As I instructed in Altai. Karlin Sergey. Climbing the eastern wall of Aktru (4044 meters) Holiday prices
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Peak Karatash
Karatash from the Small Aktru glacier. 1B k.tr.
From the camp, move along the Aktra River to the bridge for 30-35 minutes.Cross the bridge and go along the moraine to the M. Aktru glacier (15-20 min.)In the lower and middle parts of the glacier, move along its center (cracks).Movement in bundles 1.5 - 2 hours. At the top of the glacier on snowybridges go under the slopes at. Karatash to the right along the way. Next go upon a steep snowy slope along the rocks in. Karatash. Up the slopeV. Karatash is formed by inflating from the side of the glacier. By this puffmove around the rocky slopes in. Karatash until there isone can see a simple scree slope going to the top. Climb up this slopeto the summit (1-1.5 hours). Descent along the ascent path.
V. Karatash along the V. rib, 3B k.tr.
From the base camp "Aktru" along the trail exit to the M. Aktru glacier. When exiting toglacier to dress crampons, movement along the glacier in bundles to the couloir on the easternslope with a pronounced wide shelf, which is a grassy slope,leading to the route ridge. To the right of the couloir is a wide fireplace,also leading to the eastern ridge (it is possible to climb up the fireplace).Exit from the glacier to the couloir along the seracs with alternate belay. Sunset incouloir to the left along the ledge, as the couloir ends with a reset. Further 20 m. upalong the couloir (45 gr.) and access to a wide ledge on the right. Shelf climb, movesimultaneous (100 m., 40 gr.). Exit to the ridge at the gendarme, locatedto the right on the way to the ridge. Further up the ridge two climbing ropesmedium complexity (50 gr.) with the use of embedded elements to a smallgendarme, who bypasses on the left. Further 500 m. along the ridge, movementsimultaneously, adhering to the left slope, two gendarmes along the way bypassalso on the left. The third gendarme (in front of the "Throne Pants"), is taken in the forehead withthe use of insurance for ledges (50 m.).
The descent to the jumper is freeclimbing, then climbing on simple rocks (45 gr., 20 m.), in some places slickice. Then exit to a wide firn ridge leading to the summit (60 m.).Descent from the summit along the route 2A k. tr.
Time breakdown
6.00 - Departure from Aktru camp
7.30 - Climbing the glacier
8.00 - Exit along the ledge to the ridge
9.00 - Ascent along the ridge to the 1st gendarme
12.00 - Ascent to the top gendarme
13.00 - Exit to the summit
15.00 - Descent to the camp "Aktru"
Description compiled by S. Kostryulev, 2nd category, Bratsk
12.05.90
Karatash SE couloir of the NE ridge, 3A k.
From the Aktru base camp, cross the bridge to the left bank of the Aktru River along the way.Along the path and further along the moraine, go to the tongue of the Small Aktru glacier. At the bottom of itparts move along the center of the glacier, skirting the NE ridge of Karatash peak on the leftalong the way. In the lower part of the ridge, a pronounced dip is visible, to whichleads a narrow deep couloir. To the left of the narrow deep couloir to the same failureleads a wide, weakly expressed couloir, the inner slope of whichvisible as a green sloping ledge running from the glacier to a sinkhole in crest.
The transition from the glacier to the "green shelf" is technically difficult. rappeldescend into rankluft, overcome heaps of ice blocks and cracks andgo to the rocky wall, along which to climb to the "green ledge". This is relief3 k.tr. Further along the ledge go to the failure of the NE ridge.
The key section of the route is a 60 meter inner corner requiringhook insurance and railing organization. Further along the 40-meter wall3 k.tr. climb the gendarme, on top of which there is a control tour.Hook insurance.
After the control tour, further movement along the rocky ridge with alternatingand simultaneous insurance through the ledges, adhering to the left side along the waycomb. Ascent to the 2nd gendarme 1-2 k.tr. Descent from the gendarme on 20 metersinner corner, with alternate insurance through the ledges. By 5 meterssteep wall on an extended ridge 2 k.tr. Along the ridge to the top of the thirdgendarme. Descent from it along the wall 3 k.tr. with insurance through the ledge.
Ascent to the fourth gendarme along the ridge 2 k.tr. Movement is simultaneous oralternating, insurance through ledges. Descent from the fourth gendarme to the snowice jumper, on which to go to southern part slope and go along the scree to top.
Climbing time 10-12 hours.
Descent along the route 1B k.tr. along the Small Aktru glacier.
V. Radistov
V. Radistov along Strebnya from the B. Aktru glacier, 3A k.tr.
From the camp move up the Aktru river in the direction of the B. Aktru glacier.The crest of the Radiostov Peak is bypassed on the right. Move along the slopes of Kzyltash,adhering to the riverbed to the big "ram's foreheads" (1-1.5 hours), whichbypass on the right along a steep scree slope. Then walk along the edge of the glacier toslopes in. Interns. The lake ("Blue") is located behind the moraine shaft. On the morainehouse is located. From the camp 2-2.5 hours walk.From the moraine lake, cross the B. Aktru glacier in the direction of the widestsnowy couloir, which is separated from the snow-ice slopes by a narrow rockybuttress. In summer, the couloir can be rocky, so it is recommended asan earlier exit under the route is possible.
At the bottom of the couloir has a branchto the left in the form of a narrow couloir, climb along it to the lowering of the northern ridge.From this depression, move up the northern ridge along the destroyed rocks withhook insurance. Rocks lead to a snow-ice slope, which leavesup three narrow corridors in the form of a "chicken paw". On average rise torocks and go along them to the lintel of the eastern ridge c. Radio operators. Next onclimb the snow-ice ridge to c. Radio operators. Time 5-6 hours.
Descent along route 1B. k.tr. along the couloir of the south slope, or through the passMaashey to the moraine lake (2-3 hours).
Aktru summit
V. AK-TRU along the V. ridge from the Bolshoi Aktru glacier, 3A k.tr.
From the camp...
From the moraine lake move along the edge of the B. Aktru glacier along the slopesV. Interns. The glacier is torn, so move in bundles to the couloir betweenV. Interns and a large gendarme on the V. ridge. Aktru. Climb up the couloiralong the ruined rocks of the left along the side of the couloir, go to the lower pointV. comb (2-2.5 hours).
On a simple ridge climb the big gendarme (control tour) and furthermove towards the summit until the pre-summit takeoff. Snow-ice takeoff -key section of the route (time 2-2.5 hours). Before snow and ice takeoffthere is a gendarme with a 5-meter rock wall (organize a railing).The snow-ice ridge goes up in the form of a sickle. Move on the left sidecomb. In the lower part on the ridge there is snow, which turns into an ice take-off 120-160 meters long and steep 30-40 gr. Movement with careful hookinsurance. After takeoff, a simple snow ridge 300-400 m, leading to top of Aktru.
Descent along the Yu.-W. ridge to the glacier B. Aktru along the route 2A k.tr. When descendingsnowy slope to go in bundles - 2 closed bergschrundts. To the moraine lakeon the glacier, movement in bundles due to the presence of closed cracks.
V. AK-TRU, east wall, 4A k.tr.
(according to the report on the first ascent, Tsybkin L.P., July 1959)
Approach from the HMS Ak-Tru through the teacher pass in the Kurumdu gorge. The Kurumdu icefall is crossed on the right along the edge of the rocks in Kurumdu in bundles. Icefall crossing time - 1 hour. Overnight on the scree under the wall in Ak-Tru. Approach time from HMS Ak-Tru to overnight is 7 hours.
The route to the summit passes along a rocky ridge, divided by snow and ice sections into five rocky islands. The height of the wall is 800 m. The way from the bivouac to the base of the wall is 15 minutes, the snow slope is 30 degrees to the bergschrund, after passing the bergschrund the snow slope is 40-50 degrees steep, the snow is deep, insurance through an ice axe. At a distance of 20 m from the first rocky island there is open ice. Further movement along the scallop of the first rocky island, the rocks are destroyed, of medium difficulty, insurance through the ledges. At the top of the rocky island is a control tour. Time from bivouac - 2 hours. To the base of the second rocky island, a snowy slope with a steepness of 30 degrees, the rocky island goes around to the right along the edge of ice and rocks (1 rope), then after climbing the rocky wall (10 m) traverse to the left (20 m) to the ice ridge (50 m, 50 degrees ), which leads to the rocks of the 3rd island. The rocks are destroyed, of medium difficulty and difficult, there are no monolithic rocks, they are climbed with hook insurance. At the top, the rocky island traverses to the right, a control tour is set. Up to the fourth island there is an ice slope (60 m, 50 degrees). The rocks of the fourth island are difficult and badly damaged, and reliable belaying is problematic for two pitches. The bridge between the 4th and 5th islands is icy (30 m, 50 degrees). The rocks of the fifth island are less destroyed, they pass along the edge of ice and rocks on the right along the way. After passing the fifth island, climb 70 m up (50 - 55 degrees, ice), and then traverse 50 m to the right, where there is a break in the snow cornice, then the way to the top along a simple snow ridge. The passage time from the bivouac to the summit is 16 hours.
Descent along the route 2A k.tr. (2.5 hours) to the “blue” lake.
TRAVERSE KORUMDU - AK-TRU 4A k.t.
Approach from Ak-Tru base to Ak-Su gorge 3 - 2.5 hours.
The beginning of the route is an exit to the ridge of the Korumdu massif (orographic left ridge in the Ak-Su valley). Recommended access to the ridge on the border of green grass with loose.
Movement along a 2-kilometer destroyed scree ridge with numerous small gendarmes is not difficult and does not require insurance. There are at least three places for overnight stays on the ridge (with tent sites).
The penultimate gendarme on the rocky part of the ridge is overcome along the crack with hook insurance (1 rope).
After bypassing the last gendarme on the left, descend to a small blue lake, after which the main, in terms of complexity, combined part of the route begins. On the lake next to the next two snow-ice pockets of the ridge there are convenient places for overnight stays.
The main ice takeoff (4 pitches - 40 degrees) is overcome with a light traverse to the right. On the left side, stones can come down from the rocks located above, even in the morning hours.
