Report

On the ascent of

p. Saryshakh, 5B, via the right part of the northwestern wall

Black Ice Club Team

Team Leader

Poliakov M. A.

Participants

Stepanov N. A.

1. Route classification: Technical.
2. Mountain region: Gissar-Alai, Fann Mountains, Zeravshan Range.
3. Peak name, height, route: p. Saryshakh (4650 m), via the right part of the NW wall.
4. Category of difficulty: 5B.
5. Height difference — 950 m.

The length of sections with 5–6 category difficulty — 800 m. Average steepness of the wall part is 70°, the ridge part — 30°.

6. Number of pitons left on the route — 0.

• — 2 previously hammered pitons were used. The team's total climbing time: 99 hours and 5 days. Time spent on the wall: 18 hours.

7. Description of bivouacs:

1st (lying) — on Zurmach pass, under p. Diamar, water is 15 minutes down the slope.

2nd (lying) — on a comfortable platform on a rocky outcrop on a scree slope under p. Saryshakh, water — melting snow higher up the scree.

3rd (semi-lying) — a sloping platform after the 10th rope on a large ledge, melted snow for water.

4th (lying) — under Saryshakh Saddle pass, no water.

Team Leader

Poliakov Mikhail Aleksandrovich, 2nd sports category.

Participants

Stepanov Nikolai Anatolyevich, 2nd sports category.

8. Approach: July 21, 2018.

Start of the climb: July 23, 2018. Summit: July 24, 2018. Return to camp: July 25, 2018.

Preparation for the ascent

Before leaving for the mountains, the participants trained together. The basis of physical training was participation in alpine technique competitions and cross-country running. Climbing training was conducted on the RedPoint training wall and many others in Moscow.

The safety of the ascent was ensured by several factors:

• team members were physically, technically, and psychologically prepared to tackle the chosen route;
• they had experience climbing together;
• both participants had experience in climbing routes of 5B category difficulty.

The route goes along the northwestern wall, so in the upper part of the route, there were sections with wet rocks. Before reaching the pre-summit ridge, there were sections with snow, which were bypassed via rocky sections. The weather during the climb was excellent.

Tactical actions of the team

The route is mostly direct, without significantly diagonal ropes, compared to Grishchenko's route on Adam Tash. Since the route goes along the northwestern wall, it is in the shade, and there was snow remaining in some places.

The first climber went with a lightened backpack on a double dynamic rope. Almost the entire route was climbed using free climbing, except for 5 meters of ITO.

The second climber jumarred with a heavy backpack on a dynamic rope with additional protection.

Since the first bivouac on the wall is above the 10th rope, it was decided to process two ropes on the day of approach. We didn't have more ropes after the others were broken by a rockfall on the previous climb. Old pitons from previous climbers were found on the route but were not used.

A two-meal hot diet was planned. Food was calculated at 350 g per person per day (including dried meat, lard, instant noodles, as well as dried fruits and Snickers bars for snacks). Water was boiled (from snow and melting streams) at a rate of 500 ml per person per meal. Based on this calculation, for 8 meals, 2 gas canisters of 230 g each were taken, and the remaining gas was brought back to camp.

• July 21, 2018 — Approach to Zurmech pass (1A).
• July 22, 2018 — Approach to Saryshakh-Gaznych cirque via a rocky ridge ( местами 2 кат. сл. лазанья), ascent to the route via a scree slope. Processing of two ropes on the route.
• July 23, 2018 — Departure, bivouac after the 10th rope on a large sloping ledge.
• July 24, 2018 — Ascent to the pre-summit ridge, summit. Descent via route 4A towards Bolshoe Allo lake.
• July 25, 2018 — Descent via an unknown pass near Saryshakh Saddle (3A), 4 rappels down sheer walls. Return to Artuch camp.

Route description

R0–R1 Approach via a snowfield to a convenient rocky ledge.

R1–R2 Overcome a small wall, difficult climbing. Then, via a slab, into an internal corner, 5 m, here is the station.

R2–R3 Continue moving up the corner with a crack, then the wall leads to a sloping ledge, along it to the left towards the wall and up the wall to a small ledge, here is the station.

R3–R4 Via the wall, move left into a crack, bypass the overhang on the left via the wall, here slightly to the right into an internal corner. Then, via a ledge, move left into the base of an internal corner-chimney.

R4–R5 Move up the chimney, местами мокрые скалы. Exit to the right onto an osypnaya polka, here is the station under a reddish overhang.

R5–R6 Traverse along the ledge to the left into an internal corner, along it to the start of the wall, rocks are very destroyed.

R6–R7 Via a series of walls and ledges, exit onto a smooth slab under a snowfield. Then, to the right towards an overhanging wall with a crack. On a small ledge on a выступ, there is a station. Here, the rocks are monolithic.

R7–R8 First, traverse to the right into a crack, up it to a red wall, here 3 m to the right and up the wall into the base of a large internal corner, then onto a ledge, there is a station. On this section, the rocks are destroyed.

R8–R9 Initially, via the wall, and then via a series of cracks, exit onto a small ledge, here is the station.

