Slovenian Kyrgyzstan expedition nets new routes

Andrej Magajne from Slovenia reports of his August 2006 and 2005 expeditions to Kyrgyzstan, which resulted in four new routes in the Karakol valley in the Terskey Ala Too range.

PlanetMountain

December 2006

Traduci in

AAndrej Magajne from Slovenia reports of his August 2006 and 2005 expeditions to Kyrgyzstan, which resulted in four new routes in the Karakol valley in the Terskey Ala Too range.

In 2005 the weather held enabling Andrej and Simon Slejko to climb just one new route, "Amor therapeutica" (V/AI5, 700 m) up the north face of Slonienok (4728m), leaving the duo with a taste of unfinished business. They returned with Andrej Erceg and Dejan Miskovic, and climbed "Espresso" (V/AI5, 900 m) and "Frappucino Kirgizzo" (V/AI5+, 900 m) up the north face of Pic Karakolski (5280m)and "Tretje oko" (The third eye) (VI/AI6, 1200 m) up the north face of Djigit (5170m).

Andrej Magajne's full report is published below, including a brief description of the area.

Karakol valley 2005 & 2006
Andrej Magajne
"In 2005 my climbing partner Simon and I faced surprisingly bad weather which forced us to change our plan. Freshly deposited snow on north faces of Pik Karakolski (5280 m) and Djigit (5170 m) forced us to acknowledge with fact that climbing either of them would be too risky and dangerous.

When skies finally cleared, highly motivated with the presence of sun we decided to go for the comforting prize, the north face of Slonienok (4728 m). It was a classic ice wall, 700m of good neve, some steeper steps and a long corniced ridge; it took us nine hours and another four to down climb and abseil the normal route. We named the new line Amor therapeutica and graded it with 5A (V, AI5); 7.8.2005.

The next day rain started again and after 13 days we finally abandoned all dreams of climbing a new route on Djigit or Karakolski, packed our bags and headed back to civilization.

Unfinished business saw us return this year, in 2006, reinforced with another two friends, Andrej and Dejan. Our persistence was finally rewarded with good weather and three beautiful new routes on Karakolski and Djigit.

On 11.8. after midnight Simon and I entered an obvious snake couloir on the north face of Pic Karakolski. We found steep 60 - 75 degree but excellent ice and climbed unroped except for the last 100 vertical meters. Joining the west ridge and the normal route we turned down and reached base camp in the evening that same day.

On the next day Dejan and Andrej started their route, a long icefield divided by two vertical ice steps. Around midday they joined the normal route which Dejan followed to the summit of Karakolski. They bivouacked again on the On Tor glacier and returned to base camp on 13.8.

Meanwhile Simon and myself examined the famous north face of Djigit which was our last objective. We were amazed by incredible line of ice strips in the right part of the central wall.

Day D came on 22.8. when all four of us left a relatively comfortable bivouac on the On Tor pass and entered the initial couloir which promised to reveal the passage past the huge serac barrier. We found the exit from the ice trap early in the morning and started up the very steep headwall. Although the whole route is very steep, major difficulties were presented by a vertical corner at mid-height with unconsolidated snow and poor possibilities for protection.

After almost 17 hours of non-stop climbing we reached the corniced ridge in deteriorating weather, and dug a small ledge and survived an uncomfortable and freezing bivouac. In the morning we climbed the final meters to the summit where in excellent weather we enjoyed breathtaking view over countless peaks, many of them still unconquered. We descended along the normal route.

Brief introduction to the Karakol valley
The highest summits and highest walls in Terskey Ala – Too range are located in the Karakol valley. It used to be a place of many championships in the ex Soviet Union (before Kyrgyzstan gained it independence in 1991). Highest quality ascents (6A extra – ED/ED+) were done in the Djigit mountain. But the Soviets weren’t used to climbing ice and they escaped to rock faces as quickly as possible so even today you can find incredible virgin ice lines. Climbing activity there has been pretty low since that period. Ice conditions are good when we went, like they used to be in the Alps some 20 years ago. Unfortunately, global warming caused some damage. That was quite obvious this (very hot) summer. The walls are steep and remind me of those above Chamonix. The Karakol valley is easily accessible. It takes you 1 to 2 days from Ljubljana, Slovenia (airplane Ljubljana. – Istanbul – Biskek then taxi to Karakol) to Karakol. On the next day you can buy food and organize transport and on the third or fourth day you can already arrive at basecamp. It’s worth noting that the whole expedition cost circa 1500 euro per person (all inclusive). From that point of view I doubt there is another place on earth where you can climb so many new routes, some on virgin summits. Above all though, it’s beautiful. It really is a place to see."

Andrej Magajne

Photos: the N Face of Djigit (5170m); high on Amor therapeutica; a clear view on the Third eye

Ascents:
2005
Slonienok, north face, new route "Amor therapeutica" (V/AI5, 700m) Andrej Magajne, Simon Slejko

2006
Karkolski, north face, new route "Espresso" (V/AI5, 900m) Andrej Magajne, Simon Slejko

Karakolski, north face, new route "Frappucino Kirgizzo" (V/AI5+, 900m) Andrej Erceg, Dejan Miskovic

Djigit, north face, new route "Tretje oko" (The third eye) (VI/AI6, 1200m) Magajne - Slejko, Erceg - Miskovic