Kyrgyzstan Ak-Shyyrak Expedition 2024

In July 2024, a group of 6 female mountaineers travelled to the Ak-Shyyrak range of Kyrgyzstan’s Tien Shan mountains with the aim of making the first ascents of multiple peaks between 4,500m and 5,500m in height. The team succeeded in reaching the summits of two peaks which they believe have not been climbed previously. The first, Peak 4660, was reached by a team of three on 13 July, after an unsuccessful attempt the day before. The route took the glacier up directly from base camp in the Kara-Say valley, ascended a steeper section onto the col and then took the short and non-technical south ridge to the summit at a grade of around PD. The second successful ascent was of Peak 4749. This was reached on 21 July by another team of three who climbed from an advanced base camp at the base of the glacier just to the east of the mountain. The routefollowed the glacier and then took a physically relentless but non-technical line up the east shoulder to the summit at a grade of approximately F+. In addition, one team member unfortunately had to descend after suffering from high altitude pulmonary oedema
a few days after arrival. Fortunately, she recovered quickly in Karakol.