WORLD CUP HIGH-ALTITUDE CLASS

Report of the national team of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the ascent of Mramornaya стена peak via the buttress of the North face, cat. dif. 5A

Ascent Passport

1. Region, gorge, section number according to the classification table: Bayankol, at the junction of the Meridionalny and Sarydzhas ridges,
2. Name of the peak, route name: Mramornaya стена via the buttress of the North face
3. Cat. dif.: 5A
4. Route type: Combined
5. Height difference of the route: 2500 m
   Route length: 5000 m
   Average steepness of the main part of the route: 40°
   Average steepness of the entire route: 40°
6. Used on the route:
   • ice screws — 15 pieces
   • Pitons left on the route — none
7. Team's travel hours: 30.6 days
8. Team leader: Tursynali Aubakirov, CMS Participant: Vasily Pivtsov, HMS, IMS. Participant: Vladimir Suviga, HMS. Participant: Akhat Smailov, 1st sports rank. Participant: Alexander Belov, 1st sports rank. Participant: Nikolay Grachev, 2nd sports rank. Participant: Arman Samatov, 2nd sports rank. Participant: Janserik Sabirov, 2nd sports rank. Participant: Artem Medvedev, 2nd sports rank.
9. Coach: Vasily Pivtsov, HMS, IMS. Coach: Artem Skopin, MS.
10. Departure to the route: February 12, 2021 at 7:00 AM Summit ascent: February 16, 2021 at 11:40 AM
11. Organization: FAISS RK

General photo of the summit

Characteristics of the region and the ascent object

Mramornaya стена Peak (6146 m) is the northernmost "six-thousander" in Asia, the highest peak of the Bayankol region, located at the junction of the Meridionalny and Sarydzhas ridges.

The State border between Kazakhstan and China runs along the summit. It is a powerful mountain massif visible from the Kegen-Tekes depression. The snowy peak is adorned with a kilometer-long wall of black and yellow marble on the west, with a huge overhanging ice cap above. The surrounding peaks are somewhat lower, but they are quite impressive:

• Bayankol peaks — 5,790 m,
• Karlytau — 5,550 m,
• Kazakhstan — 5,761 m,
• Pограничник — 5,250 m. The region also has many peaks with heights of 4–5 thousand meters above sea level.

The area where Mramornaya стена peak is located is the most accessible in the Kazakhstani part of the Central Tian Shan. A dirt road runs along the Bayankol gorge to the Zharkulak deposit.

Route diagram and Technical description of the route

R0–R1 1000 m 15° I
R1–R2 700 m 35–45° III
R2–R3 1400 m 15–45° II–IV
R3–R4 1100 m 25–60° II–IV
R4–R5 800 m 25° II

Ascent schedule

Team's tactical actions

On the eve of departure to the expedition in early February, the team made several training ascents in the Maloalmatinskoye gorge of the Trans-Ili Alatau.

On February 10 at 6:00 AM, they departed from Almaty. At 5:00 PM, they arrived at the Zharkulak mine. They spent the night.

February 11:

• At 7:00 AM, they set out to the advance camp located at the confluence of the rivers: the source of Bayankol and the Sary-Goinou riverbed.
• At 4:00 PM, they arrived at the confluence and set up camp. Vladimir Suviga remained at the Zharkulak mine to maintain communication between the team and Almaty and to transmit information about the expedition's progress.

On February 12, they departed at 7:40 AM. They reached the 5A ridge by 1:30 PM. They set up Camp I at an altitude of 4150 m. The weather was clear, temperature −20°.

On February 13, they departed at 7:50 AM. It was clear. The temperature in the morning was −25°, wind 25–35 km/h. At 3:00 PM, they set up Camp 2 in the icefall at an altitude of 4800 m. Before the camp, they had to cross a large ice crevasse, about 5 m wide.

On February 14, they departed at 7:30 AM. Light snow, weak wind, temperature −20°. At 12:30 PM, they set up Camp 3 on the 4B ridge, altitude 5200 m.

On February 15, they departed at 7:30 AM. Clear, temperature −20°, weak wind. They reached the plateau at 1:30 PM. Altitude 5700 m. They set up Camp 4.

On February 16, they departed at 4:30 AM. Clear, temperature −20°, wind 5 km/h. They reached the summit at 11:40 AM. They descended to Camp 3 at 5200 m for the night.

On February 17, they began their descent along the ascent route at 7:30 AM. They arrived at the advance camp under the route by 2:00 PM.

The ascent of Mramornaya стена peak was made by the team without prior processing and acclimatization in alpine style.

Technical photo of the route

Photo illustrations

At the summit Crevasse before Camp 2 Ascent to the icefall At the summit View of Khan Tengri On descent