The group started the route on July 8, 1977. Ahead of us, two days earlier, the group of "Artuch" tourist club, led by, started on the same route on July 8, 1977.

First Day

• Departure from the bivouac on the moraine under the route at 5:30 am.
• We walked 100 m of a snowy slope and approached the bergschrund filled with snow.
• Further ascent to a snow-ice shelf, which leads to the left edge of the rock wall of the I belt.

From the snow shelf, we ascended to a 35 m internal vertical corner with an overhanging wall, which leads to a small steep shelf. Above the shelf, the internal corner continues straight up for 30 m and ends with an overhang. Then, we moved left to a crack, leading to the beginning of the slab, bypassing the exit to a large stone on the snow shelf, as the first ascenders did (Emelyanenko Yu.). This deviation from the path of the first ascenders does not simplify the route and seems more logical under our conditions.

The edge of the slab forms a steep internal corner with the wall, covered with flow ice, with a cornice and smooth walls. Ascent to the slab:

• Initially, through the right part of the crack (crevice), and then through the left
• Exit to steep blocky rocks, through which we ascended to the top of the slab.

Here, we bivouacked at 17:00.

While one pair set up the bivouac, the other pair processed the route further, hanging about 120 m of rope (up to the beginning of the gray vertical wall), working until 20:00.

July 9, 1977 Second Day. Departure at 8:00.

• Initially, a short but very difficult traverse (–5 m)
• Further along a steep shelf with flow ice and exit to a stone shaped like a "heart"
• Then straight up: first through a narrow crack, overcoming two small cornices, and exit to a steep shelf with ice
• Traverse along the shelf to the right and exit to a corner
• Here, a vertical groove is blocked by a horizontal cornice across its entire width
• Exit through the cornice is very difficult
• Above — a large snow-ice patch

There is a place for a tent (exposed to rockfall). Above us, at that time, was the group of "Artuch" tourist club. Since the further path was sometimes exposed to rockfall (from the group ahead), we had to stop and set up a bivouac under the cover of an overhanging wall. Time — 16:00.

July 10, 1977 Third Day. Departure at 8:00. First, 40 m along simple rocks, partially covered with ice and snow, exit to a slab (smooth) with a zigzag crack-crevice. After the crevice, exit to the left edge of the slab (45 m), then to the right-up to an internal corner with ice.

During the day, water flows along the slab — "a whole river". According to the descriptions of the first ascenders, there is ice and snow at this location. On this day, it was decided to process the section up to the wet rocks without changing the bivouac site, so that the next day we could pass this place early in the morning. Processing was completed at 17:00.

July 11, 1977 Fourth Day. We started on the route at 5:30.

Using ladders and hanging ropes, further along the crack going to the right, we exit to the edge of the corner and along it — to a horizontal shelf (wet). Therefore, along the boundary of ice and rocks, we ascend to the left-up another 40 m. Here is a convenient site — 4th bivouac.

On the same day, we processed the further ascent path. By traversing to the left, we bypassed a large cornice (7–10 m). Then straight up 20 m — a vertical smooth cliff and exit to a small shelf with a cairn. The processed section is very complex. We stopped for a bivouac at 19:00.

July 12, 1977 Fifth Day. Departure from the bivouac at 6:30.

We passed:

• the processed section;
• 40 m of a steep section with reliable holds;
• exit to a large rock slab.

Above — red rock cornices, the approach to them is along steep rocks. Bypassing the cornices to the right, along a crevice up-left about 80 m — exit to the foot of the pre-summit tower.

The rocks are difficult everywhere. We ascend left-right-up (about 60 m) to a vertical crevice. Through it, using ladders, we ascend — 5 m to a small platform.

By traversing to the left, we move to the eastern side of the tower (complex). Further 10 m up — to an inclined smooth shelf covered with snow. We pull up the backpacks.

Then — a not very difficult exit to the tower. Here is a convenient site for a bivouac; we stopped at 21:00.

July 13, 1977 Sixth Day. We departed at 8:00. Along a relatively simple rock ascent initially, and then along a snow-ice slope, after 1.5 hours we reached the summit. Descent from the summit along the western ridge to the saddle between Peak SOAN and Zindon. Further along the couloir (snow, scree) to the glacier. At 13:00, we were at the bivouac site under the route.

CONCLUSION

1. The route corresponds to the description of the first ascenders, except for the glaciation and snow cover of individual sections. This minor difference does not change the complexity and nature of the entire route as a whole.
2. Based on our experience, in conditions of two groups following each other on the route, to ensure safety, a time gap of at least three days is necessary.

Group leader (Efremov N.L.) Team coach (Demchenko A.S.)

Route Sections

TABLE

Continuation of the table

Continuation of the table

Ascent to the summit at 10:00. Descent to the moraine at 13:00. Descent from the summit to the saddle between Peak Zindon and Peak SOAN and further along the couloir. Team captain Efremov.