Kara-Su Valley, Pik 4810 m, various new routes. In July 2002, our group of 11 Czechs who drink and climb everything, went to the Karavshin, where we split into four climbing teams. Three teams decided to climb the 1,200m northwest face of Pik 4,810m by three different routes. The fourth team climbed the Yellow Wall.

The first team—Jan Kreisinger, Jirka Srutek, Petr Balcar, and Mirek Turek—climbed a new route to the left of Sacharov 94. After 24 pitches, they joined with the Sacharov Route (Russian) on the north summit ridge. We called our new route “Zlate písky” (Golden Sands); it was 1,000m, 8 (OS)/A2—the first 350m were fixed, followed by 10 days capsule style.

The second team—Vazek Satava, Pavel Jonak and Marek Holecek—climbed a new line to the right of Sacharov 94. After 15 pitches they joined the Sacharov Route, then continued free to the top. We named this new route “Otikovy mokre sny” (Otik’s Wet Dream); it was 1,100m, 23 pitches, 9-/9 AF—the first 350m were fixed, followed by 9 days capsule style. The third team—couple Jan Doudlebsky and Dusan Janak—climbed the Russian route Krizok (6b, Russian scale), with a 200m variation on the central part of the NW face. We named the variation “Fifteen to the Chimney,” because Jan fell off on 20th pitch. Its difficulty was 1100m to the summit ridge, 26 pitches total, 8+(PP)/A4- (with an A4 pitch on the variation)—the first two pitches were fixed, then nine days on the wall.

Tomas Zákora and Pavel Kopázek started a new route on the 500m east face of Yellow Wall (American climbers were kidnapped from this face in 2000). After about 200m, they retreated and returned to basecamp in the Karasu Valley. After a period of bad weather, Tomas went back to the line and soloed it in 6 days. He called it Meresjev. It was 14 pitches, 9-/9 A3— the first 200m were fixed, then Tomas made his 6 day solo.

Dusan Janak and Jan Kreisinger, Czech Republic