Ascending Peak Maly Tourist via the Northwest Ridge (Category 3B)

We leave the base camp, located on a sandbar in front of the tongues of Gl. Researchers and Chon-Turasu, at 10:30. Moving along the sandbar alongside a stream running near the tents, we approach the tongue of Gl. Chon-Turasu and begin to bypass it from the left (north) along the same stream. To our left are:

• heaps of enormous old moraines
• moraines lying on dead ice

The stream disappears into the stones, and we come to a depression located between the scree slopes of the ridge between Pik Skalisty and Pik Maly Tourist to the north and the modern terminal and lateral moraines of Gl. Researchers to the south (old lateral moraines are absent). A large stream with clear water flows along the flat bottom of the hollow. The stream is not deep, and we cross it several times via stones. Soon the stream turns right, while we continue moving along the hollow.

At 12:30, we ascend to a rampart (its upper part is covered with calcite boulders) blocking the hollow and enter a flat and almost horizontal gravel area about 150 m long and 30–50 m wide.

After climbing the next rampart (from here, it's easy to ascend to the glacier's surface), we enter a second almost horizontal area. The area stretches for 400–500 m and ends under a powerful monolithic buttress descending from the ridge's bend before Pik Maly Tourist. The lower part of the area is silted, with a small lake. The lake is fed by:

• one large stream,
• several small streams from the slope of Pik Skalisty.

The buttress descending from the ridge's bend cuts into the glacier (as do several other buttresses located higher along the glacier) and deflects it to the south. At the same time, it "dumps" the glacier's lateral moraine closer to its middle. This explains the formation of such large depressions and the absence of a lateral moraine on the glacier.

Besides the described buttress, a less prominent buttress in the form of a rocky, scree-covered ridge descends from the ridge. It begins under the gendarme "Giant". The height of the "Giant's" sheer cliffs is apparently 150–200 m, and in another location, it would be a very interesting rock peak.

To the NNE of the "Giant" gendarme, the ridge of Pik Skalisty continues, while on the opposite side, a long ridge begins, ending at Pik Tourist (5816 m). The ridge passes through the following sections:

• Initially, the ridge goes in the R03 direction until the bend
• Then in the R0 direction to Pik Maly Tourist
• Further in the R0E direction to Pik Tourist

We decide to ascend via the small stream flowing before the rocky, scree-covered buttress to later exit onto the ridge to the right (above) of the "Giant" via the buttress.

At 13:00, we leave the area and begin to gain altitude. The slope is steep, in many places over 45°. We make transitions every 25–30 minutes, resting initially for 10 minutes, and towards the end of the ascent, for 20 minutes. After 2 hours, the stream almost disappears into the stones; we ascend along its continuation (wet stones) as the stones lie more firmly in the riverbed. Further, it becomes clear that the stream flows from the left (lower) side of a snow patch lying at the foot of the "Giant" gendarme. At the end of the fourth hour of ascent, we approach the snow patch. Here, we have to leave the stream's bed as stones begin to fall into it from the snow patch. We move left under an overhanging ledge and, after resting, begin to circumvent it to the right (above the stream's bed). The slope has a steepness of about 50° and consists of small dark-brown and black limestone needles and plates held together by clay but easily slipping underfoot. At 18:00, we stand on an almost horizontal area 35–40 m long and 2-4 m wide; the far end is about 150 m above the slope where we rested an hour ago.

Above the area, 20–25 m higher, a ridge horn runs (concave to the north - away from us). The ridge is composed of limestone rocks and drops on our side with a 10-meter sheer wall formed by fused vertical columns made of flat slabs, making the ridge resemble an effective saw. The far end of the saw gradually merges with the upper wing of the snow patch framing the gendarme. To the left, the ridge abuts the first tower of Pik Skalisty, which also rises 80–100 m above the area.

We decide to move along the scree under the ridge wall and, upon reaching the snow patch, ascend to the ridge either via the wall or the snow patch.

We traverse the scree under the ridge wall and reach the junction of the wall, snow patch, and scree strip under the ridge. However, it becomes apparent that this is not a snow patch but ice with limestone plates frozen into it. We move along the edge of the wall and ice, cutting steps. After 30 m, we find ourselves on a 60° wall in a dangerous position: cutting steps in the ice is impossible due to rocks frozen into it, and the rocks are brittle, breaking easily under hand - making it impossible to drive a piton for protection. The steepness of the ice (with heavy backpacks) under us makes the possibility of self-arrest with an ice axe doubtful in case of a fall. Therefore, although there are only about 4 m left to the top of the wall and about 20 m to where the glacier meets the ridge, we decide to return. This decision was correct: Gavrilov, who was bringing up the rear, slipped off the wall on the return journey. Sliding 6–8 m down the ice (which was less steep at this point), he managed to self-arrest with his ice axe.

