Ascent Report

1. Ascent category — technical.
2. Ascent area: Pamiro-Alai, Turkestan Range, Lailyak valley.
3. Peak, route: Blok A. via W wall (K. Valieva).
4. Category of difficulty — 6A.
5. Height difference: 802 m
   • Route length: 988 m
   • Length of sections with 5th category of difficulty — 248 m
   • Length of sections with 6th category of difficulty — 390 m
   • Average steepness: main part of the route — 75.5°
   • entire route — 68°
6. Pitons driven: rock, chocks, ice, bolt
   • 133/78
   • 93/65
   • 0/0
   • 8/2 + 16*
   • * — reuse of previously driven pitons
   • Left on the route: rock — 2, chocks — 0, bolt — 0
7. Team's travel time: 38 hours and 4 days
8. Overnights: all overnight stays in a tent on a suspended platform
9. Team leader:
   • Perminov Valery Yamsovich — Master of Sports, Berezniki, Mira str., 70–27
   • Team members:
     • Mochalov Alexander Vyacheslavovich — 1st category, Perm, Ivanovskaya str., 16–29
     • Puchnin Vyacheslav Evgenievich — Candidate Master of Sports, Perm, Uinskaya str., 8–198
     • Smirnov Sergey Viktorovich — Candidate Master of Sports, Perm, L. Tolstoy str., 10–227
10. Coach: Muchkin Alexey Borisovich — Master of Sports, Perm, Svyazistov str., 18–32
11. Departure to the route: Blok A. peak — August 3, 1996
    • Return to base camp — August 7, 1996
12. Organization: Perm City Palace of Youth Creativity — Perm, K. Marx str., 27A.

Team's Tactical Actions on the Route

August 3. At 8:00, the rope team Mochalov–Smirnov departed from the platform located under the start of the route on the border of the snow-ice slope and rocks and began work on the wall (Mochalov led first). At 10:00, a hanging belay station was established (section R2). At 12:00, the pair reached the scree shelf (section R3). By 14:00, another hanging belay station was established (section R4). Around 17:00, the rope team reached the bolt pitons (section R5), where it was decided to organize a station for hanging the platform and overnight stay. After changing leads (Smirnov went first), the pair continued to process the route. Having processed sections R6 and R7, the pair returned to the overnight stay location by 19:00. On the shelf (R6), the first control cairn was retrieved ("note of the Krasnoyarsk group, 1995"). On sections R2–R5, the first climber used " крюконоги" and rock pitons, chocks as ITO. On section R7, "sky-hooks" and extracted bolt pitons were additionally used. The first climber worked on a double rope with UIAA certification, with insurance through "Bukashka-3" by Kashevnick. 2–4 team members ascended via the fixed ropes with top insurance. Movement was carried out along the fixed ropes using two "jumar" ascenders. 2nd and 4th team members carried backpacks, the 3rd member carried a disassembled platform in addition to a light backpack. After hanging the platform on the wall, a tent was set up on it with a fixed rope run through it. The belay station was established using bolt and rock pitons. For meal preparation, ice was hacked out from a crevasse near the platform.

August 4. At 8:00, the rope team Mochalov–Smirnov continued to process the route (Mochalov led first). Having passed 3 ropes (sections R7–R9) with the organization of 2 hanging belay stations and one station on a small shelf, the pair approached the "plug" by 17:00. Here, the lead was changed, and Smirnov went first. At 18:30, the weather worsened, and it started snowing. It was decided to establish a belay station for the night on section R10. Before darkness fell, only 20 meters above the station were processed amidst heavy snowfall and poor visibility. Sections R7–R10 were traversed using "крюконоги", with chocks, "sky-hooks", bolt, and rock pitons used as ITO. Insurance on the route and at the overnight stay was organized similarly to the first day. For meal preparation, ice was hacked out from a crevasse.

August 5, 1986. At 8:00, the rope team Mochalov–Smirnov began work from the upper station (Mochalov led first). At 9:00, the pair reached a snowy shelf to the 2nd control cairn ("note of K. Valieva's group from 1986"), section R11.

Having passed sections R12–R15, organizing:

• 3 hanging belay stations,
• one station on a shelf (R15),

they reached a shelf to the 3rd control cairn by 16:00 ("note of the Krasnoyarsk group from 1995"). It was decided to organize an overnight stay on the shelf.

Leaving the backpack behind, the Smirnov–Mochalov pair continued to process the route. By 19:30, all free ropes were hung. The last rope was hung in a "chimney" under a "waterfall" of melting snow on the "roof". At 20:00, the pair descended to the overnight stay.

On sections R12–R18, they used:

• "крюконоги",
• ITO on bolt and rock pitons,
• chocks.

Insurance for team members was carried out similarly to the previous days. For meal preparation, meltwater was taken from the wall.

August 6. At 8:00, the rope team Mochalov–Smirnov began ascending via the fixed ropes. At 9:00, from the last station, the pair continued to process the route (Smirnov led first). Having passed sections R20–R22, they reached the "roof" at 10:30. At 11:30, they reached the summit.

