Region: Central Asia and the Far East

Dr Phil Wickens (with Rick Allen, Dr Derek Buckle, Kai Green, Steve Hunt, Alex Rickards and Tim Sparrow) (August-September 2006)

Although the Shakhdara Range of Tajikistan has been popular with Russian competition climbers (and possibly others from the eastern bloc) for some time, the area was not visited by western climbers until 2005: this Alpine Club expedition therefore planned to explore and make first ascents. Their prime objective was Pik Karl Marx (6736m) which they climbed by three different routes. They also climbed a number of other peaks between 5600m and 6400m – five by possible new routes, and a total of seven being first British ascents.