Pik Yurnos, second ascent. With help from the Anatoli Boukreev Memorial Fund, Melis Coady and I spent several weeks during August and September climbing in Kyrgyzstan. After climbing several snow, rock, and ice routes in Ala Archa National Park, outside the country’s capital of Bishkek, we headed south to the West Kokshaal-Too and Komorova Glacier, situated on the Kyrgyz-Chinese border.

On August 26 we made the second ascent of the peak located next to Pik Ecstasy, via a series of ice couloirs on the east-southeast aspect. We topped out in deteriorating conditions and descended the peak’s north ridge in a whiteout. We dubbed the route Dreaming of Wild Elephants (estimated grade: III AI4).

On August 3rd we had also attempted a prominent unclimbed peak two mountains north of 52 Years of American Duct Tape. Two-thirds of the way up the north ridge, we retreated due to unstable snow conditions. We then returned to the Ala Archa in late September.

Molly Loomis, AAC