Peak Legostaeva (4392 m)
Ascent via the southern ridge — beyond category difficulty (Fig. 7)
The peak, named after one of the first Kazakhstani alpinists Legostaev, is located in the upper reaches of the left tributary of the Ozernaia River, in the cirque of the Cherny Glacier. A small spur extends south from the summit, on the western slope of which there is a hanging glacier of the same name.
Fig. 7
It is convenient to organize the initial bivouac at Ozerny Pass. Descend into the Almaty River valley and, bypassing a series of rocky ridges, reach the Legostaeva Glacier, and from there to the foot of the southern spur of the summit. Then ascend the spur. Along the way, there are smoothed rocks with a tile-like structure that hinder movement.
In the middle part, the rocky ridge is divided by an oblique ice couloir; the lower part can be traversed from the right side towards a convenient resting platform. Then cross the ice couloir to the right and ascend to the upper part of the rocky ridge. In the couloir, with a steepness of up to 60°, step-cutting and piton belays are necessary, especially when transitioning to the rocks.
Movement along the rocks requires maximum caution (piton belay). There
is a small resting platform at the top. The rocky ridge gains up to 200 m
in height. Further ascent to the ridge crest is done directly up the ice slope
with a steepness of up to 60°. At the beginning of the season, it is covered
with snow; later, the ice is exposed, requiring step-cutting and piton belay.
This leads to the ridge that leads to the summit. On its eastern side, there is
a couloir with a steepness of up to 40°, which can serve as one of the options
for descent or ascent to the summit.
Fig. 7a. The pre-summit tower of Peak Legostaeva
When moving along the ridge, steep sections are bypassed on the left. The pre-summit is connected to the summit by a snow col, behind which rocks of moderate difficulty resume, leading to the summit.
Descent is possible via the ascent route or through the aforementioned couloir to the eastern side. The couloir has rocky walls, and its bottom is covered with snow or talus. After descending through it, to reach Ozerny Pass, bypass the southern spur of the summit.
The first group to reach the summit in the mid-1930s was a group of alpinists from Soyuzzoloto. Their note was retrieved by a group of alpinists from the Kazakh State University, who made the ascent from the northern side on July 29, 1938, under the leadership of brothers Boris and Mikhail Legostaev.
Recommendations for Climbers
- Number of participants: 6–8 people.
- Initial bivouac at Ozerny Pass.
- Departure from bivouac at 5:00.
- Equipment for a group of 4 people: a) main rope — 2×30 m, b) rock pitons — 5–6; c) ice pitons — 2–3; d) hammers — 2.