After reaching the snowy ridge and a short ice takeoff (ver. 1) - exit to the firn field of the ridge, approaching from the right. Then move to the left, first along the snow, then along the steep firn (3 ver.). Bypass a relatively small rocky gendarme on the right, then after the snow bridge - traverse a larger gendarme on the right along the ice (3 pitches, 40 degrees), which is actually the rocky peak of the Korumdu massif, with a subsequent exit to the destroyed rocks. Further down the snow bridge, then a gentle ascent along the snow-firn ridge to its highest point (Korumdu peak, control tour).
Descent along a heavily destroyed rocky ridge with snow fragments to its lower part. Then climb the firn (3 pitches), bypass the gendarme on the left and climb him. At the top of the gendarme there are two sites for tents. The place can be used for a forced overnight stay.
After descending from the gendarme along the snow-ice ridge, approach under the rocks. There is one rope (railing) along the rocks, up to a section of a steep (up to 60 degrees) firn slope with an ice crust. When passing the section, when screwing the ice screws, pay attention to the quality of the ice (air bubbles are possible). The length of this section is 2 ropes. The section is passed in a zigzag (see Fig. 2, section R41 - R43). Then exit to the left on the firn-snow slope, and traverse to the left along the snow over the ice faults, under the wall of the overhanging negative ice(2 ropes). On the left edge of the ice overhang that disappears, exit through the bend to the ice take-off (2 pitches, 45 degrees). The take-off ends with a snow pressurization, after passing which - an exit to the Ak-Tru summit plateau. Then move to the right along the plateau and along the snow-firn ridge to a rocky island with a geodetic tripod installed (Ak-Tru peak). At the top, pay special attention to snow eaves and cracks. Descent to the B.Ak-Tru glacier along the route 2 k.t. (snowy, and in summer - an ice slope with a steepness of up to 40 degrees, up to 8 pitches long).
Time breakdown
From the point Ro (beginning of the route, exit to the rocky ridge Korumdu)
to R1 - 5 hours
to R1 - R2 - 4 hours
R2 - R3 - 3 hours
R3 - R4 - 2 hours
R4 - R5 - 6 hours.
Possible overnight stays
On the ridge between Ro and R1 (halfway).
At point R1.
At point R2.
Troughs in section R3 - R4.
Gendarme R4.
The description was compiled in August 1996.
V. Snowy
c.SNOW
along the northwest wall,
3b
(described 07/26/96)
From the base camp, located on the HMS Ak-Tru, move along the Ak-Tru river and further along the moraine of the B.Ak-Tru l.to the icefall. The ascent to the 1st step of the glacier goes to the right of the khitsan, in the last third of which there is a gap (scree), leading to the right (orographic) arm of the glacier. From the top of the gap, the route is clearly visible, incl. the second step of the glacier. Up to the second step, the route goes through a gentle glacier with transverse cracks up to 1.5 m wide. Climbing the second step is possible on the left (in the direction of travel) under the rocks, but there is a danger of rockfall. When passing through the center of the icefall, the main fault is overcome in the middle part along a thick snow plug. Further movement - on a gently sloping glacier, there is a danger of cracks. The journey from the beginning of the Khitsan to the beginning of the Ro route took 3 hours. The scheme of the approach is shown in Fig.1.
c. SNOW on the couloir C gr.,
2B k.t.
(classified 12/10/92)
From the base camp located on the Ak-Tru HMS, move along the Ak-Tru River and further along the moraine of the Ak-Tru Pr. to the icefall located between the Karatash and Khitsan. Travel time 1 - 1.5 hours. Contact under the icefall. The icefall is overcome either under the slopes of the Karatash mountain, or in the center with careful hook-and-line protection. Movement on the right along the way under the slopes of the chican is objectively dangerous. The passage of the icefall is 1 - 2 hours. The second stage of the icefall is overcome on the left along the slopes of the northern ridge in Snezhnaya along the upper field of the glacier almost to the ice slopes descending from the summit. In this part, there is a couloir in the ridge, wide at the bottom and narrowing at the top. Travel time to the couloir 2 hours. The ascent to the northern ridge passes along this couloir. In the narrow part of the couloir, the movement passes through the ice with hook insurance. Time 2 hours.
The northern ridge passes into the snow-ice dome of the summit. In the upper part, before reaching the summit, one has to overcome an ice slope of 80 - 100 m, steep in the lower part, flattening out in the upper part. Movement with hook insurance. The time to reach the summit is 1 - 1.5 hours. Descent along the route 2A through l.M.Ak-Tru. Descent time 2 - 3 hours.
c.SNOW along the NW slope, 3A k.tr.
From the Aktru base camp along the path along the Aktru River, then along the moraine toglacier Right Big Aktru, in the direction of Khitian. To come under NWthe slope is snowy, you need to climb two steps of the icefall to the left of the Khitian. Firstthe step bypasses along the scree gap in the upper third of the chician. Second stepgoes under the rocky slopes in. Snowy.Approach time 4-5 hours.
The steepness of the snow-ice NW slope varies from 30 to 50 degrees. in the mostcool part. Alternate movement, hook belay, for a group -railing organization. The bottom and top must be overcomebergschrunds and cracks.
Time of passage of the slope 6-7 hours.
Descent from the summit along the route 2A k.tr. along the Small Aktru glacier.
V. Youth
V. YOUTH from the Ak-Tru gorge 1B to tr.
From the camp move up the river in the direction of the B.Ak-Tru glacier. Walk along the slopes of the Kzyltash river, adhering to the river bed until the big rocky “lamb foreheads” (1 - 1.5 hours), which go around on the right along a steep scree slope. Further along the edge of the glacier to the slopes of Starzherov. The lake is located behind a moraine shaft. Glaciologists' tent on the moraine. From camp 2 - 2.5 hours walk. Convenient place for an overnight stay.
From the moraine lake go to the B.Ak-Tru glacier (cracks! Move in bundles!). Move, adhering to the slopes on the right along the way to Yunost. Cross the glacier in the direction of the jumper, located to the right in. Yunost. Time 2.5 - 3 hours. Ascent to the lintel along a steep snowy slope (bergschrund can be opened in the lower part) and further along a simple ridge to the top (1 - 1.5 hours). Descent along the path of ascent to the moraine lake 1 - 1.5 hours.
Traverse STUDENTS - YOUTH, 2B k.tr.
From the camp move up the river in the direction of the B.Ak-Tru glacier. Walk along the slopes of the Kzyltash mountain, adhering to the river bed until the big rocky “ram's foreheads” (1 - 1.5 hours), which go around on the right along a steep scree slope. Further along the edge of the glacier to the slopes of Starzherov. The lake is located behind a moraine shaft. On the moraine there is a tent of glaciologists. From camp 2 - 2.5 hours walk. Convenient place for an overnight stay.
From overnight stays on the moraine lake, move up the B.Ak-Tru glacier (in bundles !!!) adhering to the rocky ridge on the right along the way. On the left, the glacier breaks off a large rocky step. On the right, gently sloping part of the glacier, climb to the level of a rocky step and cross the glacier in the direction of the Maashey pass. The rise is gentle (cracks!). Time 2 - 2.5 hours. From the pass, the path lies to the right along the ridge in the direction of the summit of Students. At first, the ridge is a simple snowy one. In front of the summit there is a large gendarme in the form of a rock "saw". The movement is alternate, insurance through the ledge. “Saw” is a key section of the route. After the “saw”, a simple ridge leads to V.Studentsov. Time 1.5 - 2 hours. The descent from the v. Studentov and the ascent to the v. Yunost takes 25 - 30 minutes. On a simple comb.
Descent from v. Yunost along the route 2 k.tr.
YOUTH - STUDENTS traverse 2B k.t.
Ascent to Yunost V. along the route 1B k.tr. and further in the direction of the opposite traverse Students - Yunost.
V. Petrel
with ice. Ak-Tru, 1B k.tr.
From the camp move up the river in the direction of the B.Ak-Tru glacier. Walk along the slopes of the Kzyltash mountain, adhering to the riverbed until the big rocky “ram's foreheads” (1 - 1.5 hours), which go around on the right along a steep scree slope. Further along the edge of the glacier to the slopes of Starzherov. The lake is located behind a moraine shaft. On the moraine there is a tent of glaciologists. From camp 2 - 2.5 hours walk. Convenient place for an overnight stay.
From the moraine lake go out to the B.Ak-Tru glacier, connect and move along the slopes, keeping to the right side along the way (move in bundles, the glacier is broken by cracks covered with snow). On the left, the glacier breaks off a large rocky step. On the right sloping part of the glacier, climb to the level of the rocky step and cross the glacier in the direction of the Maashey pass. The ascent to the pass is not steep (cracks!). Time 2.5 - 3 hours. From the pass, the path goes along a simple snowy ridge, which has ups and downs and breaks off to the east with a cornice, to Burevestnik. Time 2 - 2.5 hours. Descent along the ascent path.
Tamma Peak
Approaches to the summit are possible from the Ak-Tru gorge with an ascent to the Maashei pass, from the Maashei gorge with an ascent to the same pass from the east, along the Maashei ridge, traversing it to the east, from the south from the Karagem gorge. The most logical and at the same time the easiest way to the top is the way from the Ak-Tru gorge, the second most difficult way is the way from the glacial Maashey, the way to the top from the west along the ridge has the greatest difficulty, because. climbing and traversing this ridge is difficult.
The ascent from the Ak-Tru gorge is first made in the usual way. They go out to spend the night on a moraine near the lake, then they pass the glacier until the first takeoff. At the exit to the first takeoff, they go left, beout the direction to a visible decrease in the Yuzhno-Akturinsky ridge - this is the Maashey pass, after passing a little, another takeoff begins with a steepness of about 35 degrees and a height of about 100 meters. After passing this take-off, a smooth ascent begins with a steepness of up to 25 degrees. There are bergschrunds along the way. The largest of them is at the bend at the top, where the slope gradually flattens out and reaches 8 - 10 degrees. To the right of the pass point there are rocks on which the tour is difficult. The travel time from spending the night at the lake on the moraine to the pass point is 3-4 hours and depends very much on the state of the glacier and snow. Then move on the snow to the left, traversing the difficult takeoff on the right. After passing the take-off, you should not go straight to the ridge, because. Huge cornices hang over to the left. After descending from this ridge, climbers find themselves in a snow trough about 15 meters long. Here we must beware of unpleasant cracks located without any regularity. The ascent from the trough to the ridge, which bifurcates, to the left to the top of Burevestnik and Tamma peak is approximately the same, they also do not differ in complexity. After reaching the ridge, they go to the right to the highest point, which is a snowy peak. The tour is located a little lower on the rocks. The travel time from the pass point to the summit is 1.5 hours. The descent is made along the path of ascent and takes about three hours. The path from the Maashey gorge can pass through the Maashey pass with the ascent to the summit along the path described above and the traverse of the summit from west to east.
