1. High-altitude and technical class

2. Central Tian-Shan, Kokshaal-Tau ridge, from the south (China).

3. Peak Voennykh Topografov, 6873 m, via the south ridge (first ascent).

4. Cat. diff.: 5B–6A (approximately)

5. Height difference: ascent 4400–6873 m — 2473 m, descent 6873–4600 m — 2273 m. Total length — ascent — 4930 m (fixed ropes — 4130 m on ascent). Length of sections with 5–5+(6) cat. diff. — approximately 1340 m, 4 cat. diff. — approximately 1720 m, horizontal sections of the ridge — 1620 m.

   Average slope of the route — 40°, above the horizontal part of the ridge — 50–55°, wall section — 65–70°. (On horizontal sections of the ridge, movement is mainly along the lateral slope with a steepness of 40–55°, below the cornices).

6. Number of pitons:

   rock anchors more than 100, including:

   • ice screws (snow) — more than 50 (more than 10)
   • protection — more than 30

7. Team's total time: from the foot of the ridge (4400 m) to the flat body of the glacier on descent — 108 h (ascent — 12.5 days) + 21 h (descent to the glacier, 3.5 days) + 4.5 h (descent to Base Camp) and days: 16 (+2 approach/shuttle from Base Camp), including 12.5 (ascent) + 3.5 (descent).

8. Overnight stops: all lying — on cornices, on snow, on rocks, convenient (bivouac work — up to 2.5 h). By heights: 1st — 4400 m (day 9), 2–3rd — 5050 m (days 30, 31), 4th — 5150 m (day 40), 5–7th — 5300 m (day 46), 8–9th — 5788 m (day 56), 10–11th — 6010 m, 12–13th — 6471 m (day 65), 14th — 6010 m, 15th — 4950 m (days 71, 72).

9. Leader: Juliy A. V. — Honored Master of Sports

   Participants:

   • Leonenko V. — Master of Sports in tourism
   • Kirienko A. — 1st sports category
   • Dobryaev N. — Candidate Master of Sports in tourism
   • Gorin A. — 1st sports category (did not reach the summit, stopped at 6010 m)

10. Coach: Juliy Anatoliy Vladimirovich

11. Departure from Base Camp — shuttle — August 6–7, 2006. South ridge — August 8–23, 2006.

    Departure to the route: August 8 Summit: August 20, 12:00 (Moscow), 14:00 (Kyrgyzstan), 16:00 (China) Descent to Chonterech glacier: August 23, 9:00 (Moscow) Notes: led by Korenev A. E. (club "Edelweiss", Moscow region), August 17, 2003, via the S–E slope, category 5A. Led by Kirikov A. V. (Tomsk), August 5, 2005, from Chonterech pass, category 5A.

12. Tourism club "Vestra", Moscow

Preparation for Ascent

The team prepared during training sessions in Moscow. Before the ascent, to acclimatize, they made a first ascent (traverse) of the massif in the southern spur of Peak Pobeda — peaks 5853–5960 m, named after Yuri Vizbor — Vizbor Peak (approximate difficulty of the traverse — 5A, length — about 10 km).

The route to Peak Voennykh Topografov was first scouted in 2002, during the first expedition to Chinese Tian-Shan. The ridge was planned to be ascended in 2004, but the conditions on Peak Kashkar traverse threw us off schedule, and even an attempt at ascent was not made. This year, we tried to simplify the acclimatization part as much as possible (it didn't quite work out, but there were enough resources left).

The weather was varied, with even completely sunny days. We didn't pay much attention to snowfalls, wind, etc. There was no extreme weather when the wind was blowing us off the slope or visibility was less than a meter.

