The Matcha mountain node is the junction of three huge ridges: Altai, Turkestan, and Zeravshan. All of them are part of the Pamir-Alay system. In the southwest direction from Matcha Pass is located Peak Igla. This summit closes the main flow of the Zeravshan Glacier and is like the center of the entire node. Peak Igla is a rocky ridge. It is not a separate pointed peak, as one might assume judging by the name, but several pointed peaks united in a single massif.

• North Peak (4430 m) — named after Peak Lyubov Yakovlevna Pakharkova — Honored Master of Sports of the USSR in mountaineering.
• Middle Peak (4510 m) — Central Igla.
• Southwest Peak (4530 m) — Main Igla. Traversing the Igla massif from Matcha Pass is rated 5A category of difficulty (approximately by Yu. MALYKHIN — team leader, A. DAVYDOV, L. EGOROV, N. ORLOV). August 5, 1969. From the assault camp located on Matcha Pass (3870 m):
• Ascend via the glacier, bypassing the spur from the left side (when looking up) to the bergschrund.
• From the bergschrund — up the snowy slope to the snowy ridge and along it to the rocky wall.

Description of the Ascent Route to Peak 4350 "Malaia Igla" via the Southeast Ridge

/First ascent/

Group Composition:

1. Rudnev V.S. — leader
2. Malykhin Yu.M. — coach
3. Egorov L.A.
4. Zhelonkin E.F.
5. Pavlovsky E.S.
6. Sofronov I.D.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ASCENT ROUTE TO THE "GLAVNAYA IGLA" SUMMIT VIA THE SOUTHEAST SLOPE. 1969 Group composition: GLADILIN L.S. (leader), RUDNEV V.S., ABLESIMOV V.E., GITERMAN B.P. The Iglá summit is located in the Pamir-Alay mountains, at the junction of the:

• Alay range,
• Turkestan range,
• Zeravshan range (see diagram 1). The Iglá summit (see diagram 2, photo 1) is a massif consisting of three peaks, conditionally named:

8. Peak "25 lat PRL" - 5207 m - via "Biały Koń" mandala 5A category July 24, 1969. Kazimierz Głazek, Tadeusz Pióro, Krzysztof Cieluszeck, Bogdan Jankowski From "Polskie Namioty" (for the route description to "Polskie Namioty" see the section) - ascent via "Biały Koń" mandala (through snowy-icy fields on the left ridge - 2 ropes on thin snow and 1 rope on ice) - exit to the rocky ridge. Climb 40 m to the top of the mandala on shattered rocks with flow ice. Then a sporting descent to the saddle behind the mandala. From here:

• two ropes on a shattered rocky ridge with flow ice (steepness up to 70°),
• a small ascent with the use of étriers,
• then 50 m to the next ascent on a similar ridge,
• traverse right and ascent on an almost sheer icy wall (live rocks) about 20 m upwards,
• then 30 m of icy slabs with steepness up to 45° under a big ridge ascent. On the left, the ridge drops with vertical rocky walls to the Akterek Glacier, on the right of the ridge - icy slabs with steepness up to 50°.

a. ° BO­EI²⁻³³⁸⁰ m

Another rope is needed on the snow-ice section, which turns into the cupola of the forepeak — 5270 m. 10 hours from the second overnight stay. From the forepeak, a 10 m descent and then simple rocks, followed by a snowpatch, lead to the ascent to the summit (fig. 1–6). Descent follows the ascent route down to the pass. From the ridge down into the left gorge along the middle axis down to the canyon. Further down to the left onto the ridge's northwest spur. From the ridge, descend along the fine scree and the Ksheshi river and along the right (geographical) side of the river down to the small bridge near the kettle, then along the trail to the base camp. 8–10 hours from the initial overnight stays. Recommendations for climbers.

1. Number of participants — 4 people
2. Time of departure from camp — first half of the day.
3. Places for picketing bivouacs — below the pass, in the couloir, in the depression between the forepeak and the summit, and in places indicated in the description.
4. Equipment — main rope 2×40 m, auxiliary rope 1×40 m, expendable reepschnur — 1×10 m, rock pitons — 20 pcs, non-withdrawable pitons — 7 pcs, rock hammers — 2 pcs, carabiners — 12–15 pcs, ice screws — 4 pairs, tent — 1 pc.

связка: social angle (not avalanche-prone) detour to the angle on the shelf to the right? Further — up the destroyed rocks (50 m, steepness 55–60°), then along the inclined shelf 8 m (cold rock) — exit to the ice couloir. Up the couloir I rope (45°), traverse to the right on the ice (fig. I-2) — to a short edge under the characteristic rock "tooth" (ice cliffs, chopping steps, digging). Second overnight stay. Immediately from the overnight stay, traverse to the right and up 50–60 m along rocks of medium difficulty (pitons). Further, three ropes with belay through ledges with exit to the ridge (“live” stones). The ridge is straightforward — 200 m. From here under the «ём (fig. I–3) along the wall (I rope of difficult climbing), then two ropes of very difficult rocks (14 pitons) and along the rocky couloir exit to the ridge. This is the second key section of the route.

The route starts from a saddle on the north ridge, named Pervovoschoditelnaya ver. “Kristelnый” (scree on the pass contains many marble crystals). The ascent to this 3600 m pass takes about 3 hours from the base camp: go upstream along the Kshonny river, just below the confluence - cross the river over a bridge and ascend into a lateral gorge, leaving a stream canyon on the left (see fig. 1). Below the pass - on a green ledge, on the left slope of the lateral gorge. From the pass, traverse a 200 m snowfield (40° steepness, simultaneous movement). It requires 250 m of slabby rocks and a descent to a rocky saddle to the right of the axis. Hакdaри is bypassed to the right, down via ledges (4–5 ropes, pitons) and then up into a gap between the peak Линим, Хакдари, and the ridge. Here is a cairn. Ascent to a rocky ridge below a marble belt (fig. I–I, additional 2 ropes), rockfall hazard. Up the ridge, then ascent to a destroyed ledge. Protection through rock protrusions. Along an inclined rocky ledge to the right, 1 rope (belay on rock horns). We approach a slot-like wall (1 rope) made of destroyed marble. This is one of the key sections of the route. We exit below

I

Climbing Passport

1. Type of ascent — first ascent
2. Climbing area — Pamir-Alay, Zeravshan Ridge
3. Peak — Tutek-peak (5435 m) via SE bastion of the wall
4. Proposed difficulty category — 6B (first ascent)
5. Height difference — 2200 m including:

• Bastion — 1480 m
• Length — 5557 m

Photo 1. Panorama of the Tutek massif from the Samjon river valley Photo 2. MSU peak from the start of the route Photo 3. Overcoming the bergschrund (section 4230–4240) Photo 5. The same (view back) Photo 4. Traversing the snow-ice slope (section 4240–4340)