As part of a large Kazakh national team expedition, Grigoriy Chshukin (leader), Leonid Krupa, and Roman Shesternin climbed a new route up the rocky west face of Gronky Peak (5,050m), above the East Kyzyl Asker Glacier. The trio made the ascent on July 26, 2022, completing the 18-pitch rock wall in about 12.5 hours, with a mix of free climbing and aid. They continued up a moderate alpine ridge to the summit, then descended to the north to the col with Yurnos Peak, then down to the glacier, returning to their camp by 10:30 p.m. Download the team's full report here. 

—Dougald MacDonald, AAJ

Editor's Note: A couloir on the far (south) side of this rock buttress was climbed in 2023 by a British team, who joined the Kazakh line near the top of the rock wall and continued up the summit ridge to within about 100 meters of the top. See the report here.