To pass the traverse from the Maashey gorge, a crustal glacier (almost horizontal, devoid of any cracks) passes, they approach the slope of the northern wall of the Maashey peak, then, moving to the right branch of the glacier, they go to the right to a visible decrease between the Tamma peak and the Bars peak. At first glance, the path seems to be more difficult than on the Maashey pass, in fact, the difficulty of the routes is almost the same. The glacier in this place of ascent is severely broken and its passage depends heavily on the condition of the snow at the time of the climbing season. The most difficult time to pass this section is the end of summer, because. the steepness of some sections reaches 45 degrees, and it is necessary to move in crampons with hook insurance. The path goes first to the right, and then to the middle of the take-off, passes in the center and to the exit to the Karagem plateau, again go to the right. This path cannot strictly define a route because the state of ice and cracks changes every year. In any case, the path is not dangerous, there are no ice discharges, and it is quite passable. The time of ascent from the right branch of the glacier to the Karagem plateau is 3-4 hours. Climbing the Tamma Peak from the Karagem Plateau does not present any particular difficulties and first passes through a snowfield with a steepness of up to 35 degrees in the direction of the rocks, the length of this section is about 150 meters. The rocks of the tiled structure are destroyed, in some places they reach a steepness of up to 60 degrees. Movement on the rocks with alternate insurance and takes 1.5 - 2 hours. The tour is difficult not reaching the top on the very last rocks. The descent from the top is described above.
ASCENT SCHEDULE FROM MAASHEY gorge.
Travel time to the right branch of the ice Maashey - 2 hours.
Exit under the slopes of the route - 1 hour.
Exit to the Karagem plateau - 3-4 hours.
Climbing to the top - 1.5-2 hours.
Descent to the camp - 5-6 hours.
Full traverse time - 10-15 hours.
ROUTE DIFFICULTY EVALUATION
The combined route for traverse from the Ak-Tru gorge to the Karagem gorge and back can be classified as 2A - snow-rocky, for the traverse from the Maashey gorge and back, the ice-rocky route can be classified as 2B, for climbing from the Maashey gorge with a preliminary exit to the Maashey pass the route is somewhat more difficult, the character is ice-rocky-snowy and can be assessed as 2B - 3A, although this route is difficult to control. Ascent from the Ak-Tru gorge with descent along the ascent path can be classified as 1B, the route is snowy.
The material was: B.Soustin, G.Andreev.
V. ICE
V. ICE along the NE buttress of the South ridge, 3B k.tr.
From the base camp along the path go under the nunatak that separates the Prav.Ak-Tru glacier and, pressing against the rocks, bypass it on the right. Having reached the glacier and overcoming the ice faults on flat ice, approach the second gendarme of the SV c / f v.DVS. Then go to the ridge to the left or to the right of it (orienting yourself according to the snow and ice conditions). The movement along the rocky ridge in bundles is simultaneous, the rocks are 2-3 grades. The ridge is badly damaged, there are many dips that are clogged with snow. The ascent is on the left side of the ridge. In the dips, traverse through the snow under the eaves! Hook and ice belay. Gradually, the ridge rests on an ice slope, in the lower part of which an icefall is to be overcome. After overcoming it on ice 30 - 45 degrees, 100 m, exit to the rocky "outlier". From it to the summit dome, move along the ice (45 - 50 degrees) slope, 120 m, which ends with a snow cornice. Having cut through the cornice, we go out to the summit dome (ice 20 degrees).
Descent to the Fizkulturnik pass on ice 20 - 30 degrees along the railings - 60 m. From the Fizkulturnik pass descent to the ice.
TACTICAL ASCENT PLAN
Departure from b/l “Ak-Tru” 8.00
Approach to nunatak 10.00
Exit to the buttress 12.00
Exit to the ski slope 14.00
Exit to the summit 14.30
Descent to Fizkulturnik lane 15.30
Descent to the ice. Pr. Ak-Tru 16.00
Return to b/l 19.00
COMPOSITION OF THE GROUP
1. Shlekht A.D. KMS - leader
2. Solomatov V.A. KMS - account
3. Nemtsev S.Yu. 1 - account
4. Khazheev A.R. 2 - account
The description was compiled by Nemtsev S.Yu. 02/25/95
V. Kurkurek
DESCRIPTION OF THE PASSAGE OF THE NORTHERN RIDGE TOPS OF KURCUREK IN THE NORTH-CHUY PROTEINS
The actual climbing route along the northern ridge of Kurkurek begins after the climbers, having left the camp, descend to the transshipment base at the beginning of the Ak-Tru gorge and then, through windbreaks and taiga blockages, rise to the foot of the peak. Although this cannot relate to the climbing difficulty of climbing, it requires sports group large initial energy expenditure for 8 - 10 hours.
The bivouac, from which the actual ascent along the northern ridge of the peak begins, can be set up on the ridge itself. In its initial part from the Kurkurek River, it is not difficult, it is first a grassy steep slope (1 hour of walking), then a gentle (25 degrees) small and medium scree, then a steeper (35 degrees) large quartz scree. In the future, the ridge is marked more sharply, but it is also easy to pass, since its rises are not steep, and the width of the ridge is quite sufficient for setting up a tent. From the river at the tongue of the Kurkurek glacier to the place of extremely convenient lodging sites located right on the ridge, about 3 hours of travel. The lodging for the night is located below the summit at about 900 - 1000 meters in height. Further, the path is blocked by six more or less pronounced gendarmes, composed of slate rocks.
The first three gendarmes go around to the right, the fourth and fifth pass head-on, the sixth also traverses to the right along the shelf on the border of the snowfield, which falls steeply onto the Kurkurek glacier between the northern and northwestern ridges of the summit. The time spent by the group to overcome this section is 2.5 hours. After the gendarmes, the ridge becomes pure snow for 2 pitches and, although almost horizontal, has a very steep slope to the right (60 - 65 degrees) in its upper part) and cornices to the left. Walking on the ledges can lead to falling into a short bowl-shaped couloir. It is necessary to keep from the top of this snowy ridge three or four meters to the right.
The crest leads to a greasy sheer wall, in front of which it expands into a small platform, where the second number of the ligament can fit in order to organize the hook belay of the first number. The height of this gendarme closing the exit from the crest is approximately 35 - 40 meters, but the steep initial part is four meters. There is no other way as in the forehead here. The top of the gendarme turns into a rocky ridge, but after 100 meters the main ascent begins directly to the top, which is a snowy, and then turning into an ice, steep slope. The steepness of the snow slope increases up to 50 degrees as it rises. To the right and down from it is a cut of the slope above the cirque of the Kurkurek glacier. On the first section of seven or eight pitches, the movement is carried out through dense snow to a rocky spot. From it, the thickness of the snow cover begins to decrease and for some time the organization of insurance is difficult and requires hard work in clearing the pelvis for the hook. The time of overcoming the path from the wall of the previously described gendarme, which closes the exit from the ridge to the last rocky spot, is 1.5 hours. The last stage of the ascent is the most important part of the route. For 200 meters, the ice slope with a steepness of 50 degrees is sprinkled with a loose 20 cm layer of snow that is not bound by ice. For three hours, the group climbed this slope to the top with hook-and-line insurance and cutting down steps. Only 10 - 15 minutes before the summit, the slope reduces its steepness and the last, more gentle step leads to the summit. The summit itself is a huge snowy plateau, slightly sloping towards the Maashey River and abruptly breaking off on the southern ridge going to the summit of B.Ak-Tru.
Descent from the summit along the northwestern ridge. Moving along this ridge, which has a flat top, but breaks off with walls to the north and steep snows to the south, is an easy task. The problem is the choice of a place from which one could start a safe descent into the valley. Having passed 5-6 km along the ridge, the descent begins along the northern spur of the ridge, which limits the second glacial cirque behind the Kurkurek glacier from the west. At first, the descent goes through a very steep snowfield, and then, with a turn to the right, also a very steep and rocky rocky couloir. In the lower part of the couloir there is a fine scree, excellent for descent, leading to a flat open glacier. The path to the bivouac near the Kurkurek River further goes along the moraines and does not present any difficulties. The time required to descend from the summit to the bivouac is 7 hours.
Schedule of ascent to the v.KURKUREK from the north.
1. Approaches to the base of the northern ridge take the whole day. This must be taken into account when planning the timing of the ascent.
2. The way to overnight stays on the northern ridge from the green camp takes three hours, is elementary and is passed without bundles.
3. Movement along the ridge directly from spending the night on the ridge can initially be carried out without tying up, but when overcoming the 4th, 5th and 6th gendarmes, ligaments are necessary. The time to approach the wall behind the first snow scallop is 2.5 hours. Technically, the path is significantly more complicated, and the passage of a snowy ridge requires careful implementation of all the methods of alternate insurance on the snow.
4. Overcoming the rocky wall and reaching the top of the gendarme is a highly technical task with the use of hook (5 hooks) belay of the first number of the bunch. The nature of climbing in the first sections is such that, apparently, in any group of dischargers there will be participants who will have to climb the gendarme not only on rocks, but also on a rope. Climbing is complicated by the tense state of the athlete, holding on to small holds over a hopelessly steep snowy slope, ending with a cliff into an ice circus. Overcoming the gendarme and approaching the last rocky spot on the slope takes 1.5 hours and should be characterized by a high degree of technical difficulty.
5. Climbing the ice slope to the top takes three hours of continuous hook work with cutting steps, and from the mountaineer's point of view, it can be best described by comparison with the ascent to the Sev.Ushba ridge along the ice slope from the Nastenko rocks in a rainless year.
