Trip Reports

Mongolia Climber - 21 Aug to 5 Sep '05

Written by Leader, September 2005

Over the first few days in the company of Bolortuya, our superb local guide and interpreter, we walked in the hills south of UB (Ulaan Bataar), visited Gandan, the largest monastery in Mongolia and viewed the many excellent exhibits in the National Museum of Mongolian History, which was enhanced by the knowledge of team member Jim, who is a Professor of History.

Day 4-6:
Our ‘real’ Mongolian experience started after a flight to Olgii, with a 4X4 jeep journey through wide valleys dotted with gers and in keeping with modern times, satellite dishes! In Olgii we had teamed up with the local staff and in particular, a wonderful lady called Sandagash. She was our cook and ‘mover and shaker’, who works for expeditions during the relatively short climbing season whilst on holiday from her job as a teacher. It was also at this point that we met Greg, our local climbing assistant. Greg, an American Geologist/Alpinist, lives in UB but spends most of his time in the field searching for natural resources, which many people hope will provide a tax revenue windfall to help Mongolia develop. Apart from being a wealth of information about the rugged landscape that we where travelling through, Greg was also able to explain to us the correct etiquette when visiting local people in their gers.

Our first visit to a ger brought a fuller understanding of the way of life of these nomadic people and an appreciation of their renowned hospitality. Whilst politely sipping suutei tsai (milk tea with salt) and nibbling aarul (dried milk curds) with translations between English, Mongolian and Kazakh, we were able to discuss topics, from the changes brought about by the break up of the Soviet Union to cheese-making and livestock.

When we arrived at the National Park entrance camp, an area not too dissimilar to the English Lake District, we had time to stretch our legs on a 3,400m mountain. The following morning the team watched local herders loading up the surprisingly placid Bactrian (two humped) camels with our gear and marvelled at their ability to plod casually to BC laden with as much as 200kg. En-route to BC the initial views of the snow capped Tavan Bogd whetted our appetites for the mountaineering to come.

Day 7-9:
We spent a half-day practising glacier skills and then to further acclimatise walked up to the ridge (3,500m) behind camp. The next day we left for HC (High Camp) in deteriorating weather. During that afternoon and following night around 30cm of snow fell. This caused us to alter the itinerary slightly and go for ploughing our way up the relatively shallow slopes of Nairandal 4,180m, instead of the steeper slopes of Khuiten. Nairandal provided a great day out with all members (Chris, James, Jerry, Jim, Mark with myself and Greg) summiting with clear skies, giving fine views across into Russia, China and Mongolia.

Day 10:
Unfortunately high winds caused us to once again delay our ascent of Khuiten.

Day 11: On our third day at HC all members, except for Jim, left for Khuiten in challenging whiteout conditions. We made good time but had to stop at around 4,310m (approx 60-80m short of the summit) as I felt the summit slopes posed a possible avalanche risk. Although disappointing at the time, it was not entirely unexpected due to the dump of snow earlier in the trip. Later that afternoon we descended to BC, to be greeted before camp with drinks and then another Sandagash 4-course-special evening meal.

Day 12:
As the last mountaineering group of the season we had the pleasure of helping the local herders dismantle the gers, so developing a good understanding of there construction and ease at which they can be taken down and transported. Then we took advantage of there being a sufficient number of horses to ride out, along with the camel train, across the steppe back to the road head.

Day 13:
Bolotuya had left the best cultural experience to last as we went to visit an Eagle hunter and his family. Once again we enjoyed some wonderful hospitality. The tradition and skills of eagle hunting - only practised during the winter months and with female eagles - are passed down from one generation to the next and it was one of the son’s who proudly show us the magnificent bird of prey.

Day 14-15:
Once back in UB we had time in our itinerary to fit in a trip to the Terelj National park and we enjoyed a number of excellent meals in Mongolian and western styled restaurants.

Overall we had an excellent trip and the ‘Land of Blue Sky’ enthralled and humbled us all.

Neal Short, Expedition leader « Previous report | Next report »

Jagged Globe Newsletter

We publish an email newsletter with trip reports and latest availability, plus features, competitions and general news of our climbing, trekking & skiing activities.