World Alpine Championship

In the technical class

Report

on the ascent of Sabakh Peak (5300 m) via the center of the left bastion of the north face (first ascent, proposed 6B category) by the Russian national team

Climbing Passport

1. Region: Pamir-Alay, Lyaylyak valley area, Ashat valley, section 5.4.2 in the 2012 classification table
2. Peak, route: Sabakh Peak, 5300 m, via the center of the left bastion of the north face, first ascent
3. Category: proposed 6B
4. Route type: combined
5. Route height difference: 1560 m — Wall section height difference: 1300 m — Route length: 2010 m — Length of sections with V–VI category: 1090 m — Average steepness of the wall section: 68° — Number of pitons left on the route: 2
6. Pitons used on the route: stationary pitons — 1/1 anchor pitons, Fifis — 308/218 Friends — 88/69, stoppers — 23/17 ice screws — 17/0, skyhooks — 32/32. Total artificial protection used: 336
7. Team's total climbing hours: 79.5 hours, 11 days
8. Team leader: Andrey Sergeyevich Vasiliev, Candidate Master of Sports Team members: — Alexey Viktorovich Antoshin, Candidate Master of Sports — Ivan Dmitriyevich Osipov, Candidate Master of Sports — Vitaly Viktorovich Shipilov, Candidate Master of Sports
9. Coach: Alexander Alekseyevich Pyatnitsin
10. Approach to the route: July 27, 2013, 8:00 AM Route processing: July 27–31, 2013 (5 days, 29 hours) Summit push: August 6, 2013, 5:20 PM Return to Base Camp: August 7, 2013, 11:00 PM

Map and Area Description

The area of Sabakh Peak (Ashyat valley) is located next to the Ak-Su peak area. The path to it begins from the Uzgu rush village and initially follows the Lyaylyak main valley, then the Ashyat valley (with packhorses, 10–12 hours to the base camp at the glacier snout).

The area was actively explored during the 1985–1990 period. Only four successful ascents to the main peak of the area, Sabakh Peak (5300), were recorded: three via the north face (Plotnikov, 1985; Bashkirov, 1985; Moshkin, 1986) and one as part of the Ashat Wall traverse (Petrov, 1990). As far as we know, none of these ascents were repeated.

The main peaks in the area include all four peaks of the Ashat Wall (Peak 4700, Peak 4750, Peak 4810, Sabakh Peak), as well as the Parus Peak with its three summits — Western (4850), Eastern (4800), and Main (5053). The heights of the Ashat Wall peaks (as per the 2012 FAR classifier) need clarification. For instance, Peak 4700 is clearly higher altitudes than the neighboring Peak 4750, while Peak 4810 appears significantly higher, around 5000 m (see photo 10). However, Plotnikov's report (1985) provides different heights.

Yuri Koshelenko has created a good overview of the area with information on the routes taken (http://yurikoshelenko.livejournal.com/8280.html↗).

Area Photopanorama

General Summit Photograph

Technical Photograph of the Route

Ascent Graph

Tactical Actions of the Team

When choosing the route up Sabakh Peak, we primarily guided ourselves by safety considerations. Due to abnormal heat, the lower parts of existing routes were extremely hazardous, with rockfall occurring both day and night, literally every hour. We chose a logical route through the left bastion of the north face, which had not been climbed before. We then planned to proceed left of the buttress along a series of monolithic gullies leading to a large, gentle internal angle (the upper part of Plotnikov's route).

The absence of ledges and the risk of rockfall made it impossible to safely bivouac on the bastion, so we decided to use pre-processing. On sections R4–R7 (the key part of the route), water was running even early in the morning, and by afternoon, it was a waterfall (see photo 4). Therefore, during the processing days (July 27–31), we could only work for 4–5 hours, which resulted in a large number of processing days. We had planned to depart on August 1, but due to bad weather on the evening and night of July 31, we postponed our departure by a day.