• Snowfalls — almost every day
• Poor visibility — every other day
• Hurricane-force winds — a couple of days

On working days, we worked 7–12 hours; the terrain was predominantly rocky or very complex snow-ice terrain, moving in crampons at times and without at others. The most challenging sections were:

• several short sections of 4–5th cat. diff. on the ascent to the ridge (R4–R6)
• sections R9–R13 (about 500 m)
• R15: 20–30 m rock-ice wall
• 200 m on the "black wall"
• about 100 m on the summit rocks

Insurance was mainly provided using rock anchors and protrusions. The following were used on the route:

• 16 main ropes, 45–50 m long, 8–11 mm in diameter (total 700 m)
• rock anchors (about 70 pieces, all that were hammered were left, 16 remained after descent)
• ice screws — 18 pieces

Ascent Schedule

August 6–7 — approach from Base Camp under the ridge, shuttle cargo; August 8 — processing and passing "ram's foreheads" (10 ropes), shuttle cargo; August 9 — departure, passing 26 ropes to bivouac. Snowfall in the evening. August 10 — shuttle cargo, removal of ropes, processing of rock gendarmes (150 m). August 11 — passing gendarmes, further 300 m to bivouac on sn-ld ridge with cornices, shuttle cargo, removal of ropes, processing forward along the sharp ridge another 150 m. August 12 — ridge with cornices, with short complex rock sections, total to bergschrund 600 m. Cargo was pulled to the last 5 ropes. Strong wind today, snowfall in the evening. August 13 — processing. Ropes 4 through bergschrund and simple ridge, further on ice — under the sharp ridge with cornices, further rock wall, again steep ice, again wall, then some complicated rock-snow-ice ridge, 10 ropes were fixed. August 14 — snow, wind, no visibility. We continue to fix ropes further:

• Traverse on ice 50–55°
• Below cornices to rock ledge
• From ledge up through porous ice (ice screws into thick icicles) 25–30 m
• Further traverse left along snow-covered rocks under the "red wall" into sn-ld couloir 50–70°, up which 120–150 m
• And further left along 80° sn-ld wall — complex climbing 10 m to the ridge

Shuttle cargo on 10 ropes. August 15 — snow, wind, sometimes something is visible. Departure along fixed ropes. Processing another 4 ropes, one and a half complex through a gap in the ridge. Bivouac at 5788 m. Total 20 ropes passed. August 16 — sun, strong wind, then snow. The whole day was spent removing ropes (the terrain is such that removing and fixing ropes is equally difficult). Reconnaissance under the wall. August 17 — snow, strong wind, but visibility. Fixing 6 simple ropes, moving under the wall, to 6010 m. And transferring all cargo (2 trips). August 18 — today the weather is fine and the wall. Under the wall — 5 simple ropes on snow and rocks. Start of the wall — 6100 m. Further:

• 100 m of complex climbing to the right of the rock tower along a chimney-couloir 70–90°
• The tower is bypassed to the right along sn-ld ridge and rocks (100–120 m) under the second part of the wall
• Here another 100 m of complex climbing along the wall 50–90°, in the upper part — marble

Processing took 8 hours. Top of the wall — about 6400 m. August 19 — another departure. Weather is good. Gorin has laryngitis, refused to continue, but is ready to wait for our return at 6010 m. We take everything minimal for 2 days, depart. By lunchtime, we reach the top of the wall with backpacks. Fixing ropes further along gentle (up to 30°) marble, slippery, couldn't pass with a backpack, had to go lightly. To pass further, we took 4 ropes from the upper part of the wall. Further:

• 2 ropes on rocks
• 2 on snow (very deep and loose, feared pulling out)
• 2 on ice

Bivouac in an overhang between seracs on a 40° slope. 6471 m. Difficult night for four in one tent. August 20 — summit. Departure at 7:00 (Moscow). Further:

• Teams on ice, местами задутому плотным снегом (здесь сильным ветром всё сдувает) вверх-влево 300–500 м on ridge
• Further rock ridge 150–200 m, teams simultaneously
• Then marble belt 40–65° — 2 ropes (about 90 m)
• Again simultaneously to sn-ld couloir
• Further teams in crampons to the summit

At 12:00 on the summit. Found two cairns, respectively, two notes. Visibility is almost zero, snowing, nothing to photograph. Start descending. On descent, almost hurricane-force winds, but visibility appears, making it easier to find the camp. The tent was snowed under up to the roof and slightly damaged. Conducted a very difficult night with constant digging out. August 21 — no visibility, snowing. Start descending, locating our pitons. Missed the upper ones, but landed on a station right above the vertical marble belt. From here, two rappels practically along the line of water fall to the hanging ropes, i.e., we won't miss. Part of the ropes (6 pieces) are pulled through, taken down. By lunchtime at the camp 6010 m, weather improved. Removing another 4 ropes from under the wall to throw them lower. August 22 — descent. Decision made — going down a new route. In the future, this is a good descent route (for ascent, it may be too dangerous). Further:

