says: "Yes". The question of the first ascent arises. We understand that the new line I've proposed is quite challenging, requiring a lot of work with drill and hammers, in a word, not much relief, many monolithic slabs, we'll have to hammer a lot of bolt pitons for insurance and make many holes for skyhooks.

Weighing all "pros" and "cons", and also with the help of coach Balezina Valery Viktorovich, we decide to climb a more simplified version along the same wall, but the most logical one, and one that the coach had long been eyeing, along the "Cosinusoid" of the NE wall.

Kolya, on the second night on the wall, says: "I've heard 'Sinusoid' quite often, but 'Cosinusoid' almost never". So, we mutually decide to name the route along the "Cosinusoid" of the NE wall.

Actively, over three weeks, we began preparing for the event. We conducted a series of training sessions together on Stolby, practiced simultaneous movement techniques, leader changes, and the installation and dismantling of a new platform model from Abalak, provided by Oleg Khvostenko, while suspended.

Departure from Krasnoyarsk was scheduled for the evening of December 2. We left a bit late, at around 18:00.

On the road to Khakassia:

• terrible black ice, bad weather the day before;
• wind with snow;
• fog.

So, the road took longer than expected. We arrived in Sayanogorsk, and then at my hometown, Cheremushki, at 5:00. We stayed with my parents and decided to take the first day of rest.

Slept until lunch, then spent the whole day gathering, packing, repairing equipment, and preparing provisions.

Conducted the first ski training with loaded sleds near my father's garage. We assessed the complexity even then, considering that we hadn't even encountered the real snowdrifts yet. Then continued gathering and packing. Left Cheremushki at 5:00 AM and headed to Ergaki via Shushenskoye. Upon arrival, registered with the Ministry of Emergency Situations, stopped by the "Snezhnaya" base, received good wishes from Sergey Shalyakin. Then arrived at the Tur — "Spящий Sayan" base. Left the car, changed clothes — the journey began.

December 4

• Departed from the base at 12:00. Walked for a long time, getting used to working on skis and with sleds. When we got used to it, it started getting dark. Reached "Mravinaya Gorka" at 17:00.
• The first one climbed the hill without sleds and dropped a rope down.
• While the second was climbing with a backpack, the first was pulling both sleds up using a pulley system. Very long and laborious.
• Set up for the night at 17:30.
• To save weight and space, we didn't take a tent; instead, we stretched and suspended the platform on trees using ropes and skis, creating a fairly comfortable structure.
• Slept at 20:00.

December 5

• Wake-up at 6:00. Breakfast, gathering, departed at 9:00.
• At 13:30, reached "Restoran", had lunch.
• Moved further at 14:30, started losing the trail.
• Had to drop the sleds, backpacks, and run on skis to find blue markers, which are marked for summer and some are now under the snow.
• At 16:30, left the sleds and backpacks, and on skis, in semi-darkness, retraced our steps to 17:30 to the steep climb to Svetloe lake, which is right after the meadows and crossing the stream.
• Returned for our gear and followed the ready trail to the second overnight stay at 18:30.
• Got into the platform at 20:00. Lights out at 22:00.

December 6

• Wake-up at 6:00. Breakfast. Departure at 9:20.
• With backpacks, without sleds, retraced the final climb before the lake and reached the shore of Svetloe at 10:00.
• Returned for the sleds; this time, packed the provisions bags so they could be carried on the back along with the sleds.
• With bags on our shoulders, returned to the backpacks.
• Then, with the full complement of backpack and sled, passed by the entire lake, a bit further than the summer camp, and before the climb to Vidovka, detached the sleds again.
• Retraced with backpacks the entire climb to Vidovka, then shuttled back for the sleds, carrying them on our shoulders.
• Contacted civilization. Transmitted information.
• With the full complement, continued descending to Zolotarnoye lake.
• Stopped for lunch at 14:50 on the approach to the lake.
• Afterward, passed along the snowy ice to the end and, on the climb to pass Pikantny, set up for the night near the last big trees at 17:30.

