Peaks of Zaalasky Range.

“Mountaineering is a complex and dangerous multifaceted type of human activity. A rare combination of sophisticated mental and physical work in a very difficult environment."

 Vitaly Abalakov.

Climbing Dzerzhinsky peak from Koman-Suu gorge.

The Dzerzhinsky peak, 6717 meters above sea level, is located in the upper reaches of the Koman-Suu river, in the ridge, in the central part, of the Zaalaysky ridge in the Chon-Alai region in the south of the Osh region.
Dzerzhinsky Peak is a beautiful snow pyramid, located 8 kilometers west of the highest peak of the Trans-Alai Lenin Ridge, 7134 meters above sea level. From the Razdelnaya peak, 6148 meters above sea level, the Dzerzhinsky peak is located 4.4 kilometers to the southwest.
From the Razdelnaya peak, the snowy, northeastern slope of Dzerzhinsky peak is clearly visible. On the northern slope of the Dzerzhinsky peak flows the longest glacier of the massif - Kolan, with a length of 14.8 kilometers.
The tongue of the Kolan glacier ends at 3456 meters above sea level. The lower part of the glacier is covered by a moraine. On the moraine of the glacier, at an altitude of 3799 meters above sea level, there is a lake 180 meters long from east to west.
From the glacier flows the Koman-Suu river with a length of 34 kilometers, flows through a grassy valley (chukury) and into the Irdzhar tract flows from the left side into the Kyzyl-Suu river. To the south, on the territory of Tajikistan, the Vali glacier with a length of 12.2 kilometers descends from the slopes of the summit.
The tongue of the glacier is located at an altitude of 3715 meters above sea level and is washed by the waters of the Sauksay River. The length of the Sauksay River is 57 kilometers, receiving several large tributaries, at an altitude of 2,745 meters above sea level, the river becomes the right tributary of the Muksu River.
History of the conquest of the Dzerzhinsky peak.
“In 1936, 10 years have passed since the death of F.E. Dzerzhinsky, and the climbers decided to climb the summit named after this fiery Bolshevik in honor of his memory. An attempt to climb directly from the Lenin Glacier along the eastern ridge of the peak was unsuccessful - there was no way here.
I had to cross the western ridge of Lenin Peak to the Dzerzhinsky Glacier and start climbing from there. Of the four initiators of the ascent to the summit, only two went: E.A. Beletsky and I.G. Fedorov. The other two felt bad and stayed downstairs.
The assault on the summit began on August 11. During this day, it was necessary to walk the remaining 700 meters in height. The two left the last camp light and after a difficult journey at 15 o'clock. 30 minutes. installed a bust of Felix Edmundovich at the top of the peak of his name.
The descent was less successful. Dusk was beginning when the climbers reached a gentle ridge with a large snow cornice. A strong wind blew thick clouds across the ridge, and nothing could be seen around. The edges of the ridge at the cornice faded into the darkness.
The tracks left during the ascent were covered with snow, but it was dangerous to stay overnight light at such an altitude, and people moved on carefully. Suddenly Beletsky, who was walking first, fell off the ridge and flew down, Fedorov held the rope, and his comrade hung a few meters below.
Beletsky did not manage to get up in the darkness, and he, having settled in an ice chute, sat there all night. Fedorov, having secured the rope, dug a cave in the snow and huddled in it. In the morning the climbers went down safely.
They not only won a sporting victory, but also noted a number of inaccuracies in the existing map, especially in relation to the Dzerzhinsky glacier."
Geographic coordinates of Dzerzhinsky peak: N39 ° 20'48.36 "E72 ° 47'10.9

Authoriity:
Alexander Petrov.
Zatulovsky D.M. "On the glaciers and peaks of Central Asia." OGIZ, State Publishing House of Geographical Literature. 1948 g.

Photos by
Alexander Petrov.