Pik Marshal Zhukov

Description

A peak with a history: When the fresh, communist, government of China decided in 1950 that their country should enter the realms of mountaineering it was logical that they turned to their big Northern friend the Soviet Union to train their first ever batch of alpinists. Ascending Marshal Zhukov peak was part of the celebration of the Chinese having passed their exam. In order to mark the good friendship between their nations they decided to give it the lasting name "Peak Moscow-Peking" As however several years later the relations between the two nations got sour the mountain was renamed "Marshal Zhukov" after the famous 2nd world war general. Marshal Zhukov is the first peak South of peak Lenin and is connected with it by a prolonged and not to easy ridge. As the base of the mountain is difficult to reach, it is seldom visited nowadays. Best way to get there is by way of Daraut Kurgan village in Kyzyl Suu valley, south Kyrghyzstan and from here follow the Atyn Darja river up to its origin at the termination of the stupendous Fedchenko glacier, about 40 km on donkey tracks. Here turn Eastwards into the gorge of the Sauksol river and up the Bolshoi Saukdara glacier, until where the Maly Saukdara glacier flows into it from the North, about 60 km. Trek up the Maly Saukdare until its head and make base camp there. Here the difficult, (3b), climb up to 6495 meter Marshala Zhukova pass starts, highly avalanche dangerous. From the pass follow the connecting ridge between Peak Lenin and the summit in Southern direction, steep but straightforward snow- and ice climb. An alternative would be to climb onto the pass coming from the East with base camp at the head of Bolshoi Saukdara glacier, probably a little easier but even more avalanche danger.

Thanks to Jo Heersink for this description.