Part 3.

South-Western Wall of Communism

1970. Again at the bottom of the Peak of Communism lots of alpinists gathered. A team of Moscow “Trud” during the period 1-15 of August passed an outstanding route from the glacier of Beliaev along the South-Western wall. The leader of the team was V. Onischenko, members of the team were V. Gerken, M. Konkov, B. Korshunov, L. Pavlichenko, couch of the team was B. Romanov. The team got the second place at the Championship of the USSR in the high-altitude - technical class (if the team participated in the championship in the high-altitude class, it would win 100%). But that season in high-altitude class for the first time the problem Northern Wall of the Peak of Karl Marks (6726) was passed by the team of Leningrad “Burevestnik” (the leader of which was F. Gitenev), that team got the first place in this class.
The team of Uzbekistan passed the North-Eastern counterfort of the Peak of Communism from the glacier Bivachny during the period 11-19 of August. V. Voronin was the leader of the team, members of the team were B. Blonshtein, Z. Luman, G. Kalinin, A. Putincev, the couch of the team was V. Elchibekov. The team got the first place in high-altitude class.
Again a tragedy on the route. In a period from the 31st of July to 17 of August the team of Moscow was passing traverse the Peak of Leningrad (6503) – Peak of Communism from the Glacier of Garmo. The leader of the team was B. Efimov, members of the team were J. Baichenko, J. Emelianenko, K. Klimov, V. Kushnarev, V. Petiforov, B. Golubkov. In 100 meters from the top of the summit B. Golubkov died of cardiac decompensation.

1971. From 24.07 to 03.08 the team of Sport Committee of Tadzhikistan passed a new route to the Peak of Communism from the glacier Fortambek – with coming out to the plateau, to the right from the glacier Tramplinny. The leader of the team was I. Getman members of the team were T. Dzhurambekov, L. Lapshin, V. Lavruhin, V. Tkachev, A. Shatkovsky. The couch of the team was J. Gurevich. It took them 6 days to pass the wall under the plateau, that helped the team to get the third place at the Championship of the USSR (the first place wasn’t awarded).
P. S. The second pass of the route was made by the trainers of the International Alpinistic Center “Pamir” in 1983. The leader of the tem was I. Stepanov J. Borzov and J. Borodkin were the members of the team. The wall was passed in three days. It was a good route, it impressed the alpinists – above their heads there were 150 meters or overhanging Pamir plateau.
A beautiful route was made by mountaineers from Krasnoyarsk from the glacier of Walter with coming out to the peak “6708” (Peak of Khokhlov) along the northern counterfort. The leader of the team was V. Bezzubkin J. Andreev, A. Vstavsky, V. Liah, V. Ushakov. The route looked effectively from the peak of E. Korgenevskaya.

1972. One more tragedy on the Peak of Communism. Having passed a new route along the left edging of the Northern-Eastern wall of the Peak of Communism from the glacier Bivachny, three alpinists (Alexander Borovikov, Anatoly Kolchin, Boris Kozharin) from the team of Leningrad “Spartak” perished on the descent from the plateau Pravda. Besides them the top reached the leader of the team O. Borisenok, and other members – J. Diachenko, A. Kolcov, A. Ilyin, V. Maerkovich.

From the North, From the Glacier of Walter. 10a – along the Northern slope from the glacier of Walter, through the Big Pamir Plateau and the “Big barrier” (Borodkin’s variant through the Peak Dushanbe). 10b – another variant coming out to the edge of Borodkin. 11. – through the Peak pf Khokhlov, Borodkin, 68. 12. Bezzubkin, 71, along the Northern counterfort from the glacier of Walter. 13. Chochia, 88, along the left part of the Northern-Western Wall of the Northern ridge. 27. Cherny, 76, Peak of Khokhlov – Peak of Communism, along the Northern-Western counterfort of the Eastern Ridge. 28. Route of Belica-Mareka, Czechoslovakia, hadn’t been classified. 31. Bozhukov, 74, Peak of Kalinin – Peak of Communism. 32. Kharchenko, 75, Peak of Communism – Peak of Korzhenevskaya. 37. Kaspirivich, 73, Peak of Kirov - Peak of Communism. 38. Fedorov, 90, Peak of Khokhlov – Peak of Communism.

