Western Kokshaal-Too.
. From series: "Mountaineering possibilities of Kyrgyzstan".
See also article: MOUNTAINEERING POSSIBILITY OF KYRGYZSTAN

Geographical description (location, orography, altitudes, climate, landscape, fauna and flora).
History of mastering.
Potential, kinds of climbing routes.
How could get to this region.

Western part of the one extentest (about for the space of 500 km)
and the highest (Pobeda Peak 7439 m) Tien-Shan Kokshaal-Too
Range , which is called "Western Kokshaal-Too", it is one of the
most interesting and unexploring area of Tien-Shan mountaineering.

Geographical description.

At really this region is not the most Western part of the Kokshaal-Too Range. Probably it is the Western part of the Range highest points, where altitudes are 5000 m more. The region is situated near the Central part of the Range. The Western Kokshaal-Too is located in the South from the Central part of the Issyk-Kul Lake, on the border of Kyrgyz Republic and China. The region is for the space of about 100 km of latitude from meridian 78° till meridian 79°15'. The axes part of the Range passes of latitude direction in that place only. Meridian directions of gorge have a deviation from the axes part of the Range, which are full of glaciers. The region's frozen is very powerful. As glaciers flow down of slopes of range as its lie on remains of ancient peneplen on of its some summits. There are about 40 glaciers. The Chon-Turasu glacier is the biggest all of them. This glacier is for the space of about 18 km. As rule hollows are even and it gives possibility to have a easy movement on its. There are summits up to 5982 m (Dankov Peak). The difference between the foot hills and the top points reaches 1500 m. The walls are as high as 1000 m and even more. Glaciers in gorges lie on as altitude as 4000-4500 m. Climate of this region is typical for Central Asia and Tien-Shan. Climate is severe continental there. It is one of the inclement places of Tien-Shan. Its places are called "Kyrgyz Arctic" because the temperature rises lower -50 °C. Summer is only for August. It is the best time for climbing. Thunders-storm are often on May-July. The weather is enough stability on September but it's colder than on August and snow doesn't melt. The average temperature is +4 °C in July, +6 °C in August, and +2 °C in September. The annual amount of precipitation is 420 mm p/a. Lower part of gorges and watersheds are like alpine desert which is situated on ancient peneplenning surface, sometimes with lots of swampy slopes - "saz". There are not wood and bushes vegetation. In this region inhabit mountain's sheep "Marco Polo", wolfs, foxes, diverse rodents, various birds, including predatory. There are, at down port of the valleys, rare nomads with ships, camels, yaks and horses.

History of mastering.

This region doesn't exploared by a few reasons. Some of them are several climate, poor natural resources, long distance from main cities and difficulty access, the border with China. During long time the region was closed for visiting because there were difficulty politic terms of ex'Soviet Union and China. First descriptions was made by Russian geologist A.B.Kaulbars in 1869. Afterwards some of investigators have visited of the region a few times. First ascent was in 1934. Expedition under the guidance of A.A.Letatavet did it on a summit of 4900 m near area of the Chon-Turasu glacier. This summit was called Marona Peak for a honour of one of the Expedition mountaineers. Another mountaineering expedition was organise in 1938 but it was not successfully for the bad weather. Next expedition was in 1969 only. This expedition was of the Moscow area and of the Kaliningrad city under the guidance of A.Korsun. The expedition have done six first ascents to the area of the Chon-Turasu glacier. Later on expeditions were did in 1972, 1980 and 1985 till the disorder the of Soviet Union. In that time were did ascents to main summits of the area which are in Eastern (Chon-Turasu glacier) and Westen (area of Kyzyl-Asker Peak) parts of the region. The others gorges are not explored for different difficulties. A new stage of development of this region was in 1993 when Mikhail Lebedev organised the big expedition of mountaineers of the Moscow area. A.Korsun organised one more expedition of mountaineers from the West in 1995. This expedition was to the area of the Chon-Turasu glacier again. Later on and until now expeditions to the Western Kokshaal-Too were organised by mountaineers from USA and Great Britain. The first American-England expedition was under the guidance of Lindsay Griffin and Christian Beckwith in 1996, which conducted a prospecting and did a few ascent at the Western part of the region. There were two expedition in 1997 already to this region. One of them American-England which was under the guidance of Christian again to the same region. And the other was expedition of the International School of Mountaineering (ISM) under the guidance of Pat Littlejohn to the area of the Chon-Turasu Glacier. Pat's expedition passed a few of a new routes in the area and accomplished flying around the region by helicopter for the future expeditions. The second expedition of ISM was to the Central part of Kokshaal-Too (to the Kotur glacier) in 1998. This region absolutely was not explored earlier. Mountaineers could accomplished only three first ascents at the lower parts of the Kotur glaciers because there were too much snow (about 1 m high). The 1999 expedition of ISM was very successful to the area of the same Glacier. There were accomplished six ascents at the uppers reaches of the Kotur glacier. Mountaineers could not did ascents for only two rest virgin summits of the Kotur glacier because the weather became bad in last days. Members of the expedition researched gorges which are Eastern from the glacier for a study of entrance's ways to these places for next future expeditions.

Potential, kinds of climbing routes.

As you can see from the orography scheme of the region only regions of Chon-Turasu glacier and Kotur glacier have a comparative good development. But gorges Karagerme, Kyzylunet and Kichi-Turasu have a less development. All the rest gorges of the region don't have development generally. No any orography schemes with places of summits and passes and do not clear roads of entrances and approaches for them. Its are really "white spots" for explorers and mountaineers. Besides some regions which have already a good development these regions hide a reach potential for new ascents and roads. There is expecting about 30 virgin summits (up to 5000 m) and about 100 (till 5000 m). Mainly routes are combine and snow-icy. The difference between the starting of routes and the summits is 1500 m. Rocks in "watersepareting" of axes part of the range imagine strong granites on lateral sandstone's and limestone's. There are possibilities not for only classic mountaineering but for ski-mountaineering and ski tours too in the region.

How you could get to this region.

It is possible to reach West part of the area, which is Western of Sarychat gorge, by some mountain roads, along 180 km road, going from Naryn town through Ak-Muz village and Kyndy pass to the Upper Mudrum river. Good unmetalled road is from Naryn to the Kyndy pass. Further this road becomes bad, along 80 km to the Upper Mudrum river, some parts of the road are very bad. From these parts are 10-20 km to places of base camps arrangement. These lack of roads possible going only by 4WD car through rivers and slopes of hills. These entrances are complicated by a lot of hill's swamps - "saz", where a car can stick. It is possible to reach East part of this place by a high-cross-road capability car too, along the 180 km road going from the south cost of the Issyk-Kul lake over Barskaun, Suek and Ashuu passes and Kichi-Uzengegush gorge along the Uzengegush river. For the space of the road along the river aren't researched gorges right up to Chon-Turasu gorge. The road along the river goes along North cost of the river and these gorges approach to the river from South. There are not any bridges and passages that's why there is necessity of arrangement with help of ropes. It is necessary to elaborate approach and entrance personally for each specifically gorge of this region. It will be better to go to these places with people who have an experience of working around in these places. ITMC "Tien-Shan" arranged last five expedition for last four years there. ITMC "Tien-Shan" is the only sole unique company which has the experience of working in this region.