New route on the 5th Tower of Corona in Ala-Archa 6A, 950 m, fr 6c, A2

SW wall of the 5th Tower of Corona with routes. (Glukhovtsev's route is not correctly marked — it goes right in the middle part to the couloir)

Few people know that at the end of August, a new route appeared on the SW wall of the 5th Tower of Corona in Ala-Archa. The route was climbed by a team of two: Syzshchikov Anatoly (Yekaterinburg) and Markevich Konstantin («SCA Zelenograd», Moscow). Since the guys are very modest, I'll describe this ascent for them.

In winter 2009, Misha Borich and I tried to climb it in a light style, without a platform, bolts, and preliminary processing, but were blown away after 3 days (http://mountain.ru/article/article_display1.php?article_id=4401↗, our attempt). When Tolik went to Archa for gathering, he asked for some interesting route to be suggested. And here is the result. I'll simply relay the information from the report.

Ascent passport

Class — technical.
Tian-Shan, Kyrgyz ridge, Ak-Sai gorge.
Corona peak, 5th Tower, 4860 m, right part of SW wall.
Proposed 6A category. First ascent.
Character of the route — rock.
Characteristics of the route:

Height difference — 725 m
Route length — 950 m
Wall section length — 410 m
Length of sections with 5–6 category difficulty — 450 m
Average steepness — 67°
Average steepness of the wall section — 86°

Used pitons:

Rock pitons — 77, including ITO — 25
Chocks — 8, including ITO — 3
Friends — 77, including ITO — 4
Bolt hangers — 6, including ITO — 0
Total — 168, including ITO — 32
Pitons left on the route — 8

Team's walking hours — 33.5 (to the summit); descent 4.5 hours; total — 3 days. 1 day — 13 hours. 2 day — 9 hours. 3 day — 11.5 hours (to the summit) + 4.5 hours descent from the summit to «Corona» hut.
Start of the route — August 26, 7:00

Summit — August 28, 18:30. Return to Base Camp — August 28, 23:00

10. Night bivouacs:

1st — lying on a platform on the wall. 2nd — lying on a platform on the wall.

11. Team composition (duo):

Markevich Konstantin Georgievich — CMS («SCA Zelenograd». Moscow)
Syzshchikov Anatoly Gennadievich — CMS («ROO FSO». Yekaterinburg)

Passage of R4–R5 section

Tactical actions of the team

According to the free-standing climbing technique, the duo decided to climb the route without prior processing and with a platform. The estimated time for climbing the wall was 3–4 days. The team took 5 liters of water and enough food and gas for 7 days, in case of bad weather.

In the end, with good weather conditions (the first two days were warm and sunny, and only on the third day, strong wind and snow started), the team managed to climb the route in 3 days.

The team's tactics were as follows:

The first climber goes on a single rope and pulls the second rope (static), makes an anchor.
One rope is used as a running belay, the other serves for pulling up the platform and is also used as an insurance for the second climber.
The first climber in the team pulls up the platform through a self-locking belay device.
The second climber follows the running belay, removes intermediate protection, controls the platform, and pulls up the haul bag using a pulley system (2:1) assembled on the end of the running belay rope.
A block — a jammer — is attached to the haul bag. The second climber climbs a few meters, then pulls up the haul bag by the end of the running belay rope.

The leader climbed in rock shoes, without a backpack. Most of the wall was climbed using free climbing, with some sections (up to F6C) partially using ITO. The leader did not change throughout the day.

The team had all the necessary equipment for climbing any complexity. The most frequently used were:

Anchor pitons
Small and medium friends

All anchors were set on a minimum of 4 points, and for setting up the platform, bolt pitons were hammered. During the ascent, there were no falls.

Each day, the team had two hot meals. The team worked autonomously on the route, without a rescue team, and maintained radio contact with an observer every 3 hours from 9:00.

Following a different tactical plan, it is possible to climb the route without a platform. On stations R4, R7, and R9, it is possible to organize sitting bivouacs. After exiting the wall on R11, it is possible to organize a lying bivouac.

In good weather, there is no water on the wall section of the route. The team climbed the route after several days of bad weather in the area, and there was snow on some ledges (R4, R7, and R8).

According to the team's assessment, this route corresponds to similar 6A category routes in the area in terms of technical complexity and length. Compared to the Balezina route on the 5th Tower of Corona 6A category:

The route has more sections with complex climbing and ITO
The complexity of these sections is higher
The route length is the same

(The Balezina route was previously climbed by both team members).

Technical photo

Route description by sections

R0–R1. Snowy couloir about 150 m 40°–50° is climbed on individual protection, then about 7 m of simple destroyed rocks. At the base of the chimney — R1 station. On R1, a bolt is hammered. (150 m; III) R1 station on a bolt.