6. The 7-hour descent from the summit along the northwestern ridge is elementary simple at first, but then, when moving along its northern spur, it becomes tense, both in terms of the steepness of the relief and the degree of rock hazard of the walls of the couloir leading to the surface of the glacier. It can be assumed that the descent along the ascent path will be no more difficult than the descent passed by the group.
Peculiarities of climbing Kurkurek v. from the north.
a) Lack of trails in the taiga bordering the foot of the peak and therefore unproductive initial energy expenditure to reach the route;
b) increased, against the Middle Caucasian, requirements for athletes of the 3rd and 2nd categories in relation to the ability to overcome steep 50-degree ice slopes located above the drops;
c) increased rock hazard of the path along the northern spur of the northwestern ridge, which dictates the requirement for a small number of sports groups for ascent and descent along it.
V. Interns
from the ZNACHKISTOV pass, 2A k.tr.
From the camp move up in the direction of the B.Ak-Tru glacier. Walk along the slopes of the Kzyltash mountain, adhering to the riverbed, for large rocky "ram's foreheads" (1 - 1.5 hours), which go around on the right along a steep scree. Then move along the edge of the glacier to the prone v. Interns. On the moraine rampart there is a tent of glaciologists, behind the rampart there is a lake. From camp 3 - 3.5 hours walk. Convenient place for an overnight stay.
From the moraine lake move up in the direction of the Znachkistov pass. The ascent goes first along the scree, then along the snowy slope. Time - 1.5-2 hours. There is no need to climb directly to the pass. A gentle snowy slope leads to the pass, which goes upwards to the left to the top of the Interns. Climb to the summit ridge along this snow-ice slope. The movement is simultaneous, on the ice sections alternate with hook insurance. In the upper part of the slope it is necessary to overcome the crack. Then go to the summit along a simple summit ridge. Time - 1-1.5 hours. Descent along the ascent path.
V. UPI
from North, 2B k.tr.
From the camp, move up the river to the beginning of the B.Ak-Tru glacier (right) and follow it up to the first stage of the icefall, located between Khitsan and the slope of Karatash (contact!). Time 1 - 1.5 hours. The first step is overcome between the slopes of the Karatash peaks and the icefall (on the left along the way). Climb up the snowy slope to the second step, which bypasses on the left along the way, next to the folded ridge, the peaks are snowy. Cross the glacier towards the top of the UPI (cracks!). Time 1.5 - 2 hours. Climb up the pre-summit ridge along the snow-ice slope of the UPI peak. The comb is sharp. The western side of the ridge is icy, the eastern side breaks off with cornices. Move on the ice behind the line of separation of the cornices. Hook insurance. Climb up the ridge to the top. Time 2 - 2.5 hours.
Descent along the ascent path. Descent time 2 - 2.5 hours.
TRAVERSE in. BUREVESTNIK - ICE - UPI, 3B k.tr.
From the bivouac near the moraine lake, the group ascends to the Maashey pass and goes by a simple ridge to the Burevestnik peak. Exit to the top in 3.5 hours. The descent from the peak is made along the eastern monolithic wall, because. the eastern buttress is extremely rock hazardous. The descent begins along a very steep, but very short (15 m) ice section. The descent goes down and to the left with access to a rocky ledge. The path along the rocks is difficult: plates, crevices and small plumb lines alternate, along which three small ice sections 6-8 meters long must be descended by 5 - 6 meters, cutting steps is required. The direction of the descent to the snowfield. On it, bypassing the red rocks, they go to the Fizkulturnik pass. From the pass begins the ascent along the western ridge of the top of the DVS. The path goes first along a snowy ridge, on which the gendarmes are located. The second of them bypasses on the left along a sharp snow scallop, all the rest are passed in the forehead. It takes a lot of work to overcome the pre-summit ice wall, on which cutting of steps and hook-and-line insurance are needed. From the village of Burevestnik to the head of the DVS - 7 hours. The descent along the eastern ridge of the peak to the top of the UPI begins by overcoming the cornice, in which a trench is cut. Ice descent, hard ice - hook insurance. Further, the slope turns into a snow-covered rocky ridge, which falls to the bridge between the ICE and RPI. Climbing it goes first along a simple ridge, then the ridge of rocks becomes unreliable and the path runs to the left of it along a snowy ridge, abruptly breaking off to the left by walls, and to the right separated from the rocky ridge by narrow but deep cracks. Gendarmes of medium difficulty are overcome head-on. The way from ICE to UPI - 4 hours. The descent from the UPI to the right branch of the B.Ak-Tru glacier passes along the northern snow ridge. Directly under the summit there is an ice slope (hooks). After reaching the rocky buttress, they descend on two ropes: they traverse the snowy slope and descend with destroyed rocks to the snowfield of the upper circus. Further, the path goes along the icefall - bundles. At the end of the lower step of the glacier, you have to go left to a rocky island and from it go down to the right bank of the left glacier B.Ak-Tru. The descent from UPI to this place takes 7 hours.
Traverse UPI - BUREVESTNIK. 4A k.tr.
The ascent to the top of the UPI passes along the route 2B k.tr. (6 - 7 hours). From the top of the UPI, the descent goes first along a simple ridge, which gradually becomes more complicated, forming a series of gendarmes. They are passed alternately with insurance through the ledge. After a series of gendarmes, the ridge becomes simpler and leads to a snow-ice slope on the top of the DVS, which is overcome in crampons with hook insurance. A snow cornice is possible in the upper part of the internal combustion engine. The cornice is cut or driven using ice axes as an ITS. The control tour to V.DVS is located below the top, further along the ridge on rocky outcrops. Travel time from v.UPI to v.DVS 5 - 6 hours.
The descent from V.DVS passes along the snow-ice slope in the direction of V. Burevestnik, then along a simple ridge. Before climbing to Burevestnik there are convenient places for spending the night.
The ascent to the Burevestnik mountain passes to the left of the rocks of the ridge along the couloir, overcoming rocky steps covered with snow. The movement is alternate with belay through a ledge or hook belay. The last rocky bastion bypasses on the right. A cornice is possible before reaching the summit. It is either cut through or passed using ice axes as an ITS. Travel time from V.DVS to V. Burevestnik 5 - 6 hours.
If the conditions of the ascent made it possible not to spend the night before climbing to the top of Burevestnik, then you can spend the night in any snow trough in the region of Burevestnik.
The descent from the top passes along the route 1B k.tr. through the pass Maashey.
Traverse BUREVESTNIK - UPI, 3B k.tr.
The route goes in the opposite direction of route 4A k.tr UPI - Burevestnik. When descending by rappel through the snowy cornices of Burevestnik and DVS peaks, it is necessary to organize either self-pulling of ice axes or leave anchor points on the snow at the top (snow anchor, long pin, etc.).
Route description.
From Ro to R1 - ascent along the left (in the direction of travel) bank of the glacier, bypassing the bergschrund, with simultaneous belay. When driving, pay attention to the couloirs on the left, which are sources of frequent rockfalls. A possible option for movement with a closed bergschrund is along a glacier.
R1 - R2 lifting with hanging railings. With good preparedness of the group, it is possible to move with simultaneous insurance through intermediate hooks (ice screws).
R2 - 40-50 meters, to the right of the lower part of the rock ledge, which forms the right edge of the last (upper) couloir.
R2 - R3 movement along the railing. In some places there are small transverse cracks up to a meter wide. Before R3, the slope flattens out near the summit takeoff.
R3 - R4 traverse to the left, bypassing the pre-summit takeoff along the horizontal rails. Rocky ledges are visible at the top right.
R4 - R5 ascent along the railing to a sharp flattening.
R5 - R summit plateau.
Descent along the route 2A k.tr.
The rise of a group of 10 people took: Ro - R2 - 3 hours, R2 - R - 3.5 hours.
V. Kyzyltash
v.KZYLTASH from the CONTAINER pass, 1B k.tr.
From the camp move towards the P.Ak-Tru glacier. Walk along the slopes of the Kzyltash mountain, adhering to the riverbed until the big rocky "ram's foreheads" (1 - 1.5 hours), which go around on the right along a steep scree slope. Then go along the edge of the glacier to the slopes of Starzherov. The lake is located behind a moraine shaft. On the moraine there is a tent of glaciologists. From camp 2 - 2.5 hours walk. Convenient place for an overnight stay. From the moraine lake, the path goes up in the direction of the Container Pass, adhering to the slopes of Kzyltash on the right along the way. The ascent to the pass passes along a hard shallow scree (2 - 2.5 hours). From the pass to the right up the rocky ridge. The rocks are destroyed. In the lower part, the movement is simultaneous, in the upper part - alternately, insurance through the ledge. From the upper point of the ridge to the left along the way a snow ridge departs, leading to the top of Kzyltash. On the snowy ridge you need to go down a five-meter wall of medium climbing difficulty with insurance through a ledge. Climb to the top of Kzyltash along a simple snow ridge. Descent along the ascent path.
V.KZYLTASH from the lane TEACHER, 3A k.tr.
From the lower structure of the HMS Ak-Tru, move up the wide couloir, along its right side along the old path in the direction of the Uchitel pass. Climbing the north-eastern ridge to the Uchitel pass takes 1 - 1.5 hours. On a simple ridge, move towards the summit for 30-40 minutes until the first difficult sections before which you need to contact. Then move in bundles alternately or simultaneously with insurance through the ledge. On the ridge there are several gendarmes, they go around to the right along the way, or on snow, or on rocky shelves. The northeastern ridge ends with a 40-meter wall with an internal angle, which leads to the southeastern summit ridge (2 - 2.5 hours). The inner corner, a key section of the route, is filled with streak ice. It is traversed with careful hook insurance. Further movement goes mainly along the left side of the southeastern ridge. The last gendarme before the summit walks on the right in the snow. The ascent to the summit tower takes place on the right side of the tower (2 - 2.5 hours).
Descent from the summit along the route 1B k.tr. to the container pass. Descent time 3 - 3.5 hours.
