Ak-Sai

Essentially a first ascent. Rather than following the ridge through bergschrunds, we kept significantly to the right, almost hugging the rocks. The crux was an 8-meter ice wall at about 80°.

Ice section length: 680 m Ice slope angle: 55–60 degrees 80 m traverse across a snow slope, then a couloir with broken terrain 120 m long, angle 40–50 degrees. The climbing is not difficult, but delicate, as the terrain is heavily broken and protection is unreliable. In winter the couloir is filled with snow - deep trail breaking uphill. Then turn left onto rock. Grade III rock 90 m, angle 50–60 degrees. Protection on passive gear, belay stations on ledges. The climbing is not difficult, but delicate, as the terrain is broken. Move from the couloir right to left in the direction of the summit. Descent via rappel bolts to the upper snowfield of the Korona Glacier, below the bergschrund, and then on foot to the Korona hut.

The route starts from the upper cushion of the Uchitel glacier along the north face of Semenova Tian-Shanskogo peak to the right of the icefall. There are quite large ice crevasses on the approach to the bergschrund. From the bergschrund, the first 4.5 pitches are easy 55-degree ice until reaching a large ice ledge. From the ledge, another 5 pitches of the same ice lead to a small ledge before the rock section. The final part of the route begins along a 20 m rock couloir and then exits left onto a rock ridge. In the couloir and on the ridge, the terrain is heavily broken, the steepness is 40–50 degrees, Grade III rock (5b fr), protection using natural features. The section length is 80 m. Descent from the route, depending on conditions, is either via 3A Erapunova or via the ascent route.

In autumn 2025, two ice streams formed on the northern wall of Pik Korona. The first ascent of the right stream (rated 5A in the Russian classification) was made by Aleksandr Parfyonov's team in early 2026. The first ascent of the left stream was made by Konstantin Markevich with Aleksey Pototskiy in the second half of March 2026. Further, according to Aleksey: Last year was very hot in July. And as a result of this circumstance, two new routes formed on the northern wall of Pik Korona. The charm of these routes is that this year or next, such conditions may not happen, and these routes may not exist. But while they are there - we have to climb 😁 And we did. One route was climbed by Parfyonov with a partner in February, and the second one - Kostya Markevich and I last week. Honest 5B and this is the coolest ice in the area. The icicle itself is 170 m of 87-degree lace cascade ice. And before that, there's another 30 meters of A3 ice climbing. The lower part is 450 m of gentle ice at 55-70 degrees. Work on the route

One of the most popular routes to the Corona peak crest wall. It starts from the bergschrund, from which there are about 450 meters of even ice to the ridge. On the penultimate rope of the route, there is a small ice ridge, which is a bit more complicated than the main section of the route. The start of the route is 70-100 meters to the right of the route. In the Russian official classification, both these routes are considered variants of the same route.

Video guide to the "Мобильных" route (5A) to the first Korona tower by experienced alpinist Dima Pavlenko.

Video guide to the "Мобильных" route (5A) on the first tower of the Crown by Dima Pavlenko.

Video guide to the 3A route to the first tower of the Crown by experienced alpinist Dima Pavlenko.

Video guide for the 3A route to the first tower of the Crown by Dima Pavlenko.

Video guide to the "Rechka" route (4B ice climbing grade) on Pik Baychechekhey with a demonstration of climbing the key wall.

Video guide to the "Rechka" route (Ilyushenko, ice 4B) on Peak Baychechekey by Dima Pavlenko. Captured work on the key wall.

Video guide to ascending Peak Ratsek via the Western Ridge (Route 3A) by experienced mountaineer Dima Pavlenko.

Video guide to Route 3A via the west ridge to Peak Ratzek by Dima Pavlenko.