Climbing Passport

7.4114 4042 188

Ascent of Mt. Manas 4307 m. First ascent. Category I climb — combined

2. Climbing region — Kyrgyz Ala-Too range, Golubina glacier area

3. Manas peak 4307 m via the North face

4. Proposed category of difficulty — 3B

5. Route characteristics: height difference — 400 m, length of sections with 3–4 category of difficulty — 440 m, average steepness — 43°

6. Pitons hammered:

   • rock pitons: 3(0)
   • chocks: 8(0)
   • ice screws: 14

7. Number of climbing hours — II

8. Number of bivouacs — none

9. Team leader — Adamskiy D.V. 2nd class

Team members:

• Rak N.N. 1st class
• Rabakov D.N. 2nd class
• Matsuk A.S. 2nd class
• Motriy D.G. 2nd class
• 10. Team coach — Getman I.S. Master of Sports of the USSR.

Date of departure and return — September 2, 1987

1. Organization 2AUSB "Ala-Archa"

From the bivouac near the GMS station on the Golubina glacier, ascend on the left (in direction of travel) side of the glacier, bypassing crevasses, to the upper part of the glacier's ascent (1 hour). Then turn right and approach the northern buttress of Manas peak via the ice plateau.

Ascent to the bergschrund via snow (40 m) simultaneously. Cross the bergschrund via a snow bridge. From the bergschrund — 280 m of ice with a steepness of 35–45°, exit onto a snow ridge and follow it to the rock outcrops. Ascend the rock outcrops (80 m) and continue on the snow-ice ridge, moving left and upwards, beneath an overhanging rock. From beneath the overhanging rock, move right and upwards for 40 m to the edge of a snowfield. From here, traverse with a slight gain in height via snow and broken rocks (rockfall hazard), with sections "frozen" in ice, to exit onto the western ridge beneath the summit tower. Continue on the route of category 2B for 120 m to reach the summit.

Descend via the eastern ridge and then down to the Manas glacier via the main couloir. Traverse the Manas glacier to Shesterikh pass and descend to the Golubina glacier.

Recommendations: an early start is necessary due to the rockfall hazard in the upper part of the route.

Approximate time breakdown:

• ascent to the rock outcrops — 3 hours,
• approach to the edge of the upper snowfield — 2 hours,
• ascent to the summit — 2 hours,
• descent to the Golubina glacier — 2 hours.