December 7

• Wake-up at 6:20. Departure at 9:20.
• Climbed to pass Pikantny at 13:20, using various methods of shuttle movement.
• Very bad weather — wind, snow, blizzard, poor visibility.
• Under hurricane-force gusts, rappelled down the couloir with 3 ropes, leaving expendable gear on rocks and one anchor.
• Lowered sleds and skis to the length of the rope, then one person descended to them, made a station, and re-hung the whole rig on it.
• Descended down at 14:50.
• Found a good spot for the Base Camp (ABC) at 15:10, with a great view and close approach to the NE wall of Zvezdny.
• Settled in for the night at 16:00.
• Had dinner at 17:30.

December 8

• The only half-day of rest.
• Wake-up at 11:00.
• Ate leisurely, departed for a walk under Zub Drakona.
• Took photos of the wall from different angles, approached the upper lakes under Zub.
• Reported to civilization. Weather not great. Snow, wind, all rocks are iced over.
• Returned to ABC.
• Gathered all gear and carried it under the wall.
• Got stuck waist-deep in snow.
• Spent over an hour digging through snow like a trench by hand to reach the start of the rock face.
• Stretched ropes on the snow, left gear at the start of the route, returned to ABC.
• Weather worsened — strong wind, snow, drifting snow.
• Planned to get moving the next day.

December 9

• Wake-up at 4:00.
• Hurricane-force wind outside. Afraid to leave the platform.
• Snow, very poor visibility.
• Had breakfast for several hours, passing time, listening to music, hoping for weather improvement.
• Didn't wait — overall expedition time is tight. If we don't leave now, we'll start planning the way back tomorrow.
• 6th day of the expedition, and we haven't even touched the route yet.
• Still, left ABC at 9:50.
• Started climbing at 10:20 — the first ascent began.

Worked through 4–5 ropes quickly, in simultaneous movement. From the experience of the failed attempt on Svarog, in a small group, on non-steep snow-ice sections, the leader passes 2–3 times faster than the second with two bags on jumars. So, the tactic was as follows: the leader climbs 50 m, makes a station, and dynamically pulls up a light bag with a platform. At this pace, we climbed to the mid-shelf by 18:00. Hammered one bolt, assembled a station to the right of it on relief. Were in the platform by 19:20. Lights out at 22:30.

December 10 — Second day, change of leader, yesterday's leader rests today on the bags. Weather is bad. The problematic section we had eyed in photos turned out to be even more complex. 10 meters without relief, a snowdrift stuck to the wall, you dig out the snowdrift, and it's still monolith. All this fell to Kolya's lot. Used skyhooks, hammered 2 bolts. From the shelf, processed 2 ropes. While I was standing, dismantled an unnecessary station, hammered another bolt, since we weren't planning to move that day, set up the platform, and calmly stretched 2 ropes in the dark. Descended, spent the night.

December 11 — Third day, change of leader. Weather improving but still bad. Jumared through processed ropes, climbed another 2, then the wall became steeper, and the relief became more interesting. Climbed one rope, I went further, Kolya stayed on the station, hammered bolts, prepared for the night. Processed one rope up. Then I descended to him, hammered another bolt, hung the platform to the right of the chimney on the wall. Wall overnight stay suspended.

December 12 — Fourth day, sun, no wind, the only clear day during our stay. Took photos and videos. Then gathered, jumared through the processing. Today Kolya is leading. Passed a tricky traverse of the shelf to the right, came under a big vertical chimney, 1.5 ropes long. Then, in the dark, climbed the chimney, encountering various types of relief:

• overhangs,
• off-widths,
• deep cracks,
• live slabs,
• cubic meters of snow,
• wide cracks filled with ice.

Climbed onto the roof. At the end of a big snowfield, on a small wall, hammered a bolt, hung the platform. Processed 25 m to the ridge. Strong wind. Rappelled into the platform. Spent the night. On the wall, a mobile operator "Enisey-telecom" has coverage, so every evening after dinner, we sent SMS home with the day's progress.

December 13 — Fifth day. Gathered in the morning, jumared to the ridge. Under hurricane-force wind with bags, without removing masks and balaclavas, reached the summit at 11:00. Took photos, shot videos. Found an empty bag without a note, left our own. Following Ivan Temerev's tip, found the first bolt on his 2013 route, started rappelling down Temerev's route — 6A category of difficulty on the central part of the NE wall at 12:00. Under a hail of powder avalanches and hurricane-force gusts, rappelled down under the wall at 17:30. Didn't find 2 stations, made our own on our gear. Got showered heavily a couple of times. Had to rappel down the lower snowfield too, very avalanche-prone. Went to look for the base camp where we left gas and food remains; by then, we were completely out.