R1–R2. From R1 station up the chimney, in the middle of the rope, there's a carnelian plug. R2 station on a ledge, semi-hanging. (50 m; 85°–90°; V–VI; friends — 5 pcs, pitons — 8 pcs, chocks — 1 pc.) R2 station on 2 anchors and 3 small friends.

R2–R3. First, 20 m up the chimney to a carnelian, then right, bypassing a slab, onto a wall with a system of vertical cracks, and 10 m up. R3 station — hanging. For a reliable anchor, many anchor pitons are needed. (35 m; 90°–100°; VI, A1, A2; friends — 2 pcs, anchor pitons — 15 pcs, horizontal micro-crack — 1 pc.) R3 station on 2 pitons and 3 friends.

R3–R4. Up the wall about 10 m 90° V+ — VI. Then the wall becomes slightly easier but is heavily destroyed with many «live» rocks — 35 meters 80°. R4 station on a ledge. There's snow. A sitting bivouac is possible. (45 m; 80°–90°; VI–V; friends — 4 pcs, pitons — 6 pcs.) R4 station on 2 pitons and 2 friends. 1st night bivouac on R4. A few meters above the station, a bolt is hammered for setting up the platform and is linked to R5.

R4–R5. Up steep, heavily destroyed large-blocky rocks to the left of a mirror under a carnelian. 20 meters 90° VI, A2, F6B. The carnelian is passed head-on. 15 meters 100°–110° VI+, A2, F6C. A very complex and tense section with many «live» blocks. Climbing and anchoring should be done very carefully. R5 station after the carnelian — hanging (35 m; 90°–110°; VI+, A2+, F6C; friends — 6 pcs, pitons — 9 pcs, chocks — 1 pc). R5 station on 3 pitons and 3 friends.

R5–R6. Up the wall. After the carnelian, the wall becomes monolithic, making it difficult to organize a reliable anchor. In the middle of the section, a bolt is hammered. (50 m; 90°; VI; friends — 6 pcs, pitons — 3 pcs, chocks — 3 pcs, bolt — 1 pc.) R6 station on a ledge.

R6–R7. Horizontal traverse right along the wall to an inner corner, about 8 meters, then left up the inner corner. R7 station on a ledge. There's snow. A sitting bivouac is possible. (30 m; 90°; V — VI; friends — 4 pcs, chocks — 1 pc.) R7 station on 3 friends and 1 chock.

R7–R8. Up the inner corner, with ice and icicles. After exiting the inner corner, simple rocks lead to a diagonal ledge. R8 station on the ledge. There's snow. (40 m; 90°–80°; V–IV; friends — 2 pcs, pitons — 1 pc.) R8 station on 2 friends, 1 anchor, and 1 chock. 2nd night bivouac on R8. A bolt is hammered for setting up the platform and linked to the station.

R8–R9. Up the ice-filled inner corner. In the evening, water flows, and by morning, an ice crust forms on the rocks. 15 m 90° V+. Then up a large-blocky inner corner to a ledge — 25 m 90°–80°, V. Before exiting to the ledge, it becomes slightly easier. R9 station on the ledge. A sitting bivouac is possible. (40 m; 90°–80°; V; friends — 6 pcs, pitons — 5 pcs.) R9 station on a ledge.

R9–R10. Up the inner corner to a small ledge 15 m 90° VI. On this section (15 m), there's «old» hardware (4 pitons and 2 bolts). Possibly, this is a variation of the Ruzhevsky route, which goes left of the counterfort, along the inner corner, much further left. (Database of FAR). From the ledge, right along steep destroyed rocks to the next ledge, then right, to the base of a destroyed inner corner. 15 m 90°–80° VI–V. Up the inner corner. 20 m 90°–80°, V. R10 station in the corner, right of the ice flow, under a carnelian — hanging. (50 m; 90°–80°; VI–V; friends — 3 pcs, pitons — 9 pcs, bolt — 2 pcs.) R10 station on 2 pitons and 3 friends.

R10–R11. Up the corner 10 m 80° V. Then simple rocks to a large ledge 20 m 60°, IV–III. R11 station on the ledge. There's a lot of snow on the ledge, making a lying bivouac possible. (30 m; 80°–60°; V–III; friends — 3 pcs.) R11 station on 3 pitons.

R11–R12. Left along a diagonal ledge 30 m II. R12 station on a ledge under an inner corner. (30 m; 20°, II; friends — 1 pc, pitons — 1 pc.) R12 station on a ledge.

R12–R13. Up the inner corner, then right along destroyed rocks to a snowy ledge. On the ledge, the route joins the «Balezina» route, control cairn. (35 m; 80°–45°; V–III; friends — 2 pcs.) R13 station on a ledge.

