Tien Shan

This team of students looking for somewhere ‘more remote and exciting than the Alps’ selected the head of the Shamsi Tuyuk valley (close to the Ala-Archa area of the Kirgyz Ala-Too Range).as the destination for their expedition. Although popular with trekkers, it has no huts or other facilities, but offers a number of accessible peaks between 4100m and 4400m with no recorded ascents. Over the course of fourteen climbing days, operating as two 4-person teams, they attempted 13 routes on 8 peaks, recording first ascents of 6 peaks via 9 routes at grades up to AD. They also identified a number of routes for future expeditions.