Chasing Skylines in Kyrgyzstan 2015 BMC Reference: 15/ 02 21/02/2015 to 15/03/2015
Contact: Sophie Nunn Email: Sophienunn@gmail.com, Phone: 07540454054 Address: 7 Richmond Lodge, 6 Victoria Avenue, Swanage, Dorset, BH19 1AN. The Teams: For Trip 1 the team was split into two due to dates of arrival in Karakol. Team Riviera departed earlier than Team The Shire with a plan to meet at Base Camp. Three team members stayed longer from Team The Shire and returned into the mountains for trip 2. Team Riviera : 19/02/2015 to 08/03/2015 Alexis Murray-Jones (British) Felix Coxwell (British) James Dartnall (British) Alex Appelbe (British) Team The Shire : 22/02/2015 to 08/03/2015 Sophie Nunn (British) Floris Bruynooghe (Belgian) Elizabeth Yeates (British) Ian Lovatt (British) Jennifer Durden (Canadian) Phillip Davis (British) Extended trip team : to 15/03/2015 Sophie Nunn (British) Floris Bruynooghe (Belgian) Elizabeth Yeates (British)
Expedition Brief Resume: Self-sufficient and self-guided Ski-Mountaineering trip to the Ukraine Pass (4200m) and surrounding area in the Terksey Ala-Too mountain range in Kyrgyzstan. Original Objective: The proposed trip was to be a self-sufficient and self-guided ski-mountaineering trip to the Terksey Ala-Too mountain range with the focus on two summits (4286.5m and 4647.4m) along with additional new ski ascent/decent lines to be reviewed and skied. Reasons for Change of Final Objective: After further discussions with local people, the access for the original plan was more difficult and risky. It was deemed uncertain that we would be able to successfully reach the destination and even less certain that our transport back might reach us. So instead a circuit up the Karakol Valley over the Ukraine Pass and return back down the Altynarashan Valley with a view to identifying peaks and ski ascent/decent lines along the way was the new objective. Comments on Access to Area and time spent on approach to base camp: Trip 1 Karakol Valley: 4x4 Transport was used to get to the start of the Karakol valley and continued as far as the snow conditions on the track would allow. The vehicle dropped the team at 42 23.2'N 78 27.1'E. The remaining approach was self-sufficient and self-guided, carrying all basecamp gear in pulks. Team Riviera made it to a Base Camp below the Ukraine Pass after 5 days of approach. Team The Shire aborted the original plan to get to Base Camp after 4 days of approach. Slow progress was made up the valley by both teams due to difficult terrain for the pulks with River crossings, avalanche crossings and difficult trail breaking in deep sugary snow for the pulks. Progress up the valley was also slow due to ski binding failure for one team member which resulted in a couple of field repairs along with illness of three team members. For team the Shire, on arrival at the fork of the valley with the Ujuntor valley, three team members were unwell and a steep and difficult section for the pulks had been reached so it was decided to make camp at 2650m and the healthy members of the team would recce the way ahead the next day whilst team sick would rest and recover. Following the recce and due to the number of days remaining it would take a further two days to reach Base Camp so it was decided to set Base Camp up where we were and explore the Telety Valley peak potential and the peaks 4090m and 4004m to the NE of base camp. Trip 2 Altynarashan Valley: 4x4 Transport was used to get to the start of the Altynarashan valley and continued as far as the snow conditions on the track would allow. An avalanche blocked the track and the vehicle dropped the team at 42 24.8N 78 34.6E. The team trekked up the valley for one day to set up a Base camp at the base of the Keldecke Valley. Similar snow conditions made for slow progress up the valley.
