Description of the ascent to Peak Taranovoi via the North Ridge

From the "Ala-Archa" alpine camp, the trail goes up the gorge. We ford the Ak-Sai River by stepping on stones.

Further on, we follow a good trail to the Teke-Tor River, which is also easily forded a little above its confluence with the Ala-Archa River.

Before reaching the Tuyuk-Su River, the trail turns left up a steep grassy slope.

We set up a bivouac by a lake located before a steep rise of the old moraine.

From the alpine camp to the moraine, it takes 4 hours of walking.

From the bivouac, we ascend via the trail to the left of the lake onto the old moraine. We overcome another rise of the moraine and reach the river. We walked along the right bank of the river to the glacier. Having ascended onto the Tuyuk-Su glacier, we ascend via the middle part of the glacier, which is the most gentle. Crevasses are circumvented. We orient ourselves towards the snowy dome of the "School 67" peak. To the left lies the Taranovoi Pass, and further left, the peak is visible. The ascent route to Peak Taranovoi via category 1B route is visible. We continue moving along the glacier towards the North edge of this peak. A bergschrund is visible. We cross the bergschrund via a snow bridge. Insurance is provided through an ice axe. After the bergschrund, we ascend a 50-60 m ice slope with a 30-35° incline onto a saddle on the North ridge of Peak Taranovoi. Piton insurance is used. It takes 3 hours 30 minutes from the bivouac by the lake to the saddle.

We bypass a gendarme on the saddle from the right via a smooth, crooked slab (ice axe) and then reach the rocky ridge. We cross a snowy saddle and continue on simple rocky terrain along the ridge. Movement is simultaneous. Insurance is provided through outcrops. We approach a smooth, vertical 15-18 m wall. The wall is overcome directly (with a lift at the bottom, 4 pitons were hammered). Further on, we continue along the ridge with moderately difficult rocky terrain. Encountered walls and gendarmes are typically bypassed from the left.