The idea of the ascent came to us in January 2013, almost half a year before the ascent. Studying various information about this peak of the North-Chuysky ridge, we were surprised to find that its Eastern wall was climbed only in July 1959 by a certain L.P. Tsybkin and further attempts did not lead to success, and the Northern Wall was generally up to today is a white spot of mountaineering and is waiting for its madmen. Most likely, as we suggested, this is due to the inaccessibility of the Northern Wall Circus - getting there is already a big feat.
Peak Karatash at dawn from Aktru airport
But we still decided not to touch the North Face and fixed our eyes on climbing the eastern slope, which is also no less interesting, although the route 4A of the difficulty category was laid along it.
The trip was scheduled for 01-11 May 2013. On the evening of May 01, we arrived at the alpine camp - the weather was gloomy: sleet, everything was delayed - very severe.
In order to get to the Eastern wall, you need to go to the valley adjacent to the Aktru gorge. This can be done either through the Uchitel pass (1B) immediately from the Aktru alpine camp, or from the Blue Lake through the Znachkistov pass (1B). Initially, we planned to go through the Teacher, but at the last moment we changed our minds and decided to go along the Bolshoi Aktru glacier to the Blue Lake to the Znachkistov pass. Actually, it seems to me that going through the Znachkists is faster and more interesting.
On the first day of the journey, on the way to the Blue Lake, we felt the influence of the height (after all, 2820 meters) - easy headache, shortness of breath, heaviness in the legs - all this made me stop for the night on the shore of the lake.
Parking at Blue Lake
The next day was bright sunny weather. According to the plan, they wanted to reach the foot of the Eastern Wall that day. The Znachkistov pass began to be easy. Its height is about 3250 meters. Having reached its top, we found that we still have to go through a large plateau of 500 meters at the top before we find ourselves on the descent and see our cherished wall. Approaching the opposite slope of the pass, we were unexpectedly surprised that the descent down lies through sheer rocky ledges of 20-50 meters. The first thought that came to my mind was “and who just gave 1B to this pass!”. Although later, having studied the possibilities of descent in different parts of the slope, we found a place where you can go down without much difficulty, although at the same time they used the descent along the rope to the beginning of the snowy couloir, and further along it, drowning in deep snow, fearing an avalanche, clinging to the rocks , went downstairs on foot. I must say the slope there is quite steep, maybe 40 degrees. At the end of the descent, pretty tired of trailing deep snow and emboldened, we began to go down on backpacks.
Finally, we descended from the Znachkistov pass to the gorge of the Eastern wall of Aktru. The wall itself is still 5-7 kilometers from the place where we went down and on the way between us and the wall there is the Korumdu icefall, which will also need to be passed if you want to get close to the Eastern slope of Aktru.
Initially, we thought that we would be able to get from the Aktru alpine camp to the foot of the Eastern Wall in a day, but every day our plans were dispelled. So on this day, the influence of altitude, the tiring transition through the Znachkistov pass, the sunstroke received by me and Anton simply squeezed the last of our strength out of us, and we camped right at the foot of the Znachkistov pass, choosing a convenient rocky scree away from avalanche drifts. The place for the camp is beautiful: the Korumdu icefall is 2-3 kilometers ahead and the eastern wall of Aktru rises above it, which now could be studied live and the route thought out.
The weather got worse and worse all the next day. Since we had to go 4-5 kilometers with overcoming the icefall, we postponed the exit for the second half of the day, thinking that we would manage everything calmly. Just after lunch, the weather finally deteriorated, visibility was 50 meters, everything was white, only sometimes the black walls of the gorge in which we were appeared in the fog, which gave hope that we would not get lost.
It was in such weather that we moved towards the Korumdu icefall. As luck would have it, the wind began to rise again and everything turned into some kind of blizzard. At the beginning of the ascent to the icefall, there were no difficulties. Were in a bind. Icefall first passes through the center. It is in the center that you can go more than to the middle of the ascent without any serious obstacles. On the left and right of the icefall, it seemed to me better not to meddle - there is an ice "meat grinder". So, bypassing the ice towers and abysses, we went along the center of the glacier to a small ice wall (3 meters high), which we climbed quite quickly with the help of ice tools and a drill. Next, you need to stick to the right side of the icefall and focus on a steep snow-ice hill that connects the glacier and the rock on the right and leads to the top of the icefall. In this case, you need to be careful, because. the path to the right side of the icefall, to the rock, lies through inclined ice floes, along which it is very easy to slip into open cracks, so it is necessary to insure each other with drills. You should not, like us, go through an icefall in a snowstorm or in zero visibility - it is very easy to get lost, exhausted and freeze, well, or fall somewhere. Wait for good weather!
In general, exhausted, making our way through a snowstorm and darkness (it was almost dark), we climbed to the top of the icefall, immediately stumbled upon a safe rocky scree, on which we quickly erected a tent and began to warm ourselves in it.
Only the next day, when the sun came out and the view of the circus of the Eastern slope of Aktru opened up, I was able to appreciate all the severity and danger of the icefall that we went through. At the same time, we finally stood at the foot of the East Wall of Aktru. The way here took us 3 days, although we planned for 1 day. But we were in no hurry, we had plenty of time. Now we were gaining strength and waiting for good weather for the ascent.
Eastern wall of Aktru
The top of the icefall is at an altitude of about 3200-3300 meters. Ahead is a steep 800-meter ascent along the Eastern Face, on the right is the peak of Korumdu peak (3800), on the left is the icy steep slopes of the Aktru ridge, which connects with the peak of the Intern (3750). In general, the view is gorgeous!
Parking at the East Wall. In the background is the peak of Interns (3750), on the right down is the Korumdu icefall
For two days we waited for the right weather. Now snow, then fog, then strong winds interfered with the ascent. And on May 7 in the morning, absolute calm, clear sky without a single cloud. We quickly packed up and went to the wall.
A little about equipment. Rope 50 meters. Rock hooks - very useful on the wall. Bookmarks - went well on the destroyed rocky areas. Ice screws - only on the wall they were not useful to us, there was no ice, or it was covered with snow, but it is better to take it with you.
Antokha fixing the railing
Backpacks, with things that we took with us, made our way very burdensome, because we then decided to go down the classic route (2A) to the other side of the mountain. I had to drag another 15-17 kg of junk.
So, we set off on the route at about 10 am. Having initially examined the Eastern Wall, we conditionally divided it into 7 sections: climbing along the avalanche to the first rocky island, 5 rocky islands separated by snow fields and the summit snow-ice cap.
The trajectory of our route
The first section of the avalanche is passed directly under the first rocky island in the place where the danger of an avalanche is minimal. The rise there is about 30 degrees, but the snow was somewhere waist-deep, so we barely raked the snow and changing each other, getting wet and sweating, we reached the first rocks in about 1.5 hours.
On the first rocky island, the slope increased to 40 degrees. The rocks are all covered with snow, which greatly complicates the ascent - we had to dig points for insurance and stations. Each rocky island takes about 3-4 pitches. Difficulties begin on the third rocky island, where the slope sharply increases to 60-70 degrees. I think this is the hardest part. Difficult rock climbing with backpacks in crampons on half-buried and crumbling rocks is not an activity for the faint of heart.
Sunset from the slopes of the Eastern Wall of Aktru
After overcoming the longest third rocky island, we realized that we would not be at the top until sunset. Even the neighboring peak Korumdu (3800) was still much higher relative to us. We realized that for the whole day we climbed only about half the way.
The fourth rocky island also turned out to be quite difficult - a slope of 50-55 degrees, about 4 pitches long, in places with deep snow, in places with destroyed rocks, which now and then slip out from under your feet and complicate belaying on the slope. On this site, I almost dropped my backpack - it was saved by the fact that I always fasten it to the station.
We climbed the fourth and fifth rocky islands at night. I really wanted to drink, eat and sleep, I was exhausted.
Finally, the rocks ended and only the endless tedious ascent along the Aktru snow cap began. Having passed about 4 or 5 pitches, the slope suddenly began to slope and the treasured peak line appeared in the dark. Somewhere at 5-30 in the morning we climbed onto the summit plateau of Aktru Peak. Dawn was already breaking on the horizon. We didn’t have the strength to go down, so we decided to put up a tent right at the top - it was necessary to urgently sleep, rest, in order to restore strength.
As soon as they climbed into the sleeping bags, they knocked out immediately. We woke up at 11 o'clock due to the fact that it was stuffy in the tent, the sun was very warm, although it was quite cool outside because of the breeze.
Road.
Any journey, in my opinion, begins with the first step beyond the threshold of your home. After different variants: the way to the station, to the airport, the car from the entrance. This time my choice is Train Station Samara.
When you travel with a company, the road flies by quickly and imperceptibly, when you are alone, how lucky you are - it all depends on fellow travelers. From Ufa to Omsk, there was a young fellow from Andijan, who was abandoned to Bashkiria by the will of fate. He was going to enter the Omsk Medical, a traumatologist. A good guy - literate, polite, well-read, but the border guards, both ours and the Kazakhs, really did not like his Uzbek passport. Both those and others hung him for a long time, examined, interrogated, sniffed, were visibly disappointed, not finding violations.
Another fellow traveler got hooked in Chelyabinsk. This one knew everything in the world, understood everything, and, it seems, had been to all the cities that I had been to, and he was almost born in Samara. A retired officer, but he didn’t understand which troops, either the marines, or the airborne assault, or the special forces of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, or the coast guard, in this moment went to Novosibirsk for a session correspondence department Faculty of Law, Novosibirsk University. In general, I never read the novel about Oblomov, I did not draw up plans for the upcoming work. It is not easy to do this when you are traveling with a person who knows everything about everything and wants to tell the world about it.
In Novosibirsk, I was met by the head of the training camp, Oleg Makarov. We quickly loaded the food for collection into the trailer of his Nissan, and the road continued. From Novosibirsk to Biysk good road- straight, even, a lot settlements, life is in full swing, heavy trucks back and forth. Someone considers this section of the road to be part of the Chuisky tract, but the real Chuisky tract starts from Biysk and goes to Mongolia. If the road from Novosibirsk to Biysk is good, then the Chuysky tract is magnificent! The roadbed is wide and in perfect condition (nothing to do with the tract of the year 2000). The road itself is deserted, heavy trucks are rare, the scenery around is amazing! The road along which you want to drive and drive, but you won’t accelerate much, there are control cameras everywhere, and there are countless numbers of them! As a result, the road to Aktash, 800 km away, took us about 12 hours, although we drove on Nissan.
