Climbing Report

Ascent to the summit of Pasmurnaya (3460 m) via the Center of the Northwest Wall (first ascent)

• Eastern Sayan Range
• May 2012

Irkutsk — 2012 Climbing Passport

Region — Eastern Sayans, Bolshoy Sayan, Muguvek gorge. Peak — Pasmurnaya 3460 m. Route — Center of the Northwest Wall

• proposed category 3A
• first ascent

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TRAVERSE DESCRIPTION:

v. BRIG – peak 9 May – North Tower v. TREHGLAVAYA. /EASTERN SAYAN/

• ANGARSK, 1970 – The peaks of the specified traverse are located in the Tunka Goltsy ridge in the Eastern Sayan, in a long lateral spur, which serves as a watershed of the BUGOTOY and KYNGARGA rivers.
• Tunka Goltsy is the highest ridge in the Eastern Sayan, stretching in a latitudinal direction.
• The highest point is 3266 m above sea level in the upper reaches of the GANGA-KHAIRY river.
• In general, the ridge has sharp alpine forms. For 100 km – from the Arshan resort in the east to the Shumak pass in the west – it has many peaks of great interest to mountaineers. The gorges are deep, covered with impassable taiga. The forest boundary on the southern slopes is 1880 m, on the northern ones – 1600–1700 m. The snow cover almost completely disappears by the end of summer. There is no glaciation. The peaks of the traverse BRIG – peak 9 May – TREHGLAVAYA are located on a horseshoe-shaped ridge. The nearest settlement is the Arshan resort, 225 km from Irkutsk.

Ascent Passport

1. Ascent class: technically challenging.
2. Ascent area: Eastern Sayan, Tunka Alps, Zuun-Khandagai gorge.
3. Dinosaur Peak: shoulder of the southwest ridge.
4. Proposed difficulty category: 2B.
5. Route characteristics: elevation gain — 700 m, average steepness: 45°, length of sections: R0–R1 — 2.5 km. R1–R2 — 500 m. R2–R3 — 90 m. R3–R4 — 450 m.

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Geographic and Climbing Characteristics of the Area

The Zuun-Khandagai valley is located 15 km from the Arshan resort village. There is a good trail almost halfway through the valley. The peaks in this area have been explored by climbers for a long time, and the Classification table currently includes routes to:

• Mt. SOAN - 4B and 3B
• Mt. Dinosaur - 4A
• Khandagai Needles - 4B The first ascent to the left peak of Khandagai Needles is related to ridge routes. This route is distinguished by its logic and complexity, as it runs along the main watershed ridge of the Tunkin Mountains, characterized by sharp alpine forms (narrow jagged ridges, abundant snow, strong winds, etc.). Winter climbing conditions persist until mid-May. Protocol 4209 dated February 15, 1977.

Geographic location, sporting characteristics, and history of the Zuun-Khandagai valley exploration

The Zuun-Khandagai valley is located in the middle part of the Tunka Alps in the Eastern Sayan. The peak Igly Khandagaya is situated on the watershed ridge of the Tunka Alps and closes the Zuun-Khandagai valley. Although the height of the peaks in the area does not exceed 3000 m, its development is significantly hindered by complex climatic conditions and alpine landforms. In 1969, the valley was explored by an expedition of the USSR Climbing Federation led by V. Abalakov. In the same summer, a group of climbers from Irkutsk led by V. Belousov made the first ascent of the southern wall of the peak SOAN, and the route was classified as 4B category in summer conditions. A route along the southeastern ridge to the same peak was also classified as 2B category. It is worth noting that winter conditions in the Eastern Sayan often last until the end of May, when prolonged snowstorms and frosts unexpectedly deter climbers. By the end of summer, the snow cover almost completely disappears. The area has more than ten peaks of interest to climbers, and only one peak, SOAN, currently has classified routes. The traverse of Igly Khandagaya is the second attempt to classify the peaks in this interesting and promising area.

Description of the traverse

April 27. Sections R0–R1, R1–R2.

EASTERN SAYANS IRKUTSK peak (2742 m) via the south ridge, cat. 3B difficulty (year-round)

GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION

The Irkutsk peak is situated in the main ridge of the Tunkinskiye Belki range in the Eastern Sayan Mountains. It is located at the head of the Pravaya Zun-Khandagai River gorge.

