Report on the Ascent of Karakolsky Peak

via the NE edge by a team of climbers from the Novosibirsk Regional Council of the Trud Sports Society for the primacy of the Central Sports Council of the Trud Sports Society in 1966.

Approved:

Chairman of the Novosibirsk Regional Council of the Trud Sports Society (V. Parygin)

Route Description

The description of the route is given in sections marked with numbers, and within the sections - by route points. The time taken to pass the sections is indicated for the first climber.

August 7, 1966. Approach from the base camp - altitude 2700 m to Iikchat via the On-tor glacier to the overnight stay location, under the route - 7 hours. Altitude 3400 m.

August 8, 1966. Departure from the bivouac at 7:00.

1. Crossing the glacier with a slope of 20–25°, ascent up the avalanche cone at 35° to the bergschrund, crossing the bergschrund via a bridge (photo 1) - time 1 hour.
2. Traverse along the ice slope covered with snow, slope 50° - 35 m to the right towards rock outcrops (photo 2), ice is serac. Movement on crampons. Belays - two ice screws, rock outcrops. 25 minutes. Icy, crumbling rocks 70° - 35 m. Belay - rock pitons, outcrops - 35 minutes. Icy, crumbling rocks 70° - 65 m (photo 3). Belay - 1 ice screw, 5 rock pitons. Time 1 hour 20 minutes.
3. Rocks 70° - 25 m, then rocks 85° - 20 m (photo 4). Belay - 7 rock pitons, outcrops. Time 1 hour 50 minutes.
4. Ice slope (photo 5) 60° with rock outcrops 50 m, further slope 70° 30 m and another 40 m - rocks with a slope of 75°. Difficult climbing with clearing ice and snow anchors. Belays - 3 rock pitons, 3 ice screws, 3 outcrops. Time 1 hour 40 minutes.
5. Monolithic, smooth rocks with an overall slope of 70° - 80 m (photo 6). 8 rock pitons hammered. Time 1 hour 30 minutes. Due to bad weather - thunderstorm, stop for bivouac at 15:00.

Total for the first day, including approaches, worked 7 hours 20 minutes. Pitons hammered:

• rock - 22
• ice - 7

August 9, 1966. 6. Departure from the overnight stay at 7:00. Initially, a snow ridge 45 m - 35°, then an ice slope with rock outcrops 25 m - 60°. Further 50 m very steep up to 80° (photo) ice slope with an exit beyond the ice pyramid.

Step cutting, practically, above the head. Belay via 8 ice screws. Snow slope 35 m - 55° and 40 m with a slope of 40°. Ice under the snow. Belay: 5 ice screws. Total time - 8 hours 30 minutes.

7. Ice ridge 45 m - 60°, 4 ice screws hammered. Step cutting.
8. Snow ridge 100 m (photo 8л) with a slope of 50°. Below the ridge - rock outcrops. Movement from the ice ridge to the snow ridge via rocks. 3 rock pitons hammered. Upon reaching the snow ridge, bad weather started. At 12:25 stopped for overnight stay (photo 9).

Working time - 5 hours 25 minutes.

Hammered:

• rock pitons - 2
• ice screws - 17

August 10, 1966. Departure on the route due to bad weather at 11:30.

9. Ice ridge 160 m up to 60° slope. Step cutting. Movement on crampons. 9 ice screws hammered. Time - 1 hour 40 minutes.
10. Then the ice ridge turns into a snow-ice ridge with cornices 100 m - 55°, further section 40 m - 60° with a flattening to 45°.

Section of the snow ridge with cornices 20 m leads to the base of the rocks of the second belt. Sheer rocks are covered in ice. Belay on the ridge via ice axe. Time - 2 hours.

The whole day bad weather. Visibility at times - 15 m. Under the rocks, a platform was cut out in the ice. Stop for bivouac.

11. The pair continues work:
    • Cornice cut down;
    • Descent to the left - 60 m along the ice slope with a slope up to 80° (photo 10);
    • Crossing the couloir along the rock ridge;
    • Step cutting;
    • 4 ice screws and 4 rock pitons hammered.

Time - 2 hours 50 minutes.

Working time for the day 6 hours 30 minutes. Hammered: rock pitons - 4, ice screws - 13.

August 11, 1966. Departure on the route at 7:00. Descent and ascent on the fixed ropes took 1 hour 20 minutes.