1973. The team of Ukraine passed a new outstanding route along the South-Western wall of the Peak of Communism. The couch and the leader of the team was A. Kustovsky, members of the team were M. Alesiuk, V. Bahtiozin, V. Tcherevko. Unfortunately, at the altitude 7100 A. Kustovsky died of cardiac decompensation (the route was passed up to the end, it could be found in the classifier, it was the route of the highest, 6 grade of difficulty).
From the glacier of Walter a new route to the Peak of Communism along the Northern counterfort of the Peak Kirova (6372) was passed by the team from the city Novosibirsk. The leader of the team was G. Kaspirovich, the members of the team were N. Barhatov, V. Vodolazhsky, I. Dobkin, S. Kurgin, I. Meshkov, V. Prokopenko, A. Serieznov. The team got the third place at the Championship of the USSR in the high altitude class.

1974. Moscow “Burevestnik” was “with the shield” again. The team passed traverse the Peak of Kalinin (6584) – the Peak of Communism from the glacier Bivachny. The leader of the team was V. Bozhukov, members of the team were V. Vanin, E. Vinogradsky, O. Kosmachev, V. Nadbah-Kiedessa, V. Nevorotin. They passed twenty-kilometer long traverse of seven summits higher than 6500 in thirteen days (from 16 to 28 of August). The team won gold medals at the Championship of the USSR.

1975. At last one of the “far-fetched” problems of native alpinism – traverse Peak of Communism – Peak of E. Korzhenevskaya was solved by the team consisted of N. Kharchenko (the leader), V. Voronin, K. Minaichenko, G. Petrov, couch V. Elchibekov. Many teams tried to solve the puzzle. But Uzbek alpinists managed to come to the end of the problem. The route was given 5b grade of difficulty as it was passed through the pass Chetireh (the Pass of Four). (the author of this article doesn’t welcome traverses like that, going through passes). The team directed by Elchibekov got the first place at the Championship of the USSR in the class of traverses.
One more achievement of Moscow “Burevestnik”. A new route – traverse Peak Moscow (6785) – Peak of Communism was passed. The leader of the team was V. Vanin members of the team were V. Bogukov, J. Berkovich, E. Zaharov, B. Korshunov, R. Smirnov. The couch of the team was L. Puchkov. The team got silver medals at the Championship of the USSR in the class of traverses.
P.S. We saw an outstanding Soviet sportsman, eightfold alpinistic Champion of the USSR Valentin Bogukov among the members of the team again.
I can’t but mention in this article two years (1974-1975) that Leningrad “Burevestnik” passed at the South-Western wall of the peak of Communism. The team made two unsuccessful attempts to pass the route along the center of the wall. In 1974 Leningrad alpinists managed to climb up to 5900 and in 1975 they climbed up to 6200, “the bird”, where they left equipment and provision for ten days. Both of the seasons membership of the team was the same: F. Gitenev (the leader and couch), J. Gorenuk, A. Zainchkovsky, K. Pavlenko, S. Kalmikov, V. Lurie, J. Krasnouhov, I. Stepanov, J. Logachev, L. Troschinenko.

1976. From the glacier of Walter a new route was made through the peak 6708 (the Peak of Khokhlov) along the North-Eastern counterfort. The leader was N. Cherny, Members of the team were A. Bogomolov, V. Zasecky, T. Ivanova, V. Ribinsky, D. Tarhnishvili.

1977. Again two teams: from Moscow and from Rostov-On-Don worked along the center of South-Western wall of the Peak of Communism.
The team of Moscow: E. Pelehov – the leader, V. Masukov, and future conquerors of the Everest, V. Puchkov and V. Khomutov, were working forward but at the altitude 6900 the leader of the team E. Pelehov fell down. Rostov mountaineers that time were on “the bird” (6200) and saw that “farewell” flight. After the death of the leader, Moscow alpinists went to the ridge not far from the Peak Dushanbe. The team of Rostov-On Don: A. Nepomniashy (the leader), A. Afanasiev, V. Kolishkin, J. Manshin, K. Osipov, E. Khokhlov, A. Tsimbal, A. Shaligin with provision and equipment left in 1975 by the group directed by F. Gitenev on “the bird” passed that route in 24 days, that provoked negative reaction of sport community of the country. But at the Champion of the USSR the team got the first place in the high altitude class.

1978. From the glacier Bivachny (glacier of Ordzhonikidze) two teams stormed the North-Eastern wall of the Peak f Communism. The team of “Trud”: G. Chugunkin (the leader and the couch), J. Borzov, V. Mikhalev, G. Dzhioev, I.Slesov passed the route to the left from the center of the wall in 12 days and got gold medal in high-altitude class. Unfortunately, George Dzhioev and I. Slesov the next year would die of cold at the Northern Wall of the Peak of Revolution.
The team of “Mehnat”, directed by A. Putincev, consisting of V. Voronin, L. Gromov, G. Kalinin, G. Malukov (the couch of the team was V. Elchibekov) passed the route to the right from the center and got silver medals at the Champion of the USSR.