Soon we were back on the area we had left 2 hours earlier. We set up the tent in the middle part of the area, with some of the anchor stones hanging over its edges.

At 7:00, the tent was still shaded from the sun by the ridge; it was cold but less so than we had expected at this altitude. While breakfast was being prepared, Chasov ascended up the area, moved left, and where its continuation met the ridge, easily climbed onto the ridge via frozen scree.

The view was astonishing - the ridge was flat! Its width ranged from 10 to 50 m, with a 5–15° incline to the north. The ridge stretched down towards the "Giant" gendarme with minor fluctuations in height.

Up to the gendarme, the ridge is composed of soft rocks:

• limestone,
• clayey limestone, etc., with numerous fossils of 3-4 species.

Further on, up to Pik Maly Tourist, bands of hard deep-seated rocks and loose, fractured limestone follow.

At breakfast, we decide to leave the tent on the area and ascend without packs along the ridge to the summit. If progress is slow, we won't rush the descent but will organize a cold bivouac on the ridge instead.

For the bivouac, we take:

• spare sweaters
• woolen gloves
• socks

We pack all our belongings and some food into one backpack.

At 8:45, we leave the camp and are on the ridge in just 10 minutes. Without delay, we move quickly along the flat ridge towards the "Giant" and bypass it via small scree on the north side. Further towards the summit, the ridge becomes sharp. We rope up in pairs.

The exit to the ridge is blocked by a columnar gendarme. We bypass it to the right via steep snow with belays until we reach a horizontal snow ledge 2 × 0.3 m, then cut 10 steps in ice with a steepness of up to 70°.

Protection includes:

• from below - via an ice axe driven into firm snow,
• subsequent protection - from above via a ledge.

Overcoming the gendarme took 45 minutes.

Further movement proceeds mainly along the left side of the ridge. After simple rock climbing, we overcome an inclined slab to the left with a steepness of 60° and a length of 13 m, featuring convenient cracks for ascent. This section was completed in 30 minutes. Protection was provided via a ledge with the belayer positioned to the right at the midpoint of the slab, followed by upper protection via a shoulder with the rope bent over an edge by at least 90°. After a few meters of easy rock climbing, we reach a horizontal ridge 10 m long and 1 m wide. There's a straightforward wall 12 m high and 50° steep. We proceed along a ridge slab for 4 m. To the left is a sheer drop of 400–500 m to the glacier; to the right is a stepped wall with an overall steepness of 70° and a drop of 300–400 m. We descend into a depression on foot and climb up a chimney 6 m high. This section took 20 minutes. Protection was alternating via ledges.

On a convenient small area, we remove warm clothing and rest for about half an hour (until 11:30). Here, we leave 2 ice axes.

Moving almost horizontally along wide (up to 1.5 m) and convenient ledges on the left slope, we bypass 3 gendarmes. Along a wide, smooth ledge sloping towards the unnamed glacier, we ascend 20 m to convenient climbing rocks.

We climb a few meters via a crack - a chimney located in a rock overhanging the glacier - and exit onto a spacious, inclined ledge. After resting, we traverse a 6-meter smooth slab-shelf on friction, also inclined away from the glacier. At the top, the shelf narrows and disappears.

The next section presented significant difficulty: two vertical walls are slightly offset from each other, resulting in an upward ledge with a width ranging from 50 to 10 cm. The length of the ledge is 5–6 m. The walls are smooth, lacking good holds or cracks. Protection was provided on a doubled main rope via a shoulder with subsequent bending of the rope around a ledge with a large angle of wrap. The girls traversed this section on double protection. The further path proceeded along a flat slab of the main ridge with a steepness of 20–30°. The lower part of the slab is covered in snow; the upper part is icy. On the icy section, 35 steps were cut over a length of 15–16 m. Protection was initially via an ice axe; on the icy section, 2 ice pitons were used.

Directly adjacent to the ice is a ten-meter sheer wall - ascent is via a chimney. Further movement was along less complex rocks of the ridge and its right side. Towards the end of the path, we moved along ledges on the left side, slightly covered in scree. This section of the ridge is composed of brittle, heavily weathered limestones and has rounded outlines.

At 14:10, before the ridge turns left, we make our second stop (until 14:30). There's no water on the ridge - we melt some snow.

We exit onto the ridge and move easily along it, and where there are ledges, towards the ridge's turn. We easily bypass a rounded gendarme on the left at the ridge's turn (from it, the first monolithic buttress descends). The further direction of the ridge is southward.

