Ascent Passport

Area, gorges: Severo-Chuysky ridge, Altai.
Name of the summit: Mashey (N), route name: via the right buttress of the NW wall.
Proposed: 5B category of complexity, first ascent.
Route type: combined.
Route elevation gain: 680 m.

Route length: 890 m. Length of sections with V category of complexity: 330 m. VI category of complexity: 70 m. Average steepness of the main part of the route: 58°. Total route steepness: 73°.
Elements used on the route:
- Anchor pitons — 9
- Chocks — 63
- Ice screws — 26
- Fifi hooks — 148
Team's moving hours: 25 h, days: 2 + half a day for descent.
Leader: Zvyagintsev M.V. Master of Sports
- Participants: Tomilov N.G. 1st sports category
- Suzdaltsev E.E. 2nd sports category
- Bakhtin A.V. 2nd sports category
Coach: Zvyagintsev M.V. Master of Sports
Departure to the route: 9:00, May 2, 2007.

Summit arrival: 20:00, May 3, 2007. Return to Base Camp: 15:00, May 4, 2007.
Organization: Vladigor Club

Team's Tactical Actions

Departure to the route: 9:00
9:00–15:00 Crossing the glacier. The glacier is traversed in rope teams. We encountered 4 sections up to 40 m long with 60° ice. The ice is passable with fifi hooks.
15:30–16:00 Overcoming the bergschrund
16:00–18:00 Reaching the buttress
18:00–20:00 Three rope lengths on the buttress. Weather conditions: sun, strong wind.
Overnight bivouac (semi-reclined, using a tent) on a self-made shelf 1.5 m wide. A hammock was used to secure the bivouac site. Snowstorm at night, tent got torn.

8:00–14:00 Approaching the chimney (key section of the route). Very strong wind from the morning. Temperature –20 °C
14:00–18:30 Overcoming the chimney
18:30–19:30 Reaching the ridge
Crossing the ridge in rope teams. Summit at 20:00

Descent from the summit via the pass Nadezhda by route 4A. Return to Base Camp – 15:00

Found a note from August 2, 1997, left by the team of Penzin and Grachev

Elevation Gain	Route Section Description	Comments
100 m	25°, II, 100 m	Pre-summit ridge. Simultaneous movement in rope teams.
45 m	40°, III, 45 m	Beginning of the pre-summit ridge. Belay station on a ledge.
40 m	65°, V+, A1, 5 m; 65°, V, 30 m; 90°, VI–, A1, 5 m	Wall covered with ice and embedded rocks. Belay station on ice screws.
70 m	80°, VI–, A2, 22 m; 100°, VI+, A3, 3 m; 90°, VI, A3, 25 m; 110°, VI, A2, 5 m; 90°, VI+, A4, 10 m; 120°, VI+, A3, 5 m	Deep crevasse filled with ice, sometimes disappears. Many loose rocks. Ends with a large ledge, belay station on artificial aids. Series of cornices and walls heavily iced, unreliable protection. Hanging belay station on ice screws.
45 m	80°, V+, 45 m	Ice couloir within a large chimney, sometimes thin ice doesn't allow for secure belay. Belay station on friends under a cornice — semi-hanging.
45 m	80°, V+, 20 m; 55°, IV+, 10 m; 70°, V, 15 m	Passing through a heavily iced inner corner, we reach the base of a rock wall. Challenging free climbing. Belay station on a ledge.
45 m	70°, V, 10 m; 60°, V–, 30 m; 50°, IV, 7 m	Diagonal ledge leads to the base of an inner corner, many loose rocks, ends with a monolithic wall.