Ascent in the context of the mountaineering championship of the Primorsky Kray on the rocky route “Mezhdu Ribakami” made on the 12-13th of March 2004 in the region of the Przhevalsky massif (Partisansky region of the Primorsky Kray).

Markov V.

Popov A.

Ischenko A.

Kozhevnikov A.

The second route on this wall was the main one for as. Firstly, we were the first to pass the route. Secondly, it was more difficult than the route “Zimny ribak” (“Winter Fisherman”).

As we had been working for four years on different wall in the Primorsky Kray, we came to the route fully armed. We had improved equipment. We had been perfecting our skill at trad-climbing for 4 years. The wall of the massif of Przhevalsky attracted us by its inviolability. Above the lake there were routes only for advanced climbers, sportsmen, working on difficult walls. If the lake was covered with ice, we could walk near the wall. We could do everything we wanted on the first day of working. On the second day everything began to melt. Puddles appeared on the ice. We had to bring boards and built way to the wall. It was little, but discomfort. When we made an ascent on the route “Zimny Ribak”, we worked three together, and that time there were four of us. Three members of our group pretended to work on the wall. Alexander Popov finished working on the wall and went to the top. At the end of the wall he managed to put fifi to the crack. At first we had planned to climb across large overhang at the end of the route, but a new decision came in the evening of the second day. A climber saw a clear crack, leading to the left, climbed along it and quickly went to the top. And it was logically. We quickly finished the route.

PASSPORT OF THE ASCENT.

1. Region – Partisansky region of Primorsky Kray, rock of Przhevalsky.

2. Name of the route -along the central part of South-eastern wall.

3. Free name – “Mezhdu Ribakami” (“Between Fishermen”)

4. Extension of the route – 70 m.

5. Average steepness – 85 degrees.

6. Suggested grade of difficulty – A3.

7. Character of the route – rocky.

8. We used on the route:
Hooks – 11 items.
Cam devices – 0 items.
Stationary bolts - 3 items.
Nuts – 9 items.
Spits – 2 items.
Using sky hooks – 10 times.

9. Hours of working – 21 (2 days).
Preliminary processing: the 13th of March 2004 – 14 hours.
Ascent: the 14th of March 2004 – 7 hours.

10. The leader – couch of the team:
Markov V. – advanced alpinist.

11. Members of the team:
Popov A. – advanced alpinist
Ischenko A. - advanced alpinist
Kozhevnikov A. – advanced alpinist.

Photo: The wall half face, view from the left.
The average steepness of the wall – 90 degrees,
The entire route and participant at the end of it is seen.

Photo: The wall half face, view from the left.
The average steepness of the wall – 85 degrees,
The entire route goes on the other side of the wall.

Review of the region of ascent:

The Przhevalsky massif is located near the settlement Ekaterinovka, to be more exact, it is in 2 km from the village. It is possible to get to the massif by train or by feel along the road. Near the massif there is a railway station “Substation 95th km”. Near the massif there are dwelling houses, a draw-well. There is a meadow, suitable to make a camp. There also a big lake is located. Water doesn’t touch most part of the wall. The upper part of the massif is tied around by trunk for organizing belay. On the sport routes belay can be organized using the trunk, too. In this place different competitions were held repeatedly, championships of Russia were also held there. In winter the lake is covered with ice, it opens up wide possibilities for climbing along the wall above the lake.

Ways of getting to the wall by car:

• City Vladivostok – settlement Shkotovo – settlement Centralnoe – pass – town Partisansk – settlement Ekaterinovka – rocks of Przhevalsky.

• City Vladivostok – settlement Shkotovo – city Nakhodka – settlement Ekaterinovka - rocks of Przhevalsky.

Ways of getting to the wall by train:

• City Vladivostok – settlement Tigrovy – town Partisansk – settlement Boets Kuznetsovo – 95th km. (Some of the trains don’t stop on the substation in that case you should go to the station Ekaterinovka and went back to the Przhevalsky rocky massif). The distance is more than 3 km.

