This summer the veteran Russian mountaineer, Gleb Sokolov, climbed a logical and beautiful route on the South West Face of Khan Tengri (6,995m), one of the most famous peaks of the former Soviet Union.

Sokolov, who earlier this year was nominated for a Piolet d'Or for his ascent of a new line on the North Face of Pik Pobeda (7,439m), believed he was climbing a new route. And you'd think he would be one of the most likely to know.

Sokolov, now in his mid-fifties, has intimate knowledge of Khan Tengri and neighbouring Pobeda, having ascended both on many different occasions by a variety of routes. In fact as long ago as 1992 he set a speed record of 14½ hours for a round trip ascent of Khan Tengri from the standard base camp on the South Inylchek Glacier.

This summer's route, climbed with Alexander Kirikov and named Zmeyka (little snake) due to its sinuous nature, starts from the site of Camp 2 (5,300m) on the Standard Route (from the south) up the Semenovsky Glacier and West Ridge.

From here it climbs onto the face between the Standard 1931 Pogrebetskogo Route on the West Ridge (Russian 5A) and the 1964 Romanov Route up the South South West or Marble Rib (6A).

Kirikov and Sokolov climbed snow slopes, a prominent twisting rock rib, and then through the left side of the marble headwall to reach the summit. They made comfortable camps 3, 4 and 5 in this section, spending two nights at the latter due to the onset of snow and strong winds, which forced them to sit out the nights fully dressed, wearing their boots, fearing the tent could be blown away.

When they eventually reached the summit late in the day, they found themselves in almost clear calm weather, looking down onto the maelstrom below. Fortunately, the fixed ropes, habitually in place on the West Ridge, were a great aid to their descent.

Sokolov graded the route 5B. He felt that it was generally safe, relatively easy, and could be recommended as a solo ascent. However, he only later discovered later that it was not new.

Historically, Soviet mountaineering was a highly structured affair. Around seventy-five percent of the former USSR's border was mountainous, and so it was deemed that the country needed a specially trained military.

Every year thousands of people were trained at state-financed alpine camps. The best would continue this training program, with climbers progressing through 'categories' towards gaining their Master of Sport, or even the highest accolade, International Master of Sport.

More experienced alpinists participated in the Soviet Championships. Ascents were recorded, and new routes, particularly at high altitude, were recorded in great detail and submitted to the USSR Classification Committee of the Federation of Alpinism.

So it is strange that a report of a new route on Khan Tengri climbed in 1982 by a Ukrainian party led by Eugeniy Kondakov was either not completed or lost.

The description of their line appearing in the standard Putevoditel guide by Solomatin, or in several other sources, is vague to say the least, and, understandably, Kirikov and Sokolov believed they were making a first ascent.

Only later was it discovered that they had followed the 1982 Ukrainian Route, and research suggests a similar line may have been climbed as long ago as 1936 by the legendary Eugeniy Abalakov, who three years previous had made the first ascent of 7,495m Pik Communism, the highest summit in the former Soviet Union.

Abalakov, with Vitaly Abalakov (who would later made the first ascent of Pobeda but whose name is perhaps most associated in the West with the famous V-thread), Michael Dadiomova, Leon Gutman and Lorenz Saladin were making the third ascent of the West Ridge (the second, by a team under the leadership of Kolokolnikov, took place earlier the same year).

However, there was much snow on the mountain and they had only a photo from above 6,000m given to them by Pogrebetskiy, so ended up taking the easiest way at the time.

The descent from the summit proved something of an epic. All suffered frostbite and the great Swiss explorer Saladin died of his injuries less than two weeks later.

The photograph shows the South Face of Khan Tengri from the across the South Inylchek Glacier, with the Marble Rib dropping towards the camera. The 1982 Ukrainian Route climbs the face on the left, relatively close to the left skyline (West Ridge).

Thanks to Anna Piunova, www.mountain.ru, for help with this report
 

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