Khan Tengri South route (Progrebetsky route)

Classic route south route on Khan Tengri from Kyrgyz side is named after Pogrebetsky and rated to be 5A in Russian climbing grade.

It starts in South Inylchek glacier and at first goes along stony moraine to cross the glacier itself to reach the base of Peak Chapayev where you make C1 at around 4200 m altitude. From BC it is fairly easy 3-4 h.

Next stage is dangerous and long. Path leads up over a fractured glacier to camp 2 at 5200 m. It resembles a canyon, narrowing towards the top, surrounded on the one side by steep wall of Chapayev Peak and on the other by Khan Tengri rocks. The area is prone to avalanches and rock-fall. The most dangerous part is the so called bottleneck at around 4900 m where it is too narrow to avoid falling objects. For this reason this part is usually covered at night and early morning before sun heats nearby walls triggering avalanches.

Camp 3 is located just below the ridge, on the saddle between Peak Chapayev and Khan Tengri at 5800 m. Route from C2 to C3 is a snow field, though crevasses can appear there.

There is also a camp 4 at 6400 m, next to commemorative plaques.  It is very small and exposed to wind. It offers space for 3-4 tents. To get there one needs to cover steep rocky parts with old fixed ropes. The whole route from C3 to the summit looks similar – crumbling, steep rocky ridge. C4 is rarely used – usually it is full and most people go up directly from C3. However if we have enough time, effort and supplies to leave there it increases out chances of success allowing for better acclimatization and later shortening the way and effort needed reach the summit.