In Aktash we stopped for the night. Here in a small roadside hotel, or, as they say here, an inn, other instructors who came to the training camp gathered. We spend the night in the car, Makarov, I and Sanya Shirobokov from Kirov, we studied at the “school” together, then we trained together and now we have to work together again. Sanya is an amazing person, always in a good mood, kind eyes, a shy smile, tireless - he is ready to go up the mountain at least every day, calm as a tank! He spends half a summer at Yuzhny Inelchek in the support team.
At night, they froze to hell in the car! They turned on the stove, - after half an hour they almost died from the heat! In general, our joy knew no bounds when a cargo ZIL approached at six o'clock, which means that the overnight stay was over, and the road continues! True, for about an hour the whole crowd was reloading products from the GAZelle and from the Oleg trailer to the ZIL-130. They scored it almost to the eyeballs, there is not enough space for passengers. A kind man from Oleg's friends, part-time employee of Aktru, offered to give some of the people a lift in his UAZ.
This trip was amazing! UAZ, if not a tank, then looks like a small armored personnel carrier. Roads, in our concept, are not there! Bridges are down! Part of the path passes through ice. The car is thrown from side to side, thrown up on stones and roots, we sit inside, resting our arms and legs against anything. UAZ confidently climbs up. In one place, on the rise, the clay was washed away by a spring stream, the car cannot take the rise on the move.
Oh, I forgot the chains! complains the driver.
I had to get out of the car. On the third attempt, the climb was taken. The second time they got out of the car when it got stuck in a rut on muddy ice. But the ZIL-130 is a tank! Rushing non-stop. Rescuers' KAMAZ got stuck on the muddy ice, ZIL ran into it with a bumper and pushed it out of the rut!
Everything comes to an end, and so does our journey. Here we are in Aktru. It's not even twelve yet. It remains only to unload the car ...
Camp.
There have been changes in Aktru over the past five months. Two new residential modules and two VIP house. The stove in the bathhouse was changed (in my opinion, it didn’t get better because of this), in the dining room the heating stove was moved to another place. It has become more logical, and therefore more convenient.
In my opinion, the most convenient and comfortable is the house of instructors. Two bedrooms for four people each, and council hall where ten or twelve people sit freely at the table. The walls are neatly stuffed with nails where you can hang your clothes and equipment. A washbasin with a heater, a gas cylinder with a stove, dishes and several sockets for charging batteries of various equipment.
Behind the instructor's house, on the edge of the ecumene, stands the Kamchatka hut, a solid log house of two rooms with separate passages for six or seven people each, but with terrible stoves. Until the stoves are warmed up, the draft is disgusting, and the room is full of smoke, it is necessary to open the doors. He himself heated Kamchatka, I know what I'm talking about!
The oldest building in the camp is Zimovye, according to legend, from the year 37! There is a warehouse, a museum and living quarters. Many who come to Aktra not for the first time tend to get into this particular accommodation.
Almost in the center there is another two-story log house KSP. The heating here is "modern", through a boiler, with which we had to tinker a bit before we launched it. Sasha Shirobokov, “Doctor” Andrey, and I already dragged 22 buckets from the river (this is officially, not officially - thirty). But I liked the KSP house - very cozy. True, the PCB in it Lately does not live, the participants live. Rescuers, represented by the OB camp Sukhanov Sergey Nikolaevich, moved to the beautiful house "Teremok", on Sukhanov Street 1, near the CSP.
The modules are insulated plywood "Bungalows" of several rooms for four to eight people, with water heating through the boiler.
Caused delight VIP cottages, but this housing is not for harsh climbers, but for pampered citizens.
Near volleyball court there are four frame tents " Mobile ”, these are mobile baths (probably army ones), but here they are used as tents for housing. He put them himself, was delighted with them, found out the price, the delight diminished.
The dining room resembles a greenhouse made of lodging. Places for tents are equipped next to the dining room. This is for real harsh climbers who despise warmth and comfort. Snow-capped peaks rise all around, but unlike Bezengi, they seem so low, so close and accessible.
To the right are the slopes of the Uchitel pass, it seems like half an hour and you are at the pass, in fact the journey will take two to three hours. On the left are the harsh rocks of the slopes of the Dome of Three Lakes. Between them and Karatash, the Small Aktru glacier hangs over the camp. In fact, he "lays down" when you go out on him, from the camp for an hour and a half to go. It closes the UPI gorge, from the camp it seems low and easily accessible. You come closer and see a powerful snow-ice take-off, six pitches, no less.
We did not have time to unload the car, thick sleet fell in huge flakes. Everything around became white white! Winter is back!
Members.
May Day! Labor Day, the entire instructor staff is waiting for the arrival of the participants. Breakfast is over, there are still no participants, the instructors wander around the camp doing nothing. Assessing the situation, Makarov immediately found a job for everyone. Someone drags folding beds around the modules and tents, someone drags buckets of water to start the heating system in the KSP house, I personally clean up the Kamchatka and heat the stoves there.
It's time for dinner, but there are still no participants. Rumor has it the bus broke down. At the request of Oleg, Shirobokov and I dragged water into the bathhouse and chopped wood. There is no stoker yet, the pump has not been adjusted, but the people will come, give them a bath from the road. For ourselves, we drowned the day before.
After lunch, ZILs raised the first batch of participants (from the first bus), an hour and a half later, people from the second bus drove up. We can say that the collections have begun. While the participants settled into houses and set up tents, the instructors made up training departments and distributed them among themselves. I got the third division of beginners, nine people, mostly all from Novosibirsk. A motley composition by age, the youngest is fourteen years old, and the oldest is under sixty. In the morning, on a divorce, three more healthy guys from the Ministry of Emergency Situations from Tomsk were added to my department.
My newbies turned out to be real newbies! They didn't know anything! Absolutely! Even the name of the equipment that they were given in the warehouse, well, except for the helmet, perhaps. I had to explain to them the purpose of each item (jumar, carbine, trigger, etc.) and show them how it works. Show how to put on a harness, how to block it with a harness, how to make a lanyard mustache. Everyone had different safety systems, each one had to be dealt with individually. The guys from Tomsk had heavy standard rescue systems, the top connected to the bottom, and all this is put on like a paratrooper's parachute harness. The thing is good for promalp, but completely unsuitable for horiz because of its size and weight.
The girl Mila also had an integral bottom + top system, at one time popular with cavers, and in the mid-90s even with climbers, Gosha Mishchenko in 96 flaunted such a system. Despite her old-fashioned system, Mila asked the least questions, seemed to remember everything the first time, and even tied the “eight” knot at one end immediately and without prompting. "Strange! - I thought, - but anything can happen ... "Later, Mila admitted that she had already somehow gone through the preparation stage for NP-1, and even the badge" made "
As I said earlier, the participants I got a wide age range. The eldest was named Yury Nikolaevich, he asked to be called Yura, but somehow he did not turn his tongue to call this venerable, gray-haired "newcomer" Yura. The youngest is Nikita, fourteen years old. The first one asked a bunch of questions and constantly got into instructor conversations, trying to show off his erudition, out of place and out of place, which greatly irritated Oleg Makarov. The second, on the contrary, tried not to ask too much, was embarrassed by his unsportsmanlike appearance, was afraid that he would not succeed, and was afraid that everyone would find out that he was afraid. But then this boy shocked me with his will and perseverance. Being full, heavy and not particularly physically developed, he, sweating, breathing heavily, nevertheless climbed the Teacher Pass, and then climbed the Trainers Peak, and not among the last. But I was more struck by the tenacity with which he climbed a tree during the "initiation" after the mountain. With tears in his eyes, puffing and howling, tearing off the skin on his palms, he nevertheless climbed into the right place on the fifth attempt, despite the fact that he was allowed to skip this test.
There was also unusual participant Galia - she constantly comes to the mountains to replenish her internal energy. For her, the main thing was the very fact of movement! It doesn't matter where, just to go, move, rise, achieve something. Galia was sure that if she stopped, she would die! From time to time she asked me for permission to yell, and in a guttural voice she sang folk tunes in different languages. Volodya Tumyalis, hearing these tunes for the first time, was even frightened, and then nothing, he got used to it.
Workout.
Somehow it just so happened that in all camps and at all training camps, classes begin with rock training. Without violating the traditions, our department went to classes on the Red Stone, such a rocky remnant 10-12 meters high not far from the trail, among the kurumnik.
We were a little late, the department of dischargers was already busy on Kamen. And in order not to waste time waiting for the release of part of the routes, I decided to conduct a lesson "Walking on the scree." Good luck! The event went off with a bang! He noted for himself: “Such an activity for beginners who first got into the mountains is not only useful, but also necessary.”
While we were walking along the kurumnik, half of the sectors on the Stone were freed for us, it was time to move on to the main part of the training.
The first is the organization of a belay (top), simple climbing, rappelling with a top belay.
At first glance, everything is simple and primitive, but not for "zero" beginners. It’s good when the instructor has an assistant in such a “situation”, and if not, you have to be “one in two persons” - to control the landing on the rappel and control the correctness of the insurance. In general - "Figaro is here, Figaro is there", I am in this role up and down the stone - a great workout!
The second is U-shaped railings.
The arresters stopped working, left, left us the already fixed ropes. Here, some people have already murmured, expressing doubts about the appropriateness of this exercise, and doubts about the safety of this event. I had to use all my eloquence to convince them otherwise. In conclusion, a rappel was demonstrated on a double rope with pulling.
The next day, according to the plan, - "Organization of stations, setting up your points of insurance, climbing lines, interaction of lines." In Aktru there is a rock laboratory called "Cornices". There is a variety of terrain, from simple to complex. The lower and upper stations are broken, there are no intermediate "bolts", only their own points.
Relying on his experience and knowledge, he did not take the time-based lesson plan with him. So I got carried away with the organization of stations, and there is such a variety of them and so many ways to install them. I came to my senses in an hour and a half, when I realized from the eyes of the participants that they had a real “kishmish” in their heads! Now I am sure beginners should be given only two, maximum three stations, and require them to have a firm knowledge of the five rules for setting up stations.
