Trezubets peak is the main elevation of a powerful spur that separates Ototaš glacier and the eastern branch of Komarov glacier. The spur has steep icy slopes interrupted by sheer rock drops.

The ascent to Trezubets peak is made from Ototaš glacier, where a camp is usually set up. It is quite difficult to chart a specific route to the summit due to the lack of good landmarks. It is worth noting that the ascent should begin from the north side of the sheer rock wall opposite to Obzorny peak. After ascending 400–450 m up the icy rocks, there follows an icy section: here, one has to overcome a 60-degree ice wall with crevasses in a couloir. The final section — up to the ridge — is snowy. The ridge is rocky and sharp; the length of its traverse depends on the point of ascent to the ridge. The highest point is not clearly expressed — it is a pillar-gendarme.

Ascent to Trezubets peak via the eastern wall (cat. 3B) 5258

We leave the camp located at the foot of the Main summit of Trezubets peak at 5:00. After 70 m of movement across the glacier in deep snow, we reach the rocks. Their average steepness throughout is about 60°. We rope up in two pairs. Zarubin P. (leader) and Chasov E. — the first pair; Vasiliev (leader) and Ivanova V. — the second. The direction of movement is to the right along the walls, then up and to the left. Movement is always with alternate belay. The rocks are not solid, so it is not easy to organize a reliable belay. Very often, we belay through an ice axe driven into the dense icy firn.

x) Ascents made by participants of these expeditions in other ridges are not considered by us. xx) The description is compiled by L. Vasiliev.

A thin layer of ice and snow on the rocks hinders movement. Deep loose snow lies between the rocks. We carefully avoid couloirs. All of them show traces of recent large and small avalanches. In addition, many couloirs hide serac ice under a thin layer of snow.

After 2 hours, we reach a narrow ledge. Directly below us, 400 m down, lies the camp. It seems we could throw a snowball at the tiny figures scurrying between the tents. This section of snow-covered rocks with an average steepness of not less than 60° was passed without significant difficulties thanks to reliable handholds, without major detours, in narrow zigzags.

Further, the steepness of the slope decreases to 30°, but at the same time, the snow becomes deeper. We reach a small shelf and stop, pondering. It seems there is no further path. Right in front of us rises an 85-degree wall, where small patches of miraculously retained snow alternate with glimpses of serac ice. To the right, there are deep crevasses, each up to 20 m wide. The opposite wall of the nearest crevasse almost overhangs the shelf. We try to bypass this crevasse on the left but get into deep, powdery snow up to our waists.

We come to the only solution: to pass the ice wall. E. Chasov goes first under Zarubin's belay. After 10–12 m, an ice screw is driven in, and a belay is organized on it. We move on crampons in two teams; the last one, with top-rope belay, removes the screws. Crampons hold very poorly on the ice, but there is no need to cut steps.

Luckily, the wall is not high, only about 70 m. Behind it lies a practically horizontal shelf, invisible from below. Chasov, having reached the top, descended 0.5 m into a snow-filled crevasse and from there, belaying through his waist, received the rest of the team. Here, among closed crevasses, we take a break and examine the remaining path through binoculars.

For further ascent, it is necessary to reach the snowy ridge.

We take a few steps along the slope and immediately get into a band of deep snow — sinking waist-deep. A little higher, there is less snow. We cross a narrow but deep couloir, which is not safe as an avalanche may come down it. It is passed in 20 minutes at maximum pace. Vasiliev leads. At the edge, we drive in a screw and move 40 m to where an intermediate screw is driven, and then another 40 m to the next screw on the other side. After 40–50 m of traversing a very steep slope (with alternate belay through an ice axe), we reach the ridge. The snow here is less deep; there is no avalanche danger. However, the ridge is very narrow, and we have to move with great caution. We walk as if on a ruler tilted to the right, so even and smooth is the ridge. The steepness is constant — all the time 45°. We move without rest at maximum pace. After hundreds of meters (more often is impossible due to steepness), the teams switch places. Within the team, changes occur more frequently: one person can confidently and quickly walk waist-deep in snow for only a few dozen steps. Despite the height of over 5000 m, our well-being is excellent: good acclimatization and physical preparation have taken their toll.

After 250 m of ascent along the ridge, we reach a small inclined ledge and realize that there are no more than 100 m left to the summit. After a gentle slope, it is necessary to overcome only a steep rise about 30 m high, and then traverse 70 m to the left along a rocky-snowy ridge and climb a 10-meter horizontal ledge crowning the summit.

Traversing a steep slope to the right, we approach the rise and, with belay through ledges and an ice axe, climb it. The steepness of the rise is about 60°; loose snow lies on top of the destroyed rocks. At the top of it, on the main ridge connecting the summits of Trezubets, there is a small area sufficient to remove our backpacks and change into spare warm clothing. The weather, good in the morning, gradually changed. Clouds keep passing over the ridge, and we are showered with fine ice pellets during these moments.

