Tien Shan's alpine style climbing - the Russian way: Sokolov and Gorelik's new route on Pobeda north face
05:20 am CST Nov 18, 2009
(Mounteverest.net/Madrid) Here is another cool new route to add to 2009’s list – a highly exposed line on Tien Shan’s Pobeda north face, signed by Russians Gleb Sokolov and Vitaly Gorelik.
The 2007’s K2 west face team veterans needed over seven days to climb the 2,400 meters-long route up to Pobeda West point (known as Pavel Pshavel peak), in pure alpine style.
Tough conditions
The news came late August: Siberian climbers Gleb Sokolov and Vitaly Gorelic had opened a new route on Pobeda peak – a serious 7000er with a 4,5 mile (7,5 km) long summit ridge. Barely able to speak out of exhaustion, Sokolov confirmed to RussianClimb that they were safely down at the glacier.
Here some more details.
After acclimatizing on Khan Tengri, the climbers set off from Pobeda's north side BC on August 20th, in spite of unstable weather conditions and loads of snow. They reported avalanches roaring past them on the first day, hard ice pitches in the following three and delicate mixed sections at the face’s upper slopes.
High winds and poor visibility discouraged Gleb and Vitaly from attempting the main summit, so the climbers went for Pobeda West. After topping-out, it took them one more day and a half to reach back BC.
Tien Shan's regulars
This was Sokolov’s third attempt on the recently completed line, according to Climbing.com. Currently 56, Gleb is a regular on Pobeda’s massif – where he has achieved new routes, speed ascents and a solo traverse. He was also a member in the 2004’ Russian team who opened a new route on Everest’s north face, and (together with Gorelik) summited K2 in 2007 via a new route on the peak’s west face.
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