Areas visited: Central At-Bashi Range, Kashkaratash
River Valley, Tien Shan also Tash Rabat and Son-Kul
Trip
Leader: ISM Director and IFMGA Guide Adrian Nelhams (AN).
Guides: Stuart McAleese (SM), Max Cole (MC), Alexei Potockiy (AP), Vladimir Komissarov (VK).
Climbers: Stephen Taylor (ST), Jason Sheldrake (JS), Richard Walker (RW), Mark Aitken (MA), David Kennaway (DK), David Woods (DW), Ewan Jones (EJ), Tarni Duhre (TD), Walter Robison (WR), Lisa Ferrero (LF).
Guides: Stuart McAleese (SM), Max Cole (MC), Alexei Potockiy (AP), Vladimir Komissarov (VK).
Climbers: Stephen Taylor (ST), Jason Sheldrake (JS), Richard Walker (RW), Mark Aitken (MA), David Kennaway (DK), David Woods (DW), Ewan Jones (EJ), Tarni Duhre (TD), Walter Robison (WR), Lisa Ferrero (LF).
We all
arrived in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, situated in the North East of
Central Asia, bordered by Kazakhstan in the North, North-Western Tajikistan in
the South West, China in the South and East and Uzbekistan in the West.
Kyrgyzstan was part of the Soviet Union. In 1953 Stalin died and less than 2
months later Hillary and Tenzing summited Everest. Although both events were
un-related, they had a strong effect on the small group of Soviet Mountaineers
or al’pinisty as they were referred to in Russia. Two things had changed; the
first was that the monolithic Stalinist civilisation, which had extended to
leisure and sports, suddenly ended. The second being the first ascent of
Everest, which showed what was possible. Both these events re-focused minds to
possibilities within their own union. This not only led to new possibilities in
a climbing sense, but also opened up communication with mountaineers abroad.
The al’pinisty went from strength to strength, becoming known for their hard,
tough and committing first ascents around the globe.
Kyrgyzstan’s
mountain landscape was largely left unclimbed and the virgin summits and
valleys unexplored due to militarized zones close to the border of China.
It was only in August 1991, when Kyrgyzstan declared its independence from
Moscow and a new democratic government was introduced, that western climbers
were allowed into many of these remote unexplored valleys and virgin summits.
Ever since this time ISM has very much been part of Kyrgyzstan’s mountaineering
and climbing history, running annual expeditions exploring the virgin summits
and rock climbing in little explored canyons and outcrops throughout the
country.
Vladimir
puts some water on a small camping stove and I sink into his sofa and watch it
boil. He sits on a small wooden milking stool and makes coffee. Before it has
brewed, he reaches into his cupboard, pulls out a clear glass bottle and pours
everyone a small shot of vodka. We toast the trip and ‘not for drinking, just
for health!’ We all mooch around the office taking it all in. We chat, relax
and catch up on families and then discuss the leaving time tomorrow. We are one
permit astray but that does not seem to be deterring from us leaving and
sorting it as we go. We finish our coffee and the minibus takes us into the
city for a walk around some of the historical sites and a peek into the
bustling markets for which Kyrgyzstan is so famous. We head back to the hotel to
relax before dinner and an early start the next day. The following morning we
load the remaining kit and head east out of the city away from the busy cars,
dust and noise and very quickly into fertile farmland of green fields framed by
the high peaks of the closest mountains of the Ala-Archa Range. Sitting high in
the 6WD Kamas I relax back into a sleepy state as we slowly head east along the
border of Kazakhstan.
Suddenly,
I lunge forward in the seat and attempt to brace myself as the vehicle pulls up
and stops sharply. The noisy airbrakes hiss and as the dust settles, I pull the
grubby curtains to one side and squint into the bright sunlight recognising
instantly where we are. Street sellers at the roadside below and an array of
fruit and veg for sale. I open the door, climb down and go over to the sellers
who encourage me to taste something. I weave my way through brightly coloured
watermelons, grapes, apples, walnuts, peppers and other fruit and vegetables.
