MINISTRY OF SPORT AND TOURISM OF KRASNOYARSK TERRITORY

TERRITORIAL ALPINISM FEDERATION

RUSSIAN ALPINISM CHAMPIONSHIP

2010

Class of First Ascents

REPORT

On the ascent of the Krasnoyarsk Territory team to Peak Bлока 5239 m via the west wall. First ascent (variant of the Valiev route) 6A category.

Krasnoyarsk 2010

Ascent Passport

Region – Pamiro-Alay, Turkestan Range, Laylyak gorge, 5.4.2.
Peak – Bлока 5239 m. Via the 3rd wall (Valiev's route), variant (first ascent).
Category – 6A (expected).
Route character – combined.

5. Route characteristics

Main section height difference – 700 m, route length – 950 m. Length of sections with 6B category difficulty – 700 m, average steepness of the main section – 83°.

Equipment left on the route: total – 15 pieces, including 3 pitons, and 12 anchor pitons (all at belay stations, used for rappel). Used:

old stationary pitons – 5, including 0 for ITO
removable pitons – 0

Total ITO used – 150 pieces + about 260 ITO on "fifths".

Total climbing hours – 38. Days – 3.
Team leader: Vladimir Sergeyevich Gunko, Master of Sports

Team members: Pavel Sergeyevich Vlasenko, Candidate for Master of Sports, Georgy Vasilyevich Kalita, Candidate for Master of Sports

Team coaches:

Valery Viktorovich Balezin, Honored Master of Sports, Nikolai Nikolayevich Zakharov, Honored Master of Sports, Honored Coach of Russia

Departure date:

To the route – at 7:00 on August 11, 2010, to the summit – at 20:00 on August 13, 2010, Return to Base Camp – at 20:00 on August 14, 2010.

Ascent organized by – Ministry of Sport and Tourism of Krasnoyarsk Territory. 2010

Peak Bлока 5239 m.

Route profile drawing

Photograph of the wall, January 2004. The wall has not yet collapsed.

Photograph, January 2010. The collapsed section of the wall is clearly visible, through which the Valiev route passed. This year, the weather in the Aksu area was particularly bad; the mountains in the main range area were almost constantly shrouded in clouds, and it was snowing there with zero visibility and strong winds. The breaks between periods of bad weather were short, no more than two to three days. After an unsuccessful attempt to climb Aksu (on the first day of the ascent, Ilya Efremov fell ill in bad weather, and the team was forced to descend), it was decided to change the objective and go as a trio (without Efremov) to Peak Bлока 5239 m via the west wall, following the Valiev route, 6A category. This is the steepest wall in the area, with an average steepness of over 80° and a height difference of about 700 m.

Approximately between 2004-2008, a rockfall occurred on the east wall, with a section of the wall about 150 m high and 60 m wide collapsing, through which the Valiev route passed. This is clearly visible in the photographs before and after the collapse.

We decided to follow a variant of the Valiev route, planning to complete it as quickly as possible for winter conditions in 3 days. We started the route slightly to the left of the Valiev route, merging with it after 1.5 rope lengths, then diverging again after another 1.5 rope lengths, and reconvening at the end of the 8th rope length. Beyond this point, a new section of the wall began, where the Valiev route previously passed, but now there was a sheer, smooth, gray wall without any relief, which we had to bypass to the left for over 3.5 rope lengths. Thus, out of 15 rope lengths in the main section, 10 were new (practically a first ascent), and we chose a route that maximized the use of natural relief, minimizing the use of pitons and not using "skyhooks" at all. The route became somewhat convoluted, but we were able to complete nearly half of it using free climbing.

During the ascent, only on the first day was the weather more or less normal: clear, light wind, but cold –40 °C. Afterwards, it became warmer, but a very strong wind picked up, so strong that on the second day it tore our platform, rendering it practically unusable. On the first day, we completed 5 rope lengths. We spent the night on the fourth rope length on a platform on a snow ledge. On the second day, we completed another 5 rope lengths (total 10), setting up the platform on the 8th rope length, as there were no snow ledges above. On the third day, leaving the platform behind (especially since it was rendered unusable by the strong wind on the second day), we set out to conquer the summit, taking 2 ropes with us. Initially, we traversed 2 processed rope lengths, then 5 rope lengths of the upper wall section, and 4 relatively easy rope lengths along the dome and ridge. We reached the summit in the dark, at 20:00. We descended via the ascent route and were back at the platform by 3:00 at night. The next day, we retrieved 2 ropes above the platform and descended.

We arrived back at Base Camp at 20:00.

Ascent schedule for Peak Bлока 5239 m via the 3rd wall

Route description by sections

Section R0–R1: The start of the route is from a snow patch, left of the black streak. Move up through a thin crack. The belay station is on a large flake.

Section R1–R2: From the flake, climb 25 m up a thin crack to a sloping snow ledge. Move up and right along it, then continue up a large flake (chimney) to a ledge, and set up a belay station.

Section R2–R3: From the belay station, move right into a chimney and climb it, overcoming jams and overhangs. An old channel piton is in place at the belay station.

Section R3–R4: Continue up the same chimney, which becomes less steep and ends at a small ledge. Here, it's convenient to set up a belay station. Overnight stay in a platform.

Section R4–R5: From the belay station, move left along a ledge onto a slab, and traverse it to overcome a cornice. Then climb up an internal corner to a small ledge.

Section R5–R6: Climb up the internal corner to a large cornice. Under the cornice, traverse right for about 7 m to a vertical crack with "fifths", then climb up the crack. A piton was placed during the traverse.

Section R6–R7: Initially, a thin crack, then an overhanging internal corner trending right and up, and an exit right onto a snow ledge. This is a convenient spot for a belay station.

Section R7–R8: Continue up a wide crack to a sloping ledge, then traverse right along it. Then climb up a slab to the right, reaching a ledge where a gray patch begins, formed after the rockfall. Overnight stay in a platform.

Section R8–R9: The wall has significantly deteriorated relief (after the rockfall), with unreliable holds and small cracks. In the upper part, there's an internal corner, exiting the rockfall zone.

Section R9–R10: Climb up a wall with a crack; after about 25 m, you'll reach a steep chimney. Exit the chimney onto a sloping ledge. This is a belay station. One of the most challenging rope lengths.

Section R10–R11: Continue up an internal corner to a cornice; under it, traverse right (a piton was placed) along the wall.

Section R11–R12: Continue traversing right to the start of a small internal corner (here we rejoin the Valiev route), which leads to a huge internal corner. Two old pitons are in place in the corner. The belay station is on a piton.

Section R12–R13: From the belay station, climb a bit, then move left onto a monolithic slab and climb up a thin crack with "fifths". To the left, a more convenient crack is visible, which could be reached with a pendulum, but we continued up the wall to a small sloping ledge.

Section R13–R14: From the belay station, move left and up, then continue up a chimney. Then climb up the destroyed left wall of the internal corner to a small ledge.

Section R14–R15: From the belay station, move right and up into an internal corner, and up its left part to exit beyond the wall's overhang onto an icy slope on the roof. The belay station is beyond the overhang on ice screws.

Section R15–R17: An icy slope-couloir with a steepness of about 35°, leading to the ridge. Section R17–R19: A rocky ridge, category 3 difficulty.

Technical photo of the route

Note from the summit

August 9, 1992 A team of climbers ascended Peak Bлока via the Valiev route, 6A category, consisting of: 2. Bandalet N. – Belarus 3. Golovenko M. – Moldova Kalita (?), Zaymanov (?), a group from Perm from May 6, 1962. Greetings to all!