Kashkaratash Valley, Several Ascents

Kyrgyzstan, At Bashi Range
Author: Emily Ward. Climb Year: 2016. Publication Year: 2017.

After a trip to the Terskey Ala-too with Callum Nelson, he had to return to Europe, so I decided to continue alone to the At-Bashi. With my excellent ITMC driver Sasha, I came in from the south and chose a final destination as we approached: the Kashkaratash (a.k.a. Koshkaram) Basin. From my base camp I climbed a small, rocky peak to the south of the main range (4,089m, 40.910318°N, 75.769922°E), picking an interesting route through the crags on the north-northwest face.

Moving camp up to the mostly easterly glacier of the basin, I hoped to climb several snowy peaks. However, I was turned back on two occasions by bitterly cold north wind: Mid-October is a lot colder than September. Eventually, on the 10th, I found a good west-facing ice couloir on the south ridge of Pik 4,727m that was totally sheltered from the wind. (This mountain, also called Pik James Bruton, 40.962308°N, 75.797506°E, was climbed in 2014 from the same glacier basin via the south flank.) After an initial 20m section of 70° ice, good mixed climbing and ice steps gained an upper snowfield. After a height gain of 450m (according to the Russian map), I stopped just below the crest when the snow turned to mush. On my final day I hiked up steep death choss to the south summit of Pik 4,529m (40.945549°N, 75.811574°E).

On the drive out we decided to take the less-traveled southern road toward Torugart Pass. It is old and pretty much impassable from 40.744019°N, 75.992417°E. At this point it was necessary to cross the river and use an indistinct track. This might prove very difficult in wet season or high summer.

– Emily Ward, Alpine Club, U.K.



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