Kongur Expedition in August 2003 and project to climb it in 2004

Kongur Peak is one of the highest mountains in China Pamir. It is 7719 meters high and was climbed first by Chris Bonington team in 1982. After that few expeditions tried to repeat Boningtons route or make new one, but all of them were defeated. This summit is also very interesting because of uncrowded area, comparing with Muztagh Ata, for example.

This year we examed new route from the North side which probably could be the classic route on Kongur. Comparing with Bonington's route it is much shorter, as it is going from the valley straight up to the Kongur shoulder and than through the rock ridge to the summit. Bonington's South Side route is longer and has a long traverse on the altitudes around 7000 m.

Regarding this year attempt: we arrived in the BC too late, autumn was starting already. We have made one acclimatization turn till 6000 meters and on the summit bid we reached ~ 7000 m. It was too cold to continue on the summit day, so we decide to turn back. Our route does not requires a lot of technical climbig till 7200 m., but after it is a steep rock ridge, which requires some climbing skills.

Our team: Valery Shamalo, Saint-Petersburg Lidia Grauer - doctor, Saint-Petersburg Kirirll Korabelnikov, Saint-Petersburg Sergey Kofanov, Saint-Petersburg Marc Vanpe, Grenoble Alexei Gorbatenkov, Saint-Petersburg Schedule 2003 13.08.03 towards late evening the base Camp, 3550m, was settled. 14.08. Climbed up to 4650 i. 15.08. up to 5420i. 16.08. up to 5960i. 17.08. Shamalo and Kofanov descended to the Base Camp (3550i), the three other climbers descended to 4650i. 18.08. All team's members descended to the Base Camp. 20.08. climbed up to 4900i. 21.08. The rest forced by a sickness of one climber. 22.08 up to 5960i. 23.08. up to 6510i. 24.08. up to 6900i. 25.08. The attempt to ascend failed because of the bad weather and the insufficient acclimatization. We had to return and descend to 5200m. It was windy, intensely cold weather (about -35° C). We had the danger of frost-bites. 26.08 All team's members descended to the Base Camp. 27.08. In early morning we left the canyon for 4 hours. We arrived Kashgar that day. The optimal period for the year 2004 is supposed from 5 /10 of July. You can learn more about 2003 year expedition and the project for the year 2004 on the web site http://www.mountainguides.ru