Soon, our path is blocked by two monolithic gendarmes (made of hard deep-seated rocks). The first is easily bypassed to the right: descending 2 m down a horizontal ledge, we reach the second. To the left is a completely sheer multi-hundred-meter wall; to the right is a wall with a reverse slope about 12 m high, below which is a very steep (approximately 60°) couloir.

Chasov attempts to bypass the gendarme on the sides and then climb over it (with 1 piton for self-protection), but entirely without success: the smooth, wind-polished syenite lacks cracks or holds.

We attempt again to apply the method of bypassing the gendarme with a significant descent from the ridge. Upon examination, we find that to the right, between the 12-meter wall made of limestones and the syenite gendarme, a chimney has formed, with its inner wall (like the entire wall) having a reverse slope; the chimney's width is about half a meter.

Below the chimney:

• on one side (lower relative to the general direction of the ridge) is a couloir,
• on the other is a fairly convenient, boulder-strewn area.

As it later turns out, the chimney ends 2 meters above the area.

Chasov descends with top protection and, to be certain of the possibility of ascending via the chimney on the return journey, climbs back up.

The descent via the chimney is the second most complex section of the ascent.

From the area to the exit onto the ridge, the path was less complex but required significant physical effort: a 20 m long crevice in the rock, a 5 m chimney, and a 5 m wall. For protection, 3 rock pitons were driven (into hard rocks).

Beyond the gendarme, the ridge broadens significantly and transitions into a smooth slab extending to the very summit. The slab is formed by layers of limestone rocks. The slab's length (to the point where it's possible to exit it) is 150 m, its width ranges from 20 to 50 m, and its incline is 40°. The slab drops off on both sides by several hundred meters. The surface layers of the slab are covered in a network of small, often imperceptible cracks, making it possible to break it into small slabs by hand; attempting to drive a piton into a crack would cause the edges to break off, leaving the piton exposed again. The slab's moderate steepness and surface roughness allowed us to ascend without using our hands, but organizing protection was very challenging. The slab was traversed with four 40-meter ropes. Protection was provided as follows: the first via the lower back with the rope bent over a ledge, the second via paired ice and rock pitons with self-protection on a rock piton, the third via an ice axe driven into a crevice up to the head with self-protection on a rock piton, and the fourth via a ledge. The last two ropes were led by the girls wearing "Vibram" soles. The ascent was completed in the twilight at 20:50.

Descending about 25 m down a couloir towards Gl. Researchers, we reach a jumble of rocks lying on a wall outcrop. One of the boulders that had fallen from above became wedged at the start of the couloir, forming a triangular, slightly inclined platform 2.0 × 2.5 × 1.5 m in size. After clearing the snow from it and using stones thrown down from above to repair a "hole in the floor," we build a windbreak wall - our overnight spot is ready!

Wearing everything we had with us and using ropes, cord, and harnesses as underlay, we squat down tightly together and fall asleep. After 2.5 hours, everyone is frozen - we have to get up and warm ourselves:

• first, we "run" on the spot,
• then we "walk" on the spot, swinging our arms widely.

In the future, we wake up almost every half hour. Interestingly, everyone wakes up due to uniform cooling (overall heat loss) rather than cooling of, say, hands or feet.

The full, lazy moon slowly rises along the ridge of Pik Alpinist, looks at us freezing on our ledge from just above, and dips behind a curtain of clouds. Indifferent stars wink at us, but it doesn't get any warmer.

In the middle of the night, a light breeze picks up. On its way from below, it picks up snow lying on the ledges and, exiting the couloir, blows it towards us.

Nevertheless:

• As soon as the sun rises, we quickly pack up and climb onto the ridge into the sun.
• Here, the wind strengthens, so it takes about an hour before we're fully warmed up.
• After that, we enjoy rock climbing.

From the descent point from the slab into the couloir, where we bivouacked, to the summit - it's just a few dozen meters of несложное скалолазание along the edge of the previously described slab.

The summit is a small saddle between two small flat elevations on the sides (towards both glaciers). We build a cairn on the northern one and also construct several other pyramids.

We begin our descent at 9:00. Descending the slab via a rope using the athletic method with subsequent rope retrieval from the loop takes 2 hours. At 12:15, we found the turn; we rest here for an hour and a half and then descend along the ascent route, applying athletic descents via rope wherever possible. At 16:30 (after 6 hours of "pure" descent), we reach the depression before the "Giant" gendarme, and after another 2 hours, we arrive back at the tents.

The ascent was completed over three days, with 12 hours of ascent and 6 hours of descent on the rock ridge. On the route, 10 rock pitons and 4 ice pitons were driven, and 65 steps were cut. The estimated height of the summit is 5300–5500 m.