Everyone follows, tasting grapes and taking photos of our first interaction
with the Kyrgyz people outside of Bishkek. I buy bananas! We are on our way
south to the Tien Shan.
We first
pass through Naryn, a major market town and branch of the ancient Silk Road
situated just north of the Torugart Pass (the border of Kyrgyzstan and China).
The town is named after the river that cuts a huge gorge through the middle,
its waters flowing over 800 kilometres from the Tien Shan Mountains west
through the Fergana Valley and into Uzbekistan. The Naryn River is the
longest and most important river in Kyrgyzstan and its source is the At-Bashi
Range in the Tien Shan Mountains which we’d come to explore. To get to the
central part of the At-Bashi Range and into the Kashkaratash Valley we leave
Naryn, continuing south towards the main frontier between Kyrgyzstan and China,
to a range of peaks called the Kokshal-Too in the Tien Shan Mountains. Two
great mountain ranges embrace over 90% of this beautiful country - The Tien
Shan Mountains, which stretch for 2,500km from east to west and the Tajik Pamir
Mountains, which spill into southern Kyrgyzstan. Over 30% of the country is
covered in permanent snow and ice. The Tien Shan host peaks such as Khan Tengri
(the Prince of Spirits) at 7,010m, and the highest peak Jengish Chokosu or Peak
Pobeda at 7,439m. In the Pamir, Peak Kuh-i-Garmo or Peak Lenin’s summit is
7,134m, which is one of the easier 7,000m summits in the world. Khan Tengri,
the second highest mountain in the Tien Shan is undoubtedly one of the most
beautiful peaks in the world. It’s a massive marble pyramid covered in snow and
ice, the kind of peak a young child would draw if you asked then to draw a
mountain! We can see these snowy high summits in the distance further south as
we pass the eastern end of the At-Bashi Range and start to head west along the
At-Bashi River valley which runs over 100km parallel to the main frontier west
to east.
We pass
mountain pastures littered with brown rings of dead grass and ramshackle
livestock corals most of which have fallen into disrepair, with small walls of
dried horse dung left over from the previous tenant. A sign of the Kyrgyz nomad
where a yurt once stood and a family lived.
The
Kyrgyz people owe their survival to their nomadic lifestyle, which has been key
for over 2,500 years. Yurts or felt tents acted as temporary homes while their
livestock roamed the mountains in search of food and water. Inside the Yurts
(bozuys) the circular walls are lined with bright, colourful felt rugs
depicting the changing seasons, the hunting of Marco Polo sheep and their
traditional way of life. The multi-fuel stove sits to one side with the chimney
snaking up and out of a small gap in the roof. Horses (akyns) or ‘the wings of
the Kyrgyz people’ are central to the Kyrgyz way of life – a friend, worker or
source of food. These horses allow the nomads to shepherd their flocks over
miles of remote grazing land in the Tien Shan, hunt, carry yurts and provide a
source of meat, leather and milk. Their national drink, kymyz or cumous is in
fact fermented mares milk. The nomadic people of Kyrgyzstan say ‘a man should
move, because the sun, animals, fish – everything moves and only the land and
dead creatures stay where they are’. Maps out, we pinpoint the Kashkaratash
River Valley and the vehicles start the serious bit of our off-road journey, up
and down grassy hillsides and over boulder-strewn riverbeds and into base camp.
Circling vultures with one standing as a guard on top a high flat grassy
terrace look down over the almost dry river bed as the truck in a low gear
creaks and groans its way over rough boulders and down into deep cut streams
which spring high waters once eroded. Then, in stark contrast to the blue sky
and our high spirits of adventure, a dead yak lies motionless in the middle of
the dry riverbed. His eyes wide open, but without expression stare up at us as
we drive by, the vulture on guard, also motionless, looks on and waits. His
huge wings ready to take off again and devour today’s kill. We arrive at what
looks like a great base camp, a confluence of two river valley systems but then
decide on a high grassy terrace directly below the Kashkaratash Glacier.
We set up
base camp at 3680m and explore some of the unclimbed 4000m peaks close by,
which helps with acclimatisation and helps us to get a feel for the area and
our bearings.