2 hours in a blizzard and darkness, walked under the wall searching for the necessary supplies. Several times almost lost each other in the visibility. With bags and gear, after the mountain, walking through snowdrifts was very tiring, so we left everything near a stone and went searching again. At some point, realized that if we lose this too, we can head home, but in which direction was unclear. Returned to the gear along the already blown-over trail. Searched for the camp some more, didn't find it. Hung the platform on a big stone, having thrown ropes over it, ate dry rations — a bit of 3-in-1 coffee and dry hot cereals with crackers and snow. Cold, hungry, fell asleep.

December 14 — Woke up, quickly got dressed, found the camp 100 m away. Ran to get supplies. Sat in the platform to warm up and have breakfast. Then, for a long time, gathered our gear. Built a cairn with a note and left some things until summer. In half a year, we'll take a stroll and pick them up. Left from under the wall with full backpacks but empty sleds. Struggled to cross pass Pikantny, walked along Zolotarnoye lake, and set up for the night in the forest zone. Broke branches, lit a fire. Warmed up, dried off. Went to sleep. At night, frost hit, –25 °C, froze.

December 15 — Got up in the morning, had breakfast, and hit the road. On Vidovka, contacted civilization; everyone had been waiting for us for a long time! Rushed down as much as we had the energy, to Svetloe, then along a barely visible groove in the snow (our almost two-week-old track) — to the car, home! Dug out the car from the snowdrift and drove home to take a bath and warm up.

Ascent Schedule to Peak Zvezdny, 2265 m via "Cosinusoid" of NE wall

• Ascent height: 2265 m, 2230 m, 2220 m, 2205 m, 2195 m, 2158 m, 2120 m, 2088 m, 2075 m, 2052 m, 2015 m, 1980 m, 1960 m, 1945 m, 1930 m, 1910 m, 1874 m, 1838 m, 1767 m, 1695 m.
• Climbing hours — 1
• Climbing hours — 7.5
• Climbing hours — 10
• Climbing hours — 9.5
• Overnight stay December 12–13, 2015
• Overnight stay December 11–12, 2015
• Overnight stay December 9–10, 2015
• Overnight stay December 10–11, 2015
• Hurricane-force wind, snow, blizzard, powder avalanches t –20 °C
• Snow, wind, powder avalanches t –20 °C
• Heavy snowfall, small avalanches t –17 °C
• Clear, wind, powder avalanches t –27 °C
• Snow, blizzard, gusty wind, powder avalanches t –25 °C
• Total climbing hours — 37.5 + descent 5.5
• Ascent days: December 9, 2015, December 10, 2015, December 11, 2015, December 12, 2015, December 13, 2015.

Description by Sections

Section R0–R1 — Start of the route, along a snowy slope about 150 m, the steepness of the slope increases with altitude, possible avalanche risks. In summer, under the snowfield, there are smooth slabs.

Section R1–R2 — Steep gully filled with snow, turning into an internal corner.

Section R2–R6 — From this point, the general direction of the line is left and up. Series of internal corners, walls, and ledges forming a gully filled with snow, about 75 m long. The angle of inclination is not steep, up to 55°.

Section R6–R7 — The direction of the route then changes right and up. Inclined internal corner with smoothed cracks.

Section R7–R8 — Gentle wall with a snowfield, then exit to a ledge under a big overhang.

Section R8–R9 — From under the overhang, right along an oblique snow-covered ledge about 20 m, with an exit to the mid-shelf of the wall.

Section R9–R10 — Mid-shelf, where all routes on the NE wall converge, usually where teams set up overnight stays. Along it, about 50 m to the right, with occasional "ram's foreheads" covered in snow. Approach under a crescent-shaped overhang, about 20 m before the station of Temerev's route — 6A category of difficulty. Here, two bolts are left for hanging the platform:

• On the left one, a control cairn №1 is hung;
• On the right one, an ear is twisted off, and the nut and washer are left on the stud (the same is done on all other bolts where ears are twisted off).

Section R10–R11 — From the right bolt, traverse right about 10 m to the base of an inclined internal corner.

Section R11–R12 — The general direction of the route changes here, left and up. The angle of the wall increases sharply.

