Summit ascent in mountains of Pamir in Tajikistan.

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Anna Quindlen.

Central Asia and Tajikistan tours.

The mountaineering camp of "Alp-Navruz" is in a subalpine zone at height of 4200 meters above sea level, on east coastal terrace, at merge of glaciers of Walter and Moskvina (east inflows of glacier Fortambek), is the most convenient base for the beginning conquest of peaks Ismail Somoni and Evgenii Korzhenevskoi, because of the shortest approaches to them.
The glade at Moskvina glacier (a total area about 10 hectares) - is safe enough in case of rockfalls or avalanches. 30-days stay in area «Moskvina glade» with ascentions on seven-kilometer tops of Pamir can be fine "springboard" for the subsequent storms Himalaya mountains.
On Moskvina glade there is the small lake, four double warmed tents in which the administration of camp, 11 double small houses from a tree and aluminium for climbers and tourists, pavilion - a dining room, a shower is placed during a season, a sauna and other objects.
If necessary placing canvas frame tents. The Main source of the electric power on Moskvina glade is the diesel engine - the generator. As thermal energy for cooking natural gas serves. Iron tanks with diesel fuel and cylinders with natural gas are delivered by helicopters from Dushanbe.
Here, on a glade, there is a convenient helicopter platform. Now practises two ways of delivery of people, cargoes and products on Moskvina glade - helicopter from city Dushanbe (time of flight - one and a half hour per one party) or 350 kilometers of a way on the car on the east from capital of republic, along the rivers Vakhshs, Surkhob and Muksu up to settlement Depshar (near to settlement Dzhirgatal), and further 7 days of the hiking up to a terminal point - through four mountain passes (Belkondou, Itgai, Tamosha and Kurai Shapak) on northern spurs of a ridge of Peter the Great accompanied by porters with special mountain preparation.
Today time of functioning of camp for Moskvina glade does not exceed two - three months (about July till September). In the rest of the time the camp is not visited because of a complex way and severe climatic conditions (low temperature, a wind, a snow, height) the camp is in the inhibited condition.
The most convenient places for basing high-altitude expeditions are the top part of glacier Fortambek where the nature creates two unique places, suitable for installation of camps. These are glades Suloev and Moskvin from which conduct simple and safe routes on the highest tops of Pamir located nearby - peaks Ismail Somoni and Korzhenevskoi 7105 meters above sea level.
Glade Suloev is located at height of 4100 meters above sea level in the left part of a moraine of glacier Turamys (sources of glacier Fortambek). With 1971 for 1977 on glade Suloev worked physicians and biologists of expedition of the Academy of sciences Tadjik SSR which studied adaptation of alive organisms to conditions of high mountains, two stationary small houses there are established.
From here climbers of a sports society "Petrel" have laid a simple way of rise on Pamir snowfield (almost equal 12 kilometer plateau at height of 6000 meters above sea level) and further to peak Ismail Somoni on one of mountain ridges. Since then it name «The Edge of the Petrel».
In 80th years XX of a century on Pamir snowfield have been laid shorter way - from Walter glacier on a mountain edge which is called «Borodkin's Edge», and the center of climbing activity has gradually moved on other glade - Moskvin's name where the base camp now is located.

Authority:
http://www.tajik-gateway.org/

Photos:
Alberto Pedrotti