After passing the lower bastion (up to R13), upon closer inspection of the middle part of the route, we concluded that Plotnikov's route was no less challenging but safer. So, we decided to follow a more logical path (the buttress). After climbing another two ropes, our route merged with Plotnikov's route. We were able to pass the key section of Plotnikov's route (sections R19–R22) relatively quickly (10 hours).

The wall bivouacs (August 2–4), although organized on the buttress in the safest possible locations, were still not fully protected from falling rocks (ricocheting from the left) and ice. Due to the objective danger, we did not plan to bivouac in the gentle internal angle above the second bastion and, after fixing the ropes up to section R21, aimed to reach the ridge in a day.

Bad weather on August 3 prevented us from departing, and we fixed another rope and postponed our bivouac further up — to Plotnikov's team bivouac location. Climbing higher in the second half of the day was dangerous. However, during the bad weather, rockfall became significantly less frequent. On August 4, the bad weather continued, and we couldn't move as quickly as we had hoped, reaching the ridge at night.

The ridge itself was not particularly difficult but turned out to be more challenging than described in Plotnikov's report. In our opinion, it represents a standalone climb of 2B–3A category. We reached the summit by evening and bivouacked just below.

During the descent, the weather deteriorated significantly, with heavy fog and hurricane-force winds, so we had to: — move extremely cautiously; — use rappels for almost the entire descent to the snow and further down to the talus slope.

We encountered two pitons on the entire route — on sections R21–R22 and R24–R25. During the descent, we found several stations left by previous climbers.

Lead climbing was rotated daily, with all team members working as lead. Throughout the ascent, we maintained contact with: — Yuri Koshelenko — Vasily Kolisnyk For which we are very grateful.

Wall Profile Photograph

Hand-Drawn Route Profile

UIAA Symbol Schematic

Section-by-Section Description

R0–R1. The starting point of the route is marked by an avalanche cone to the right of the left bastion of Sabakh Peak's north face. Climb up along the rocks to the beginning of a rock shelf.

R1–R2. Cross the glacier and move left-up along a system of ledges to the start of a gully-internal angle.

R2–R3. Climb up the gully, 50 m, with many loose rocks. Station on a small ledge left of a large talus niche.

R3–R4. From the station, move up through a system of small overhangs towards a black overhang with a crack, bypassing a large overhang shaped like an "L" on the left. Artificial protection, several holes drilled for skyhooks (5 mm). After overcoming the black overhang, climb up and slightly left along a crack for 10–15 m. Station on anchor pitons.

R4–R5. Move up the gully (Friends, anchors, Fifis), with many loose rocks. When the gully ends, traverse left 5 m along a monolithic slab on 5 mm holes and relief skyhooks to the next gully. Climb up the gully, transitioning into an internal angle, through two overhangs to a large black overhang with water flowing from it.

R5–R6. Key section of the route. Bypass the overhang on the right (anchors, Fifis), with many loose rocks. Behind the overhang, through an overhang into an internal angle closed by another overhang, with holes for anchors on the left wall. From the end of the holes, move right-up under the overhang along "booming" slabs. Water is flowing. Station under the overhang is dry, with a piton ( Hilti anchor, 8 mm, 50 mm long).

R6–R7. Key section of the route. The overhang is heavily destroyed; bypass it on the right along a strongly overhanging wall with 5 mm holes for skyhooks. Further up an internal angle, 10 m, through a series of small overhangs, then slightly left along heavily destroyed terrain to a vertical chimney. In the chimney, climb up 20 m on the left side, sometimes widening into an internal angle. Then, in the same direction, 10 m along an internal angle. Can be climbed, but there are many loose rocks and it's wet. Dry station.

R7–R8. Simple climbing left-up along destroyed rocks towards a snow patch.

R8–R9. Climb up the ice, 60 m, left-up towards a ledge.

