Ascent Passport

1. Ascent category — technical
2. Ascent area: Pamiro-Alai, Turkestan Ridge, Lyaylyak gorge.
3. Peak, route: p. Aksu (N) via N wall (L. Troshchinenko route).
4. Category of difficulty — 6A
5. Height difference: — 1640 m — of which the wall part proper — 1100 m — total route length — 2149 m — length of the wall part — 1384 m — of which: 5th category of difficulty — 530 m — 6th category of difficulty — 389 m — average steepness of the wall part — 74° — average steepness of the route — 60°
6. Pitons driven: rock 150, ice 9, chocks 350, bolt pitons 39, 95, 5, 230, 33 for T.I.G.
7. Number of climbing hours/days — 60/5
8. Overnights: — 1st — 2nd — on a ledge, sitting. — 3rd — semi-reclining, hewn out on a snow-ice ledge. — 4th — comfortable, lying, on a snow-covered ledge. — 5th — on a ridge, comfortable, lying.
9. Leader: Valery Perminov, Master of Sports Participants: — Alexander Shavrovich, Candidate for Master of Sports — Yuri Zhizhin, Candidate for Master of Sports — Sergey Smirnov, Candidate for Master of Sports — Konstantin Bannikov, 1st sports category
10. Coach: Alexey Muchkin, Master of Sports
11. Approach to the route — August 9, 1995 Summit — August 13, 1995 Return — August 15, 1995

Third day

Total for the day: 12 climbing hours, 392 m.

Second day

Total for the day: 10 climbing hours, 187 m.

Fourth day

Total for the day: 12 climbing hours, 362 m. www.alpfederation.ru↗

Total on the route

Total on the route: 60.0 climbing hours, 2149 m. Total for the day: 12 climbing hours, 735 m.

Tactical actions of the team

On August 9 at 6:00, from an overnight stay on the moraine under the N wall of p. Aksu, the rope team Bannikov — Shavrovich set out. Having traversed the ice-snow slope using ice screws in the upper part for protection, the rope team set up a rope with an exit to the rocky part of the route. Leaving ice equipment at the "two-person" station, they continued working on the route (Bannikov led first). At 9:00, the first rope team reached the "Iron" peak (section R2) under the first "Integral". Up to the ledge (sections R0–R2), two hanging belays were set up on rock pitons and chocks. At 14:00, the rope team reached the ledge under the second "Integral" (section R5). On the ledge, there was a change of lead, and after a short snack, the rope team continued (Shavrovich led first). By 20:00, they covered three rope lengths (sections R5–R10). The first and second belays were hanging, the third was on a ledge. Then, the "two-person" team descended for an overnight stay on the shoulder of the first "Integral". The platform for a sitting overnight stay was 15 m below the ledge (section R5). On sections R3–R4 (first "Integral"), the first climber used "hook legs". Rock pitons and chocks were used as T.I.G. On sections R0–R10 (second "Integral", Photo №1 and №2), "friends", "sky hooks", and removable bolt pitons were additionally used. The first climber worked on a double rope with protection through "Bukashka-3" by Kasheunik B.L. The 2nd-5th participants ascended via the ropes with top-rope protection. Each participant's movement along the ropes was facilitated by two "Jumar" type ascenders. All, except the first participant, carried backpacks. At the overnight stay, a tent was set up with a rope threaded through it. Protection was organized using bolt pitons and rock pitons. To prepare food, snow was taken from the upper ledge (R5). On August 10, by 9:00, the rope team Zhizhin — Smirnov approached the upper station along the ropes and began processing the route (Smirnov led first). Having covered three rope lengths along sections R11–R18, with belays set up on small ledges, by 16:00, the "two-person" team reached a ledge with an overnight stay platform (section R19, Photo №3). There was a change, with Zhizhin leading first (Photo №4). By 19:00, the "two-person" team processed two rope lengths on wet rocks (sections R19–R22) with two hanging belays and descended for an overnight stay. Sections R12, R13, R20, R22 were traversed using "hook legs" and T.I.G. including chocks, "friends", bolt pitons, and rock pitons. On section R17, "sky hooks" were additionally used. Protection on the route and at the overnight stay was organized similarly to the first day. To prepare food, snow was taken from the ledge. On August 11, by 8:00, the rope team Bannikov — Shavrovich approached the upper station and continued processing the route (Bannikov led first). At 11:20, having covered two rope lengths, they approached a control cairn at the end of the ledge (section R25). At 14:00, they reached a ledge (section R29). Three rope lengths were covered with belays on small ledges. Shavrovich began leading first. Having traversed a rope length with flow ice (section R30, Photo №5), they reached severely shattered rocks (section R31) to the left of a snow-filled couloir. After 100 m, by 18:00, they reached an overnight stay platform (section R32). By 20:00, they managed to process another two rope lengths (sections R33–R34). On sections R30–R34, five belays were organized: the first was hanging, the rest were on good ledges. To traverse sections R23, R24, R30, T.I.G. was used, including chocks, rock and bolt pitons, "friends", and "sky hooks". The first climber used "hook legs". The overnight stay platform was hewn out on a snow-ice ledge with protection organized on ice screws and rock pitons. Participant protection was organized as on the first day. On August 12, at 8:00, the rope team Bannikov — Shavrovich began work from the upper station. Shavrovich led first. By 15:00, on iced rocks, four rope lengths were covered (sections R35–R41, Photo №6) with two hanging belays and two awkward ones on small ledges. Then, after a change (Bannikov led first), they covered another two rope lengths to the overnight stay location (section R45), which they reached around 18:00. After that, they processed another two rope lengths (sections R46–R50). All belays were organized on comfortable ledges. On sections R35, R41, R48, R50, T.I.G. was used, including bolt pitons, rock pitons, and chocks. On sections R36–R40, "ice fifis", ice screws, bolt pitons, and rock pitons were used, as well as chocks. The overnight stay location was chosen on a large rocky ledge (section R45) under the "Bastion" with protection through rock and bolt pitons. Participant protection was organized as on previous days. On August 13, around 8:00, the rope team Bannikov — Shavrovich continued work from the upper station. Shavrovich led first. At 11:30, having swung three rope lengths (sections R51–R52), they reached the ridge. All belays were on comfortable ledges. The next four belays (the first one was hanging) were organized behind выступs. By 16:00, they approached the key section on the ridge (section R65). Having traversed three walls with rappels (R66, R70), by 19:00, they reached the overnight stay location near rappel anchors (section R73), 150 m from the summit. Leaving bivouac equipment and food, at 20:00, they reached the summit and by 21:00 returned to the "overnight stay". On sections R52, R58, R66, T.I.G. was used on bolt pitons and rock pitons, as well as chocks. Participant protection was similar to previous days. The overnight stay was on a comfortable ledge. To ensure route passage, the following were taken: three 250 g gas cylinders and three 420 g cylinders, two burners, an autoclave with a pot. For nutrition, mainly quick-preparation products were used: — "Knorr" puree — 800 g — packeted vermicelli — 600 g — buckwheat porridge — 400 g — sublimated cottage cheese — 300 g — meat filling — 300 g — broth cubes — 150 g — sprats — 750 g — kilka — 500 g — lard — 1000 g — crackers — 600 g — condensed milk — 450 g