Pik Pobeda East (6762 m) — The First Ski Descent
Skiing my dreamline in the Kyrgyz Tian Shan
In the summer of 2010, Anders Ödman and I traveled to the Tien Shan mountains of Kyrgyzstan. After the first ski descent of Shkhara (5193 m) in the Georgian Caucasus, I wanted more – a long, sustained, and aesthetic ski line on a major peak.
Our initial goal was the north face of Pik Pobeda (7439 m), but the warm and wet July and serious avalanche hazard made an attempt unreasonable. After days of scouting, studying maps, and analysing old images, we identified two potential lines: the aesthetic northeast ridge of the remote East Summit (6762 m) and the southeast ridge of Pik Voennizh Topografov (6873 m).
A few days later, we began the multi-day approach up the Zvezdochka Glacier, skinning into a world of ice and snow far removed from the usual base camps, traversing beneath the 2500 to 3000 m high meter north face of Pik Pobeda. The sound of avalanches was frequent, with proportions of which they we had never seen before or would see since. One morning, a powder cloud from a massive slide whipped over our tent at 4800 meters, an explicit reminder of how powerful the mountains here are and how small and vulnerable we are.
Several days after leaving base camp, steeper terrain led us to the Chon Teren Pass (5450 m) below Pobeda East and Voennizh Topografov. From here, it is clear that the ridge of Pobeda East is continious, almost perfect ski line.
After sitting out a storm, we began the ascent of the NE ridge – up to 50+° steep – toward the east summit of Pik Pobeda. Anders turned back 200 vertical meters below the summit, conserving energy for a safe descent. I continued alone, battling wind slabs, crust, and loose snow over rock.
Exhausted, I reached the summit at 14:30. To the north lay China; to the south, the vast Kyrgyz Tien Shan. The scale of the mountains was unlike anything I had ever seen. With time slipping away, I snapped a few summit shots with my trusted Contax T3, clicked into my skis, and descended back to our tent on the pass. The first turns on wind slab cautious, later the flow came.
A lone ski descent, down a logical line.
The NE ridge of Pik Pobeda East is likely the biggest line ever skied in the Tien Shan – and my finest. A short article on the descent is found in the >> AAJ.