R9–R10 The internal corner leads under an overhanging wall with a crack, climbing is difficult, ITO. Then, reach a large cornice. Under it, traverse to the left and then up through a small overhang onto a small ledge.

R10–R11 Via the ledge, move to the right around the corner, here starts a large sloping ledge, slightly descend onto a scree slope, here is a convenient place for a bivouac, there is snow.

R11–R12 Move up in the direction of a white wall via an internal corner, through a wall to the left onto a convenient ledge.

R12–R13 Via the wall, exit onto a sloping ledge, along it to the right, return into an internal corner. Here, the rocks are wet, there is snow. An inconvenient station on a fragment under a cornice.

R13–R14 Bypass the overhang on the left, exit into the base of an internal corner and via it to the right onto the ridge. It's difficult to organize a station.

R14–R15 Via the ridge, sometimes descending onto the southern slope, reach the summit.

July 21, 2018. Departure from Artuch camp at 15:00.

Ascent to Zurmech pass (1A), via Chukurak lake. местами не было троп — дикие места. Water, obviously, is not on the pass. We descended for water down the slope. In the morning, wild dogs came, they frightened us.

July 22, 2018. Approach to the route and processing of two ropes.

At 5:00, ascent, descend from the pass onto the slopes of p. Diamar, traverse them to a rocky ridge. We hit it, bypassing it from below took another 2 hours. Here we were at the end of our tether, it wasn't clear where to go. We decided to go on reconnaissance — along this very ridge. A miracle! It turned out there was a hidden trail, we entered the Saryshakh-Gaznych cirque. Местами лазанье 2 кат. сл., может и больше. Here we ran out of water and searched for the slightest snowfields to drink at least a little.

Ascent via scree slopes to a bivouac by 15:00, half an hour from the route (as it turned out, with a backpack — 45 minutes). Here there is no water. We set up a bivouac at 16:00, and tired, we set out to process the route, Mikha worked first. At 19:00, we finished processing. We took water from under the route, there was snow, and returned to the bivouac. Dinner — 20:00, sleep — 21:00.

July 23, 2018. Departure.

Since we had to climb to a ledge, we got up early, at 4:30. At 5:30, we set out to the wall, at 6:30, departure. Kolyan worked first. On section R9–R10, there was an overhang and difficult climbing, we used ITO 3 points.

At 19:00, we arrived on a large strongly sloping osypnaya polka, after the 10th rope. We leveled the ledge to set up a tent, the bivouac was semi-lying, all night it was slipping somewhere. On the ledge, snow didn't melt.

July 24, 2018. Summit.

At 6:00, ascent, at 7:30, we continue moving along the route, Mikha worked first. Местами скалы были мокрые, присутствовал снег. After two and a half ropes, we climbed onto the pre-summit ridge by 10:30. We continue moving along the ridge. The ridge is very uneven — we have to move onto the southern slope. By 14:00, we ascended to the summit, no tour was found.

Descent

We start descending via route 4A along the Eastern ridge. The description includes 3 rappels. We barely found the rappel stations, but the loops were faded and torn by time. Since this is the simplest route to the wall and a descent route for all others, we conclude that no one has been here for a couple of decades. We descend to a saddle by 17:00, continue descending towards Bolshoe Allo lake. We set up a bivouac on a scree slope under a rocky outcrop.

July 25, 2018. Early ascent at 5:00, searching for Mezhozerny pass. The search was unsuccessful, and we exited onto tourist stands on the large Saryshakh-Aurundag ridge, before descending via Saryshakh Saddle pass (3A). But, as it turned out, we descended not in the right place. Descents via scree slopes and simple rocks were interspersed with 4 rappels on 60 m, which we hung, leaving two loops and two rock pitons. We descended into the Aurundag cirque and started descending to camp via Zierat and Chukurak lakes. At 14:40, we descended to Artuch camp.

Approach via a snowfield 25 m

1. Wall 10 m, 5 cat. diff., 20 m, 4 cat. diff.
2. Internal corner 7 m, wall — 5 m, ledge 8 m, wall, few points.
3. Wall with a crack, traverse of the wall, start of an internal corner-chimney.
4. Internal corner-chimney, местами мокро and very destroyed.
5. Large osypnaya polka.
6. Wall, series of ledges and walls.
7. Wall, slab, internal corner, crack.
8. Traverse, slightly overhanging wall, internal corner. Station on a large stone.
9. Series of internal corners and cracks, 4–5.
10. Movement along the edge. Overhang on ITO, wall, traverse under a cornice, wall 6.
11. Series of "ram's foreheads," ledges, and small walls, convenient station.
12. Internal corner under a white wall, местами снег.
13. Traverse under a large stone, exit via a destroyed wall onto the ridge.
14. Ridge (мать его) 300–400 m, местами плиты, местами узкие места.

Route diagram in UIAA symbols

General view of the route

Route thread

Gaznych-Saryshakh cirque

Photo from R8 station

Bivouac on a ledge

R11–R12 section

Pre-summit ridge

Photo from the summit, view of the eastern ridge