Teams arriving in the Western Kokshaal-Too from August onward were treated to a widespread rumor that, one month earlier, two Russians who had approached the mountains from the north had been caught on the Chinese side of the border, spent a month in jail, and then required the assistance of the Russian government to get home. As a result, a Slovenian party planning to attempt Kyzyl Asker’s coveted southeast face decided against crossing the border at Window Col (the usual approach) and instead climbed on the Kyrgyz side of the range.

The two Russians, from Novosibirsk, approached the Kokshaal-Too via the hunting lodge at Bulat-M. Exactly what they planned to climb is unknown, but for whatever reason (lost, out of food) they opted to descend into China. Despite the rumors, they were helped by the Chinese and taken back to the border at the Torugart Pass, well to the west, where a main road crosses into Kyrgyzstan. It appears there were no problems with Chinese authorities.

Lindsay Griffin