The horizontal ridge caused a lot of trouble. Due to the overhanging cornice to the east, we had to stay 2–3 meters away from the flat spot, where the steepness was already around 60°. A thick layer of snow lying on bare icy rock made belaying difficult: it had to be cleared. A sharp cold wind picked up. The temperature dropped immediately. The complexity of the section (and partly the height — about 5300 m) forces us to move much less intensively than necessary to warm up.

The rocks are extremely destroyed. We have to search for a long time before finding a suitable handhold. The summit is simply a rocky gendarme with vertical walls. Its height is 2–3 m. There is not even a proper place to sit! Zarubin climbs to the very top and sits, dangling his legs into different gorges. There was no more room on the summit for the others — they just touched it with their hands…

We carefully descend to our backpacks. Visibility worsens again. Sometimes the clouds part for a few seconds, and we can make out something in the surrounding area. But, as a rule, during these moments, everything below us is covered in clouds… Far below on Komarov glacier, a thread of tracks is visible, stretching along the ridge. A little earlier, we repeatedly observed a group of four climbers on the slopes of Obzornaya peak.

That we saw the tracks is a great luck: it indicates that the ridge where Trezubets peak is located is the only barrier between Ototaš glacier and Komarov glacier.

Our joy is immense. We have climbed the highest and most difficult of the peaks we have taken. Let thousands of higher or more challenging peaks stand around, but the beginning is made: many unfamiliar fellow climbers will come here based on our descriptions and climb these thousands of peaks…

We begin our descent. We try to restrain ourselves. Going back is easier. The deep trench we made has not yet been filled. We walk, making steps and firmly pressing our heels into the slope. As much as possible, we try not to rush: we must be extremely cautious.

On the slope before the couloir, a sudden cry: "Belay!" Zarubin has slipped down the slope. Chasov leans on his ice axe with his whole body. All is well. The alarm was premature. The falling climber stopped, having slid only a few meters.

With great apprehension, we approach the avalanche-prone couloir. From this side, it seems even more dangerous. An avalanche can come down at any minute. Again, one by one, with piton belay, we cross its 80-meter width.

The ascent tracks disappear completely. We traverse the slope and, reaching the supposed location of our ascent bivouac, approach the edge of the area. However, it turns out that there are crevasses below us. We have to return. On the way, we cross a powerful crevasse over an ice bridge.

The first pair descends immediately the full length of the rope and drives in a screw, attaching the end of the rope to it. Immediately after that, another whole rope length down. It's almost "flat" there. Thus, the first team descended entirely with top-rope belay on their own and the second rope. Movement was on crampons.

The second pair has a somewhat harder time descending. They drive in intermediate pitons every 10 m. Then comes the most challenging part: the lower climber carefully watches as his partner removes the piton and, with difficulty, holding on to the crampons on the icy sheer, descends. The rope is slowly pulled out, the belayer always on alert. Minutes pass, and now friends stand together in a small step cut into the ice with an ice axe… Then everything starts anew. And so — seven times. A tedious task! The entire descent down the ice wall takes 1 hour 30 minutes.

Further — it's easier. Soon we reach the rocks, and again we start zigzagging across endless ledges and tiny shelves. At first, we stick to the old path we ascended, but soon we turn left and realize that we can practically go anywhere. A heavily dissected band of rocks, at least 500 m wide, is bounded on one side (to the north) by an icefall and on the other by a rock drop. You can go in any direction across it.

By the day, the snow has thawed, and a good belay can now be organized without much trouble since there are countless convenient ledges for it. Its organization hardly delays the descent, so we descend very quickly.

We round the last ledge, and the camp suddenly opens up before us. It's just 100 m away. We run down the old avalanche cone. And our welcoming party runs out to meet us with cries…

The ascent took one day. 7 ice screws were driven in on the ascent and 9 on the descent. The height of the summit is approximately 5300 m. The summit is located in the northwestern ridge of the Turist massif, bounding the lower part of Issledovatelei glacier from the north.

M. Turist peak — a rocky summit, the northeastern slope is a sheer wall 400–500 m high, the southwestern — a wall descending in sheer steps with an overall steepness of 70°. From northwest to southeast (toward B. Turist peak), the ridge has a slight rise, and its width varies from 0.5 to 20 m, but it practically consists of a continuous comb of gendarmes, occasionally interrupted by ice patches. The summit is located in the southeastern part of the ridge; toward B. Turist peak, the ridge ends in a grandiose gap; on the opposite side, there is a 150-meter smooth slab.

The ascent begins with a rise from Issledovatelei glacier to the ridge (across scree) at the point where it adjoins Skalisty peak. Further along the flat ridge, we reach the Giant — a gendarme — it is bypassed from the east. Further movement along the ridge with gendarmes and ice slabs requires the use of all rock climbing techniques, and on icy sections — cutting steps. Gendarmes are overcome head-on or with a detour to the left, and only the last syenite gendarme (before the pre-summit slab) is bypassed with a deep descent to the right.

On the route, it is required to drive in 10–12 rock pitons and 4–5 ice screws (all pitons are removed) and cut 60–70 steps. When leaving the camp located at the tongue of Issledovatelei glacier:

• The first night can be spent behind the Giant — a gendarme.
• From here to the summit (without backpacks) — 12 hours of ascent and 6 hours of descent to the tents.