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Climbing Report of the Ukrainian Sports Committee Team at the 4th USSR Alpine Climbing Championship (Technical Class) 1979

Climbing Details

1. Climbing Class: Technical
2. Climbing Area: Yaghnob Wall
3. Peak, its Height, and Climbing Route: 1st West Zamin-Karora, 4303 m, via the center of the left part of the wall.
4. Proposed Complexity Category: 6B.
5. Route Characteristics: height difference – 1353 m; route length – 1670 m; average steepness – 87°; section lengths: 3 – 200 m, 2 – 10 m, 4 – 250 m, 5 – 640 m, 6 – 570 m.
6. Number of Pitons: for belaying:

PASSPORT

1. Class of technical ascents
2. Pamir-Alay, Gissar Range, Yaghnob River area
3. Zamin-Karer, I-st Western via N-3 wall (Samoded Route)
4. Difficulty category — 6A
5. Height difference — 1180 m, route length — 1380 m Length of sections with 5-6 difficulty category — 1215 m, average steepness of the route — 70 degrees, average steepness of the wall part of the route — 71 degree
6. Pitons driven: | Rock | Nuts | Bolts | | :--: | :--: | :--: |

1985 USSR Alpine Championship, Rock Climbing Category

Report on the Ascent of Zamin-Karor 1st Western Peak (4303 m) via the NW Wall, Category 5B (Samoded Route) by the All-Union Sports Committee of Trade Unions Alpine Club Team — "Varzob" Alpine Camp, July 20-21, 1985

Team Captain — Vyacheslav Ivanovich Glushko Team Coach — Ernes Suleimanovich Abdulaev Addresses:

• All-Union Alpine Club of Trade Unions — 113035, Moscow, Sadovnicheskaya Naberezhnaya, 3, Building I
• "Varzob" Alpine Camp — 734003, Dushanbe, P.O. Box 362 Team Captain:
• Vyacheslav Ivanovich Glushko, 198255, Leningrad, Veteranov Prospect, 3, Building 2, Apt. 120, Phone 2-54-21-58

Ascent Passport

1. Ascent class — rock climbing.
2. Ascent area — Pamir-Alay, Gissar Ridge, Yaghnob Wall area.
3. Peak, its height, and ascent route — Zamin-Karor West shoulder, 3910 m, via the center of the NW wall.
4. Estimated difficulty category — 4A.
5. Height difference (from the base of the wall) — 1100 m.
6. Average steepness — 60°.
7. Total route length — 1600 m.
8. Length of sections: 1st cat. diff. — 230 m; 2nd cat. diff. — 100 m; 3rd cat. diff. — 580 m; 4th cat. diff. — 420 m; 5th cat. diff. — 140 m.
9. Number of pitons driven:

79. South-West Peak of Zamin Karor (Yaghnob Wall) via South-West Ridge, 4A category of complexity, fig. 41

From the base camp, traverse grassy and talus slopes under the north-west wall of the West Shoulder to reach the start of the route. Cross a stream bed and ascend a grassy ridge-cone that abuts the wall. The approach takes about an hour. The route begins to the left of a black, washed-out chimney. The rocks are of medium difficulty, with an average steepness of up to 70°, and a length of 250 m. The first wall leads to a large, gently sloping ledge with talus. Cross the ledge and ascend the second wall, which has more challenging sections than the first wall, to reach a second large ledge. From the ledge, a distinctive split is visible in the right base of the triangular "mirror" slab. Ascend 40 m up a not-so-obvious buttress to a noticeable ledge below. From the ledge, it's 35 m to the split. This section is challenging. Traverse 5 m under the split to the left onto a narrow ledge. Ascent to the split:

• Via the inner angle and chimney formed by the split and the main wall slab on the left. Features:
• The rocks are smoothed.
• The height of the split is 12 m.

Ascent Log

I. Ascent class — rock climbing. II. Ascent area — Pamir-Alay, Gissar Range. III. Peak Zamin-Karor S.W. (3009 m), via the right part of the 3rd wall. IV. Estimated difficulty category 5A, first ascent. V. Height difference — 760 m. Of which: wall — 550 m. Distance — 1140 m, of which: wall — 640 m. Average steepness of the wall section — 67°. VI. Pitons driven:

• rock — 30,
• chocks — 50 (3).

