Shaan-Kaya — 7
Author: Kirill Gostev, Yalta Shaan-Kaya, "Pianissimo" route (6B extra F6b/6c, A4, 280 m)
The struggle with the mountain is a struggle with oneself; if you're a hero, your path isn't simple!!!
Everything started cheerfully and enthusiastically, but gradually the exclamations of "Hooray!!!" on the prolonged overhang turned into a state that fully corresponds to the name of the route — "Pianissimo", only occasionally did falling boulders with a loud thud stir our consciousness.
In general, everything turned out great. Thanks to our support group:
- Sergey Voshchanov,
- Alexander Rushkovsky (our altitude operator),
- Evgeny Meshkov.
"The Guardian of Secrets" and chronicler of Shaan-Kaya's history, Yuri Borisovich Burlakov, periodically visited the mountain to observe us. During rare meetings with him, he wished us success and infected us with the same enthusiasm and fervor that, probably, accompanied the first conquerors of Shaan-Kaya, led by Yuri Borisovich.
Preliminary processing of the route began at the end of October 2006. Personal circumstances and weather made adjustments to our plans, so several assault approaches were required:
- January 2-10
- March 3-6
- April 28-29
In the end, the summit was reached on April 29, 2007, at 20:20.
In the center of the wall, against the general reddish background, gray passages are visible (between the nest and the "Hyperborea" route). The route passes through these passages because they are:
- more monolithic
- less destroyed than the reddish, crumbling belt.
R0–R1 (f5b 7 m, A3, 50 m) — The first rope starts with climbing a 7-meter flake; from the flake, AID begins towards a gray spot (from a recently detached slab); the spot is bypassed on the right; then the route veers slightly left upwards and reaches a good horizontal ledge about 4 meters long and over half a meter wide. The belay station is on this ledge.
R1–R2 (A3, 45 m) — The second rope:
- veers slightly left upwards,
- occasionally bypassing small, crumbling overhangs.
The station is located slightly below the level of the "nest", in a slightly visible, concave lens, somewhat destroyed (one of the two anchors turns slightly due to "defective rock").
R2–R3 (A4 15–20 m, A3, 45 m) — The third rope begins with a diagonal traverse left, 15–20 meters across crumbling rock (probably the most unpleasant section on the entire route). Then the traverse leads to a gray area; along the gray area to a small overhanging lip, which is bypassed from left to right. The bypass leads to a gray band (clearly visible). Along this band, 10–15 meters to the station (the station is in good monolith).
R3–R4 (A3, 42 m) — The fourth section starts with a short traverse right — 3–4 meters, then — towards a system of small, crumbling niches left towards gray-black streaks. The niches are bypassed above along the streaks; above the niches is the station.
R4–R5 (f6b–6c, 7 m, A3, 43 m) — The fifth rope goes from the station left upwards around the corner. Along the internal corner, there's a crack for small and medium stoppers, leading to a large inclined ledge. From the ledge, again an internal corner with cracks for friends 1–3 sizes and small and medium stoppers. The corner leads to a system of small horizontal ledges; one of them has a driven channel. On one of the ledges is a station on their own gear ("ledges by choice").
R5–R6 (f5b – 3.55 m) — The sixth and final rope. Along uncomplicated rock (with trees encountered) leads to the summit.
List of necessary equipment:
- Climbing rope 60 m.
- Slings for expenditure and stations (desirably in excess).
- Quickdraws — 20 pieces.
- Skyhooks (large and medium, 2 pieces each).
- Removable bolts.
- Friends 1–4 sizes.
- Steel pitons may be useful on the fifth rope.
On the route, every 10–15 meters, a stationary anchor with an eye is driven (width 10 mm, length 40 mm, eye — lucky).
The total length of the route is 280 m. Working time for the first ascent is 65 hours. Best wishes to the second ascenders:
- Mikhail Volshanovsky "Michel", Kiev
- Alexander Rushkovsky
- Kirill Gostev, Yalta
