Ascent Log

TO THE SUMMIT OF KLYSHTAU VIA THE NORTH-WEST RIDGE

1. Ascent category — rock climbing.
2. Ascent region — Trans-Ili Alatau.
3. Summit — Klyishtau via the North-West ridge (4250 m).
4. Expected difficulty category — 4–5.
5. Route description: height difference — 800 m. average steepness — 63° (difficult sections). Length of sections: R1 — 70 m, R14 — 40 m, R15 — 400 m, R2 — 20 m, R3 — 60 m, R4 — 10 m, R16 — 30 m, R17 — 100 m, R5 — 60 m, R6 — 40 m, R7 — 25 m, R18 — 50 m, R8 — 150 m, R9 — 45 m, R10 — 50 m, R11 — 100 m, R12 — 100 m, R13 — 300 m.
6. Number of pitons: for belaying, for creating artificial anchors. rock — 65, ice — 3, bolt — .

Ascent Passport

I. Ascent class: rock II. Ascent area: Zailiyskiy Alatau III. Peak, its height, and ascent route: Klyishtau. 4120. Central bastion of the North wall IV. Estimated difficulty category: 5B V. Route characteristics: height difference 975 m average steepness 40° average wall steepness 79° length of sections: R1 — 1877 m; R2 — 450 m; R3 — 385 m; R4 — 190 m; R5 — 465 m; R6 — 287 m.

Peak named after Viktor Kolokolnikov (4100 m)

Ascent from Ozerny glacier, route category 2A (fig. 51). The peak named after Viktor Kolokolnikov is located in the Northern (Alatas) spur. Viktor Kolokolnikov, after whom the peak is named, was one of the first climbers of Kazakhstan. He died during the Great Patriotic War. The route to the summit from the Talgar mountaineering camp begins along a steep trail past the training rocks of the Eastern ridge, then along the ridges of ancient moraines of Ozerny glacier to the bivouac site at the Upper training rocks. Walking time is 1–1.5 hours. From here, along the terminal moraine of Ozerny glacier (see marking) to the right lateral moraine and along it to the overnight stay on the moraine opposite a large couloir between the peaks GTO and Kolokolnikov.

Fig. 51

The Peak of Courage

Transfigured by the last rays of the sun, the Trans-Ili Alatau mountains become a fantastical sight… The departing sun's final beams slide along the ridge, painting the ice- and snow-capped peaks a fiery red. As the light fades, one peak remains aglow like a torch against the darkening sky: Pik Komsomola. Mountains, like people, have their own biographies. Little is known about unconquered peaks beyond their altitude, while others have inspired poetic legends. Pik Komsomola belongs to the latter category of majestic mountains with an intriguing history. The people of Almaty had attempted to conquer Pik Komsomola, looming above their city, on multiple occasions, only to be forced to retreat each time. With each failure, the peak's reputation grew, and legends about its inaccessibility were born. Thirty-seven years ago, T. Beloglazov, I. Mysovskiy, and V. Gorbunov successfully ascended Maloalmatinskiy peak (now known as Pik Komsomola). This inaugural ascent is considered the birthdate of high-altitude mountaineering in Kazakhstan. In the summer of 1935, on the initiative of the capital's Komsomol organization, a mass Komsomol alpinada was organized to conquer Maloalmatinskiy peak[^1]. In a single day, 250 participants reached the summit. The public highly praised the mountaineers' feat. The Presidium of the Kazakh Central Executive Committee issued a special decree: "The Kazakh Central Executive Committee notes the brilliant victory of the Almaty Komsomol members, who, in honor of the 15th anniversary of the Kazakh SSR, conquered Maloalmatinskiy peak in a group of 250. Such an ascent has occurred for the first time in the history of mass mountaineering." The Kazakh Central Executive Committee expressed gratitude to all participants and hoped that each of them would become an organizer of mass mountain conquests. The Presidium of the Kazakh Central Executive Committee decreed:

Route Description

The initial bivouac is on the glacier on the south side of the southwest ridge in a safe location. The exit to the ridge is via a steep scree slope (takes no more than 30 minutes). The first жандарм (rock tower) on the route is bypassed on the left via slabs and a snow patch. Then, ascent is made up a steep snow and ice slope for 10–15 m (protection via protrusions). Beyond this section, there is an exit to the edge via rocks of medium difficulty, transitioning to difficult rocks. It is convenient to bypass them on the right, descending a few meters down, and crossing the scree, exit onto easy rocks of the ridge and approach the second жандарм via rocks of medium difficulty, sticking to the left side (protection via protrusions). The second жандарм, 7–8 m high, is overcome head-on with piton protection. It has a convenient platform for organizing shoulder belays. Descent from the жандарм does not present technical difficulties. The path to the third жандарм is as follows:

• a steep snow patch, dropping off towards the northwest wall of the summit (careful protection via ice axe);
• then — stick to the right rocks, which will make it possible to organize protection via protrusions in some places. The third жандарм is bypassed on the right via a ledge. Without reaching the couloir, ascend upwards between the passed жандарм and the ridge (50–60 m), leading to slabs (careful protection).

