Alpine Climbing Group 2018 Borkoldoy Expedition

Based on reports from a previous expedition to the Borkoldoy range, the party had identified three principle objectives in an unexplored region to the South-West of Kainar Lake.

After arriving in Bishkek via Moscow on 29 July, the team spent a day arranging kit before travelling to the Borkoldoy range on 31 July. After negotiating their passage with local hunters, the group set out for their planned basecamp at 41°22’37.09”N 77°47’45.46”E but were forced to stop early due to the difficult terrain and the unwillingness of the hunters to travel at night.

With the complexities of the terrain and their basecamp now positioned lower down the valley than expected, the team scouted new objectives. On 2 August, a team of three climbers attempted a new route on the previously climbed Peak 5044, but were forced to retreat due to poor rock quality. They relocated to the unclimbed Peak 4903 (The Keiger) to attempt a line on its North-West face. They made progress but were forced to retreat some 500m up the face. Another team made an attempt on the same route, but were repelled by rockfall 600m up the face.

On 6 August, Tom Greenham and Robbie Blease returned to Peak 5044 to attempt a different line on its North-East face. The pair reached the summit in a 13-hour push to establish a new line - ‘Robbie’s Revenge’ (TD WI4).

Poor weather prevented climbing on the remainder of the trip, and the team returned to Bishkek on 9 August before flying back to the UK via Moscow on 11 August.