Championship of the USSR in Alpinism, High-Altitude Class

Report of the CS DSO "Mehnat" Team on the Ascent to Peak Kommunizma 7495 m via the NE Counterfort.

Team Captain: VORONIN V. G. Team Coach: ZEL'CHIEVKOV V. A. Pamir - Tashkent 1970
THE TEAM DEDICATES ITS ASCENT ON PIK KOMMUNIZMA 7495 m TO THE XXIV CONGRESS OF THE CPSU

I. Route Description.

August 10, 1970 - Approach from the Base Camp to the route. August 11, 1970 - Start of the route (R0–R1) on a snowy slope transitioning into an icy slope, bypassing the avalanche cone on the right.

Passport

I. High-altitude class 2. Pamir, Akademiya Nauk range 3. Peak Kommunizma 7495 m via the left counterfort from Stalin Glacier 4. Proposed — category 5B difficulty, second ascent 5. Elevation gain: 2895 m, length — 5300 m Elevation gain of the rocky section — 1780 m, length of the rocky section — 2320 m Length of category 5 sections — 540 m, average steepness of the rocky part of the route — 51° 6. Pitons hammered: rock — 23, chocks — 214, ice screws — 33 7. Team's travel time: 35 hours, days — 3.5

1986 RSFSR Alpinism Championship High-altitude ascents class

Report

On the ascent of Peak Kommunizma (7495 m) via the S buttress from Walter Glacier, traverse through p. Khokhlova Combined team of Irkutsk Oblast Leader: Popov V.N. Coach: Popov V.N.

Organization

Committee for Physical Culture and Sports under Irkutsk Oblast Executive Committee Irkutsk, Karla Marksa str., 33

Passport

1. Category — High-altitude
2. Pamir, Akademiya Nauk range, Walter Glacier
3. Traverse of Peak Khokhlova — Peak Kommunizma via the North Counterfort from Walter Glacier (V. Bezzubkin's route)
4. 5B category of difficulty
5. Elevation gain — 2795 m, length — 4260 m Length of sections with 5–6 categories of difficulty — 1480 m
6. Pitons used:

• Rock — 120
• Bolt — 0

Passport

1. Altitude class
2. Central Pamir, Peter the First and Academy of Sciences ranges.
3. Traverse of Peak Xoxlova – Peak Kommunizma via the right NE buttress from the Balthazar Glacier.
4. First ascent, approximately 6A cat. dif.
5. Elevation gain: 2895 m, length of the main part 1520 m. Length of sections with 5–6 cat. dif.: 315 m. Average steepness of the main route: 57°, including 160 m of 6 cat. dif.
6. Pitons driven: Rock — 134, chocks — 53, ice screws — 51, bolt pitons — 0
7. Team's total climbing hours: 46 hours and 4 days.
8. Overnight camps: 1st — a platform built from stones on a rock shelf, 2nd — a platform carved in a snowy ridge, 3rd — a snow depression on a plateau. All overnight camps were lying-down bivouacs.

Peak Kosmonavtov

The 5800 m summit (4th Western peak of the Fedchenko Glacier) is located in the Marx-Engels Ridge, situated between the Bivachny Glacier and the Fedchenko Glacier opposite the confluence of the Kalinin Glacier and the Bivachny Glacier. From the Bivachny Glacier side:

• The northern slopes of the summit are covered with steep scree in the lower part and are cut by steep couloirs and buttresses in the upper part.
• The western slopes face a vast inner cirque filled with a glacier, whose tongue hangs into a couloir and is visible from the Bivachny Glacier.
• The ice is steep and of an overhanging nature. Between the 5800 m summit and the next peak to the west, there is a snowy saddle in the ridge. The snow layer is thin and lies on ice. The slopes facing the Fedchenko Glacier are very steep and rocky. The western ridge of the summit consists of three rises descending to the saddle. The ridge rocks are heavily destroyed, composed of fibrous rocks. Pitons hold poorly. On the first day, the group, leaving the 3800 m camp, descended along the Bivachny Glacier via a caravan trail for 1 hour to the slopes of the summit and began ascending steep scree towards the inner cirque.

1. Climbing category — high-altitude.
2. Climbing area — Pamir, Academy of Sciences Range.
3. Peak, 30th by height, climbing route — Peak Communism, 7495 m above sea level, via the counterfort from Walter Glacier, route by N. Chyorny.
4. Estimated difficulty category — 5B category of difficulty.
5. Route characteristics: height difference — 3495 m, length of category difficulty sections: 5 — 2500 m, category difficulty 6 — 300 m, average steepness — 40°.
6. Pitons hammered for safety: rock — 10, ice — 30, bolt — C.
7. Number of travel hours — 41.
8. Number of nights and their characteristics — 4 nights on snow in a tent.
9. Surname, name, patronymic of the team leader, participants, and their qualifications:
   1. Studenin B. A., Master of Sports of International Class, team leader.

PASSPORT

1. Altitude class.
2. Pamir, Walter Glacier.
3. Peak K. Tsetkin via West face — Peak Kommunizma.
4. Category 6B difficulty.
5. Elevation difference to Peak Kommunizma — 2895 m, to Peak K. Tsetkin — 2080 m. Distance to Peak Kommunizma — 9140 m, to Peak K. Tsetkin — 2642 m. Length of sections with 5–6 category difficulty — 3425 m, of which 6B category — 270 m. Average steepness of the third wall of Peak K. Tsetkin — 55°.
6. Pitons used: | Rock | Nuts | Bolts | Ice screws | | :--- | :--- | :---- | :-------- |

Ascent Passport

1. Ascent category: technical
2. Ascent area: Central Pamir, Akademiya Nauk Range.
3. Ascent via the western ridge of Peak 5320 m.
4. Ascent characteristics:
   • elevation gain – 2000 m
   • average steepness – 50°
   • length of complex section – 500 m
5. Pitons used:
   • rock – 18 pcs.

Fig. 57

2. Traverse of Perednyaya and Zadnyaya Chotcha (3640 m) with ascent via the north-eastern edge to Perednyaya Chotcha — category 4B difficulty (see Fig. 57)

From the Northern refuge, cross the Hokel river via a log, then follow the trail and scree to the crest of the north-eastern edge of Perednyaya Chotcha. The crest is jagged, with numerous sharp gendarmes that are overcome head-on; the descent from the last two gendarmes to the col is via rappelling (protection on the crest via protrusions and pitons!). The col offers a bivouac site. The journey from the Northern refuge to the col takes 6–7 hours. From the col, ascend 90–100 m up a steep snowfield (65°) to smooth rocks (protection on the snowfield via ice axe, on rock outcrops via pitons!). From the snowfield, traverse left along ledges for 65–70 m to a steep gully, then ascend 60 m up the right side of the gully via moderately difficult rocks (protection!). The gully is prone to rockfall! Continue ascending 110–120 m up steep slab-like rocks (protection via pitons!) to a sloping snow ledge, then traverse 100 m left and upwards to the start of the second pitch of the edge (protection!). From the start of the second pitch, ascend 50 m right and upwards via an inclined crevice, then 40 m via a moderately pronounced chimney to a steep wall (75–80°). Ascend 130 m up the difficult rocks of the steep wall to a horizontal ledge (protection via pitons!). This is a suitable bivouac site. The journey from the col takes 4–5 hours.