FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP OF THE CENTRAL COUNCIL OF THE ZENIT VOLUNTARY SPORTS SOCIETY in the II category of high-altitude and technical ascents. P. MOSKOVSKAYA PR AVDA VIA THE EASTERN RIDGE 45 cat. tr. TEAM MOSCOW ZENIT VOLUNTARY SPORTS SOCIETY:

• SHATILOV V.N. — TEAM LEADER
• KRUTYKH A.V.
• KRAYUSHKIN D.A.
• SAFRONOV V.A. August 5–7, 1972 Technical characteristics of the route along the eastern ridge of Pik Pamyati Zhertv Tetnuldа (5746 m) in the southwestern Pamir, based on the results of the first ascent by a group of participants in the Donetsk Alpinade on July 6–8, 1967.

Report

On the first ascent of the eastern ridge of Peak Pamyati Zhertv Tetnulda (5746 m) (Moscow Pravda) in the southwestern Pamir, approximately 4B–6 category of difficulty, made by a group of participants of the Donetsk Climbing Competition for the championship of the Ukrainian SSR in 1967 in the class of high-altitude technically complex ascents. Donetsk 1967

I. Geographical location and sports characteristics

The area of Peaks Marx and Engels is located within the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region of the Tajik SSR, in the southwestern Pamir, within the geographical coordinates: 37°02′–37°06′ north latitude and 72°29′–72°32′ east longitude. Climbers began to explore this area relatively recently compared to other regions of the Pamir and Tian Shan. Only in 1954 did an expedition from the Georgian Alpine Club arrive here. They were the first to ascend several peaks in the area, including the highest point – Peak Karl Marx (6726 m) from the south (from the East Nishghar glacier), and the third highest peak – Peak Friedrich Engels (6510 m) from the south (from the Kishty-Dzherob glacier). The high (over 6000 m) ridge from Peak Leningrad State University to Peak Marx drops steeply to the east into the Zurgvand valley, forming a nearly vertical wall about 8 km long. The northeastern walls of Peaks Marx and Engels (to the right of the Kustovsky route, beyond the bend of the wall) can evoke admiration for their inaccessibility among any master of wall climbing. Therefore, with the recent introduction of a new class – high-altitude technically complex ascents – in the USSR championships, societies, and departments on mountaineering, this area became very popular and will likely remain a pilgrimage site for many climbing groups for a long time.