Sports group of MGS DSO "SPARTAK" gathering

Serebryakova V. 2nd sports category — leader Bashkirov V. CMS, Ginzburg V. CMS, Klimashin V.V. 1st sports category, Bychkov A. 2nd sports category, Ponomarenko B. 1st sports category, Sadovnikov V. 1st sports category, Leonov K. 1st sports category — representative of a/l Varzab.

Due to its relatively low height, Peak Blok was conquered comparatively recently (1970). Two routes of 3A category difficulty were established:

• One from the side of Double Pass along the Eastern ridge.
• Another — from the side of Akhbasoy gorge (Akhbasoy glacier) from the saddle between Moscow Peak and Peak Blok.

Another route — 5B category difficulty — is a traverse of the peaks Sugar Head, Moscow, Peak Blok.

All routes are combined. Our sports group was tasked with refining one of the 3A category difficulty routes and establishing a new one not lower than 3rd category difficulty.

We decided to search for a new route on the more interesting Eastern ridge of Peak Blok from the northern, less destroyed side, i.e., from the side of Double Pass glacier. At the same time, the 3A category difficulty route from this side was refined. The overnight stay was set up on a green meadow under Akhbasoy glacier, 2 hours from the route.

Description of the ascent to Peak Blok along the Eastern ridge

Throughout the entire route, the weather is warm and sunny. Departure to the route from the overnight stay on the green meadow under Akhbasoy glacier.

Moving along the tourist trail towards Double Pass, we leave the beginning of the Eastern ridge of Peak Blok to the left. 200 m from the beginning of the ridge, a characteristic feature of the start of the route appears (Fig. 1; 4):

from the beginning of the ridge, there are four small depressions, after the fourth one, a high, standalone gendarme (I "finger") becomes visible on the ridge — the start of the route.

Above the gendarme, the ridge curves into a slab (160 m) — a "hump". Further, we approach the II "finger" — lower and wider than the first. Behind it, a "large" pre-summit gendarme is visible. To the right of the first I "finger", three couloirs run down the eastern wall of the peak. The route begins with the couloir closest to the ridge at this gendarme.

Section R0–R1

This is a narrow scree couloir (1.5 ropes), ending in a niche with a ledge for 4–5 people. Here, we can rope up. The couloir is overcome on the right side along a rock island.

Section R1–R2

From the niche, to the left, along the wall (2 m) and a crack, we exit to the base of the "hump". Insurance is alternate, 0.5 ropes. Further, along the slabs of the "hump" with alternate insurance (pitons), we move towards the II "finger". Then, along the right wall of the ridge, on scree ledges (two ropes of simultaneous climbing), through a scree couloir (four ropes of simultaneous climbing), we exit to the II "finger" — a gendarme.

Section R2–R3

The couloir is prone to rockfall. We traverse the gendarme to the left (pitons insurance, alternately), descending for this into a depression (1.5–2 m), and further, traversing the scree and ice couloir, we exit onto the saddle between the II "finger" and the "large" gendarme (one rope). The first control point is established here.

Section R4–R5

The gendarme needs to be bypassed on the right (2–3 m) and then directly — difficult climbing with thorough pitons insurance. This is the most challenging section of the route. Then, exit to the right upwards along a slightly pronounced internal corner (rocks of medium difficulty, thorough pitons insurance is necessary).

Section R5–R6

Further, not reaching the pre-summit gendarme by 200 m, we make a traverse sharply to the right along slabs (7 m), scree ledges, and a snowpatch descending from the shoulder of the gendarme. From here, a view of the summit of Peak Blok opens up (Fig. 5). Two ropes of traverse (alternate insurance through an ice axe and ledges), then exit to the ridge along easy rocks.

Section R6–R7

The ridge leads to a depression (3–4 m deep), which is bypassed on the left along an internal scree corner with alternate insurance through ledges. We exit onto a snow-rock pre-summit saddle, from which we will later descend from the summit to Double Pass, completing the ascent along the 3A category difficulty route.

Section R7–R8

From the saddle, along the left wall of the internal corner starting from the base of the summit, with thorough alternate pitons insurance (one rope of complex climbing), we ascend to the strongly destroyed part of the corner.

Section R8–R9

Further to the right and through one rope of alternate insurance, we exit onto the pre-summit shoulder. Then, descent to the left of the ridge into a depression (3 m) onto a narrow saddle, in the middle of which stands a sharp small gendarme. Bypassing it, we exit to a slab and through 1.5 ropes of climbing along a crack in the slab (pitons insurance) ascend upwards with a traverse to the left to destroyed ledges and rock fragments. Along them, to the left of the summit ridge, we exit through two ropes of alternate climbing to the summit of Peak Blok, where we retrieve a note from climbers of Kazakh gatherings. Through a lowering in the ridge, we ascend to the second summit of the peak, where we also retrieve a note from Kazakh gathering.

Section R9–R10

Descent from the summit along the 3A category difficulty route on the Eastern ridge of Peak Blok goes from the saddle (second control point) to the first snow couloir of the summit from Double Pass. Descent is along the couloir to the right along rock islands (one rope), then along islands (one rope) sportingly, and further, we exit onto a gentle snow of the couloir.

Overcoming the bergschrund, we exit onto the snowy fields of Double Pass. Further along the tourist trail, we return to the overnight stay on the green meadow.

The entire route from the foot of the first couloir at the beginning of the Eastern ridge and to the foot of the descent couloir was completed in 8 hours 30 minutes by a group of 8 people.

16 pitons were hammered along the route.

Total time spent — 8.5 hours.

Total number of pitons hammered — 16.

Fig. 1. View of Peak Blok (along the Eastern ridge) from the side of Sugar Head Peak.

Operation of route sections in accordance with the description of the ascent on page 4 2. control point.

Fig. 2. Peak Blok. Route 3A category difficulty with a saddle between Red Moscow Peak and Peak Blok from the side of Sugar Head Peak (descent option towards Skazsky glacier and to overnight stays).

Fig. 4. Schematic view of the start of the route (Eastern ridge of Peak Blok) from the side of Rocky Wall Peak and Double Pass.

Direction of return to overnight stays under Skazsky glacier.

Fig. 5. Schematic view of Peak Blok from the side of Double Pass. Descent along the route 3A category difficulty.