Ascent Passport

1. Region — Pamir-Alay, Turkestan Range, Karavshin valley, 5.4.3.23a
2. Peak — Peak Odessa 4810 m. Via the center of NW wall (Voronov 88)
3. Assumed — 6B, third ascent, variation
4. Route character — combined

5. Route characteristics:

route elevation gain 1000 m, route length — 1350 m. length of 6th cat. diff. sections — 1050 m, 5th cat. diff. — 180 m. average steepness of the route — 70°

6. Left on the route: total — 22 pitons, including bolted — 14 (7 of them on belays) and anchor pitons — 8 (all on belays, used for descent).

Used:

• old stationary bolted pitons — 25 (most on belays), including for artificial aids — 0;
• removable bolted pitons — 0.

Total artificial aids used — 180 pitons + about 400 aids on "fifis" and skyhooks.

7. Total climbing hours — 93. Days — 10 + descent — 1.
8. Team leader: Gunko Vladimir Sergeevich MS

Team members:

• Arkhipov Vladimir Alekseevich MS
• Litvinov Andrey Dmitrievich MS
• Mikhalitsin Alexander Ivanovich MS
• Tsygankov Viktor Anatolyevich MS

9. Team coaches:

Balezin Valery Viktorovich MSМК

Zakharov Nikolay Nikolayevich MSМК, ZTR

10. Departure date:

On the route — at 7:00 on February 2, 2008.

On the summit — at 17:00 on February 11, 2008.

Return to Base Camp — at 20:00 on February 12, 2008.

11. Ascent organized by — Agency for Physical Culture and Sports of the Krasnoyarsk Krai Administration.

Peak Odessa 4810 m February 11, 2008

View of the route from the left

Route profile on the right Peak Odessa 4810 m February 11, 2008

1000th Anniversary of Baptism of Rus 4507 «4810» Pamir-Alay Turkestan Range M 1:100000

Brief explanation

This year in Central Asia was an abnormally cold winter:

• In Bishkek, frosts of −20–25°C lasted for more than two months.
• In Tashkent, an absolute minimum for the last 100 years was recorded: −25°C.
• In Osh, frosts below −20°C lasted for more than a month.

Therefore, it was very cold in the mountains as well. On January 26, the caravan was able to reach only the confluence of Ak-Su and Kara-Su by evening, to an altitude of 2300 m (and in many places where the trail went along steep slopes, we had to cut a path with ice axes in very hard névé, as the horses simply slid down). There was a steep ascent and deep snow further on. That's where the base camp was set up.

Therefore, it took twice as long and three times as far to reach the wall as it would in the summer. By January 31, equipment and supplies were ferried under the route; to save weight, we didn't take a tent up — we hung a platform at the start of the route (3800 m) and spent the night there during the ferry. After a rest day in the base camp, we began the ascent on February 2.

Voronov's route initially goes with a decent incline to the right for about 10 ropes, then with an incline to the left for 14 ropes, especially in the upper part, and then again to the right. We decided to straighten it out a bit and make our own variation.

Passage of the new variation by sections:

• At the start of the route — 1.5 ropes directly.
• In the middle part — 3.5 ropes (the most difficult part of the route).
• In the upper part — 10 ropes with a direct exit to the summit.

In total, we got 15 new ropes, which is just under half of the entire route, including 8 new ropes out of 24 in the main part (sections R0–R24), which is 33% of the main part of the route.

Voronov's route was climbed in 1988, the second ascent was made in 1999 by a duo from Moscow: Shchepachkov — Antonov, in 12 days, as part of the Russian Championship in the rock class. Then there was an unsuccessful attempt by Irkutsk climbers in 2005 (we removed their note from the control point on the second overnight), so ours was the third ascent.

The terrain was very poor, and in some places, it was practically nonexistent, and only thanks to the use of anchor pit decays was that we were able to hammer in only 14 bolted pitons for insurance, mostly on new sections (on the variation), and half of them on belays, while on other sections, we got by with old ones.

According to the unanimous opinion of all participants in the ascent, the route on peak 4810 in winter turned out to be, unexpectedly for us, more difficult than on peak Ak-Su in winter, and the conditions were more severe and cold.

We took a minimum of supplies and equipment:

• Food and gas for 10 days;
• 6 ropes in total, including dynamic ropes;
• One four-person platform.

Note from the control point

The team of the Irkutsk Region Alpine Federation made an ascent to peak 4810 via Voronov's route. 6B category, control point 1. Removed the note of the Moscow team dated August 1, 1999 (Shchepachkov — Antonov) first ascent by Voronov. Today, August 13, 2005, the weather is good in the morning, very cold. Team members:

1. Krivosheev M. — team leader, MS.
2. Veretenin D. A. MS.
3. Kustov A. V. CMS. Started processing on August 10, 2005 at 2:05, bad weather. On August 11 — reached the first overnight. On August 12, it rained and snowed the whole day — we are stuck in the platform. On August 13, we are climbing up. Best regards to everyone.

Note from the summit

G. Gunko's team Reached the summit 4810 m on February 11, 2008. Descended on February 12, 2008. Good luck on the routes. Removed notes from the teams of 1988 and 1999.

V. Gunko on section R2–R3, taken from belay, point № 2.

Start of section R3–R4.

Section R5–R6

Start of section R6–R7, pendulum traverse to the right.

Upper part of section R6–R7, taken from belay, point № 6.

A. Litvinov. Start of section R7–R8.

Moving along the fixed ropes, sections R5–R7, a powder avalanche is coming from above!

Section R7–R8, A. Litvinov, taken from the overnight.

Section R7–R8, A. Litvinov, taken from the overnight.

V. Gunko passing a cornice on section R8–R9.

V. Gunko at the start of section R9–R10, taken from belay, point № 9.

One of the most difficult ropes, start of section R10–R11, taken from belay, point № 10.

One of the most difficult ropes, section R10–R11, taken from belay, point № 10.

Section R11–R12, taken from belay, point № 11.

A. Litvinov traversing into an internal corner. Section R12–R13, taken from belay, point № 12.

Upper part of section R12–R13, approach to the shelf where the third overnight was, taken from a piton at the top of the section.

V. Tsygankov on the fixed ropes. Transfer to the 3rd overnight.

V. Tsygankov at the start of section R15–R16, taken from belay, point № 15.

V. Tsygankov at the start of section R17–R18, taken from belay, point № 17.

Moving along the fixed ropes on sections R13–R15, it's snowing, the edge of the platform is visible below. Taken from above.

Section R19–R20. At the top of the section, to the left and above a huge cornice, there will be the 4th overnight.

Start of section R20–R21.

Upper part of section R20–R21.

V. Gunko at the start of section R21–R22.

Tsygankov in the platform after climbing.

Mikhalitsin on belay.

A. Litvinov on the 4th overnight.

Team on the summit: Tsygankov, Gunko, Arkhipov, Mikhalitsin. Photo by Litvinov.

Team on the summit: Arkhipov, Gunko, Litvinov, Tsygankov. Photo by Mikhalitsin.