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Class of technical ascents
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Tian Shan, Karakol gorge, Terskey Ala-Too ridge
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Peak Dzhigit, center of the North wall
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Route 6B cat. diff. (Vakurin)
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Route length — 1415 m
Length of the wall part of the route — 1095 m, length of sections 5-6 cat. diff. — 435 m, including 6 cat. diff. — 95 m
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Height difference of the wall part of the route — 970 m
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Average steepness of the wall part of the route — 62°
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Pitons driven:
ice, rock placements, bolted, skyhooks
63 38+4 * 48 2+4 * 4 - 4 11 - 4 Note: * — use of previously driven pitons
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Climbing hours — 32 hours, days — 2.5
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Overnights: 2 on the wall, sitting on a ledge
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Captain: Sergey Soldatov, Master of Sports
Participants:
- Viktor Igolkin, Master of Sports
- Sergey Khromov, Candidate for Master of Sports
- Alexander Ivanov, Candidate for Master of Sports
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Coach: Viktor Igolkin
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Departure to the route: August 9, 1995
Summit: August 11, 1995, return: August 11, 1995
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Mountaineering club of Magnitogorsk
Photo 1. Technical photograph of the route. Retaken from a photograph taken in August 1984 at approximately 11:00. Camera "Zenit-E", lens "Helios-44M", Lfok = 44 mm. To the object about 3 km, H = 3900 m.
1 — Sheramenidze Route 1976, 2 — Vakurin Route 1983 — team A/K MGMI, 3 — Slesov Route 1975
The North wall of Dzhigit was chosen in the 1995 season to prepare the team for PataGonia on Fitz Roy and Sierra Torre in 1996. The tactical plan was based on the experience gained from ascending the N. wall of Dzhigit. Back in 1984, V. Igolkin and A. Ivanov participated in the Championship of the Central Soviet "Burevestnik" and completed I. Slesov's route with two overnight stays on the wall and a third on the descent from the summit. Considering the less explored Vakurin route, a similar movement schedule was planned. Successful passage in bad weather of a new route on the largest (1800 m) and one of the most difficult walls of the Alps — the North wall of Eiger in 1994 — gave confidence in the team's ability to pass routes in any weather. Taking into account the judging methodology of the 1995 Championship, the main calculation was made on the speed of passage of the route in any weather conditions. The optimal team size of 4 people allowed for mobile work in two pairs with operational replacement of the first in the team.
On August 9, 1995, the ascent began at 6:00 with a departure from the assault camp on the glacier. Before the glacial circus under the wall, they tied in (R0). Above the bergschrund (R1), they moved on exposed ice with constant protection through ice screws. V. Igolkin led, S. Khromov was last. The weather was clear, and the pace was good. By 14:00, they reached the site of the 1st overnight stay of the pioneers (R2). They did not find the control tower; everything was flooded with ice. They began to work on steep rocks. The pace slowed down. There was no ledge even for a sitting overnight stay. Therefore, they decided: while the 1st rope team processes 2-3 ropes (up to R3), the 2nd rope team goes on a diagonal traverse to Slesov's overnight stay 40 m and sets it up (R3). From 15:30 to 20:00, Soldatov — Khromov traversed 90 m of steep rocks 5-6 cat. diff. on the wall, flooded with ice (R3). In this section, 4 previously driven bolted pitons were used. During the movement, ice-fifi and skyhooks were used in ice-filled cracks. The overnight stay was sitting.
On August 10, 1995, they began work at 7:00. They returned from the traverse to the processed route. They passed the fixed ropes and continued to work on steep rocks in the order Soldatov-Igolkin-Ivanov-Khromov. When moving, they tried to choose cracks, internal corners, couloirs filled with ice. Using ice-fifi and crampons significantly increased the pace. Cornices were passed in rock shoes, which were put on directly on "Koflach" boots. Having passed another 3 ropes, at 14:00 they reached an ice cirque in the center of the wall (R4). Here, the leader changed — Ivanov went first. They passed ice with rock outcrops in two hours, reaching at 16:00 the rocks of the upper rock bastion (R5). While Soldatov-Igolkin were cutting out a platform for an overnight stay in the ice, Khromov and Ivanov processed 3 ropes on rocks of 5 cat. diff. (R6). Searches for the 2nd control tower were unsuccessful — the terrain changed significantly, everything was flooded with ice. At 20:00, a thunderstorm unexpectedly began with hurricane-force winds and wet snow. The rope team barely descended on the icy ropes. It was impossible to set up a wall tent on a small ledge, so they waited out the storm until 3:00.
On the morning of August 11, they departed at 7:00. It was cold, and the rocks were covered in snow. Soldatov worked first. On the 4th and 5th ropes, they encountered cornices, which they had to overcome using ITO and a pendulum. 2 bolts were driven, and 3 holes were knocked out for skyhooks. At 12:30, they were on the ridge (R7), where they had a snack. Khromov worked first on the ridge. Fresh avalanches descended on the steep ice, cornices hung on both sides of the ridge, so the pace was low. The length of the ridge was about 300 m; the rope teams moved independently, with the 1st team leaving ice screws. At 14:00, they were on the summit (R8).
On the descent, they used 15 rappels. The last (Ivanov) with a lightened backpack descended on the front points of the crampons.
At 18:30, they were on the glacier below the Kokbor pass, and at 20:00, having passed the pass and the Dzhigit glacier, they were back in the assault camp.
The next day, they descended to the base camp and further to the base of the "Ala-Too" alpine camp in the city.
Appendix to the tactical plan of the ascent on the route sheet of the team
Photo 3. Section R1-R2. Second rope after the bergschrund. Time 10:00, August 9, 1995. Shooting point F 2.
Photo 4. End of section R1-R2. On the traverse to the 1st overnight stay of the pioneers. 13:30, August 9, 1995. Shooting point F 3.
Photo 5. Crossing the ice couloir between Slesov and Vakurin routes. Transition after overnight stay to Vakurin route on section R3-R2. 8:30, August 10, 1995. Shooting point F 2.
Photo 6. Ascent on fixed ropes on section R2-R3. 8:30, August 10, 1995. Shooting point F 5.
Photo 7. Beginning of section R4-R5. Ice cirque in the center of the wall. 16:30, August 10, 1995. Shooting point F 6.
Photo 8. Work on section R4-R5. After 40 m overnight stay on 2 rock bastions. 17:30, August 10, 1995. Shooting point F 7.