• City Nakhodka – settlement Ekaterinovka – substation 95th km. When you get off the train, you should go in the direction of the town Partisansk. Then you pass three houses, built near the wall of the Przhevalsky massif and only there you see the wall the Przhevalsky massif. The distance is no more than 1 km.

Some words about the route itself. The central part of south-Eastern wall of the massif of Przhevalsky is located just above the lake. In summer you can come rowing to right difficult route, and start climbing from the boat. We prefer to pass the routes in winter. It is beautifully and hardly there.  It is an excellent training before going to big mountains. The route starts along the center of the wall above the lake. All the route long can be seen from aside. It begins with a vertical wall, then there is a sloping wall, turning into the next long vertical wall. The wall ends with clear crack and along it the member of the team goes to a big ledge with a tree. The tree is suitable to make belay, it is convenient to receive the other members there. From that place you go to the ridge along a good path. 100 meters along the ridge and to the right there is a good path leading downwards. Along it you can descent to the meadow. I repeat – you should turn to the right. To the left up to the very end of the massif of Przhevalsky there is a sheer wall.

DESCREPTION OF THE ROUTE STRIP BY STRIP.

Strip R0 – R1.

Approach to the route “Mezhdu Ribakami” is made along the frozen lake. All the strip is 20 meters long, the average steepness is 70 degrees. It took us two hours to pass the strip, the rest of the time we processed the second strip. The beginning of the route goes along the wall of 10 meters long, 85 degrees steep. It can be passed by trad-climbing (using hooks, nuts, channels) along the vertical crack. The strip ends with coming to a sloping plate of 65 degrees steep and 5 meters long. It was not difficult to climb there. We applied hooks for organizing belay. At the end of the plate we found a bolt left by previous group. From the bolt we turned to the right along sloping plate of 50 degrees steep and 5 meters long. Along the plate we came to a stationary bolt. This place is suitable for belaying. A stationary bolt is hammered in. The first member made a station and received the second one. In this place the route went straight upwards. Forward we could see a spalling looking like a knife and a crack along it. Thus, on passing this strip we used 3 hooks, 3 bolts. We also used a nut. Total extension of the route is 20 meters, average steepness – 70 degrees.

Strip R1 – R2.

We changed the leader, there we used the technique of trad-climbing only. Spalling, along the crack of 10 meters long, the steepness of the route was 90 degrees, grade of difficulty of the route – A3. Then we passed overhang. Extension of the strip - 2 meters. Steepness was 95 degrees, grade of difficulty A3. All the strip long could be passed by trad-climbing, using grippers. It gradually became a wall. Extension of the wall strip – 8 meters, steepness – 90 degrees. Grade of difficulty of the strip A3. Then the climber went to a sloping ledge. It was 2 meters long and 70 degrees steep, grade of difficulty of the strip 2A. As before everything was passed by trad-climbing. From the ledge a relief wall strip was seen, along which the first member of the team continued working. Extension of the strip – 10 meters, steepness – 85 degrees. Grade of difficulty of the strip A3. Then everything turned to complete overhang. There we turned to the right a little. Extension of the strip – 8 meters, steepness – 95 degrees. Grade of difficulty of the strip A3. Having turned to the right, using grippers, the first member by trad-climbing went to the vertical wall. Extension of the strip – 5 meters, steepness – 85 degrees. Grade of difficulty of the strip A3. Just there the first member used fifi. He put it in the crack and loaded sideward. The devise bended under load, but held the climber. The first member refused to climb across the hanging cornice. He went on trad-climbing along the crack, leading to the right. Extension of the strip – 5 meters, steepness – 75 degrees. Grade of difficulty of the strip A2. Then the participant went to a good ledge. A path goes along the ledge. Having gone a meter along that path the first member came to a tree. There he made a station and received the second climber. The route was completed. To pass the strip we used: 8 hooks, 2 spits PZL, 8 nuts, 10 sky hooks, two times used fifi. Total extension of the route 50 meters, average steepness – 90 degrees.