Ascent Passport

1. Region: Pamir-Alai, Gissar Ridge (5.2.19)
2. Peak: Western peak of Varzob Saw (via the center of the western wall), 3830 m
3. Difficulty category: 3B (previously 4A)
4. Route type: rock climbing
5. Elevation gain: 350 m

Route length: 610 m

including:

• sections of 4th difficulty category — 60 m
• sections of 3B difficulty category — 130 m

Average steepness of the main part of the route: 80°

Average steepness of the entire route: 60°

6. Pitons left on the route: total 0, including bolted pitons 0
7. Team's climbing hours: 10:30 h
8. Leader: Kulakova Elena — 2nd sports category

Participants:

• Shatalov Nikita — 2nd sports category
• Malyshev Semyon — 2nd sports category

9. Coach: Soldatov Sergey Yuryevich — Master of Sports
10. Departure to the route from the "lake camp" — 6:00, July 15, 2016

Route started — 7:30, July 15, 2016

Reached the summit — 12:45, July 15, 2016

Returned to the camp — 16:30, July 15, 2016

11. Descent from the summit to the east along the ridge to the saddle, via the 2A category route.

From the "lake camp" ascend up the grassy slope to the saddle between the Western peak of Varzob Saw and the Wings of Tajikistan under the western wall of the peak. Follow the right wide scree slope to the group of gendarmes in the lower part of the wall, separated from it by a narrow couloir — a gully.

Through the rocks to the left of the couloir:

• First, follow a wide ledge about 20 m.

• Then ascend an internal corner 15 m high to a platform. Station on a wide ledge.

• Traverse left along the ledge 20 m.

• Further, ascend an internal corner 10 m, then through rocks of 3B category to a platform. Station on a large boulder.

• Ascend a sloping crack left upwards 10 m to a scree ledge, traverse left 20 m. Station on the ledge.

• Ascend rocks of 3B category 15 m to a large platform.

• Then simultaneously traverse the platform 50 m to a cave in the wall. Station near the cave.

  • On the platform opposite the cave, there should be a gendarme with a control cairn (not found).

• Then simultaneously traverse right upwards along a wide ledge 80 m to rocks. Station.

• Ascend an internal corner with a steepness of up to 90° for 10 m to a small ledge. Climbing is difficult, 4–5 category.

• Straight up, there are highly polished steep rocks gradually becoming weakly overhanging. Ascend their left side about 10 m up under the overhang. A piton is hammered under the overhang.

• From the piton, left along the ledge 3–5 m. Station.

• Further up, there is a chimney with a plug 35–40 m. Climbing is 4th category. Rocks are destroyed. Exit to a ledge where a juniper grows. Station.

• Further up a weakly overhanging wall 35–40 m, climbing is difficult, 4–5 category. Exit to a large slab under overhanging monolithic walls. Station.

• Along the slab left — upwards through heavily destroyed rocks of medium difficulty, exit to a small platform with a control cairn. Station.

• Further through easy rocks — exit to the summit.

Descent from the summit to the east, to the saddle — via the 2A category route.