• Quickly descend to 5800 m
• Turn right, fixing diagonal rappels into rock-ice couloir
• To bergschrund — 20–22 ropes, most on protrusions and rock anchors, fewer on ice screws
• Take 6 ropes down, left the rest in different places
• Further teams, dropping another 200 m and hitting a giant (300–400 m) drop, not visible from above

Bivouac — on the left, on a rock-scree ridge, safe. Weather was fine until lunchtime, snowing by evening. August 23 — due to snow and lack of visibility, reconnaissance was postponed to morning. While preparing breakfast, found a simple passage on the left through the counterfort. As a result:

• 3.5 ropes (130–150 m) on rock slabs with crossing rock-dangerous couloir under the negative wall
• Further on foot in crampons along conglomerate-ice-rock ledge on the left
• Down the same couloir to the glacier

Total 2 hours. On the rocks, left another two unnecessary, heavily battered ropes. Further:

• Through the icefall of Chonterech glacier to the right side to scree (2 h 30 min, H = 4600 m)
• Along scree and open glacier, descent to Base Camp (2–4 h)

Route Sections

Route Description by Sections

Day 1, August 8

Section R0. Approach under "ram's foreheads". Snow-ice slope with steepness 20–50°, length 200 m. Crampons. Photo 12. Section R1. "Ram's foreheads" — rock slope with average steepness 40°, sections up to 60°. 400 m (9–10 ropes). Insurance — pitons, protrusions. Climbing is simple and moderately difficult. (Photos 11–13).

Day 2, August 9

Passing R1, lifting cargo, removing ropes.

Section R2:

• Snow-covered rock slope with ice sections, 30–45°,
• Then right counterfort and ice-rock couloir to left counterfort,
• Steepness up to 55°,
• Fixed ropes, mainly on rock protrusions, some pitons,
• Movement right-upward,
• Climbing is simple, but complicated by ice sections (Photos 14–17).

Section R3:

• Heavily destroyed rock ridge (counterfort),
• Traverse along wall through couloir to ridge,
• Steepness 30–70°,
• Climbing is simple, some sections moderately difficult (Photos 15, 17, 19, 21–24).

Section R4:

• Narrow rock ridge with sections steepness up to 80°,
• Gendarmes, ice cornices,
• To rock gendarmes,
• About 180–200 m,
• Section of complex climbing along inner corner (Photos 25–29).

Day 3, August 10

Removing ropes, lifting cargo on R2–R4.

Section R4, processing rock gendarmes 180 m. Complex climbing. First gendarme partially bypassed via ice couloir. (Photos 30–35).

Day 4, August 11

Section R4, passing rock gendarmes 180 m. (Photos 30–35).

Section R5:

• Snow-ice narrow horizontal ridge with cornices,
• Traverse on ice below cornices,
• Steepness up to 50° (Photos 36–39).

Section R6:

• Snow-rock-ice ridge,
• Sections of rock walls with complex climbing (3–8 m, up to 80°),
• To bivouac, passed 1/3 of ridge, fixed 2/3 (Photos 36, 39–43).

Day 5, August 12

Section R6:

• Snow-rock-ice ridge,
• Sections of rock walls 3–8 m, up to 80°,
• Passing, processing remaining, shuttle cargo, removing ropes.

Section R7:

• Simple snow-ice slope up to 40°,
• With ice drop,
• Total 230 m,
• Relocation of bivouac (Photos 44–46).

Day 6, August 13

Shuttle cargo on R7, removing ropes.

Section R8:

• Bergschrund,
• Snow-ice slope with crevasses,
• Further ridge with rock outcrops,
• Processing (Photos 6, 30, 47).

Section R9:

• Narrow snow-ice ridge with cornices,
• Traverse on ice below cornices (up to 50°),
• Processing (Photos 47, 48).

Section R10:

• Snow-ice-rock ridge with sections up to 70°,
• Processing,
• Sections of medium and complex climbing (Photos 47, 9, 3, 5, 6).

