Trip Reports

Mongolia Climber - 26 Jul to 11 Aug '08

On the lower slopes of Khuiten
Trip Report

Written by Leader Chris Pearson, September 2008

Journey to the Back of Beyond

The coincidence of a full solar eclipse being visible from Western Mongolia during our expedition meant that an unprecedented 3000 “eclipse fans” were also aiming for this normally little visited and hard to get at remote region at the same time as ourselves.

Due to this demand Aero Mongolia had very unhelpfully, in the weeks before our trip, changed their internal schedule to fly one day earlier than normal . Undaunted the JG office team had worked wonders to change our flights to get us there on time. This meant leaving the UK one day early and taking a strange route via Seoul.

After a short night of deep sleep in Ullan Baatar, we met up next morning with Bronwen our additional guide from New Zealand who was to prove herself to be great fun and a real asset to our team. Sadly we also realized that David’s rucksack was unlikely to be joining us in the immediate future . Our local agent Graham saved the day by finding replacement equipment at no notice. The benefits of a using a good in country agent.

A 3 hour propeller driven flight took us across the vast rolling emptiness that we had all read about. We knew we were somewhere different when we landed at Bayan Olgi – from the casual way the luggage were handed out from the back of a lorry on the tarmac, to our hotel (Russian built) where simple things like unequal height steps caused everyone to trip up repeatedly and make you realize how much we take for granted.

Here we met our wonderful local guide Eldos and his mother Sandergash who was to prove to be our top class cook at base camp. Eldos has been working for Jagged Globe since 2003. He seems to know everyone in this small town and certainly has his finger on the pulse when it comes to organizing food, horses, camels and jeeps in this remote area.

After our first decent nights sleep since leaving the UK we felt refreshed for the 8 hour off road jeep adventure across vast rolling grasslands, desert like plains, over high passes and along wide rivers all the time aiming for the “back of beyond”. Our journey was punctuated by stops for photos, fixing one of the jeeps engines with nothing more than a bit of rag and ingenuity, lunch by a cooling river, and a visit to a rural family of goat herders at milking time.

Arrival in the Altai

At the “roadhead” we stopped and spent our first night in our mountain tents after a hearty meal in a roomy felt clad circular ger. Glaciated peaks rose up in the distance. We had arrived in the Altai Mountains.

Next day we soon discovered that camels can walk faster than we could even though each was carrying well over 200 kilos of equipment. They soon pulled ahead of us on the 5 hour walk up to the grassy base camp at 3100 meters which commands an excellent views of the Pontaniin Glacier and the steep north face of Mount Khuiten along with Eagle Peak, Nahn , Sunrise Peak and Nairandal. (collectively known as the 5 Gods)

The camels had been carrying 2 gers which were erected for our sole use at base camp (one for cooking in and the other for dining, both complete with wood burning metal stoves and sacks of wood – much appreciated on many of the cold evenings we were to experience)

The camels clearly thought their job was done for the day and failed to return from the roadhead with our food until 9.30pm. Apparently they had been reluctant to make a second carry of the day and had to be persuaded, although quite how his was done was not made clear.

Good weather largely blessed our time in the mountains and the first day was devoted to a glacier training day which including finding a new way onto and off the glacier higher up the lateral moraine than was normal in past years due to the presence of a fast flowing meltwater stream alongside the moraine. Indeed it became clear that the glacier was “dry” for much of its lower section making it hard ice and clear of snow. This meant it gave easier travel and crevasses were easier to avoid, although there was more surface meltwater which was to prove “interesting” on our last day.

Medical Crisis

It was 3a.m. and and we were just 10 minutes out from base camp, crossing the moraine, and about to descend onto the glacier to begin the 7 hour pull up to high camp for our attempt on Khuiten. Packs were heavy but the weather was perfect; no wind and a star filled night sky.

