Tian Shan, Peak Komsomol climb

Northern Tien Shan, climbing to the peak Norsultana Nazarbayev (Komsomol)

(author A. Trubachev)

photographs

Peak climbing Norsultana Nazarbayev (Komsomol) and Khan Tengri 2003 season were developed and implemented the School of Mountaineering and Climbing AlexClimb. Climbing equipment was provided by CAMP. Sincere thanks to all!

Climbing the northern Tien Shan morning we discovered that the tent, set right in front of our own, was thwarted by high winds and blown into the abyss with the US getting to that someone caring tied to one of her guys. It was this big black bag and not let torn tent fly away - it hung on the steep slope between the first and the second camp at an altitude of about 5400 meters on the 500 route to the right lift - in the avalanche site. We did not yet know the nationality of the tent-loser, but the owners of black bags were well known. Later they moved painfully sad news.

Meanwhile, ended the second week of our adventure Khan Tengri (Lord of the Spirits), or also called the mountain - Kan-Too (Blood Mountain). Despite his harsh name, the mountain took us quite hospitable. Entirely absent sense of threat, usually emanating from the vertex of the level of complexity, height tolerated quite well, nobody complained and did not die from gornyashka. Everything would be great if it were not for the problems with the weather. When the wheels touched the helicopter glacier and we enthusiastic crowd poured out - over his head shone stunning blue sky, tranquility emanated from the harsh peaks, three kilometers altitude that separate us from the top of Khan, presented an easy afternoon walk. But no wonder there are national sign - a man going to climb the mountain - so the weather will soon spoil. And so it happened. Pamper us the sun for two days and was gone for a week. Yes, the song someone sang suitable - about snow ... and began suffering. Although it is believed that climbing in good weather is boring - who thinks so - let him try in the middle of summer to dig five-foot depth of the trench in the muddy snow, and even upward, and even at high altitude! I personally prefer other ways of having fun. But tastes differ ...

So what is the story ?! - Asks the reader, resentful narrative incoherence. Honestly, I do not know. Just a few days ago we returned from an expedition to the central Tien Shan, in front of which was another expedition to the Caucasus. Accumulated experience want to somehow save to make room for new ones - in a week again in the Caucasus ...

Climbing the northern Tien Shan to the summit of the peak Nazarbayev (former Komsomol, now renamed in honor of the President of Kazakhstan) was only a few tens of meters, when the snow is gone and the appearance of more bad turned into absence. Of the hundreds of climbers who started at five o'clock in the morning to the top of the Chimbulak got no more than a dozen of the most persistent.

It so happened that the timing of our acclimatization before climbing Khan Tengri to coincide with the national holiday of Kazakhstan - the birthday of President Nazarbayev Norsultana. On the occasion of the celebration was organized by the National alpiniada on freshly renamed peak named president. And thanks to the participation of our team, this event has received international status.

Received a formal invitation, I like the captain of a Russian-American team, decided to participate. Early in the morning on June 29, rubbing sleepy eyes and trying to wake up, we stood at the cable car station in honey.

Apart from the classic ascent was also organized a high-speed race to the top, but it's fun began three hours later, and we were not able to appreciate it. Launched two cable car line, which lifted everyone up to the level of early-thirds do not work the line. While climbing - first light. It's the most wonderful time in general, and especially in the mountains. Predawn twilight in the mountains amaze the viewer a wealth of soft tones, some cosmic serenity emanates from the mountains. But now, because of the rocky ridge begins to break through the first rays of the sun. It is not yet dawn, but it is close. The colors are more vivid, waking birds. At such moments, you feel the harmony of the world. Everything around is in constant interaction, and the person is neither a spectator of the play, nor its protagonist, it becomes just part of the whole necessary part of it.

The rise in the cable car took about 45 minutes, along with the time spent on changing because each one hundred meters of climb temperature "overboard" markedly decreased. At some point began to drizzle rain - had to urgently put on the peel - "shelz" as the English say - the sink. LOWE ALPINE same costumes immediately identify us from the crowd climbers generally dressed anyhow. Feel bourgeois was unpleasant, but the feeling is more than redeemed by the sensation of dryness, warmth and comfort. Still, it's great that you can afford to enjoy the beauty surrounding you, in spite of the rain, snow and other inconveniences. Glory progress allows us to improve internally!