Day 7, August 14

Section R11:

• Narrow snow-ice ridge with cornices,
• Traverse on ice below cornices (up to 55°),
• Processing (Photos 3, 6, 50, 53).

Section R12:

• Rock-ice slope,
• Further traverse left along wall on ledges (up to 70°) to couloir,
• Processing (Photos 51, 52).

Section R13:

• Rock-ice couloir with steepness 50–70°,
• At the end rock wall 80°, 10 m,
• Processing,
• Ropes ran out (Photos 45, 49, 54).

Shuttle cargo on 10 ropes.

Day 8, August 15

Passing sections R11–R13, removing lower 10 ropes (to left cargo).

Section R14:

• Simple snow-ice ridge with cornices,
• Processing and passing (Photos 55, 6).

Section R15:

• Gap in ridge,
• Rappel 3 m,
• Rock-ice ridge 40 m, 45–60°,
• Processing and passing.

Section R16:

• Simple snow-ice ridge with cornices to hanging glacier (large cornice),
• Here bivouac at 5800 m (20th rope from 5300 m) (Photo 6).

Day 9, August 16

Whole day removing ropes, shuttle cargo. Fixed upper part of section R16 to 6010 m.

Day 10, August 17

Section R16:

• Further same ridge with rock outcrops,
• Steepness up to 50°,
• Under wall,
• Relocation of bivouac and all equipment to 6010 m (Photos 6, 56, 57).

Day 11, August 18

Section R16 — processing upper part, under rocks.

Section R17 — rock wall, 70–90°, 100 m (chimney, inner corner, etc.), complex climbing (up to 6A cat. diff.) — processing. (Photos 56–59, 2–7).

Section R18 — snow-ice-rock ridge, slope (up to 70°) bypassing rock tower and further under wall. Processing. Relatively simple section, level of snow ledge on the left. (Photos 7, 60).

Section R19 — rock wall, 50–90°, 100 m. Processing. Complex climbing, on the verge of IT. (Photos 60–61, 2–7).

Day 12, August 19. Passing sections R16–R19.

Section R20 — rock-snow-ice slope 30–60°. Processing and passing. (Photos 62, 63, 7).

Section R21 — snow slope with rock outcrops, avalanche-prone, traverse right to ice drops, steepness 30–40°. (Photo 7).

Section R22 — ice slope, drops, steepness up to 45°, partially snow-covered. To bivouac in seracs. (Photo 7).

Day 13, August 20

Section R22 — upper part of ice slope. Teams, crampons. (Photo 7).

Section R23 — rock ridge, 40–50°. Teams, simultaneously. (Photo 7).

Section R24 — marble belt of rock ridge, up to 60°. Fixed ropes, 2 ropes (90 m). Climbing is medium, some sections difficult. (Photos 7, 64).

Section R25 — rock ridge, then snow-ice couloir to summit, steepness 30–50°. Teams. (Photos 7, 67).

Tactical Actions of the Team

Yes, we really wanted to climb this ridge. Without saving on food and fuel, without saving on equipment. Therefore, the supply of food directly to the ridge was taken for 14 days (with descent, we completed in 16, i.e., there was practically no need to "stretch" it, and there were no problems with food). Gas was also taken for 14 days, based on 2 cylinders (230-gram) per day, but it wasn't used up — the consumption was noticeably less (2 cookings + melted snow in flasks).

From the food, we took:

• Two hot meals — morning, evening
• Pocket food, including lunch ration

There were about a hundred pitons, anchors, loops for rocks, and 18 ice screws (which, incidentally, were sometimes in short supply). Studying the ridge over the years since 2002 allowed us to assume that a team ascent with 3–4 ropes could be extremely difficult, if possible at all. Now this opinion has only strengthened. Therefore, we planned to take about a kilometer of ropes. In the end, we got 700 m (16 pieces of 45–50 m), i.e., as much as the budget allowed.

By composition:

• Dynamics (USA) 10 mm, 46 m — 1 piece
• Dynamics 9 mm (Lanex), 50 m
• Statics 11 mm (Lanex), 2 × 45 m
• Statics 9 mm (Lanex), 2 × 45 m
• Statics 9 mm (Kolomna)
• Cord 8 mm (Kolomna)

Total just over 400 m. By the end of the ascent, most of the ropes were damaged and frayed, all became frayed.

