Ascent Passport

1. Area: Western Tien Shan, Ugam Ridge, 7.11.

2. Peak name: Sayram, route name: via the right 3rd buttress of the N wall (4238 m).

3. Difficulty category: approximately 5A, first ascent.

4. Route characteristics: combined.

5. Height difference of the wall section: 574 m, route length: 1420 m, wall section length: 620 m, section lengths:

   • 5th difficulty category – 290 m,
   • 6th difficulty category – 20 m, average steepness of the wall section: 69°, entire route: 60°.

6. Hooks left on the route: total – 1. Hooks used on the route:

   • Rock hooks — 22
   • Bolt hanger — 67
   • Chocks — 6
   • Ice hooks — [data not available]

7. Team's travel hours: 10 hours.

8. Leader: Melnikov V.G. — CMS.

   Participants: Gajnullin S. — 1st sports category, Voronkov A. — 2nd sports category, Varlamov N. — 2nd sports category.

9. Coach: Benkin V.S. — MS.

10. Departure to the route: 8:00 August 10, 2001.

    Reaching the summit: 18:00 August 10, 2001. Return to camp: 20:00 August 10, 2001.

General Photo of the Summit

5A difficulty category via the left buttress of the N wall (Svolik, 1988) 5B difficulty category via the N wall (Sedelnikov, 1977) Approx. 5B difficulty category via the 2nd buttress of the N wall (Pavelyev, 2001) 5B central bastion of the N wall (Bobrov, 1986) 5B via the 3rd buttress of the N wall (Starlychanov, 1977). Approximate. 5A difficulty category via the right 3rd buttress of the N wall (Melnikov, 2004) — first ascent route.

Profile Photo from the Left

Route Description by Sections

R0–R2 100 m on ice 70–75° with a detour around the bergschrund to the right; R2–R3 10 m on icy rocks to the left to a crevice; R3–R5 80 m through the crevice, rocks are smoothed; R5–R6 to the right of a large chimney along the wall, bypassing the lower cornice to the right (many "loose" rocks); R6–R8 70 m along the inner corner of complex climbing, then 10 m along a characteristic yellow band with minimal holds, and another 20 m to reach a finger ridge; R8–R13 movement along the buttress with an exit to the NW ridge. 2A difficulty category; R13–R14 800 m along the NW ridge to the summit.

Technical Photo

Photo-2 Participant on the Wall R7–R8