Shankol via the northern spurs of the North-Eastern Ridge

The route is combined, category 3A (fig. 5–7). Length — 1200 m, H — 500 m, time — 5–6 hours.

From the "Kirgizata" alpine camp (group of 2–8 people):

• Down the gorge along the highway to the Telman farm.
• From it, turn right to the east to the Shankol village.
• From it, turn right to the south and 20 km up the Shankol gorge road to the pastures and the end of the road. From the alpine camp by car – 1–1.5 hours.

Further:

• Along the pack trail along the Shankol River with two long ascents to approach the lake in the upper reaches of the gorge.
• Near the lake, not far from the northwestern slopes of Shankol peak — the initial bivouac. From the end of the road – 3–4 hours.

From the initial bivouac:

• Along the moraines, then along the Shankol glacier, approach the Northern spur of the North-Eastern ridge of Shankol peak, rising to the left of the North-Western circus of the Shankol glacier in the center of the North-Eastern slopes of Shankol. From the initial bivouac — about 1 hour.
• From the glacier, 350–400 m up simple and easy, heavily destroyed rocks and scree, alternating with shelves 35–40° of the Northern spur.
• Then along steep (60°), moderately difficult rocks 40–50 m ascent and along the 6-meter (80°) internal corner (key point of the route, piton belay) exit to the North-Western spur.
• From here, along simple, местами средней трудности скалам с расщелинами, каминами, местами по острому 40–50° Северо-восточному контрфорсу – 300–400 m up under the ascent of the gendarme of the Dome of the North-Eastern ridge.
• Bypass the Dome with a 60-meter traverse to the right along easy and simple (40–50°) destroyed rocks (belay) with an exit to the North-Eastern ridge.

On the ridge, turn right and, having passed an 80–100-meter ice-snow col (cornice, belay), along destroyed, snow-covered, simple rocks with short walls of moderate difficulty (piton belay) 300–350-meter 35–40° North-Eastern ridge, ascend to the Shankol peak. From the initial bivouac – 6–8 hours.