• Through a small wall on ITOS
• Into an inclined internal corner, from right to left, with walls frozen with ice
• The corner ends to the right of a large overhang, under which an overnight stay was organized
• Exit onto a smooth, steep wall, 7 steps on skyhooks
• Station on a bolt

Section R12–R13 — From the bolt, left and up along a smooth wall on skyhooks to a smooth, relief-less gully filled with snow. To the right on the wall, in the gap, a bolt is hammered for insurance, with an ear twisted off.

Section R13–R17 — Series of large inclined internal corners forming a gully filled with snow. Total length about 120 m with an average angle of inclination up to 65°. Occasionally, there are small walls passable with ITOS.

Section R17–R18 — Traverse of an inclined snow-covered ledge to the left. On station R17, an anchor piton with a loop is left for organizing a pendulum swing for the second.

Section R18–R19 — Change in the general direction of the entire line right and up. The angle of the wall increases sharply. Through an internal corner, entry into a big chimney, with its own internal corner inside. Everything is filled with snow, all cracks are filled with ice.

Section R19–R20 — Strongly inclined internal corner from left to right, the left (upper) wall of which is formed by an oblique overhang, making the passage on ITOS very labor-intensive. The right wall and cracks are filled with accretion ice.

Section R20–R21 — Further traverse right and up under the overhang continues, exit into a short vertical internal corner. Through it, exit under a short square overhang.

Section R21–R22 — Traverse under the overhang to the right, exit into an ideal internal corner with a crack under fifths and anchors. About 15 m up the corner. Exit onto a small ledge at the base of a wide, overhanging chimney. Here, two bolts are left for organizing a wall overnight stay in a platform:

• On the left one, a control cairn №2 is hung;
• On the right one, an ear is twisted off.

Section R22–R23 — Up the chimney, then transition right along inclined internal corners.

Section R23–R24 — Along an internal corner left and up, then sharp traverse right into the next overhanging internal corner, up it.

Section R24–R25 — The corner continues. Then ends with a wall, and an inclined corner to the left. You shouldn't go left along the corner as it gets stuck and doesn't follow the line. 3 steps on skyhooks through a small ledge, exit under an internal corner. Here, an anchor piton with a loop is hammered for a pendulum swing for the second participant.

Section R25–R26 — Narrow inclined ledge, traverse right about 20 m along it, occasionally stepping on ITOS, skyhooks, anchors, to the base of a wide chimney.

Section R26–R27 — Through a short internal corner, entry into a wide chimney. Exit from the chimney onto a small ledge on a wall with a crack. On ITOS along a steep wall, through a small overhang, exit onto a ledge under a big inclined chimney.

Section R27–R28 — Key section of the route. Wide chimney with piled-up slabs and "live" rocks inside. Tense ITOS along the overhanging walls of the chimney, switching from one to another, choosing the most monolithic and reliable cracks and fissures. In the upper part, ITOS on an overhang along crevices. Through the narrowing upper part — exit onto a big inclined snow-covered ledge.

Above the ledge on a small wall:

• Left, a bolt is hammered with a control cairn №3;
• Right, there's relief for organizing a station;
• Possibility to install a platform.

Section R28–R29 — From the bolt, up and left through a wall into an internal corner, bypassing an overhanging slab in the form of an overhang to the left. Exit onto a big ledge, then onto the ridge of the wall.

Section R29–R30 — Along the ridge to the right, towards the summit, about 200 m. Occasionally, there are small chimneys, which need to:

• descend,
• or ascend.

Further, simple climbing, through "ram's foreheads" — exit to the summit to the control cairn.

Technical Photo of the Route

Peak Zvezdny, 2265 m, December 13, 2015

• Overnight stay December 12–13, 2015
• Control cairn №3
• Overnight stay December 11–12, 2015
• Control cairn №2
• Overnights December 9–11, 2015
• Control cairn №1
• Ascent path
• Descent path
• 1695 m

Section R0–R1

View from below upwards

View from station R1 downwards

Section R1–R2

View from station R2 downwards

View from station R1 upwards

Sections R3–R6

View from station R3 upwards

View from station R5 downwards

Passage of Section R6–R7

View from station R6 upwards

View from station R7 downwards ![img-13.jpeg]({"width":2243,"height":1540,"format