Ak-su Valley, Central Pyramid, north face; Kotin, lower east face. In summer 2007 British climbers Sion Brocklehurst and Andy Scott climbed a probable new route on the north face of Central Pyramid (3,850m), taking eight days to climb 20 pitches up to A4. The north face is already home to many fine 750m big wall routes by Russian, French, and Spanish teams. Brocklehurst then joined Graham Desroy to climb an eight-pitch route on a pinnacle on the lower east face of Kotin (4,521m), the most northerly of the main formations on the west wall of the Ak-su valley. The route takes a hanging arête at British E3/4 5c. Scott meanwhile teamed with Jon Ratcliffe to add another route to this pinnacle, climbing a big corner, also at British E3/4.

Lindsay Griffin, Mountain INFO