August
23rd AN, SM, LF, WR, DK climbed unclimbed Peak 4032m.
The next day in better weather, we headed over to another cluster of 4000m peaks.
August 24th everyone climbed unclimbed Peak 4239m and MC, RW, MA, WR, LF, AP, SM, TD, ST, DK & EJ climbed unclimbed Peak 4249m.
The next day in better weather, we headed over to another cluster of 4000m peaks.
August 24th everyone climbed unclimbed Peak 4239m and MC, RW, MA, WR, LF, AP, SM, TD, ST, DK & EJ climbed unclimbed Peak 4249m.
August
25th we headed up to below the Kashkaratash glacier and assembled an ABC.
August
26th AN, ST, JS, DK, RW, SM, MA, MC, TD, EJ, AP, LF & WR all climbed
unclimbed Peak 4801m.
Note: The expedition was led to believe that the highest summit in the range indicated on the maps was actually 4788m. Peak 4788m is the summit at the southern end of the 2km ridge and Peak 4801m, which we climbed, is at the Northern end of that same ridge. It would indicate that the ISM team has now climbed not only an unclimbed virgin summit with a GPS altitude ready of 4801m, but the summit is now the highest summit known in the At-Bashi Range which is fantastic.
Note: The expedition was led to believe that the highest summit in the range indicated on the maps was actually 4788m. Peak 4788m is the summit at the southern end of the 2km ridge and Peak 4801m, which we climbed, is at the Northern end of that same ridge. It would indicate that the ISM team has now climbed not only an unclimbed virgin summit with a GPS altitude ready of 4801m, but the summit is now the highest summit known in the At-Bashi Range which is fantastic.
Richard
Walker named Peak 4801m: Peak Rhianydd
August
27th AN, ST, DK, JS, AP, LF & WR climbed Peak Arie Gabai 4530m via an
unclimbed south face via a notch in a rocky ridge guarding the snow ice face.
In addition, SM, MA, RW, MC, TD & EJ made the second ascent of the same
peak via the west ridge.
VK &
DW climbed an unclimbed Peak 4612m via its west face and south ridge,
connecting both the peaks south and north summits.
David
Woods named Peak 4612m: Peak Ordo.
August
29th everyone climbed unclimbed Peak 4461m & MC, TD & EJ also climbed
Peak 4557m via a rocky south ridge.
Stephen
Taylor and Jason Sheldrake named Peak 4461m: Peak Volchitsa.
Tarni
Duhre and Ewan Jones named Peak 4557m: Peak Ata Babalar
August
30th we moved BC to another area to explore the possibilities for a future trip
and hopefully climb another unclimbed summit.
August 31st we all climbed Peak 4516m and Peak 4536m at the head of the new valley and glacial system we had come to visit. This gave us great views of all the surrounding unclimbed summits and fantastic and inspiring possibilities for a future trip.
September 1st AN, SM, MC, ST, JS, RW, MA, DW, EJ and TD climbed Peak 4152m which was located across the river,1km distance from our base camp.
August 31st we all climbed Peak 4516m and Peak 4536m at the head of the new valley and glacial system we had come to visit. This gave us great views of all the surrounding unclimbed summits and fantastic and inspiring possibilities for a future trip.
September 1st AN, SM, MC, ST, JS, RW, MA, DW, EJ and TD climbed Peak 4152m which was located across the river,1km distance from our base camp.
We then
Headed to Tash Rabat.
The Tien
Shan, which has been crossed for centuries by Silk Road traders, wandered along
by generations of nomads, and was the battleground of Genghis Khan and other
warring tribes, remains very much today as it was centuries ago.
Tash
Rabat, is one of the most important historical sites in Kyrgyzstan, and
provided a vital link to and from China, forming part of the Silk Road. The
fortified Caravanserai at the head of the valley was a safe house for passing
traders who would store their valuable silk safely overnight away from bandits
who would follow traders along the road. Money would change hands for a safe
passage through the valley and so it was the responsibility of the region to
keep the bandits out and the silk safe.
