Passport

1. Technical climbing category
2. Central Tian Shan, Kokshaal-Too range. C
3. Pobeda (3) via the West Ridge (6918 m) a
4. Category 5B, with participation in search operations
5. Elevation gain — 2518 m, distance — 4780 m Average steepness of the main part of the route (West Ridge from Diky Pass to 6700 m) — 44° (5230 m – 6700 m)
6. Previously hammered pitons left in place — 8 rock 6, chocks 0, ice screws 5, snow stakes 2
7. Team's climbing hours: 39 hours, 6 days (including search operations)
8. Night bivouacs: 1st — 5130 m, lying in a tent 2nd — 6200 m, lying in a tent 3rd — 6918 m, lying in a tent 4th — 7000 m, lying in a tent 5th — 6200 m, lying in a tent
9. Participants: Yermachek Yuri Vladimirovich — Master of Sports Mukanov Daniyarbek Nasyrollaevich — 2nd sports category
10. Coach: Yermachek Yuri Vladimirovich — Master of Sports
11. Departure to the route: August 16, 2005 Summit: August 20, 2005 Return: August 23, 2005
12. Organization: Ural High Mountain Club.

Photo 1. General photo of the summit.

• — route laid by the team
• — route by V. Ryazanov, 67, traverse
• — route by V. Smirnov, 82, North Face
• — route by V. Abalakov, 56, from the North August 4, 2005. Base camp Inylchek, 4000 m.

Photo 2. Technical photograph of the route

• Places of team's night bivouacs:
  • LZ 5200 m — camp height
  • 17–18.08 — dates of bivouacs

MAP OF THE AREA.

Photo 3. Pair Yermachek Yu. – Mukanov D. with a pair of Polish climbers. Beyond the ridge is the site of the tragedy. August 22, 9:30.

Explanatory Note

On August 20, the Ural High Mountain Club team reached Zapadnaya Pobeda and set up the 4th camp in a hollow on the ridge, beyond the summit. On August 21, the team, with camping gear, headed towards the Main Pobeda Peak with the aim of setting up the 5th camp near the Obelisk, from where they planned to launch the assault on the Main summit. On the ridge, 200 m before the Obelisk, the team met a pair of Polish climbers, who reported that during their ascent, along with a team of climbers from Novokuznetsk, a snow slope had broken off towards China, on the wall. The Polish and Russian climbers were knocked off their feet and swept towards the precipice; everyone managed to stop themselves, except for one of the climbers from Novokuznetsk. The 5th camp was set up on the ridge; the team leader from Novokuznetsk, A. Foigt, called for a helicopter, but the search efforts yielded no results. On August 22, having spent the night at Camp 5 (7000 m), the UHMC team went to the site of the tragedy and re-examined the slope; further movement along the ridge was deemed hazardous due to the risk of a snow slab avalanche. The team returned to Camp 5, dismantled it, and began descending to Base Camp. No notes were found on Zapadnaya Pobeda. Team leader UHMC: Yermachek Yu.V. October 2, 2008