Traverse Korumdu - Aktru 4A cat.
Approach from Aktru base in Ak-Su gorge - 3 - 2.5 hours. The beginning of the route is the exit to the ridge of the Korumdu massif (orographic left ridge in the Ak-Su valley).
Recommended exit to the ridge at the border of the greenery with the scree.
Movement along the 2-kilometer destroyed scree ridge with numerous small gendarmes is not difficult and does not require insurance.
There are at least three places for overnight stays on the ridge (with platforms for tents).
The penultimate gendarme on the rocky part of the ridge is overcome along a crack with hook insurance (1 rope).
After bypassing the last gendarme, there is a descent to the left to a small blue lake, after which the main, complex combined part of the route begins. At the lake, at the subsequent two snow-ice pockets of the ridge, there are convenient places for overnight stays.
The main ice ascent (4 ropes - 40°) is overcome with a slight traverse to the right. In the left part, rockfall is possible from the rocks located above, even in the morning hours.
After exiting onto the snowy ridge and a short ice ascent (1 rope) - exit to the firn field of the ridge, approaching from the right. Further movement is to the left: first along the snow, then along the steep firn (3 ropes).
A relatively small rocky gendarme is bypassed on the right, then:
- after a snowy isthmus - traverse of a larger gendarme on the right along the ice (3 ropes, 40°), actually being a rocky precursor to the Korumdu massif;
- exit to ruined rocks;
- descent along the snowy isthmus;
- gentle ascent along the snow-firn ridge to its highest point (Korumdu summit, control point).
Descent along the strongly destroyed rocky ridge with snowy fragments to its lower part. Further:
- Ascent along the firn (3 ropes)
- Bypass of the gendarme on the left and ascent to it
On the summit of the gendarme, there are two platforms for tents. The place can be used for a forced overnight stay.
After descending from the gendarme along the snow-ice ridge - approach to the rocks. Along the rocks, one rope (rappel), to a section of a steep (up to 60°) firn slope with an ice crust. When passing through this section, when screwing in ice screws, pay attention to the quality of the ice (air bubbles are possible). The length of this section is 2 ropes. The section is passed in a zigzag (see Fig. 2, section R41–R43).
Further:
- exit to the left onto a firn-snow slope,
- traverse to the left along the snow above the ice fractures, under the wall of the overhanging negative ice (2 ropes).
On the left edge of the converging ice overhang - exit through the bend onto the ice ascent (2 ropes, 45°). The ascent ends with a snowy overhang, after passing which - exit to the summit plateau of Aktru.
Further:
- move to the right along the plateau,
- along a snowy-firn ridge to a rocky islet with an installed geodetic stand (Aktru summit).
On the summit part, pay special attention to snow cornices and crevasses.
Descent to the Big Aktru glacier along the route of 2 cat. difficulty (snowy, and in summer - icy slope with a steepness of up to 40°, length up to 8 ropes).
Time breakdown
From point R0 (start of the route, exit to the rocky ridge of Korumdu) to:
- R1 - 5 hours
- R1–R2 - 4 hours
- R2–R3 - 3 hours
- R3–R4 - 2 hours
- R4–R5 - 6 hours
Possible overnight stays
- On the ridge between R0 and R1 (at half the distance).
- At point R1.
- At point R2.
- Mulds on the section R3–R4.
- Gendarme R4.
Recommended time for ascent
- In a strong group - 2 days (one overnight stay)
- In a group with average preparation - 3 days (two overnight stays)
Description compiled in August 1996. Author: S. Kostryulyov, Bratsk, Nemtsev S.Yu. and others.