TRANSPORTATION AND APPROACH TO THE BASE CAMP

From Irkutsk city, take a bus or drive to Arshan resort — 218 km. From Arshan resort, head west along the main ridge through Tagarkhay village by car or on foot — 12 km. Continue on foot along the trail on the right side (as you go) of the Zun-Khandagai River gorge until the fork of the left and right Zun-Khandagai rivers — 9 km. The base camp is located at the fork. The tree line is at this elevation, and there is an abundance of firewood. Time breakdown:

• Irkutsk–Arshan — 7 hours by bus

Traverse of South Tower v. Trekhlavaya via 1B category difficulty route, Tunkinskie Goltsy ridge in Eastern Sayan

1. Geographical information

The v. Trekhlavaya massif is located in the Tunkinskie Goltsy ridge in Eastern Sayan, in a long lateral spur serving as a watershed for the Bugotoy and Kyngarga rivers. Tunkinskie Goltsy is the highest ridge in Eastern Sayan, stretching in a latitudinal direction. The highest point is 3266 m, located in the upper reaches of the Gang-Kharym river gorge. The ridge has sharp alpine forms. Within 100 km from the Arshan resort in the east to the Shumak pass in the west, there are many peaks of great interest to mountaineers. The gorges are deep, covered with dense taiga. The forest boundary on the southern slopes is at 1880 m, on the northern slopes at 1600–1700 m. The snow cover almost completely melts by the end of summer. There is no glaciation. The v. Trekhlavaya massif consists of three towers — South, Central, and North. The highest is Central, with an elevation of 2511 m above sea level. The height of the South Tower is 2486 m above sea level. The nearest settlement is the Arshan resort, 225 km from Irkutsk. From the resort to the base camp at the confluence of the Right and Left Kyngarga rivers, it takes 4 hours to ascend the gorge.

2. Route description

Route Description

Via the south-eastern buttress of the Central peak of Trekhglavaya (2511 m) Group composition: leader Laptev N.K., Belousov V.M., Vorobyova N.P., Boyarkina Z.M. Date of ascent — 2–3 May 1972 The group set out on the route at 6:00 from the base camp in the direction of the huge canyon separating the Central and Southern peaks of Trekhglavaya. The base camp is conveniently located on the edge of the forest on the southern side of the cirque under the peak. The path initially goes with a slight gain in height, and then turns into a steep fine and medium scree. To start the route, it is necessary to:

• Enter the canyon
• Ascend along it, alongside the wall of the buttress, to a huge boulder protruding from under the snow (in summer — from under the scree) See photo I. The protruding boulder, having a diameter of 8 meters, is located 40–50 m from the lower point of the buttress and is not covered by snow even in winter. At this point, the altitude reading was 1900 m.

Missees-Tau via North Ridge, Cat. 4B

From the base to the bivouac sites at the turn of the glacier under the base of the SE ridge of Brnoe Peak – 2.5–3 hours. Rounding this ridge from the left, ascend the grassy slope, then along the stream bed into the moraine-filled cirque of the glacier flowing from the South cirque of Brnoe Peak. Here, near the moraine lake, there are bivouac sites. Up the glacier tongue. The icefall is bypassed on the right along the boundary with the rocks (provided there is snow), or via rock-and-scree ledges. For training purposes and safety, it is recommended to traverse the icefall through the center, roped and with piton belays. The initial bivouac is in the South cirque, from the sites at the turn – 3–4 hours. An alternative initial bivouac is possible on the last snow col in the Brnoe–Missees-Tau ridge, the ascent to it from the cirque takes ~1 hour. In its lower part, the broad North ridge of Missees-Tau is covered with a glacier, which has several rises and ends in drops on the west and rock walls on the east. The second rise leads to a rock "island", from which a snowy ridge goes left, ending in rocks on the eastern wall (routes Cat. 5A and 5B also lead here). Move 30–40 m left of the right edge of the ridge, reaching the col of this ridge. At the left end of the ridge, on the boundary with the rocks, there is a bivouac site. A safe place to spend the night during a thunderstorm, protected from the wind, is in the bergschrund under the col. From the plateau – 3–4 hours.