Climbing routes Climbing History
Climbing history of Kyrgyzstan
Tien-Shan is the most continental glacier area. Investigations of Tien-Shan began in the middle of the past century. The first investigator was P.P. Semionov. He reached sow ice of Sary-Djaz river during his 1856-1857 travels and made description of Khan-Tengri massive and Khan-Tengri peak itself with it's altitude 6995m above sea level. In 1902-1903 this area was investigated by G. Merzbaher and in 1929 - by A. Letovet's expedition.
Conception and development of alpinism in Kyrgyz republic in 1927-1941
Enthusiast and mountain-lover dental tehnician I. Grechishkin organized in Karakol group (section) of mountain tourism in 1927. During this time mountaneers from Pishpek (Bishkek) were gathered in group by mathematics teacher K. Studenkov , and travelers from Talas - by P.Piatuh. Official conception of alpinism as a kind of sport in Kyrgyz Republic date to 5 of August 1936. Group of leading mountaineers from our republic (I.Oksenetc, K.Baigaziev, K.Chaibekov, I.Titarenko and V.Ratcek) was sent to school of alpinism (director Pogrebetskii) by order of Kirghiz Sport Committee. Also in this year group under the liedership of V. Ozorovskii made the first ascent of the peak which was named Komsomoletc (4140 m)
In May 1937 Mountaineering Club was created in Committee of Physical Culture and Sport. That year was finished by ascents of Karakolskii peak (5251m), Manas (4370m), Kompartii (4200m) under the leadership of N. Popov. In 1938 in January ski ride from Frunze (Bishkek) to Dzgalal-Abad (1000 km) was conducted in honour of First Session of Supreme Soviet of the USSR and Supreme Soviet of Kirghizia. Also in July V.V. Ozorovskii organized alpiniada and first ascent of Uchitel peak (4526m). In 1939 186 people have got title "Mountaineer of USSR-I degree" on the second alpiniad. Expedition under the leadership of V. Ratcek subjugated Dzgigit peak. Logvinenko (4200m) and Toktogula (4250m) peaks were subjugated by B.Mikhailov's and B.Marichek's expeditions.
In 1940 more and more mountaineers from other regions of our state began to climb. Mountaineers from Issyk-Kul area stirred to greater activity. During alpiniada 120 mountaineers ascended of GTO peak (4050m). In Frunze area there were some mass ascents (Medik, Electro peaks and other). In December the first State school of instructors was created. 24 person have graduated from it. In February 1941 massive Baubesh-Ata area in Fergana range was explored for the III State alpiniad, but it was repeated because of the Great Patriotic War.
Alpinism in Kirghizia during the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945)
During the war people were going for alpinism only in Issyk-Kul (Prjevalsk) and Keminskii (Ak-Tuz) areas. Vsevobuch trained Mountain Shots and public instructors of alpinism. Students ascended of Ak-Tuz Alpinist peak and summits of Terskey-Alatau range. B. Marichek and A. Petrovich after their coming back from the war carried on the work with youth in Prjevalsk. They organized ascents of Prjevalskogo (4273), Gastello (4070) and Jukov (4250) peaks. Instructor of alpinism A.I. Bondarenko carried on a great amount of work during the war. She trained more than 400 Mountain Shots and organized first ascent of 4200 peak in Terkey-Alatau range.
Development of alpinism after the War (1945-1951)
After 1945 began the restoration of mountaineer's sections, especially in schools, institutes and special schools. In April 1946 school of instructors began to work and 15 people have graduated from it. On the 30th of August it was IV State alpiniad. During the 1946 season there were 20 ascents, were trained 352 sportsmen with title of "Mountaineer of the USSR-I degree" and 27 instructors. 1947 was marked by V State alpiniad. There were 17 ascents of different peaks and 35 first ascents. These ascents were under the leadership of young instructors I. Semenenko, A. Riabuhin, P. Korkin. VI alpiniad opened the 1948 season in May. School of instructors worked in Ala-Archa canyon in Kyrgyz range. Among those who have graduated frome it are A. Aitbaev, A. Ermyshkin, A. Shubin, P. Chervonyh.
There were several ascents on the hardest routes this year. The group under the leadership of B. Marechek subjugated Tashtambek-Tor-Bashi (4716), 30-years of VLKSM (4150m), Ak-Tor (4620m) peaks in Terskei-Alatau range. First ascent of West Alamedin Wall (4650m) in Kirghiz range was organized by P. Kenarskii.
In 1949 some instructors and leading sportsmen visited Kazakhstan (B.Marechek, A. Bondarenko, A. Shubin, N. Ermyshkin); Kaukaz (A. Litvinov, V. Prigoda, Z. Naurbiev, A. Moskalev). 1950 was the year of subjugating new peaks and routes. Expeditions under the leadership of B. Marechek, A. Eropunov, N. Ermyshkin, A. Shubin ascended of Bailian-Bashi (4700), Skriabina (4667), Semenova-Tien-Shanskogo (4874m) peaks. Mountaineers from sport society "Nauka" subjugated Svobodnaia Koreia peak (4740m). Kyrgyzstan (4840m) and Mao-Dze-Dun (4300m) peaks in Kyrgyz range were subjugated by mountaineers from sport society "Iskra". This year A. Bondarenko, N. Ermyshkin, B. Marechek became Masters of Sport of the USSR. On the Championship of VCSPS (rock-climbing) A. Eropunov won the second prize.