| 1. | Classification of the route: | Technical. |
|---|---|---|
| 2. | Mountain region: | Pamir-Alai, Fann Mountains. |
| 3. | Name of the peak, height, route: | Peak Chapdara (5049 m), via N ridge. |
| 4. | Category of complexity: | 5A (Russia) |
| 5. | Description of the route: | A/l "Alaudin" — Talbas Pass — "Sphinx" shoulder — Peak Chapdara — descent to the Bodkhona valley — A/l "Alaudin". |
| 6. | Stages of the route: | a) A/l "Alaudin" — overnight under the "Sphinx"; b) overnight — "Sphinx" head, rocks 60°–90°; c) "Sphinx" head — "Frog" gendarme, rocks — traverse of the ridge; d) "Frog" gendarme — Peak Chapdara — bergschrund, ice slope; snow slope; e) descent — broken rocks; talus slope; sheer rocks, with overhangs in the upper part. |
| 7. | Height difference: | From overnight under the "Sphinx" to the summit — 1349 m. |
| 8. | Equipment on the route: | 2 ropes ∅8.5 mm x 55 m, 2 ropes ∅9 mm x 55 m, rock pitons — 15 pcs, nuts (stoppers #2–5) — 15 pcs, friends — 10 pcs, no bolt pitons were used. |
| 9. | Dates of ascent: | August 6–8, 2002. On the summit — August 8. |
| 10. | Itinerary: | August 6: A/l "Alaudin" — Talbas Pass — overnight under the "Sphinx". August 7: overnight under the "Sphinx" — overnight under "Rabbits" gendarme. August 8: overnight under "Fingers" gendarme — Peak Chapdara summit — descent to Bodkhona valley — A/l "Alaudin". |
| 11. | Description of overnight stays: | Before "Sphinx" (Good) — 3700 m; Before "Rabbits" gendarme (Normal). |
| 12. | Participants: | Oleg Silin — leader, Arkady Kostyuk, Timur Galeev, Vladimir Zinoviev |
| 13. | Time on the route (pure): | a) ascent, passage of the "Sphinx" to "Rabbits" gendarme — 12 h, then to the summit — 4 h; b) descent to Bodkhona valley — 6 h, then to "Aludin" camp — 2 h. |
| 14. | Total time on the route (pure): | 28 h. |
| 15. | Conditions on the route: | — weather — excellent; — visibility — excellent; — rockfall hazard — from this point of view, the most dangerous sections are when ascending to the "Sphinx" head, as well as on the descent (rappelling). |
| 16. | Tactics for passing complex sections: | — worked in 2 teams; — the first team set up the ropes, the second team carried equipment and removed the anchors; — mostly used old loops from previous teams on the descent. |
Diagram of the ascent route to Peak Chapdara, 5049 m.
| "Frog" gendarme R10 50 m 50° 3 | 
|
Description of the route passage
August 7.
We leave the campsite under the "Sphinx" early in the morning at 8:00. The first section of "ram's foreheads" and broken rocks is passed with simultaneous insurance quite quickly, in 40 minutes. The rocks are dry, it is easy to climb, the hands are a bit cold.
Then:
- Two steep ropes on the wall (almost negative in the lower part) with an exit to a wide talus inclined shelf (≈40°).
- Through a small wall (about 3 m, 90°) we come out onto inclined gray rocks.
- On the gray rocks, we pass 2 ropes of 55 m and get to the base of the inner corner (see photo R3).
Further:
- On the inner corner (60°) — one rope (see photo R3), to a small sheer wall 75 m high and then on an inclined shelf to the base of the wall (80°–90°), which leads to the "Sphinx" head.
- On the head we have a small snack with tea (time 13:00).
Around 13:30 from the "Sphinx" head:
- Two rappels of 20 m to bypass the sharp gendarme on the right.
- To the right of the gendarme — a good inclined shelf leading to a sharp rocky ridge.
- On the ridge we go simultaneously, insurance through rock outcrops.
After the ridge:
- We approach a rocky wall (70°–80°), at the beginning of which — a section of difficult climbing, facilitated by a bolt hammered in the middle of the section.
- After the wall — broken, but easy rocks.
- We come out onto a snow-ice slope (30°–50°).
- We ascend the snow simultaneously and approach the "Rabbits" gendarme.
Since it's 19:00, we decide to spend the night. The site is not very comfortable, but we manage to set up a tent and spend the night almost comfortably.
August 8.
Morning departure at 9:00. The weather is excellent. Bypassing the "Rabbits" gendarme on the left along a simple sharp ridge (see photo) we approach a steep ice section to the left of the "Frog" gendarme. We pass the ice section simultaneously with insurance through ice screws and get into a hollow between the "Frog" gendarme and the bergschrund. A good place to spend the night. The bergschrund is ≈3 m high and is passed on ice axes. After the bergschrund we come out onto a gentle snow-ice slope, on which, bypassing ice breaks, we approach the summit ascent (≈45°). Overcoming the ascent in about 40 minutes, we come out onto the pre-summit talus shoulder, on which there is a good place to spend the night. From these campsites to the summit is 15 minutes walk (see photo on the summit). On the summit at 12:00.
From the summit we descend to the campsites on the shoulder and from it we begin the descent into the Bodkhona valley. The start of the descent is at 12:30. Directly from the campsites we descend on fine talus to the "ram's foreheads", on which we already descend by rappelling 55 m to a wide talus shelf. On this shelf we go to the right (along the descent) and traverse further a wide talus slope in the direction of the talus saddle in the northwest ridge of Chapdara.
Directly under this saddle the talus ends in a sheer belt of rocks. Two rappels of 55 m to a rocky shelf. Old pitons and loops for descent are found everywhere. Attention, the descent is quite rockfall-prone!
Then we move simultaneously between sections of broken rocks on talus. Then:
- 1 rappel 20 m
- again on foot
- we are guided by old loops
In a small couloir we find an old station and descend 50 m to a small shelf under the cover of an overhanging rock. From this place we rappel 55 m onto fine talus. Further descent is on foot on talus. Dodging between rock outcrops, we come out onto a wide talus, on which we run down to the last belt of rocks separating us from the bed of the Bodkhona River valley. This belt is bypassed on the left along simple rocks with wide talus shelves. At 18:00 everyone descends into the Bodkhona River valley. We are in a hurry, we need to make it to the camp before dark. At around 20:30 all participants are at a/l Alaudin.