But in walking on the rocks with their points, the participants pleasantly surprised me. The ligaments worked smoothly, competently, without too much fuss, and together they rappelled down with two re-stitchings. I then removed the station and went down the path with a stationary railing.
Ice classes were worked out according to the program on the Maly Aktru glacier. There were no special curiosities here, if we do not take into account the huge “suitcase” of Karatash that rolled down the slopes when the group climbed the snowfield to classes. The stone, as if reluctantly, glided over the snow, then accelerated, bounced on its forehead, accelerated, crossed the path and flew away with a roar into the side moraine.
The first sign of summer, Tumelis remarked calmly. In summer, as a rule, Small Aktru is closed, and classes are held on a large glacier.
Climbing the pass Uchitel.
There is really nothing to tell about this ascent. Yes, and the Teacher is a non-categorical pass. The path to it is well trodden. The main attraction of this route is the “Vertical Kilometer”, the stage of the Russian Skyrunning Cup, and the views from the pass are gorgeous.
I was not lucky! All the instructors with their squads (taking mine as well) ran up, and I was left to accompany two participants who barely moved, but to all my persuasion to go down, they shook their heads negatively and continued to stubbornly move forward.
I was brutally tired, but not from the rise, but from such a lullingly slow movement. But even more exhausted I was on the descent. When I entered the instructor's house, Tumelis looked at me, stood up, patted my shoulder sympathetically, and, without saying anything, shook my hand firmly. Sergeev (head coach) also tightly squeezed his hand, clapped on the shoulder, briefly added, - Hero! and placed a mug of tea in front of me.
Climbing:
From the very beginning, a wonderful plan was conceived: on Victory Day, the participants of the training camps NP1 and NP2 ascend the Dome of Three Lakes, beginners along route 1B, badges on 2B. The meeting at the top would have symbolized the meeting on the Elbe seventy years ago, and then there were fireworks and all that… But the last three days in Aktra were very hot, stones flew along 2B, and from Karatash, and in the couloir along 1B. The plans were changed, but the symbolism was decided to be respected. In honor of the anniversary, we, the beginners, were sent to the top of Yubileinaya, as it turned out, no worse than the Dome, but much further.
Rise at four, exit at five, three departments plus officials, total - more than thirty people. It's two hours to the Blue Lake, where the route starts from, from the camp, and someone claims all three!
Breakfast is scheduled for 4.30. I have a secret hope that two of my participants, who tormented me on the Teacher, will refuse to climb tomorrow. One of them, Nastya, has already complained of feeling unwell.
And here is the morning, the dining room, my entire department is assembled. Before breakfast, the last briefing and checking backpacks. Yubileinaya walks on foot, no rope is needed there, but everyone is ordered to take a safety system, jumar, descender and ice axes with them. Those participants who carefully read route description, perplexed - Why? But the instructors, smiling slyly, unanimously assure that the participants will definitely need all this. Apparently awake, I completely forgot "Why?" this is needed, so just in case, I also put everything listed in my backpack.
My hope that the two participants Nastya and Galiya would not go to the mountain, thanks to the efforts of the doctor, collapsed. They were here, at the dining room, and eager to fight! And in order not to lag behind the whole army, they decided to leave early, without breakfast, declaring that Galia knew the way to the lake. I sighed and, with the permission of the head coach and head of the training camp, let go, anticipating that I would again have to drag myself in the tail.
At breakfast, Oleg Makarov made a festive speech and admonished us for the “feat”. One of the officials suggested that I borrow a “flare gun” from him for saluting at the top. The rocket launcher was a bottle of champagne. Since they came for breakfast with backpacks, they went up the mountain directly from the dining room with branches “as soon as they were ready”.
We caught up with Nastya in forty minutes, and Galia in an hour, at the “ram's foreheads” before takeoff. And an hour later (to be exact, ten hours later) I was at the hut on the Blue Lake. Half an hour later, the last laggards arrived under the leadership of Tumelis. Volodya voluntarily took on the mission of accompanying all the sick and lagging behind. Stayed with them. And we went further. I was delighted, but the joy was premature, unfortunately. The ascent to the pass began and lagging behind appeared. Sergeev quickly ran ahead, followed by all the officials, leaving me the role of trailer.
Be that as it may, but with jokes and jokes an hour later we climbed the Znachkistov pass, from where to the left the route to Interns 2A, to the right - Yubileinaya 1B. We, of course, to the right! There is still snow on the pass, but it has already melted at the top. Morning, the snow did not have time to melt, there is no wind, bright sun, go easily and pleasantly - not life, but grace!
Here is the peak, breaking off to the north with steep drops and sharp rocky knives - just horror! An “official”, a journalist from some Novosibirsk TV channel, Misha reports online from the top and interviews participants, leaders and other officials. We take out our “rocket launchers”, there are two of them, and give a friendly salute at the top in honor of the anniversary!
Then a small "buffet" at the top, a photo session, congratulations and finally a friendly descent with banners and banners unfurled, and of course with songs of the war years. We quickly rolled down to the lake, removed everything superfluous and moved in a dense crowd to the camp, where experienced dischargers and duty instructors were already waiting for us. It is clear why! For Dedication! Here, systems, jumars, ice axes and other attributes were needed! Then there was a celebratory dinner. In the morning packing and departure. Everything is normal, nothing special. Then the train and return to Samara. Thus ended my spring trip to Altai. Now I'm looking forward to autumn!
Day 13
Radial to Uchitel pass (3000m)
Morning does not add understanding of the further concept of behavior. Earlier, I planned to stop by here for one night and then move south of Teletskoye. But the ratio of effort to overcome the road here and back, and the time spent here seemed completely unreasonable. Worth coming here for one night...
Therefore, I slowly come to the conclusion that the Teletskys will have to sacrifice, but it will be more efficient to use their stay in Aktru.
Daring plans to climb to the top of the Dome (3500m, 1a) loomed. Moreover, I already climbed there, though not alone, and about 15 years ago.
And today I decided to climb the Uchitel pass (3000m, 1a) - a traditional route for acclimatization and warm-up.
1 morning idyll
The people, by the way, in the evening slightly arrived in the amount of +2 climbers. I talked with one of them about edible plants and the gifts of nature in general. He showed me some useful herbs, so much so that I even remembered them, for which I thank you. In general, this topic is interesting - applied botany.
3 Aktru valley from above, you can see the Small Aktru glacier and to the left the Dome begins to peek out
4 bends Aktru and Kurai steppe
5 tea with a view of the Kurai steppe and the Kurai ridge
6 Kyzyl-Tash (3800), I also climbed there for a long time on 1b from the side of the Blue Lake
7 I'm waiting for sunset, it's raining over the Kurai Range
9 here it is, the Dome, in all its glory
It gets dark, I run down, it happens faster, of course, than the rise, but I like it much less. Cool and dry, sometimes you just move out. The sky is kind of overcast.
The wind picks up towards night. I'm starting to fear that my Dome will not take place...
Day 14
Despondency
Morning met with rain. Continued day, evening and night, but already in the form of snow.
11 is my standard look for the day
I survived as best I could.
14 before the supposed sunset, the rain almost stopped for 20 minutes, I managed to run to the river and take a picture, then it poured again
Day 15
Radial boat to the Blue Lake
I slept for a long time, the body seems to have adapted to the maximum to kill time. But after waking up, it turned out that it was in vain - the sun was shining.
15 snowy Karatash
I begin to understand that, despite the good weather, it is better not to climb the Dome for the next three days - the talus couloir is wet, snowy and shoots stones. So today I'm going to the Blue Lake, and tomorrow I'm going down.
16 remains of the Small Aktru glacier, 15 years ago it was twice as long
17 bastions of Kyzyl-Tash, very picturesque things
18 Big Aktru Glacier
20 it's bad to go - it's wet, everything goes underfoot and crumbles
21 Big Aktru and really quite big
22 Blue Lake, glaciologists' house and the way to Kyzyl-Tash through the Container Pass
In the house, I stole a couple of cans of stew, condensed milk, powdered milk and mashed potatoes and little candies. As far as I understand, extra products there leaves climbing and so people, so as not to drag down and I did not rob anyone. But I still didn't feel very comfortable with it.
I turned around near the lake, trying to understand what is beautiful in these places and why hundreds of people come here in the summer, but I did not find it. Well, of course, climbers, for them it is a base for climbing. But why do the rest go there? Meanwhile, this radial is very popular.
He shrugged his shoulders and moved back.
23 the glacier passed, the descent from the sheep's foreheads into the valley
Approaching the forest zone, I examined the couloir to the Dome in doubt - whether to take a chance and climb tomorrow. But after sitting and seeing how it poured there, I decided not to risk it. Moreover, on the Dome itself, it is also not pleasant to walk on fresh snow - although it is stated that there are no cracks on this side, fresh snow is still not good in such places.
24 left couloir - ascent to the Dome
25 couloir - ascent to the Dome
For the rest of the day, I indulged in gluttony and converted the goodies from the “food house” into pleasure. Fell asleep happy.
06.07.2019 17:37
Can't bring myself to post an emotional text. So "let the keyboard help me give birth to a dry review of routes!", especially since the magic pendel flew in from where they did not expect - Sveta, if you are reading, hello! Late in the evening, a message came to direct insta, which began with the words "I didn’t find it on your blog ..." Lord! Someone is reading me, what a nightmare!
Actually, based on the questions, I will tell you a little about the trails in the Aktru region, which are known to most.
In order. Very often I meet confusion in terminology, so I will give a glossary, let's start with the most confusing letter "A".
The common name is Aktru, Aktru, Aktura - " White House"By the way, the Altaians (or Turks) don't have very many colors: ak - white, kara - black, kyzyl - red. That's all, it's over! Most of the geographical objects that fell into my not very wide horizons are named according to their color. Small assortment!
Aktru - peak, gorge, valley, glaciers.
Big Aktru is a glacier whose name is due to its size - it is large, you will immediately recognize it when it catches your eye. If you look directly at the peak of Kara-Tash from the alpine camp (you will also immediately notice it, it is best visible from the camp and is considered calling card: kara - black, tash - stone), then the glacier will be on the right. Strong right. It will seem small, but it is not, because only the tip of its "tongue" will be visible. The total length of the glacier is about 8 km, so do not be fooled by visual projections.