Route Description

From the initial bivouac on the moraine of the Bogdanovich Glacier, exit onto its right branch, ascend along it to the saddle between Fizkulturnik peak and the Peak of Komsomol. From here, the ascent route begins along a snowy slope with a steepness of up to 50° and a length of 60 m. Approaching the foot of the first gendarme, organize belay through a ledge and traverse an icy couloir for up to 30 m. Further, traverse along slabs to the front rocks of the first gendarme on the right for 120 m. Here, at its foot, near a rocky tooth, is the first control point. The route continues along a small ledge and a ridge to an icy couloir. Having ascended along it for 80 m alongside a steep rocky wall on the left, exit onto a small shoulder (piton belay), then to the base of a rocky couloir covered with wall ice (piton belay for 30 m). Beyond the couloir:

• ascend along a steep snowy scree on the left with a height gain over 100–120 m;
• then ascend along a steep icy couloir to the ridge.

Kazakh Mountaineers and Tourists Club

1962 Alma-Ata

Description

Ascent to Peak Komsomola (4376 m) via the Northwest Ridge It is advisable to organize an overnight stay at the moraine of Bогдановича glacier, at the foot of the western ridge of v. Komsomol. From the bivouac, the path goes along the snow-covered scree to the left of the western ridge of Komsomol towards the saddle between the peaks Fizzkulturnik and Komsomol. When ascending, stay on the left side. On the saddle, there is a control cairn. After the saddle, the 1st small gendarme is bypassed on the right along easy rocks, after which we approach the base of a rock wall 6–7 m high, blocking the ridge. The rocks are steep, in some places overhanging (on the lower part, there are ice walls 60–70° on the right and left). The wall is overcome on the right side by complex climbing with piton belay to the left and upwards, belaying through ice screws. A 40 m rope is required to bypass the wall on the ice.

is a continuation of the snowy-ice couloir, which descends to the base of the rock wall. 1 rope length of medium rocks, very destroyed, gradually becoming more complex, then 4–5 m of complex rocks with a small number of holds. After a small site, there remains 1 rope length of medium-difficulty rocks to the saddle with a control cairn. After the 2nd control cairn:

• 2–2.5 rope lengths of rocks on a gentle ridge, where you can move simultaneously;
• then 4–5 rope lengths along rocks of medium difficulty. On the ridge there are:
• small (2–3 m) walls;
• sharp "knives";
• snow cornices, breaking off to the left. On this section, there is a control cairn, completely unnecessary, since there can be no other route. After the ridge — a 30–40 m snow-firn ascent with a steepness of 30°, leading to the summit of Комсомола.

Full Traverse Route Diagram

from the southwest to the northeast of the Peak Kommunizm massif. The Peak Kommunizm massif is located in the Malo-Almatinsky spur of the Trans-Ili Alatau, in the Tian Shan mountains, in the upper reaches of the Komosomolka river, a tributary of the Left Talgar river. The absolute height of the Kommunizm massif is 4376 meters above sea level. There are six climbed routes to Peak Kommunizm, two of which are category 4B. The approach path to the Kommunizm massif is through the Abay pass along the moraine and the Bogdanovich glacier to the overnight stay at the southwest wall of Peak Kommunizm, category 4B.

General Characteristics

of the full traverse of the Kommunizm massif (from southwest to northeast). The route begins on the southwest wall of Peak Kommunizm, which has an elevation of 3770 m. The relative height of the southwest wall is 606 m. The overall steepness is 65–70°. On the right, the wall is bounded by a very steep, narrow snow-ice couloir starting from the very summit. On the left, there are a series of isolated buttresses dissected by narrow couloirs. The upper part features very steep, in places vertical, sections of great length. In the center of the wall, there is a steeply falling, weakly expressed buttress. (via peaks: Smena (4080), Uzhbinka (3910), Zub (3880), Snow Plateau (3825))