R13–R14. Up the wall. The wall is climbed from left to right. 8 meters 80°, V. Then a wide destroyed chimney. 30–35 meters 45°–80°, IV–V. R14 station on a ledge after exiting the chimney. (40 m; 80°–45°–80°, V; friends — 4 pcs, pitons — 2 pcs.) R14 station on a ledge.

R14–R15. Up rocks of medium difficulty 20 m 70°, IV, then traverse left to a chimney filled with ice. 10 m 50° III. Up the chimney through a plug — carnelian to a ledge 5 m 90° V. Then right up snow-covered walls — ledges. 15 m 45°–70° III. R15 station on a ledge. (50 m; 45°–90°; V–III; friends — 3 pcs, pitons — 1 pc.) R15 station on 1 piton and 3 friends.

R15–R16. Up simple rocks to a ledge, then along the ledge left to a couloir. (50 m; 45°; II–III; friends — 4 pcs.) R16 station on 1 piton, 1 friend, 1 chock.

R16–R17. Up the couloir to the ridge (50 m; 45°; II). Movement with simultaneous protection.

R17–R18. Along the ridge left to the summit, about 30 m; II. Movement with simultaneous protection. Along the ridge to the 3rd Tower of Corona. Descent from the 3rd Tower to the Corona glacier — 4 rappels of 50 meters.

Ascent schedule

August 24 — Gathering of team members in Bishkek, ascent to «Ratsek», ascent to «Corona» hut by 17:30.

August 25 — Haulage of equipment under the wall, visual inspection of the wall, determination of the route, approximate bivouac locations, and key sections.

August 26 — Departure from «Corona» hut at 5:00, approach to the route, start of climbing at 7:00. Climbing sections R0–R4, processing section R4–R5, organization of bivouac. Night bivouac on R4. First to work — Markevich K.G.

August 27 — Departure from R4 at 10:00. Climbing processed carnelian (R4–R5), and then R5–R8, organization of bivouac. Night bivouac on R8. First to work — Syzshchikov A.G.

August 28 — Departure from R8 at 7:00. Climbing sections R8–R18, passage of the main wall section by 14:30, summit at 18:30. First to work — Markevich K.G. Descent to «Corona» hut by 23:00.

August 29 — Descent from «Corona» hut to «Ratsek» and then down to the alpine camp by 15:00, departure to Bishkek.

Thus, the total time for the ascent from Bishkek to Bishkek was 5.5–6 hours. Climbing time — 3 days.

| № | Pitons driven* | | | | Scheme of the route in UIAA symbols| | | | | | :--: | :--: | :--: | :--: | :--: | :--: | :--: | :--: | :--: | :--: | | R17–R18 | — | — | — | — | | 30 | — | II | | | | R16–R17 | — | — | — | — | | 50 | 45° | II | | | | R15–R16 | — | 4 | — | — | | 50 | 45° | II–III | | | | R14–R15 | 2 | 6 | — | — | | 50 | 45°–90° | V–III | | | | R13–R14 | 1,1 | 4 | — | — | | 30 | 45°–80° | IV–V | | | | | | | | | | 8 | 80° | V | №11 | | | | R12–R13 | — | 2 | — | — | | 35 | 80°–45° | V–III | | | | R11–R12 | 1 | 1 | — | — | | 30 | 20° | II | | | | R10–R11 | 3 | 3 | — | — | | 20 | 60° | IV | | | | | | | | | 10 | 80° | V | | | | R9–R10 | 7,4 (3) | 6 | — | 2 | | 50 | 90°–80° | VI–V | №10 | | | R8–R9 | 5 | 6 | — | — | | 25 | 90°–80° | V | №9 | | | | | | | | 15 | 90° | V+ | | | | R7–R8 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | | 40 | 90°–80° | V–IV | | | | R6–R7 | — | 7 | 2 | — | | 30 | 90° | V+ VI | №8 | | | R5–R6 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 1 | | 50 | 90° | VI | №7 | | | | 3 | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | | | R4–R5 | 12 | 9 | 1 | — | | 15 | 110° | VI+ A2+ F6C | №3,4, | | | | 3 | 2 | 1 | | | 20 | 90° | VI A2+ F6B | 6 | | | R3–R4 | 8 | 6 | — | 1 | | 35 | 80° | V | №2,5 | | | | | | | | | 10 | 90° | VI | | | | R2–R3 | 19 | 5 | — | — | | 35 | 90°–100° | VI A1,A2 | №1 | | | | 13 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | R1–R2 | 10 | 8 | 1 | — | | 50 | 85°–90° | V–VI | | | | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | R0– R1 | — | — | — | 1 | | 160 | 40°–50° | III | |

Pitons driven, including for equipment of stations, «old» pitons are shown in red

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