ASCENT PASSPORT

Ascent class — technical.
Ascent area — Tian Shan, Trans-Ili Alatau.
Ascent route indicating peaks and their heights:

Southwest wall of Peak Yuzhny Talgar — 5000 m.
Ascent characteristics:
- elevation gain 1000 m
- average steepness 65°
- length of complex sections 650 m.
Number of pitons hammered in — 68.
Number of climbing hours — 31.
One overnight stay on a ledge — sitting.
Team name: Regional Council of the Spartak Sports Society.
Ascent made by a team of two:

Prusakov Sergey Mikhailovich — Master of Sport of the USSR Sobolev Vladimir Sergeevich — Candidate Master of Sport
Team coach Yanov Vitaly Fedorovich — Master of Sport of the USSR
Departure to the route July 6, return — July 7, 1978.

Historical and Geographical Overview of the Area

The western walls of Talgar have long attracted mountaineers. In 1953, a group of climbers led by Pilevin established the first route, category 5B, to the summit of Main Talgar — 5017 m. In 1958, a group led by Snesarev climbed a route of category 5B to the summit of Yuzhny Talgar — 5000 m. Many groups of climbers have since completed these routes. Climbers on the western wall turned their attention to the formidable rock walls rising to the summit of Yuzhny Talgar to the right of Snesarev's route. In 1968, a group of climbers participating in the championship of the Kazakh SSR, led by Akimenkov M.V., climbed the Southwest wall and established a route of category 5B.

Team Preparation

The following team was assembled for the chosen route:

PRUSAKOV S.M. — Master of Sport of the USSR.
SOBOLEV V.S. — Candidate Master of Sport.

Both team members had experience climbing peaks via routes of category 5B, and Prusakov S.M. had participated multiple times in USSR Championships and had experience on routes of category 6B.

Equipment

The team took the following equipment on the route:

Zimarovka tent — 1 piece.
Main rope 40 m — 2 pieces.
Auxiliary rope 40 m — 1 piece.
Rock pitons — 25 pieces.
Ice pitons — 4 pieces.
2-rung ladders — 4 pieces.
Rock hammers — 2 pieces.
Down bag — 1 piece.
Down jacket — 2 pieces.
Crampons — 2 pairs.
Ice axe — 1 piece.
"Vitalka" radio station — 1 piece.
Medical kit — 1 package.
"Shmel" primus stove — 1 piece.

Tactics of the Group's Movement on the Route

The lead climber went without a backpack on a double rope, the use of which was fully justified since a significant part of the route passes over rocks with complex terrain, making it difficult to pull the rope through. The team considered the primary method of climbing to be free climbing; the use of ladders on some sections was necessary. The team took a 40-minute break for lunch during the day. Hot tea and high-calorie food allowed the team to work productively throughout the day. Three times a day, the team contacted via the "Vitalka" radio station:

Talgar alpine camp;
our "neighbors" who were climbing Snesarev's route at the same time.

Description of the Ascent

The weather during the ascent was not favorable. At times, a gusty wind blew, and light snow fell, and in the evening, thick fog sometimes obscured visibility. All this created additional difficulties on a route that was challenging enough already. The team left the Talgar alpine camp on July 5, 1978, and set up a bivouac on the moraine of the Yuzhny Talgar glacier a few hours later. Everything was prepared for the ascent in the evening, and the team set out on the route the next day at 5:00. As planned, the team had to organize one overnight stay on the route, and on the next day — July 7, the team was back in the tent on the moraine under the Southwest wall, where they waited for the team led by Kotov E.V. to descend from Snesarev's route. A detailed description of the climb is provided in Table 1.

Evaluation of the Team's Movement on the Route and Recommendations for Future Climbers

The adopted tactics of the team's movement were fully justified. Both team members worked in harmony, clearly, and in unison on the route. Technically and physically, the participants were excellently prepared. We do not recommend attempting this route in the first half of summer due to icing on sections R4, R16, R18, and the sharp increase in difficulty of these sections, as well as the high avalanche danger at the mouths of the left and right couloirs framing the base of the wall. Additionally, ice falls from the hanging glacier are possible at any time of year. The team must act clearly and quickly and ensure reaching the rocks of section R2 no later than 9:00, which requires departing from the bivouac under the Western wall of Yuzhny Talgar no later than 6:00. Very early approaches to the couloir entrance (at 3–4 am) are also not recommended, as during warm days, this is when the ice finally freezes, leading to: