Route 5A grade of difficulty along the left part of the Western wall of the summit Baichechekey passed for the first time.

This winter I have been to Ala Archa, there I was preparing for winter Alpinistic championship of Russia . I planned to climb anywhere in alpine style. As usual I had a lot of plans, but the weather made its corrections. Moreover, on our first ascent a stone awry fell to Vitaly Akimov's hand and I lost my workmate. But on the other hand we climbed as pioneers an interesting route to “Bacha”. And then, when I saw Vitaly off to Bishkek, I climbed there solo along icicle. I won't describe that route as I was my first experience in such ascents. I am going to describe technical aspects of the new route.

Western wall of the peak Baichechekey, 4515 m high, is a popular subject for making ascents in the canyon Ak-say. Quick approach to the bottom of the wall, rather small altitude of the summit and interesting rock-climbing further choosing this summit for quick ascents. At the wall there are three classic easy routes of 5A grade of difficulty along counterforts (“cucumbers”). The most popular route is Shvab's route, along the right counterfort. For making an ascent along the route nobody had ever passed, we chose a strip between the left and central counterforts. The character of the route became the last ropes through a big chimney. Approaches to the chimney and the chimney itself are very heavy destroyed, so climbing there should be very accurate. The route was passed in winter. On the fifth rope the leader put on climbing shoes, that noticeably speeded up passing the strip and allowed us to climb the route in a day. Experience we got during night ascent in Crimea helped as a lot as daylight hours in winter are short. From 19.00 to 24.00 (time we reached the top) we were working by the light of flash-lights. We didn't plan to pass the night on the route the route was passed in alpine style, without using bolts. I think that the route corresponds to its declared grade of difficulty 5A I can recommend it for experienced mountaineers, having good level of free-climbing.

Passport of the ascent.

Region - The Central Tien Shan . Kirghiz range.

Peak – Baichechekey, 4515 m , along the left part of the Western wall.

5A grade of difficulty is suggested, the route was passed for the first time.

Character of the route – rocky.

Characteristic of the route:

Elevation changes of the route – 500 m .

Elevation changes of the wall part of the route – 260 m .

Extension of the route – 850 m .

Extension of the wall part of the route – 290 m .

Average steepness of the route – 41º

Average steepness of the wall part of the route - 76°.

Extension of the strips of 6 grade of difficulty – 90 m , of 5 grade of difficulty – 155 m .

We left on the route: hooks – 2 items, nuts – 0.

Hooks, we used on the route:

Stationary bolts – 0 items

Removable bolts – 0 items

Anchors – 36 items

Petalled – 4 items.

Al in all we used self-made points of rest 5 times, including ice-fifi – 2 times.

Working hours – 12, days -1.

Nights, passed on the route – 0.

The ascent was made by two-man team.

Members of the team:

Dashkevich Sergey, advanced alpinist.

Akimov Vitaly, advanced alpinist.

Couch of the team:

Pershin Valery, merited of sports, merited couch.

Date of set off:

To the ascent: the 7 th of January 2007.

To the top – the 7 th of January 2007.

Returning back - the 7 th of January 2007.

Organization: Climbing and Alpinistic Federation of the Sverdlovsk Region.

Deion of the route strip by strip:

The beginning of the route is located to the right from the Kuzmenko's route (along the left counterfort)

Strip 0-1. Along a couloir covered with snow in the direction of a big cornice to the station made on two hooks. 300 m long, 40 degrees steep, II.

Strip 1-2. Way along the wall 10 meters high to the big cornice. Further along the ledge. 40 m long, 50 degrees steep, III.

Strip 2-3. Rounding the cornice to the left along slide-rocky easy rocks. 30 m long, 60 degrees steep, III.

Strip 3-4. Climbing along the plate and further along interior angle upwards. On the cornice fifi is to be put over the spalling. 45 m long, 75 degrees, V, A1.

Strip 4-5. Along the interior angle upwards. Firm easy rocks. 45 m long, 80 degrees steep, V.

Strip 5-6. Along the angle up to slide - rocky ledge . Further moving to the right. 45 m long, 70 degrees steep, IV.

Strip 6-7 Climbing along strongly destroyed rocky zone. Very accurate climbing. Rounding to the right a wall, along heavy destroyed rocks, upwards. 40 m long, 75 degrees steep, V+

Strip 7-8. Up to the ledge and to the right . The second member of the team should pass the strip by pendulum! It is better to organize reliable belay at the end of the interior angle on the ledge. 45 m long, 75 degrees steep, VI, A1.

Strip 8-9. Key strip of the route. Along an open interior angle and chimney up and to the right. There are moving stone blocks! They can fall down to second member of the team! Extremely accurate climbing . Station on the ledge . 45 m long, 80 degrees steep, VI.

Strip 9-10. Along the chimney up to the plateau. Pleasant climbing along slightly destroyed rocks. 20 m long, 80 degrees steep, V.

Strip 10 – 11. Along the ridge and easy rocks to the top.

Direction of the descent: to the right along the route 1B grade of difficulty.

Emergency way of descent: along the way of climbing up.

General view of the wall with routes:

1 – along South-Western counterfort, 5A grade of difficulty, B. Kuzmenko, 1977.

2 – our route, along the left part of the Western wall.

3 – along the central counterfort of the Western wall, 5A grade of difficulty, V. Poliak, 1983.

4 – along the right counterfort of the Western wall.

Technical photo of the route.

Strip R2 – R3. Traverse under a big cornice.

View upwards from R3. The upper part of the big cornice is seen.

R3-R4. Passing upper part of the big cornice.

R4-R5. Climbing along the interior angle.

View downwards from R5.