The ascent proceeded as follows

Approach. From Base Camp along a weakly expressed trail of the right-bank moraine ridge of Chonterech glacier, which we had noticeably trodden in several expeditions, we ascend to the last lake, behind which we descend to the open glacier. Along the glacier, we cross the next moraine and ascend behind it up the even ice, a kilometer short of the scree ridge on the left of Chonterech icefall.

Here we begin to cross the glacier to the east (the most convenient place, Photo 4):

• First, the moraine ridge (medial moraine),
• then a white ice belt — hilly, with rivers,
• behind it — a black moraine with sections of bare ice, heavily dissected, the most challenging section.

Along the stream in its middle part, we need to ascend to the ridge. This is the most optimal approach route. Further right, directly along the southern wall of the ridge, then along the scree of the right side of Chonterech icefall of the middle camera of the glacier up (Photo 8), to the plateau above the icefall. Height 4400 m, bivouac directly under the eastern face of the ridge. On August 6, we transferred most of the equipment and food under the icefall, on August 7 — bivouac equipment. On August 7, we already spent the night on the plateau under the ridge, taking 5 ropes with us the day before (Photo 9).

Day 1, August 8, 2006. From the bivouac, we departed at 4:40–5:20 AM Moscow time.

Three went down for the remaining cargo under the icefall, Dobryaev and Juliy went to process the ridge (Photos 11–13). The approach along ice and snow under the rocks takes 10–20 minutes, then — "ram's foreheads", covered in ice in the morning. Climbing is not complex, but ice seriously hinders work.

Movement along the route:

• Along a ledge 20–30° — right-upward 3 ropes (about 130 m, Photo 11)
• Further up along the line of water fall (40–50°, short sections up to 60°, Photo 13)

Fixed 5 ropes in about two hours, descended. The rest arrived with cargo, took the cargo and remaining ropes, went up again.

Continued work:

• Fixed all "foreheads" (Photo 12, total 9 ropes to scree)
• Pulled cargo to the ledge above scree, left it there
• Dropped 1 rope to scree — small scree moves, holding onto the rope makes ascent easier

Went down to bivouac. To the ridge, we thought, there were 5 ropes left.

Day 2, August 9, 2006. Departed early, at 5:00, before sunrise. Pass through to cargo, together take ropes and start working further. Take rightward, where a depression is visible in the ridge, which we plan to reach. Wanted to do without ropes, but it's not very possible — snow-covered rocks, sometimes a short wall, sometimes an ice section, where it's easier to fix a rope and cut a couple of steps than put on crampons (Photo 14, 16).

Rightward diagonally, fixed 4 ropes, then one along the right counterfort along the couloir, here already 50–60° (Photo 16). Exit to couloir and along ice with rock outcrops, fixed rope right-upward through couloir (Photos 15, 16). The couloir is quite steep, and something starts to fall periodically. And the left counterfort is heavily destroyed, climbing is simple, we continue along it (Photos 15, 17, 19). True, it's rock-dangerous — mainly due to the hanging rope.

Along the counterfort — just under 4 ropes, further there's a wall rising into "negative slope". I climbed there, there's no point in going there, had to rappel with pulling through. Moved leftward (20–30 m, Photos 18, 19) along the wall, then along the edge of the couloir, rope upward under the wall already at the level of the intended saddle (Photo 21) and further leftward 2 ropes to the saddle (Photos 21a, 21–24):

• 1 simple along rock-scree slope
• then along the wall on protrusions along a narrow ledge

Reached the ridge with a width of 60 cm (Photos 25, 26). Along it 20–30 m to the wall (inner corner, partially iced, Photo 27) one and a half ropes to the gentle part, and another 1.5 ropes further (Photo 28) found something suitable for bivouac (Photo 29). This is an ice-snow cornice, after several hours of work on which we built a place for two tents.

Further, the ridge rests against significant rock gendarmes (Photo 32), but that's for tomorrow. In total, bivouac on the 26th rope from the previous one. With 3–4 ropes, passing 26 in a day is practically unrealistic.

