Matcha 2005: From Kshemysh river to Shurovski glacier

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View of Kshemysh valley, while descending from Dvoynoy pass

Peaks separating Kshemysh valley from Djiptyk valley (located further west)

The beginning of Kshemysh glacier with peak Kshemysh Bashi (5290m) in the background (this peak is on the boundary with Tajikistan)

Slava’s glacier goggles!

Kshemysh glacier (with peak Kshemysh Bashi in the clouds)

Our campsite on Kshemysh glacier (in the evening and the morning)

A closer view to peak Kshemysh Bashi in the morning sun

Shurovskogo pass (1.4.1) at 4300m (and the route we took in the inset)

[This pass is only rated 1B* in the Russian classification system, but turned out a bit more difficult than expected, mostly due to the poor condition of the snow. We ended up climbing the rocky part on the right of the pass (4^th grade, with short low-5^th-grade sections). We had only 2 ice axes and one ski pole for the three of us, plus a 30m rope. The rope was not really needed and we barely used it. The ice axes were very useful on the steepest snow sections. Crampons would have been useless.]

View of Kshemysh glacier during the ascent of Shurovskogo pass

Reaching Shurovskogo pass

Shurovskogo pass is a truly unique place. The panoramic view below is a very imperfect attempt to capture the spectacular scenery from the pass by merging 10 photos covering approximately a 250dg range, as shown in red on the following map. The left side of the panoramic view shows the Kshemysh glacier (located on the east side of the pass) and its right side shows the Shurovski glacier (located on the west side of the pass). The two glaciers almost touch one another at the pass (1.4.1), which forms a thin ridge between them. The glaciers originate from two distinct cirques bounded on their south side by a series of peaks that culminate at 5290m (along the boundary with Tajikistan). The glaciers run south to north, and are separated further north by a series of peaks that culminate at 4900m.

Descending the Shurovski glacier on the west side of Shurovskogo pass

“Mushrooms” on the lower part of the Shurovski glacier

Our rough campsite at the end of the Shurovski glacier, prior to ascending Mingteke pass

Photos:

- From Daugman village to Dvoynoy pass

- From Mingteke pass to Kara-Tur valley

- From Djiptyk valley to Vorukh enclave