Suddenly Eldos, our local guide, collapsed with severe lower back pain and difficulty breathing. He rated the pain 10 out of 10 and clearly could not go on. We had a crisis on our hands. The group were fantastic realizing that we had to change our whole focus, rallying around to help guide, steer and carry the stricken Eldos back to camp and to re-erect tents.

By daybreak his pain level was down to a bareable 5 out of 10 if he lay still (the painkillers were kicking in). The JG medical protocol was put into place with an examination, monitoring of his vital signs, and medical history recorded. We then made a sat phone call to Dr Brain Tregaskis, the Jagged Globe doctor on call in the UK for such emergencies who despite being woken at 2 am was able to give invaluable advice and reassurance as well as diagnosing possible kidney infection.

A decision was made for Eldos to remain at base camp on medication which he did for a further 4 days until he had recovered enough to be able to ride a horse down to a jeep to take him to a doctor in Olgi.

Summits and Exploration

Reassessing our plans we established a high camp alongside the moraine an easy one and a half hours above base camp. This was lovely sheltered grassy spot with running water.

Being a guide short and with lost time we decided that an attempt on Nairandal (Friendship Peak) 4180metres would be an excellent objective as it would give us a full mountain day, provide an excellent opportunity for everyone to reach one of the high summits and to recee part of the route up Khuiten. An excellent mountain day was had (11 hours return trip) with good hard snow/ ice for most of the ascent. The summit party included, Kevin McNally, Kevin Frodsham, Marcus Risdell, Jan Adamson, Andy Treweeke, Adrian Blackmore, Fionnlagh Finlayson, Ruairidh Finlayson, David Futyan, Bronwen Watters, Chris Pearson.

From the summit we enjoyed fantastic views of sharp peaks and distant mountains as we stood on the junction of Mongolia, China and Russia. On the descent the warming sun had weakened some of the snow bridges over some narrow crevasses seeing a few of the group experience that sinking feeling – thankfully waist deep was the most anyone sank in and easily pulled out.

A windy and cold ascent of Malchin followed the next day whilst 4 of the team opted for rest day in camp. Despite buffeting winds the following made it to the rocky top: Kevin Frodsham, Marcus Risdell, Adrian Blackmore, Brian Finlayson, Ruairidh Finlayson, David Futyan, Bronwen Watters, Chris Pearson. The ascent looks daunting being a murderous scree slog which gives way to a fun easy scramble – no axes or crampons or ropes required, leading to a superb view from the top . 5 hours return trip

For our last day in the mountains, we switched our focus away from an attempt on Khuiten (disappointing but accepted by the team with good spirit given our disrupted programme and circumstances) to an exploration up the Alexandra Glacier towards the base of Mount Snow Church (nicknamed Paramount due its classic shape). Finding a way back across afternoon meltwater torrents proved challenging and required ice screw belays just in case anyone misjudged the jump.

Kevin McNally, Brian Finlayson & Kevin Frodsham meanwhile opted for an ascent of Sarimask Tobe on the Russian Border.

On the walk out Bronwen led half the group(Kevin McNally, Kevin Frodsham, Marcus Risdell, Adrian Blackmore, Ruairidh Finlayson, David Futyan), for a full day walk to bag a Munro type hill (Black Peak) which being isolated gave new angles and good views of the 5 Gods we had spent our 5 days below.

Far from being over the adventure continued with our jeep journey back to Olgi via the site of 3000year old petrogryphs and a visit to an eagle hunter where the brave (foolish?) volunteered to hold the mighty creature, and get a claw wound in their arm for one unlucky victim.

Two days in Ulaan Bataar gave us a chance to visit fascinating museums, temples, shops and good selection of restaurants, and a cultural show - amazing contortionists and even more amazing throat singers. We even had time to climb nearby Mt Tsetseguun, stopping to watch the mares being milked on the way for the potent fermented mares milk which was enjoyed by some of the team

Summary: A unique expedition to a country of open space, beautiful remote mountains and century old traditions

Chris Pearson, Expedition Leader « | »

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