Further ascent up the rocks with a slope of 80° - 60 m (photo 14). Rocks are monolithic, icy, very difficult climbing. On this section, 15 rock pitons hammered. Time - 3 hours.

12. Rocks of medium difficulty, monolithic - 20 m, slope 60°, 2 rock pitons, outcrops. Time - 20 minutes. Then movement to the left along a ledge 20 m. The ledge leads under an overhanging wall 10 m high, rocks are smooth. Boosting the first climber (photo 12), ladders. Pulling up backpacks (photo 13). The last one is pulled up on the rope. Very difficult spot. 6 rock pitons hammered. Time - 2 hours.
13. Bypass of the gendarme on the left 40 m. Initially, rocks of medium difficulty with a slope up to 60°, then a rock wall 10 m with a slope of 75°. 4 rock pitons hammered; time - 40 minutes.
14. Ascent along the snow ridge turning into an ice slope 160 m. Slope up to 60° (photo 14). Crossing the bergschrund - width about 1 m, time 1 hour. 4 ice screws hammered.
15. From the bergschrund - ascent along the ice slope 80 m, slope 60°. Exit to the ridge (photo 15). 4 ice screws and 4 rock pitons hammered, time 50 minutes.
16. Along the ridge, bypass of the cornice on the left 10 m, photo, 154 and exit to the control cairn. Further along the snow to the base of the gendarme - total 40 m, slope 70°. Icy rocks, difficult climbing - 4 rock pitons and 1 ice screw in the rock. Time - 1 hour 20 minutes, beyond the gendarme a platform was cut out in the ice ridge for overnight stay. Working time for the day - 10 hours 10 minutes. Hammered for the day pitons: rock - 33, ice - 9.

August 12, 1966. Departure on the route at 6:30. Cold. Along a very steep snow ridge, slope on individual sections 65° - 180 m. Then 180 m - 35°. Ridge with cornices on both sides. Belay via ice screws 10 pieces, ice axe and ridge. Time 3 hours.

17. 120 m traverse on the left below the cornices with an exit to the base of the gendarme (photo 16). Slope 50°. Movement along the ice slope on crampons, in places - step cutting. 4 ice screws, time 1 hour 30 minutes. Ascent onto the gendarme along icy rocks (photo 178). Clearing anchors. Rocks with a slope up to 80° - 40 m. 6 rock pitons hammered, time 1 hour. Ascent along snow-covered, icy rock slabs, slope 60° - 40 m, 3 rock pitons, time 40 minutes.

18. A decimetre-wide narrow bridge beyond the gendarme represents a two-sided cornice - a cap on a rock base with cracks. Time 30 minutes.

19. Very difficult to pass snow-ice ascent of the ridge (photo 18, 19). Initially, ascent onto the ridge along a 70° eastern slope, then transition to the western part of the ridge. 4 ice screws hammered on 40 m. Time 1 hour 30 minutes.

20. Further, the ridge with two-sided cornices 10 m. Cutting down cornices to the rocks. Movement along the top of the ridge (photo 20). Very difficult section. Due to bad weather - stuck on the rocks, below the ridge the group stayed for 40 minutes.

Exit to the western side of the ridge under a very dangerous cornice. Traverse with step cutting along a 55° ice slope. Time - 1 hour. Used:

• 2 ice screws.

21. 100 m section covered with loose snow (photo 21). Slope up to 70°, time - 1 hour 30 minutes. 9 rock pitons hammered.
22. Traversing from the north-eastern counterfort to the eastern short ridge 15 m along an ice slope of 70°. Two ice screws and 1 rock piton, time - 30 minutes.
23. 80 m ascent along a firn-ice slope to the pre-summit ridge, slope 65°. 6 belays via ice axe and 2 ice screws, time - 20 minutes.
24. Traversing the ridge with cornices in the direction of the summit along a firn slope, slope up to 65° on the southern side. Belays via ice axe. Reached the summit at 18:45. On the summit, a strong thunderstorm hit. Stopped for bivouac at 19:15 on the summit plateau in a hollow, altitude 5250 m. Working time for the day - 12 hours 30 minutes. Hammered pitons: rock - 19, ice - 24.

General Data on the Route

Height difference - 1860 m. Average slope - 60–65°. Route length - 2600 m. Working time for ascent - 42 hours 45 minutes. Time for descent - 9 hours. Hammered pitons:

• rock - 80
• ice - 70
• total - 150

Table of Route Passage by Sections