Small Aktru - glacier. Again, we will take Kara-Tash as a landmark. Small Aktru on the left, not to be confused. There is even an icefall. During the training camp, ice classes are held right on the Small Aktru, where they learn to walk in crampons, turn ice screws, and climb the icefall. When I participated in such an event (in May), there was a lot of snow, Kara-Tash was not a “kara” at all, the glaciers were so thickly “smeared” with white that blue ice for cats and ice drills had to be diligently mined under snowdrifts.
Aktru is a river. Guess where it starts! In winter and even in May, you can drink from it, but as soon as the glacier begins to actively melt, the water becomes cloudy and you don’t feel like drinking from it at all. A drinking stream runs next to the river. It will not be difficult to distinguish a large river from a stream, especially on the territory of the camp - everything is signed there.
Aktru-Bashi is the highest peak of the region - 4044.4 m. The easiest route to its peak is 2A. 2A is definitely not for people without training. About how we went to v. Interns (also in deuce A) as a group, consisting of a person without special knowledge, I will tell later;). So, if you are riding such mountains for the first time, you don’t know what crampons, ice axes, ice screws, jumar, rappel and main knots are - you should not tempt fate.
With the letter "A" in our glossary, it's time to finish.
B!
Lamb foreheads - a form of relief. Rocks made of exposed bedrock, smoothed and polished by the movement of a glacier.
Bergschrund (it is not necessary to know this concept, it's just a funny word) - a crack in the snow-ice slope, formed when the heavy lower part, moving along with the glacier, breaks away from the motionless snow-firn slope in the upper part. Usually located at the beginning of the glacier, or on the sides of the glacier.
IN!
Via ferrata - "road of iron" from Italian. A section of the route, which is equipped with devices to increase the speed and safety of movement: iron brackets, cables, metal plates.
Automobile part of the route
The road to the gorge begins with a turn to Kurai. It can be reached by any serviceable car. Any car with a slightly higher cross-country ability than a sedan will drive from Kurai to the "transshipment": a dirt road, there are fords, but all are passable, even by a car, but with driving experience;). The most difficult section is the ascent before the "transshipment". Remember the weather in the mountains and possible rain! The surface becomes slippery instantly. The most interesting part for lovers of mud - 8 (or 6) km from the "transshipment" to the camp. Usually they offer a pick-up from there: on UAZs, on gas trucks, you can walk. If you have off-road driving experience and an appropriate car, then you are there! But, I remember the situation when the Altaians on the UAZ-tablet stood in the middle of the swamp, resting their rear wheel on a stump ... Surface: a dirt road, in some places there are stones, there are fords, there is a lot of mud, there is a swamp. In some places, the roads diverge, but they will still meet at the end point of the route. You can choose to your liking!
Alpine camp
We arrived in the first half of May for a training camp and settled at the lower base. On it, the houses are simpler than on the top, there is a place for tents. Amenities on the street even in new buildings. There, at the base, there is a person responsible for security, from whom you can find out the situation on the routes (ask the residents of the camp where to look).
The upper base "Pencil" is higher (it's surprising why they called it that, right?), closer to Kara-Tash (remember, we took it as a landmark). Everything is much more civilized there - the amenities are already warm, the buildings are new and multi-storey. But the prices are much higher than on the lower base. You can rent equipment there. They say that their warehouse burned down, but I took shoes there for a test, so you can borrow shoes for lack of your own - 300 rubles / day, a passport as a deposit, you need to clarify about the rest of the equipment. If you are going to go to the Dome of the Three Lakes, then you should already have at least one pair of crampons per group and ropes for insurance, rent would be just in time, do not buy equipment for one time.
I will tell you from my own experience and the experience of Misha, who lived there much more than me. I only lived in a house. There were 12 of us in the room on the benches, so I can’t talk about freedom, silence and relaxation. Still, alp.gathering is an event of a guitar and an ice ax, and not a sleeping bag and a healthy complexion. Exactly a year ago, at the same training camp, when Misha also went, the guys lived in large tents with stoves. It was pretty comfortable. Talk about summer period it’s not even worth it for tents, there’s not even snow anymore, you don’t need to dig a snowdrift, just grab a warmer sleeping bag! This year, after the training camp was over, some comrades (we won’t poke a finger) still remained ski touring in the area and they lived above the lower base in an ordinary tent, they say that this is some kind of paradise after our common room!
Routes
Routes that people who are far from mountaineering in the Aktru region are familiar with: Blue Lake, Uchitel Pass, Dome of Three Lakes, Green Hotel, V., Yubileinaya. I think it is worth saying a few words about them.
Blue Lake, per. Badge, V.Yubileynaya
The lake is located at an altitude of 2840 m in a basin behind the left moraine of the Left Big Aktru glacier. Above, we have discussed where we have the Bolshoi Aktru glacier. Because it diverges, as if absorbing the vertices inside itself (envelops), it is easy to understand where the left tongue is, where the right tongue is. Moraine - fragments of rocks brought during the course of the glacier. At a cursory uninformed glance - heterogeneous stones of various sizes interspersed with earth, clay and some other debris. The moraine, immediately behind which the Blue Lake, is easy to read, you can’t slip past. Blue Lake is always an intermediate point for climbers' routes. Even during the period of our small training camp, we were twice on the Blue Lake, the road to it among the climbers is called nothing more than a "durotop", because you go, you don’t meet any technical sections, you just stomp along the path, or you walk through the snow. Most often, they set up camp there and start on the route from there, a lot of categorical routes start from the Blue Lake: Kyzyltash and Interns, Aktru, Yubileynaya, many trails to the passes, from which there are also several trails to the peaks. I attach a photo, a blue lake behind mine right hand, in the background of the tent, on the left hand - the trail. Remember the direction of the trail - it is the same in any season. 
There is an easy route to the blue lake itself: 2.5 - 3 hours in pensioner mode and you are there. From the alp. camp along the left bank of the river. Aktru, further along the not very pleasant-looking scree slope of Kyzyltash (it will always be on your right side from you) to the Sheep foreheads. Lamb foreheads - the most difficult part of the path, in my opinion, these are two large round rocks. Climbing directly on them would not even come to mind, to the right of them we look at the couloir and confidently go up. Couloir - a hollow formed as a result of the flow of water / snow. After overcoming the couloir, there will be a rather flat open part with a large stone, from which good photographs are obtained (with straight arms, of course). 
After this part, the glacier and moraine, behind which the lake will be clearly visible. You can walk on the glacier, which I strongly advise against, it is not as friendly as it seems. Therefore, it is better to skid a little on the moraine. Passed over the moraine? Here it is! (I shamelessly took a photo in Google, the summer trail is very clearly visible there).
And nearby is the recognizable little yellow house of scientists involved in glacier research! Glaciologists! This "hut" helps groups survive bad weather, which is common in these parts. 
On the right, you can clearly see the trail along the sypuhe. It leads to the Znachkist pass, from which the route opens to Yubileynaya. If you have come and are not dying of fatigue, and the weather is clear, then I would advise you to go to the pass, and from there to the top, the view is excellent! A few words - go to the pass along the path, the photo shows that it goes around the lake on the right (by no means along the glacier!), Then it goes to the left and to the pass. you need to choose the most stable surface and put your foot on the whole foot, and then only load. After we got to the pass, there will be a path to the right - the road to Yubileinaya. From her very good view to the Kurai steppe and neighboring peaks. There is no snow at the very top and in winter, so you should not be afraid. The whole top is covered with flat sharp stones, it is better not to stumble. I'll attach a May photo. 
Green Inn, Three Lakes Dome
The Green Hotel is an intermediate point of routes, like the Blue Lake.
Probably, I mistakenly classify this route as a route for beginners, because there is still a glacier there. There is a glacier, there are glaciologists! And a house! The house is located above the green hotel to the right of the path.
The way to the top of the Dome of Three Lakes lies through the Green Hotel, it is good there in summer (they say). In our case, it looked like this on a successful day of climbing (first photo). And on the second, third photo is the view of the Green Hotel from the first unsuccessful attempt to climb, because the weather was disgusting. Well, the fourth - again brazenly taken someone else's photo of the hotel in the summer. 
We go from the camp, heading for the small Aktra, look carefully to the left, as soon as we climbed the moraine, so there should be a couloir along the left wall, into which you need to go. In general, they say that it’s better not to go to the couloir without detailed knowledge of the route, but we had Grisha in the department, who assured us that in the summer he and his son were self-propelled a couple of times without special knowledge! The movement goes along the scree surface, you need to be wary of stones. As soon as we climbed up and saw the brackets in the rocks - the direction is right! It is safer, of course, to go with insurance - to fasten a carabiner to metal cables. After the via-ferrata has been passed, there will be a section with a slight slope with large stones, and after that - another "frontal", and immediately after it - the Green Hotel.
I can say that the most unpleasant part is a sharp climb, for a short distance, almost a kilometer sharply gains. You need to be very careful about your well-being in case of mountain sickness. And don't forget the stones! Rockfalls are a nasty thing.
On the way to the top of the Vodopadny glacier, it is quite safe, because. there are no complex cracks in it. But it's still ice. Ice is slippery. If you go without equipment (no ice ax or crampons) and you fall on your stomach / back / side, then there will be an extremely unpleasant increase in speed along the glacier with a further roll out onto sharp stones. I would not advise walking in unstable shoes.
The height of the top of the Dome of three lakes is 3556 m. The view from there is good. Although... This is the case when the summit may not be the final goal, because on the way there it is also very picturesque and exciting! 
Pass Teacher
A pass of category 1A difficulty (this is a category of difficulty for passes or a tourist one, for alpine routes the categories start from 1B), the height is a little more than 3000 m. The trail to it starts behind, excuse me, the toilet at the lower base. Pass from the category: went to the store for bread, flew to another country, went to the toilet, went to see the steppe from the pass. The pass is not difficult, there is even a path to it without a category. On the route it is better to immediately ask the inhabitants of the camp, they will show you. The main thing to remember is that if you are crawling over large slippery stones, then this is not your path!
This is probably the best option to look from above minimal cost strength and energy to the Kurai steppe!
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