UKC

Having been out to Kyrgyzstan recently to visit some friends it became apparent from long walks in the countryside that the country has a phenomenal Alpine potential (in the North) and expedition potential in the South. The country is 90% mountainous and from a personal perspective felt very safe and welcoming. A direct flight from the UK to Bishkek is available with access to serious mountains (4500 / 5000m) just 45 minutes drive North from the city into some of their stunning National Parks. October presented green valleys and pastures in a surrounding of steep and spikey peaks

A trawl on the internet doesn't reveal too much in the way previous mountaineering adventures however there have been recent accounts of some mountains in the Southern ranges being climbed (circ 7000m).

I was wondering if anyone had any knowledge or accounts of trips out there as I have a plan to go there next year for more recce work and or climbs

Thanks in advance

In reply to jskphotography:

Trawl harder.

Adventure Peaks have offered trips there for years. I'd be amazed if Jagged Globe don't. The specialist nature holiday operators do. Hell, I remember looking at brochures back in 1993 when I was doing my first Russian language travels...

Even as I sit here, I'm wearing Kyrgyz felt slippers presented me by the local tour operator who works for Adventure Peaks.

Try your searches on "Khan Tengri" or "Maida Adyr." And stay off the horses a** soup.

Y

In reply to Yanchik:

Thanks for that. I've seen details of the Adventure Peaks and Jagged Globe corporate expeditions that helicopter you in for a few days in the Tien Shan but I was after a bit more information about some of the other less known regions in the country, particulary the ranges to the North of Bishkek. Any personal accounts etc would be nice.

What did you climb when you were out there?

I took a horse ride into the lower mountains near the Kazak border - amusing as the horse appeared to want to go backwards more than forwards!

In reply to jskphotography:

An attractive dome at 4900m just south of Nansen Peak. It was nominally a first ascent, but my strong suspicion is that there would have been a nice cairn of vodka bottles beneath the (deep) snow, as it was a fine viewpoint by a reasonably accessible pass (in a not very accessible place, I guess.) No matter, we also did some new routing nearby which didn't get to summits, better quality mountaineering by far.

The "Mountain Info" service in the back of "Climb" will lead you back to most of the recent expedition/new routing information that you need, although Adventure Peaks have been pretty active there for a few years and their efforts haven't necessarily been recorded (Dave Pritt will tell you if you ask him...) I don't remember which organisations run/pay for the Mountain Info service. Executive Wilderness Publications publish maps of a lot of those wacky places.

To the N of Bishkek is rather lower and rapidly becomes Kazakhstan, as I'm sure you know. I've not come across Western mountaineers or climbers paying much attention to anything outside the main Tien Shan ranges, probably because there's still so much excellent 4-6000m stuff left to do. And some 6-7500m stuff...

If you're keen on the lower/easier, there will certainly be local agencies there to help you, although their efforts will probably be focussed on the Russian-speaking market. www.risk.ru is a good start for Russian-language mountaineering resources, though I don't use it much myself. I don't know if "Vertikalniy Mir" is still published, but they'd be a good start too.

Horses ? Deadly critters. I had one ride, on a pregnant mare, at -18 along the Gulf of Finland. Beautiful place and good fun until she decided she wanted some exercise. It'd have been smarter to have kept my passport elsewhere than in my back pocket, but no matter, someone handed it in to the consulate a few hours later... Happy Days !

Y

In reply to jskphotography: Look at Pat Littlejohns ISM pages and reports of several expeditions there. may be going to tien shan in august, have talked to pat about visiting the area, he is very accommodating and helpful, give him an email if you need more info.

In reply to jskphotography:

I been there in 2007, amazing place – lots to explore and climb.

Have a look at www.expeditionmadness.com for photos/trip report.

Have fun

Constantinos

In reply to jskphotography:

cheapest place to stay in Bishkek that i know of is Nomad's Home http://nomadshome.googlepages.com/home it is usually full of backpackers, cyclists trekkers and similar people, with bunkbeds in dormitorys or there are beds in a couple of yurts or you can camp if you can find any space. it costs around 200-300som a night. if a big group is coming in (and booked) you might get kicked out. I spent too long here this summer while trying to get a Kazakhstan visa.

I think that you mean there are decent mountains to the south of bishkek rather than the north, probably most popular area is around the Ala-Archa canyon.

for getting some maps (Bishkek) there is a shop in the building next to DHL as listed in some guidebooks, its not called GeoID any more but there is a sign on the front of the building for it that can be deciphed as cartography or mapping or something, anway go through the white unmarked door to the left of dhl down to the end of the corridoor turn right into the stairwell then upto the second or third floor, turn left from the stairs and it is down the left corridoor (unlit). anyway they have maps for the whole of kyrgyzstan and some trekking maps too. most mapping is not particularly detailed and is derived from old russian maps and may not be accurate either.

If you are in Karakol you can get a local trekking map from the tourist information office.

if going down to the the Enylchek glacier area you need trekking permits

dare i say it, google earth will give you more detail in some areas than any map that you might be able to get, for example Ala Archa is on google earth/maps as high resolution satilite/aerial photography. in my experience acess to google earth / google maps seems to be blocked in most central asian countries including kyrgyzstan, so best look at it before you go

In reply to jskphotography:
finding companies to arrange trips is no problem in kyrgyzstan. lots of big international companies attach to local ones, then theres dozens of in-country set ups ranging from dodgy to very professional. many use the same head guides, just like nepal.
both osh and bishkek have choices, and with the time, you could just show up so long as youre already equipped. kyrgyzstan is not a great place gear out (unless russian stuff from the 80s is your style).
be aware logistics in kyrgyzstan in winter are difficult, especially involving north-south travel (but have a go, the road between osh and bishkek is eye-poppingly incredible).

ive only looked at the north, but have spent a few months in the south, mostly the pamir and alay-pamir, mostly on reportedly unclimbed peaks around 5500m, tho theres plenty of higher stuff as you point out.
its all very remote (tho the tien shan is better in general). the pamir is truely an endless wilderness.

i have to say tho, the south isnt what id call safe. dont be lulled into thinking its nepal, tibet or even pakistan. anywhere along the tajik border is an unknown - we had guns pulled on us, people try to take our gear hostage, threats from border patrols and fights picked with local drunks. its the region, and they have big problems down there.
towards the uzbek border and enclaves it gets tenser, but has settled since the kidnappings of the late 90s.
even osh after dark can have its dodgy moments (plenty of vodkaed up unemployed, the occasional gun fight in the street).
hey, its central asia.
the welcoming nature of the locals is usually genuine, but dont think its all like that.

id reccommend the pamirs - so long as your totally self sufficient. also, across into tajikistan is awesome, tho even less inhabited. sadly the pamirs bits around the china border are hard to get at, often impossible, except the big name peaks near the KKH.

In reply to jskphotography:

Thanks guys, every little bit helps. I'll probably have a look at some of the lower peaks to the South (not North like I mentioned!) of Bishkek in the National Park areas. They may only be circ 4500m but from spending some time researching them they offer good accessibility and varying technical mixed stuff. It's all adventure and makes for a different challenge from the European Alps which is where I've spent most of my mountaineering past time.

Thanks again