TALGAR — main peak (5017 m)

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Ascent to the Main peak of Talgar via the West wall, route 4B cat. difficulty (Fig. 41, 41a).

From the Talgar mountaineering camp along the trail upstream along the Middle Talgar gorge to the Edelweiss glade. Turn towards the South Talgar glacier. It takes two hours to reach the glacier tongue. From here, along the right lateral moraine of the glacier, overcoming numerous crevices, there is an exit to a gently sloping (20°) glacier slope covered with small stones. Having ascended along this section of the glacier, exit to the left lateral moraine. Here is a possible overnight stay location.

From here, the route begins. The path goes along an ice couloir, expanding in the upper part, with a steepness of 35–40°, and a length of about 450 m. The couloir leads to the ridge of the western counterfort of the South Talgar peak. On the left side, the couloir is bounded by ice-covered rocks, and on the right, it turns into ice walls.

The ascent should be started from the left part of the couloir, along the ice slope, sticking to the rocks. Walk in crampons; in the upper part, step cutting is necessary. It takes 2 hours and 30 minutes to reach the ridge. Here is an overnight stay location.

On the next day, the path begins with two ice ascents with a steepness of up to 50° and a length of about 500 m. In the upper part of the ascents, there is a small icefall. Walk the entire time in crampons. Crevices are not wide and are easily crossed. In some places, there is burned ice, requiring piton belay and step cutting. After 2–3 hours, there is an exit to an ice ascent, and then, after 15–20 minutes of walking along a descending snow-ice plateau, heading east, approach the base of the West wall of the Main Talgar peak.

The first stage of the route is an ascent along an ice slope with a steepness of up to 70° in the upper part. The ascent leads to the base of the middle part of the wall. The length of the ascent is 60 m. Piton belay is used. 20 m higher, slightly to the left of the right part of the wall, there is a steep

Fig. 41a