Details of Routes Attempted: Trip 1. Ukraine Pass 4200m 2015-02-28: Cold morning turned into a beautiful although still cold day. Stunning views lead us on up to the col at 4200m. Unfortunately the other side of col descended steeply maybe 35-40 degrees for 200m. After much deliberating we decided the avalanche risk was too high to ski the slope. So we wouldn t return the next day with pulks. Great ski down despite a fair few rocks eating at our skis. Estimated ski grade of route covered: BS S3. 11km and 1000m in elevation from Base Camp. Height Reached 4200m. Team: FC, AMJ, AA and JD. Telety pass 3759m 2015-03-02: New objective due to location of teams basecamp. Trouble with route finding on the initial tree covered slopes and long approach through sugary snow was a bad start to this. Once closer to the pass it became clear the snow slopes near the col had received much more sunshine than expected and after evaluating the snow conditions on the approach slopes the decision was made not to continue pursuing this objective. Estimated ski grade of route covered: BS S3. 4.5km of 6km. Height reached: 3200m of 3759m. Team: SN, FB and IL. Unamed couloir and ridge 2015-03-03: Spotted on Telety pass approach, due to aspects this was a safer route. After evaluating snow pits we decided to climb/ski these which where good. Unfortunately no significant peak could be reached from here. Estimated ski grade of route covered: BS S4. 3.5km. Height reached: 3500m. Team: SN, FB and IL. Peak 4090m 2015-03-01 and 2015-03-03: First day recce and put in track. Attempt on Peak 4090 on second day. Turned back as weather changed to windy and cold and the clouds and snow were moving quickly up the valley. The snow had been warm and rapidly became frozen and hard again, so skiing down was tough. Estimated ski grade of route covered: BS S3. 2km Height reached: 3800m. Team: JD, EY and PD. Trip 2. Peak 4142m: 2015-03-08. Initial goal for this trip involved a skin up to a hanging valley, glacier and a final ridge. Unfortunately the attempt was stopped very early as we failed to find a safe way up to the hanging valley. Estimated ski grade of route covered: N/A. Height reached: N/A. Team: SN, FB and EY. Keldecke Valley: 2015-03-09 to 2015-03-10. One day of scouting the Keldecke Valley revealed the two potential cols routes at the head of the valley had large cornices. It was decided to attempt Peak 3606m. It was attempted by its initially snow covered NNE ridge up to about 3200m where the snow conditions were getting progressively worse and after digging a pit it was decided to retreat back to safer angles. Estimated ski grade of route covered: BS S3. 2km. Team: SN, FB and EY.
Peak 3420: 2015-03-11. Peak to the East of Altynarashan. Skinned up approach through trees to hanging valley. Plan was to ascend the SE ridge and ski the Northern slopes. However Visibility deteriorated significantly, winds picked up and started snowing and hence turned back at 3050m. Team: SN, FB and EY. Comments on administration and logistics in Kyrgyzstan: No official administration was required. Only exception was to provide details of the trip and insurance certificates to the Mountain Rescue Service. Getting basecamp established in winter is difficult. The approaches in the valleys are long and no significant transport is available in winter, short of hiring a helicopter. Weather and Ground Conditions: Weather was exceptionally good, stable, and sunny with light winds. Light snow showers, lower temperatures and slightly increased wind speeds were experienced on a few days. Poor visibility was experienced on one day which resulted in a turn around. The most significant snow fell on the evening before the last day of the trip with around 10cm falling overnight. The ground was mostly covered in deep unconsolidated snow with a small harder sun-baked layer on top through which progress was difficult on most aspects. Southerly aspects below 3000m were generally bare. Some northerly slopes had slightly better snow quality. There was little fresh snowfall and previous layers where generally badly bonded. Temperatures varied from +30 C in some high sunny spots to -15 C overnight. Details of Accidents or Illness during expedition: No Notable accidents. One Team Member experienced a painful eye infection. Three Team Members experienced diarrhoea, possibly caused by drinking untreated water from the main river. This forced the decision to locate the base camp not as far up the valley as initially planned. Waste Disposal: All waste was carried out of the valley and disposed of in Karakol, waste which could not be disposed of properly in Karakol was returned to the UK/France for recycling.