Antarctica, The Peninsula, Livingston Island, Tangra Mountains, Komini Peak, West Slope New Rock Route

Publication Year: 2005.

Tangra Mountains, Komini Peak, west slope new rock route. Komini (774m: 62°39'10.1"S, 60°07’05.7" W) is one of the minor peaks on the side ridge descending northward from Levski Peak in the Tangra Mountains, which are situated on Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands. The peak lies above Huron Glacier to the north and two of its tributaries on the east and west. The western slope of Komini is a rock wall of 212m vertical height and average steepness of 48°. The wall was climbed for the first time by Lyubomir Ivanov during the Bulgarian survey Tangra 2004/05 expedition, exploring remote areas in eastern Livingston Island from November 28, 2004 until January 8, 2005. The ascent started from the survey base camp Academia located on the upper Huron Glacier at the foot of Zograf Peak. The base camp area itself is accessible by an 11–13 km overland route running eastward from the Bulgarian base St. Kliment Ohridski or the Spanish base Juan Carlos Primero via Willan Saddle and Orpheus Gate. The peak was climbed on December 21, 2004 for the purposes of GPS surveying and compiling a photographic documentation of geographical features in eastern Livingston Island. The route first led from Camp Academia for three km eastward over Huron Glacier along the foot of Zograf Peak, through a pass towards the tributary of Huron Glacier flowing between Lyaskovets Peak and Levski Peak, then across the tributary to reach the foot of Komini. The glacier surface is solid firn suitable for walking or skiing, albeit fractured by visible and hidden crevasses. The wall (UIAA III) was free soloed, its surface providing holds that are mostly unstable. Indeed, the rock is highly fissile due to the wet climate, with several freezing-thawing cycles typically happening within one day even.

Lyubomir Ivanov, Bulgaria