Ascent Passport

I. Ascent category — Rock climbing II. Ascent area — Pamir-Alay, Hissar mountain range III. Ascent route — Zamin Karor peak, 3709 m, R0–R3 summit via the center of the West wall IV. Ascent characteristics elevation gain — 1150 m (total route elevation gain), steepness — 80° length of difficult sections — 940 m, including the lower rock belt — 1400 m) V. Pitons used: rock — 204, ice — none, bolted — 4

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Description of the Traverse

V. Igizak (2A cat. dif.) V. Igizak is located in the southern spur of the Gissarsky Ridge and is the 20th peak to the west of the M. Igizak pass (the first from the pass is v. M. Igizak). From the overnight stay on the green meadow located under v. Bivachnaya, it is necessary to move up along the right bank of the Igizak river in the direction of the M. Igizak pass. The path goes along grassy slopes and scree, and after an hour's walk, you can approach the snowfields under the M. Igizak pass. To the right, a snow corrie diverges, along which you should ascend into the cirque of the Dvukhzubki and Igizak peaks. This ascent takes about an hour. From the east, the peak drops off with sheer rock walls of 500–600 m. By bypassing v. Igizak (leaving it to the left), you should exit onto its southwest ridge. The ascent to the summit from the ridge is combined (rock and snow), technically simple, and takes 30–40 min. The height of the peak above sea level is about 4200 m. The descent from the summit can be made along the Southeast ridge, starting from the southwest subsidiary summit, from where you should first descend for 15–30 min. along a narrow couloir with further exit onto the ridge. Along the ridge, the path goes with alternate belay with a predominant exit to the right along the way. There are several short rock walls that can be passed with alternate belay. The further path passes along the ledges, to the right along the way with uncomplicated rocks, and leads to the Nayzakhba pass, from where we descend to the overnight stay. The entire traverse of v. Igizak from the overnight stay on the green meadow and back takes 6–7 hours.

28. Bolshoy Igizak from Naizgba Pass, category 2A route, fig. 14.

From the "Zelyonaya Polyana" bivouac, proceed upwards along the Igizak River through grassy slopes and scree, and then through snow. Then, turn right and begin ascending through a snow-filled depression under the northern slopes of Maly Igizak peak. Before reaching the slopes of Bolshoy Igizak, traverse left towards Naizgba Pass. The ascent to the pass is over snow. Fig. 14. From the pass, ascend upwards via scree, keeping the ridge to the right. After circumventing the lower part of the ridge, access it via ledges and continue moving along the ridge over moderately difficult rock terrain, overcoming short walls interspersed with ledges. Belaying is simultaneous and alternating. Before reaching the summit, prior to a steep rise in the ridge, exit the ridge to the right via ledges into a narrow couloir and ascend approximately 30 m through it. The upper part involves navigating large, wedged rock blocks. The couloir leads to the western ridge of the peak, from where the summit is reached to the right via snow. The descent from the summit is along the western ridge — route 27. The ascent takes 6–7 hours.

Moskovsky Komsomolets via the west ridge, combined, 1B

Route description:

Exit from the Ullu-Tau camp along the trail leading to rock climbing exercises. From the end of the trail, up the couloir and then left onto the moraine to the lake. From the lake, up to the right onto the snowy shoulder of the rock protruding into the cirque from the slopes of Moskovsky Komsomolets. Overnight stay on the shoulder. From the overnight stay, we ascend a snow slope of moderate steepness (ЗСИЮ0) to reach the northern edge. We follow the snowy ridge to the first gendarme head-on. Then, along the snowy saddle to a group of rocks and further to a large boulder. Along the steep snowy ridge, we proceed to the foot of the ring-shaped gendarme. The gendarme is passed on the left along the wall, exiting onto the left shoulder. Protection is provided through ledges. Further along the snowy ridge, we approach the summit tower and ascend the Eastern summit via rocks of moderate difficulty. The descent from the Eastern summit is done along the ridge to the saddle in the direction of Azot peak. Initially, we overcome a wall and then follow the snowy ridge, overcoming a series of small gendarmes that lead to a couloir. After passing the couloir, we exit onto the ridge somewhat above the saddle. The descent from the saddle is along a 45° snow slope. Careful belaying is necessary due to the possibility of a bergschrund. Further, the slope becomes more gentle and leads into the glacier cirque. The descent to the camp is done via the ascent route.