Report

On the ascent of the Chelyabinsk regional council team of the "Zenit" sports society to Peak Kommunizma via the 5B category difficulty route for the "Zenit" Central Sports Council championship in the high-altitude climbing class Chelyabinsk, 1972

Geographical description and sporting characteristics of the ascent route

Peak Kommunizma (7495) rises at the junction of the Peter the First and Academy of Sciences ridges (Fig. 1). The main questions of the orography of the Peak Kommunizma mountain node were resolved in 1932 by an expedition of the USSR Academy of Sciences. To the northeast of the peak lies the powerful Bivachny glacier, and to the southeast of the summit, at an altitude of 6000–6100 m, lies the "Pravda" peak plateau. To the northwest of the summit, at an altitude of 5700–6000 m, along the Peter the First ridge for ten kilometers, lies the Pamir firn plateau, representing an almost flat snow field. The summit tower of Peak Kommunizma descends steeply on the north and west with rocky slopes. To the west, at an altitude of 6900 m (Photo 1, R11), it is adjoined by a horizontal slope - the "Shoulder" of Peak Kommunizma - which forms the "Big Barrier" of the plateau. From the shoulder, a snow-ice slope descends to the plateau (northwest) with a clearly defined counterfort (Photo 1, R8–R10). This path was first taken by the VTsSPS expedition led by K. Kuzmin in 1957 to reach Peak Kommunizma. The ascent to the plateau was explored and made from the side of the Garmo glacier. And in 1968, three expeditions of the "Burevestnik" sports society conquered Peak Kommunizma from the side of the Fortambek glacier, ascending to the plateau via the "Burevestnik" ridge. Our team chose this route to conquer the highest point of the Soviet Union. Out of nine routes by which Peak Kommunizma has been conquered, this route is one of the safest and is classified as 5B category difficulty (all routes to Peak Kommunizma are rated not lower than 5B category).

Ascent Passport

1. Region, valley, section number according to the classification table (2001) - 4.1 Mountain region: Pamir (Tajikistan) Range: at the junction of Akademiya Nauk and Petra Pervogo.
2. Name of the peak: Kommunizm (7495 m), route name: via S slope from Walter's Glacier through BSP and "Big Barrier" (Borodkin's variant via Dushanbe Pass)
3. Category of difficulty – 5Ba
4. Route type: snow-ice
5. Height difference of the route: 3000 m Route length: 7250 m.

Ascent Passport

1. Ascent class: high-altitude.
2. Ascent area: Central Pamir, Academy of Sciences range.
3. Peak: Peak Kommunizma (7495 m) via the southwest ridge from Belyaev Glacier.
4. Difficulty category: 6B.
5. Route characteristics:
   • elevation gain 2800 m
   • length of sections R0–R1 diff. cat. — 430 m.
   • average steepness of the ridge — 50°.

Report

On the ascent of Peak Kommunizma (7495 m) via the left edge of the north-eastern wall from the Ordzhonikidze Glacier by the LGS team of "Spartak" DSO

• August 3–17, 1972
• First ascent.

III. General Description of the Route

The eastern ridge of Peak Kommunizma, by which the first ascent was made in 1933, is the right (orographic) side of the Ordzhonikidze Glacier. The orientation of the ridge is close to latitudinal, and its slopes are steep walls exposed to the North. Due to the northern orientation, the walls have significant glaciation, often expressed in the form of hanging glaciers. As one advances towards the upper reaches of the Ordzhonikidze Glacier, the steepness of the walls increases, reaching its maximum at the junction of the main massif of Peak Kommunizma and the ridge leading to Peak Izvestiy. The summit of the North shoulder of the Peak Kommunizma massif (around 4.8 km) is dominant over the Ordzhonikidze Glacier cirque. Here, the ice masses can no longer cling to the slope (steepness reaches 60–65° in the middle and about 80° in the upper part of the wall) and expose rocky outcrops. This is the northern wall of Peak Kommunizma (Photo 2). The wall is bounded on the right by the icefall from the ridge between Peak Kommunizma and Peak Izvestiy, and on the left by a hanging glacier. The rocks are schist. The orientation of the strata is inclined, so the rocky masses intersect the wall from right to left at an angle of about 45°. The icy slopes between the rocky walls and the schistose nature of the massif stimulate frequent avalanches and rockfalls crossing the rocky outcrops. These circumstances deprive climbers of natural shelters and dividing counterforts when ascending the wall centrally.

Championship of the USSR in Alpinism, High-Altitude Class

Report of the CS DSO "Mehnat" Team on the Ascent to Peak Kommunizma 7495 m via the NE Counterfort.