On section R21, they used:

• "крюконоги",
• ITO on bolt and rock pitons,
• chocks.

Insurance for team members was carried out similarly to the previous days.

To ensure full-fledged rest on the route and increase the pace of movement, the team used a platform for the first time. The equipment was selected according to the relief features of the given route. The interaction tactics were worked out by the group during training and the ascent of peak 4600 via the N wall (5B category of difficulty). Comprehensive consultations with P. Shabalin and A. Klenov, a detailed study of the description, and the availability of a suspended platform allowed the team to complete the route without preliminary processing and tying to convenient overnight stay shelves.

Radio communication with the base was carried out using a VHF radio station "Makhop" according to a pre-agreed schedule:

• 9:00
• 12:00
• 15:00
• 18:00
• 21:00

On the morning of August 5, the backup group departed onto the ridge via the Petrichenko route (5B category of difficulty).

For meal preparation, they took gas canisters (2 x 250g and 2 x 420g), two burners, an autoclave, and a pot. For nutrition, they mainly took quick-preparation products:

• oat flakes — 1 pack
• mashed potatoes "Uncle Ben's" — 1 pack
• rice "Uncle Ben's" — 1 pack
• broth cubes — 12 pcs.
• instant soups — 2 packs
• smoked lard — 0.8 kg
• sprats — 1 can
• condensed milk — 1 can
• crackers — 1 kg
• dry biscuits — 1 kg
• "Snickers" and "Mars" chocolate bars — 16 pcs.
• dried apricots, raisins, nuts — 1.5 kg
• "Invite" dry juices — 10 packs
• tea — 0.1 kg
• Dutch cheese — 0.8 kg

UIAA SCHEME Valieva route on Blok A. peak via W wall (6A category of difficulty.)

Description of the Route by Sections

Section R0–R1: The snow-ice slope with a bergschrund at the top leads to the start of the route. The route begins from a narrow scree shelf.

Section R1–R3: The wall has outgrowths and "feathers"; cracks are small, making the organization of intermediate belay points extremely challenging. Passing these sections requires a high level of rock climbing skill. In some places, there is morning ice formation. At the top, a vertical crack leads to a scree shelf (sitting overnight stay is possible).

Section R3–R6: From the right part of the scree shelf, up a vertical crack that smoothly transitions into a chimney, two ropes up to a small shelf under a cornice. Along the right wall of the chimney, there is a horizontal bolt path. We establish a platform. The wall becomes monolithic, work on ITO. To the right of the bolt path, there is a descent of 10 meters and a pendulum to a horizontal shelf with 1 CP. To pass vertical cracks, "friends" and "крюконоги" were widely used.

Section R6–R7: To the right of the shelf, a bolt path with pitons and holes for "sky-hooks" begins.

Section R7–R10: Along the bolt path, there is an approach to a vertical crack that gradually turns into a chimney. Work with "friends", ladders, and "крюконоги". At the top, the chimney is blocked by a "plug". The chimney leads to a sloping shelf.

Section R10–R11: From the shelf, along a large internal corner with a wall at the top, there is an exit to a large snowy shelf with 2 CP. The shelf is convenient for organizing an overnight stay. Due to bad weather, the platform was set up 15 meters below on an indistinctly expressed shelf.

Section R11–R13: To the right of the shelf, there is an exit to a vertical crack that turns into a horizontal shelf. From the shelf up, first along a small wall, then along a crack, under a "window". The "window" is passed on the right at the bottom, then due to ice formation, there is a transition to the left part on bolt pitons.

Section R13–R15: From the bolt pitons, there is an approach under a vertical crack that goes to the right. The crack leads to a large shelf with 3 CP. Water runs down the wall from the "roof" in the evening. A convenient place for an overnight stay. We establish a platform.

Section R15–R16: From the shelf, up a wide crack to the right under a large iced vertical angle.

Section R16–R18: Up the angle, a crack in the right part leads to a small inclined shelf, then a traverse left 5 meters along the shelf. Further along the wall, there is an exit under a large delamination on bolt pitons. Along the right edge of the delamination (large-sized chocks are necessary), then along a crack up to the left under the start of a chimney. Water runs down the chimney in the second half of the day; in the morning, the chimney is covered with ice formation.

Section R18–R23: Up the chimney to a small shelf, then along the wall, there is an exit to a long shelf. To the left along the shelf under the wall. At the top of the wall, there are smoothed rocks with a bolt piton driven in. Further, there is a flattening and an exit to the "roof".

Section R23–R27: Up strongly destroyed rocks, bypassing a steep snow-ice slope from the left, there is an exit to the ridge. Further along the ridge to the summit. The control cairn is located on one of the "jandarms".

Blok A. peak, W wall:

• 1 — Valieva route, 6A category of difficulty
• 2 — Ginzburg route, 5B category of difficulty
• 3 — Petrichenko route, 5B category of difficulty

The photo was taken on August 2, 1996, at 16:30.

Chimney with a "plug" (section R9–R10)

Wall above the 3rd overnight stay (section R15–R16)