Ascent Log

1. Ascent classification — technical
2. Ascent area — Tian-Shan, Terskey Ala-Too ridge, Ayuter gorge
3. Peak, its height, and ascent route — Mt. Mendeleevets, 4200 m, 6B ridge
4. Estimated difficulty category — 4A–3B
5. Route characteristics: height difference — average slope 50°. Section lengths: R2 — 690 m, R3 — 350 m, R4 — 230 m, R5 — 65 m.
6. Pitons hammered for belay:
   • rock — 25
   • ice —
   • bolt —
7. Total travel hours — 15 h 10 min.
8. Number of nights and their characteristics —
9. Surname, name, patronymic of the leader and participants, their sports qualification:
   1. Gaysin Alexander Alexandrovich — 1st sports category, leader
   2. Kovnir Vladimir Vladimirovich — 1st sports category, participant
   3. Podstrelny Nikolay Grigorievich — 1st sports category, participant
   4. Boyko Tatyana Semenovna — 1st sports category, participant Team coach — Denisov V.G. www.alpfederation.ru↗

Description of the ascent route to Mt. Mendeleevets from the west, first ascent

August 18, 1978. Departed from the lower actor's camps at 5:00. Crossed the Ayuter river and, on the right side of the mudflow cone, reached a weakly expressed couloir in 40 minutes. Shortly before reaching this couloir, traversed 60 m to the right and approached scree shelves. Moved 40 m to the right along the scree shelves at an angle of 40°, proceeding simultaneously. Then, went directly up 30 m on moderately difficult rocks (3–4 category difficulty) at an angle of 60°. Next, moved slightly left, also on moderately difficult rocks, 20 m to a wall. The wall is 15 m, 75° (4–5 category difficulty) — complex climbing with piton belay. After the wall, a chimney 10 m, 60°, then rocks directly up 40 m. The rocks are quite complex. We came out under a chimney. Chimney 35 m up to 80°, with a 2 m overhang in the center. After the chimney, moving slightly left on rocks of 3–4 category difficulty, we passed 80 m at an angle of 65–70°. Further, the slope eased, and the wall turned into scree shelves. On the scree shelves, after 60 m, we reached a wide scree shelf. On the shelf, at an angle of 30°, after 80 m, we set up a control cairn. Reached the control cairn by 12:40. From the control cairn, again on the shelf, 120 m, 30°, to a couloir. Along the way, encountered small walls of 3–5 m. Then crossed the couloir and, on the right, on scree shelves, 60 m at an angle of 45°. Then a wall 25 m up to 60° — the wall is not difficult but has many loose rocks, requiring attention. Further, again scree shelves 30 m, 40°, then another wall 15 m, 70°. After the wall, we reached a saddle on the ridge of Mt. Mendeleevets. Reached the saddle by 14:00, where we built a control cairn. From the saddle, descended 5 m to the side of our ascent and, on an inner corner, 30 m at an angle of 65°, then 15 m to the right at an angle of 60°, reached a shelf. From the shelf, left to an inner lower corner, 30 m at an angle of 65–70°, on an inner corner under a wall. The wall is up to 90°, 25 m — complex climbing using pitons. After the wall, left and down 7 m, crossed a couloir and, on an inner corner, directly up 30 m at an angle of 45° to a wall. The wall is 7 m, 85° with an overhang at the end. The wall leads to the ridge. Further, left on the ridge, on inclined shelves, encountered small walls of 3 to 5 m. The ridge's steepness is up to 50° — 200 m, 300 m up to 45°. The ridge leads to Mt. Mendeleevets. The group reached the summit at 17:30. Descent was via a 2A category difficulty route to the Telety gorge.

Table of main route characteristics

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