Team Captain: VORONIN V. G. Team Coach: ZEL'CHIEVKOV V. A. Pamir - Tashkent 1970
THE TEAM DEDICATES ITS ASCENT ON PIK KOMMUNIZMA 7495 m TO THE XXIV CONGRESS OF THE CPSU

I. Route Description.

August 10, 1970 - Approach from the Base Camp to the route. August 11, 1970 - Start of the route (R0–R1) on a snowy slope transitioning into an icy slope, bypassing the avalanche cone on the right.

Report

TEAMS OF CS DSO «MEKHNAT» ON ASCENT TO PEAK KOMMUNIZMA VIA NORTH-EAST FACE IN THE PROGRAM OF THE USSR CHAMPIONSHIP IN ALPINISM IN THE HIGH-ALTITUDE CLASS Tashkent — 1978 to Peak Kommunizma 7495 m

Brief Geographical Description and Sporting

Characteristics of the Object

Peak Kommunizma 7495 m is the highest peak in the Pamir Mountains, located at the junction of the Akademiya Nauk and Petra I ranges. The height of the peak was first determined

1. Climbing category — high-altitude.
2. Climbing area — Pamir, Academy of Sciences Range.
3. Peak, 30th by height, climbing route — Peak Communism, 7495 m above sea level, via the counterfort from Walter Glacier, route by N. Chyorny.
4. Estimated difficulty category — 5B category of difficulty.
5. Route characteristics: height difference — 3495 m, length of category difficulty sections: 5 — 2500 m, category difficulty 6 — 300 m, average steepness — 40°.
6. Pitons hammered for safety: rock — 10, ice — 30, bolt — C.
7. Number of travel hours — 41.
8. Number of nights and their characteristics — 4 nights on snow in a tent.
9. Surname, name, patronymic of the team leader, participants, and their qualifications:
   1. Studenin B. A., Master of Sports of International Class, team leader.

Ascent

to Peak Kommunizma from Walter Glacier via the spur with an exit to the ridge between Peaks Izvestiy and 50th Anniversary of VLKSM. Protocol No. 422 dated 09.11.1976. Classify the route: traverse of Peak 6700 m — Peak Kommunizma with ascent via the northwest spur and Voykov Ridge, ice and snow. Credit the group with the first ascent.

First Ascent

by the MGS SDSO "Burevestnik" group, led by N. Cherny. Peak Kommunizma is located in the central part of the Pamir Mountains, at the junction of the Peter I and Academy of Sciences ranges. Its northwest slopes descend onto the Pamir Firn Plateau. The plateau drops steeply to the north onto the Walter and Traube glaciers. The northern slopes of Peaks 50th Anniversary of VLKSM (6700 m) and Izvestiy descend onto the first glacier. Two routes to Peak Kommunizma have been established from Walter Glacier: the Borodkin route, which exits onto the plateau, and the Bezzubkin route, which exits onto Peak 50th Anniversary of VLKSM. The MGS SDSO "Burevestnik" group made an ascent of Peak Kommunizma via a new route from Walter Glacier. The route follows a snow and ice spur that leads to the ridge between Peak Izvestiy and Peak 50th Anniversary of VLKSM. From there, the group followed a previously established path via Peak 50th Anniversary of VLKSM and then along the northeast ridge of Peak Kommunizma to its summit. The descent followed the ascent route down to the saddle between Peak Kommunizma and Peak 50th Anniversary of VLKSM, then the group descended onto the firn plateau and along the "Burevestnik" ridge to Fortambek Glacier. The group departed from the base camp with the following members:

Report on the First Ascent of the Route to Peak Kommunizma (7495 m) via the Left Part of the North Face

Climbing Passport

1. Pamir. Akademiya Nauk Range. The highest point of the former USSR. Peak Kommunizma (Ismoili Somoni) 7495 m. Claimed category: 6A (winter). First ascent. In terms of complexity and conditions, a normal 6B. Route type: ice. Elevation gain: 2500 m. Route length: approximately 5500 m.
2. Section lengths: I — 1400 m, II — 2700 m, III — 230 m, IV — 800 m, V — 200 m, VI — 165 m.
3. Average steepness of the main part of the route: 75°.
4. Number of pitons left on the route: total — 30.
5. Total number of ice screws used on the route: 240.
6. Total number of artificial anchors (AAs) used: 50.
7. Team's total climbing hours after processing the route: 4 hours.
8. Team:

I. High-altitude class. 2. Pamir. Akademiya Nauk Range. 3. Peak Kommunizma, 7495 m, via the northern route through p. 6950 m (Borodkin) 4. Difficulty category — 5A 5. Elevation gain: 3300 m average slope of the route 40° section lengths:

• R2 — 1200 m
• R3 — 4000 m
• R4 — 600 m