KAZAKHSTAN - The Marble Wall and Khan Tengri Traverse

18 Aug 2011 - Summit Attempt on Khan Tengri

 

All content copyright © Ashley Burke 2011. Not to be copied, duplicated or used for any purpose without permission.

 

Highlighted area shows today's climbing

A miserable night with no sleep was spent sandwiched between these two stinking guys. Alarm went at 4am. This would be summit day. It was very hard to get going but the scenery was beautiful. The fixed ropes were very ragged and old, many of them just strands of core missing their sheath for whole lengths. My energy began to wane and it became steep and I was slow. I reached a rock overhang that I could not get up. I decided to turn back at this point, my altitude was about 6400m. Returned to Camp 3 (5860m). Beautiful evening views of Pobeda Peak.

It was a beautiful morning for an attempt on the summit. The first stage of the climb was easy, becoming gradually steeper. Camp 3 is below, and I am looking back down the first 2 or 3 hours of climbing. I was progressing very slowly up the fixed ropes.

I look ahead towards the summit and see a ragged set of old ropes, many of which are missing their sheath for whole lengths. I managed to climb the series of ropes in this photo.
Edik stays close behind me and here he is climbing
I was still weak from the Marble Wall traverse and I realised that I was climbing too slowly to reach the summit and get back to Camp 3 safely before dark. I had trouble climbing this set of fixed ropes and I did not have the strength to haul myself up these overhung boulders. It was at this point that I decided to turn back.
So Edik and I return to Camp 3 while Danat continues by himself to the summit.

That evening was bitterly cold but the views were stunning. In this photo is our tent with Pobeda Peak in the background.

Evening views from Camp 3.
A ridge of Chapaev Peak.
Pobeda Peak.
Evening views.
Evening views.

Our small tent with Pobeda Peak in the background.

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All content copyright © Ashley Burke 2011. Not to be copied, duplicated or used for any purpose without permission.

Page created 16 Nov 2011, last updated 7 Dec 2011.