R9–R10. Continue up the ice for another 20 m, then climb up rocks, 30 m, to a ledge under a steep internal angle.

R10–R13. Climb up the internal angle, 10 m, then make a difficult exit from the angle (3 m, VI, A1, 90°) and continue up simple destroyed rocks, mixed with snow and ice, up and right towards a clearly defined buttress, 100 m. Ice is sometimes thin, with slabs underneath. Comfortable bivouac on the left side of the buttress under overhangs.

R13–R14. From the bivouac, climb left 10 m up destroyed rocks of blocky structure under a monolithic, sometimes overhanging wall with cracks for anchors and Fifis. When the wall becomes less steep, an internal angle begins, which is climbed partly on artificial protection, partly by free climbing.

R14–R15. Continue, choosing the easiest path, transitioning from one internal angle to another, mostly by free climbing, to reach the buttress. Here, the route merges with Plotnikov's route (1985, 6A).

R15–R17. Climb up an ice gully, 90 m, along the buttress. The gully is sometimes narrow (50 cm), with monolithic slabs on the left and right. Protection is partly on ice screws, partly on anchors.

R17–R18. Climb up rocks to the buttress, reaching a ledge. A good ledge for a bivouac is 10 m below. Above the bivouac, large icicles hang from the walls of the next bastion, with a risk of ice and rock fall.

R18–R19. Climb up and left under a 180 m vertical gully. Climbing.

R19–R22. Key section of Plotnikov's route. Artificial protection along a monolithic, sometimes destroyed gully through a series of overhangs. It's essential to have large gear (there's a 30 m gully for #3, 4 camalots), with 5 mm holes for skyhooks. Exit into a large internal angle leading to the ridge.

R22–R28. Climb up the large internal angle, 350 m, mixed V–V+. Ice is unreliable, with protection on rocks. Only suitable for a sitting bivouac in the upper part. In warm weather, significant rockfall is possible.

R28–R29. Exit to the pre-summit ridge along destroyed rocks with ice through an ice overhang.

R29–R30. The ridge is not particularly difficult, with some small rock and ice walls of IV category. Ridge length is 600 m, with "genies" bypassed on the left. Bivouac sites are available on each rope.

Descent is via the South Ridge towards a snow col (see photo 12), about ten rappels, sometimes walking. From the col (depending on snow conditions), walk or rappel 2–3 times to the talus slope to the right, then walk. At the bottom, one rappel onto the gentle part of the glacier. Then walk.

The key section of the route (R4–R7) is a sheer wall with a series of overhangs. There are many gullies, but all are heavily destroyed. Sometimes, there are "booming" slabs. The key section resembles the second and third ropes of Kritsuk's route on Peak 4810 (Karavshin). In warm weather, the presence of water on sections R4–R8 adds significant difficulties. Above the first bastion (R13), the rocks become more monolithic.

Equipment recommendations: it's highly desirable to have large gear (up to #4 camalot), 5 mm hole skyhooks, no platforms are needed on the route, all bivouacs are on comfortable ledges.

Note from the Summit

"Team of climbers from Moscow City Sports Committee, completing the traverse of Ashat Wall (peaks 4700–4750–4810–Sabakh), having ascended Sabakh Peak from the col between Peak 4810 and Sabakh Peak). Traverse as part of the 1990 USSR Championship. Team members:

1. Petrov N.E. — captain
2. Bashkirov V.A.
3. Belyaev N.N.
4. Egorov A.A.
5. Mikhailov S.V.
6. Koroteev V.K.
7. Stetsenko V.D.
8. Yanochkin V.I.

Summit: August 3, 1990, 18:45. Weather: average (heavy cloudiness). Greetings to future climbers."

Photo 2. Sections R3–R7

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Det­te er fat­tigstid og i tæm­pet til

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Photo 5. Osipov on Section R10–R11

Photo 9. Pre-Summit Ridge

Photo 10. Ashat Wall, View from