These 7th
Century traders explored these parts making their way along the Silk Road,
which was once the richest trade routes in the world. Caravans of camels, men,
horses, silver, spices and silk travelled across the thousands of miles through
Kyrgyzstan to Uzbekistan, through Turkmenistan and Iraq onto the Mediterranean
Sea and then into Europe. Trade also passed through Kyrgyzstan and on to Greece
via Kazakhstan and Russia. We have visited Tash Rabat a number of times over
the years because apart from the historical element the valley is littered with
limestone ridges, faces and small peaks offering great climbing and first
ascents at all grades.
September
2nd we climbed a number of rock routes low down in the valley and close to the
Tash Rabat River:
‘Slab 1’, an unclimbed 3-pitch route, grade S (severe), climbed by MC, TD, EJ, AN, ST, JS, DK, SM, RW & MA.
‘Slab 2’, an unclimbed 2-pitch route, grade S (severe), climbed by SM, MA, MC, TD & EJ.
‘White Wall’, an unclimbed 3-pitch route, grade VD, climbed by SM, RW, MA.
‘Slab and Groove’, an unclimbed 3-pitch route, grade S (severe), climbed by SM, RW & MA.
‘Chimney and Hole’, an unclimbed route soloed by our porters Alexey, Misha and cook.
‘Zig Zag’, an unclimbed 4-pitch route, grade HVS 5a, climbed by AN & ST.
‘Chimney Groove’, an unclimbed 4-pitch route, grade HS, climbed by AP, LF & WA.
‘Slab 1’, an unclimbed 3-pitch route, grade S (severe), climbed by MC, TD, EJ, AN, ST, JS, DK, SM, RW & MA.
‘Slab 2’, an unclimbed 2-pitch route, grade S (severe), climbed by SM, MA, MC, TD & EJ.
‘White Wall’, an unclimbed 3-pitch route, grade VD, climbed by SM, RW, MA.
‘Slab and Groove’, an unclimbed 3-pitch route, grade S (severe), climbed by SM, RW & MA.
‘Chimney and Hole’, an unclimbed route soloed by our porters Alexey, Misha and cook.
‘Zig Zag’, an unclimbed 4-pitch route, grade HVS 5a, climbed by AN & ST.
‘Chimney Groove’, an unclimbed 4-pitch route, grade HS, climbed by AP, LF & WA.
The next
day we left Tash Rabat and went to the beautiful region of Son-Kul. Pulling off
the main road at a small yurt camp, which sold locally caught dried fish,
fermented mares milk and dried cheese balls (kurut), We then travelled west, up
into the Son-Kul valley which connects the Son-Kul River and its source - the
very scenic high alpine lake of Son-Kul.
Velvet-looking
rolling hills, created by erosion and over grazing, look almost contoured as
millions of hooved feet over the decades have traversed them, feeding off the
sharp and prickly alpine grass, giving the hills a faint terraced look. These
hills separate deep valleys, craggy outcrops and steep limestone canyons.
We arrive
and camp in Son-Kul Canyon.
September
4th we climbed 4 rock routes in Son-Kul Canyon:
Route 1 –
10 pitch, grade VS climbed by SM, MA & DK.
Route 2 – 10 pitch, grade HVS 5b, climbed by MC, TD & EJ.
Route 3 – 10 pitch and 200m of short roping, grade HS, climbed by AP, LF & WR.
‘Jigsaw’ - 8 pitch, grade HVS 5a, climbed by AN, ST & JS.
Route 2 – 10 pitch, grade HVS 5b, climbed by MC, TD & EJ.
Route 3 – 10 pitch and 200m of short roping, grade HS, climbed by AP, LF & WR.
‘Jigsaw’ - 8 pitch, grade HVS 5a, climbed by AN, ST & JS.
September
5th we drove back to Bishkek, stopping off at Kochkor for a participative and
highly entertaining demonstration of felt and rug making.
September
6th we were hosted by Vladimir and his wife for a celebratory dinner, complete
with Kyrgyzstan traditional musicians. Vodka glasses were regularly chinking as
we toasted a fantastic trip and started crystallising plans for 2018!
A special
thanks to Jason Sheldrake for all his stunning images again this year.
Safe Climbing
Ade