Ascent Record

Region — Karakoram, Trango group.
Peak — Great Trango (SW), 6237 m via the bastion of the northwestern wall.
Proposed — 6B cat. dif. (ED VI+, 7a, A3), first ascent.
Route characteristic — combined.

5. Route Description

wall section height difference — 1830 m, route length — 2100 m, sections of 6B cat. dif. — 1050 m, 5 cat. dif. — 530 m, average steepness of the wall section — 69°.

Left on the route: pitons — 18, including bolted — 12; "chocks" — 1.

Pitons used on the route: stationary bolted — 12, including for platform installation — 7; total ITC used — 500.

Number of climbing hours — 113, days — 13 (including processing).
Team leader — Oleg V. Khvostenko, Master of Sports

Team members:

Sergei V. Cherezov, Master of Sports of International Class
Vladimir A. Arkhipov, Master of Sports
Yuri E. Glazyrin, Master of Sports
Andrey D. Litvinov, Master of Sports
Alexander A. Yanushevich, Candidate for Master of Sports

Team coaches: Nikolai N. Zakharov, Master of Sports of International Class, Honored Coach

Valery V. Balezin, Master of Sports of International Class

10. Departure Date

for processing — July 4, 2007 at 8:00, on the route — July 6, 2007 at 8:00, on the summit — July 16, 2007 at 11:00, return — July 17, 2007 at 20:00.

Organization: Agency for Physical Culture and Sports, Administration of Krasnoyarsk Krai

Great Trango SW 6237 m. Great Trango Tower SW

O. Khvostenko 2007
Germany 1999
USA (A. Lowe) 1999
A. Mikhalitsin 2007
A. Odintsov 1999
USA 2004

Photographed from Trango glacier, July 2007

Area Panorama

Nameless Tower, 6239
Trango Nameless Tower
Great Trango Tower SW, 6237

Photographed from Trango glacier, July 2007

Route profile on the right

UIAA Scheme

№	Chocks	Pitons, boulders	Characteristic
16	3	5	80 m, 60°, V
14	3	6	120 m, 60°, V, А1
11	18/10	22/15	80 m, 70°, VI, А1
9	32/20	40/25	80 m, 60°, V, А1
7	30/8	25/10	120 m, 60°, V, А1
4	18	18	160 m, 60°, IV
0

Scale 1:2500

№	Chocks	Pitons, boulders	Bolts	Characteristic
32	9	3		40 m, 75°, VI
31	8	7/6		30 m, 75°, VI, А1
30	18/9	28/15		160 m, 80°, VI, А2
26	10/2	12/8	2	45 m, 75°, VI, А1
25	13/9	6/5		40 m, 85°, VI, А2
24	8/6	12/11		50 m, 75°, V, А1
23	18/9	42/33		120 m, 80°, VI, А2
20	10/8	18/14		45 m, 85, VI, А3
19	2	3	2	40 m, 60°, IV
18	4	8		80 m, 60°, V
16

Scale 1:2500

№	Chocks	Pitons, boulders	Bolts	Characteristic
51				30 m, III
50	12/9	25/16	2	80 m, 65°, VI, А1
48	6	12/5	2	40 m, 70°, VI, А2
47	32/24	40/28		160 m, 80°, VI, А2
43	9	2		150 m, 55°, IV
40	14	12		150 m, 45°, IV
37	12/8	22/15	1	80 m, 65°, VI, А2
35	6	11/8		45 m, 70°, VI, А1
34	10/6	12/7	2	40 m, 80°, VI, А3
33	8/4	11/7		40 m, 80°, VI, А3
32

Scale 1:2500

The first attempt to climb the route was made by a team from the Odessa Alpine Club, led by V. Mogyla in 2003. In 21 days, the Ukrainians climbed a significant part of the route. Reaching point R47, they were forced to retreat due to objective reasons. During the ascent, we used technical photos of the route taken by the Ukrainians. In fact, we only climbed three new sections, R47–R50 (about 150 meters). The weather was initially favorable. For the first seven days, there was one snowfall lasting half a day. On the eighth day, the weather deteriorated, and continuous snowfall began. We processed the route in bad weather on July 13 and 14. July 15 was a day of rest in the platforms. On July 16, we ascended to the summit using the processed fixed ropes. No notes were found on the summit.

The approach from the Trango base camp to the start of the route takes 1 hour. The route begins on a small buttress (spur) to the right of a large couloir leading towards the northern ridge of Trango. All overnight stays on the wall were organized on platforms. The descent was made via the ascent route. All stations on the descent were equipped with loops. It is possible to climb most of the route using free climbing, with an estimated difficulty level of F7a–7c, M7.

Route Description by Sections

Section R0–R4. A series of ledges, walls, and internal corners. The ascent follows a buttress for 160 m. Not very difficult climbing.

Section R4–R7. A vertical chimney, followed again by a system of walls and corners — 120 m. Unstable terrain, many loose blocks! Exit to a good ledge.

Section R7–R9. Along the ledge to the left around the corner, then up a chimney. After the chimney, exit onto monolithic slabs with cracks — 80 m.