Climbing the northern Tien Shan the light faded rays of the rising sun mixed with the light diode nalobnik PETZL, longest human snake stretched to the broad saddle of Talgar pass. The main question occupies me during ascent to the pass - is what will happen with a very small but darkish Tuchke strolling through neighboring vertices. Option was two - or it will evaporate after sunrise, or grow into a large cloud, close all around and bring us the dubious pleasure of the sea. But this is still far away, but for now, I stumbled poked his head into the lower part of the body in front of a man who turned and turned my old friend, left Russia in the UAE five years ago. On the side was probably curious to observe two cheered and hugged the man to watch at six o'clock in the morning on a snowy saddle of Talgar pass ... But personal happiness should not seriously hurt others - occasionally throwing a curious glance at us and smiling, people passed by. The ascent continued.

It's almost dawn, and I curiously looked neighborhood. Nostalgia did not leave me - here more than ten years ago, my first encounter took place with the mountains. The landscape has changed little, which is not true about me ... Mountains, which I watched rookie ten years ago, is now perceived quite differently in the light of experience gained, compared involuntarily, causing the association. But that they did not cease to be a beautiful and desirable ... In short, I felt like returning to childhood.

Light, and for an hour we first climbing on moraines and then on the glacier, admiring the surrounding views. Very nice, by the way. And then there was what I feared. Little Cloud, walk around the neighborhood of the vertex, beginning to grow rapidly, and soon Valley Talgar closed black wall of rain. An hour later the storm snowstorm caught us on the glacier and the whole aesthetics over. People in groups and individually started to turn back, pointedly explained his decision in a word, it is incomprehensible to Americans - jopa. I was able to educate their friends about climbing Russian slang.

Having a good acclimatization (the week before we went up to Mount Elbrus), and a well-equipped and we did not feel dependent on weather conditions and were not going to give up the ascent.

Technically, climbing to the peak Nazarbayev presents no difficulties. I feel the difficulty category of the route is not a PD. The pass can easily climb the closed glacier (Cracks! If you do not need to use a rope trail.) To pass on the easy rocks to climb another 300 m.

Adverse weather conditions have complicated our climb, but the impression was spoiled not because of this.

On the occasion of the birthday of the president, which was timed alpiniada, Kazakh rescue service were taken additional security measures. They consisted of hanging on the most difficult part of the route stationary handrails, which was organized by the lifeguards on duty. His rope climbers in the day use was prohibited. As a result of the bad weather and the general mood, the pass went to the top 10 people, including us, from hundreds of Chimbulak starters. We quickly climbed the ropes proveshennym on perestёzhkah encountering extremely dissatisfied rescuers. I understand that spend half a day on a rock in a blizzard - the pleasure is small, but it was their paid work, slavery in Kazakhstan, no, they were obliged to behave correctly. Instead, we constantly and rudely offered to finish the ascent.

Climbing the northern Tien Shan Naturally, a hundred meters from the top to do it no one wanted, and cursing, we have continued to rise. Intsendent, spoil the impression occurred on the last rope. Lifeguard on duty said that wants to go home and do not intend to wait until we go to the top. Then almost left us without insurance, removing the last rope at a time when there were people on it ... You're so without choice, angry as hell, we turned back, reaching 50 meters to the top! With a large enough experience of climbing, I can authoritatively say that the weather allowed to continue climbing, danger to climbers walking on the railing proveshennym was no. It's just a standard applied to human beings, frequent, unfortunately, in the territory of the former USSR. Rescuers decided that the interests of ten people are not worth their seats on a rock during a snowfall, much better to sit in a warm tent - where you can eat and drink ... Block had to rise out of people on the railing, and those who are already on the ropes had every right to climb to the top. I have great respect for Mr. Nazarbayev, but next time will choose to climb to the peak of his name some other day.

Half an hour after our rapid descent blizzard suddenly ceased, and over the mountains seemed clear sky ... Kazakh rescuers "save" us from a small mountaineering happiness - to see it from the top. Thank you, guys!