Day 3, August 10, 2006. Today — removing ropes and fetching cargo (all 16 are hanging). We rest in pairs. By afternoon, ropes appeared, went to fix gendarmes (Photos 33, 34). By evening (in 2 hours) fixed 4 ropes, further already snow-ice cornice ridge. Now we're starting to understand that the ridge won't be passed quickly (initially, I assumed 6 days for its main part, and doubled this number, considering Tian-Shan weather). In the end, we forgot about the weather.

Day 4, August 11, 2006. Passed gendarmes (gendarmes are good, especially when moving with cargo, Photo 35), then cornice ridge (here pure traverse on 50° ice below cornices, Photos 36–39), ropes through 3, the ridge becomes wider, a rock ledge appears along its lower edge (Photo 36, 39), cornice disappears. Move either directly along the ridge or along the ledge — wherever is more convenient. 300 m through gendarmes marked a place suitable for bivouac (ice 30–35° and a rock section a bit wider and higher, Photo 40).

Further:

• Rock wall 80–90°, but only 3 m (Photo 41)
• Then again sn-ld ridge
• Rappel 60°, 8 m
• Then steep (up to 50°) section
• And again gentle ice-snow ridge (Photos 41–43).

The ridge drops to rocks under 45–50°, to rocks here already 20 m, can't run back and forth. Move along ice along cornices, here a bit gentler. Ropes ran out. Returned to possible bivouac and decided to set up (Photo 40).

Total 450 m passed. But all cargo was transferred. Tomorrow, finally, plan to exit onto the vertical part of the ridge. (Bivouac was cut into ice for 2 hours, some platforms were made from stones and bags filled with snow).

Day 5, August 12, 2006. Pass yesterday's section, fix ropes further. Another few ropes along the ridge, then a bit down — and another rock wall 70–90°, 8 m. With a backpack, it's extremely difficult. But beyond it, the vertical part of our ridge opens up. And we, finally, will depart from the mark at around 5100 m. A bit more horizontally along the snow-ice ridge, and, finally, upward. Here it's not very steep; without these 16 ropes, we would have passed in teams (Photos 44, 45).

Fixed from previous bivouac to bergschrund, under which we organized a bivouac (Photo 46):

• 13 ropes (including 4 from the day before).

Part of the cargo remained below on the 7th rope.

Day 6, August 13, 2006. Fixed 4 simple ropes — through bergschrund on ice and snow upward to snow-ice ridge with rock outcrops (Photo 47), further traverse on ice below cornices under rocks (Photo 48), further rock-ice ridge, sections up to 70° (protrusions, pitons, ice screws, Photos 47, 6). Processed to the bend of the ridge, 10 ropes, that's all for today. Worked 8 hours. No weather, moving in breaks.

Day 7, August 14, 2006. Overcast, then snow.

• Took lower rope, on a gentle section before bergschrund — already trodden steps up to the knee.
• Departed with remaining ropes (7 pieces), processed further.
• Fixed ridge with cornices (Photos 49, 50, 53).
• What from afar seemed a wide ice ridge turned out to be fragmented.
• Bypass these fragments leftward, along wall on ledges (Photos 51, 52) and exit into rock-ice couloir.
• Rope on iced rocks, then bare ice, 50–70° (Photo 54, 6).
• Rock outcrops everywhere, insurance mainly on protrusions, 15–20 m.
• At the end of the couloir, ice rises into cornices, another 120 m.
• We turn left, along rock wall 70–80°, but only 10 m.
• The last rope just sufficed for a rock protrusion at the top.

Day 8, August 15, 2006. Snow, wind, sometimes visibility. But ropes are hanging, so we move upward, removing lower 9 ropes. Then fix further 4 ropes — along simple ridge (Photo 55) and through a gap. By the end of the 20th rope, exit onto hanging glacier (or large cornice, Photos 56, 6) — good place for bivouac at almost 5800 m. Moved for 10 hours. Set up.

Day 9, August 16, 2006. Sunny in the morning, strong wind, then snow again, which sometimes stops. The whole day was spent removing ropes, transferring cargo.

Day 10, August 17, 2006. No weather, strong wind, snowfall, which sometimes stops. In two trips, move 6 simple ropes higher, to 6010 m (