By Michael Davis

Tajikistan sits at the junction of five of the world's greatest mountain ranges: the Himalayas, Karakorum, Hindu Kush, Tien Shan and Pamir. The Pamir mountains occupy almost half of modern Tajikistan. The Tajiks call this region Bom-i-Dunyo, the Roof of the World. Exploratory opportunities abound in the remote Pamir region. Most mountaineering expeditions have concentrated on the big peaks of the central Pamir, where a mountain base has been established and there is helicopter access. However there are more than 100 peaks over 6 000 m in the Pamirs and many as-yet-unclimbed summits beckon the experienced mountaineer in search of a fresh challenge.

EXPLORATORY CLIMBING IN THE MUZKOL RANGE

These mountains are totally unclimbed. They are a handful of such ranges left in the world. Mr. Deegan, British Pamirs Expedition Team 1999 In July 1999, a team of British mountaineers reached two previously unclimbed summits in Tajikistan's Pamir region. They were climbing in the Zaalayskiy Khrebet range, which has been closed to the outside world for almost a century because of its politically sensitive position near the border between the USSR and China. At 150km in length, the Zaalayskiy mountain range is roughly the size of the Mont Blanc range between France and Italy but is at twice the altitude. Four members of the team were able to reach the summit of two unnamed mountains. Martin Hartley and Danny Haylock reached the top of a 4,900 m peak, and Al Boardman and Elliott Forge topped a 4,700 m peak. As the first geographers to reach the area they had the privilege of naming the mountains. Boardman decided to name his mountain after his grandmother, 84-year-old Molly Murray.

EXPLORATORY CLIMBING IN THE MUZKOL RANGE

The Great Game Travel Company is planning an exploratory climbing trip in the remote Muzkol range, in the south-eastern Pamir one of the last regions to be explored. Western climbers visited this area three times in the late 1990s. There is more potential for attemptingan unclimbed peak than in most other areas a number of 4 000 m and 5 000 m peaks of varying difficulty are still unnamed. Climbing should be adventurous without being extreme, and there will be an opportunity to enjoy some trekking in the stark but beautiful surroundings. There is also the possibility to encounter wildlife such as Marco Polo sheep, wild camels and snow leopards. As the Pamir highway turns north from Murghab it curves around Muzkol. From the Ak-Baital Pass (4 655 m) it is possible to see the Peak of Soviet Officers (6 233 m) at the heart of this range. Below the pass, we will leave the main highway and follow a track which winds up the Tanimas River Valley. The vehicles can take us as far as Kok Jar, the site of a Zoroastrian Fire Temple which was hidden in the mountain for centuries. From Kok Jar, we will trek up to a site on the western side of the Muzkol range to establish a base camp. Mountaineering: East Pamir (Tajikistan)

PEAK COMMUNISM AND PEAK KORJENEVSKAYA

The first ascent of Peak Somoni (Communism) was attempted by a party of five Russians in 1933, by the east spur from Fedchenko Glacier. Only one of them Yevgeny Abalakov made it to the summit (his companion Gorbanov turned back 30 minutes from the top). The second ascent was in 1937 by the same group. A new route was pioneered during the third expedition in 1955. Four Georgians approached the mountain from Garmo/Bieliaeva glacier and climbed the west-facing feature now known as the Georgian Couloir. This was also the route taken in 1962 by a British party of eight climbers the first Europeans to reach the summit. In 1957, another route was pioneered, from the Pamir Plateau, surmounting and crossing Peak Kuibyshev from Bieliaeva glacier. In 1968, a Russian party led by J. Borodkin attained the plateau from the north side, above Walter Glacier. This is now the classical route from Moskvina base camp. This route, via the northern ridge, does not pose serious technical problems. Peak Korjenevskaya was explored in 1910 by Russian scientist Nikolai Korjenevski, who named the mountain after his wife Evgenia. The first ascent of the mountain was made in October 1953. The classical route to the top of Peak Evgenia Korjenevskaya is up the southern slope from Moskvin Glacier base camp. This route is well-explored and, under normal conditions, is quite safe. The magnificence of the panoramic view from either summit defies description. BASE CAMP Peak Somoni and Peak Korjenevskaya stand on either side of a large moraine, Moskvin Glade (4,200 m). This place, with a fine lake and a spectacular view of the surrounding mountains, is encircled by three glaciers: Walter, Traube and Moskvina, and this is the starting point for climbing either summit. Ice-climbing enthusiasts will find good seracs for practice here. Transfer to base camp is by helicopter from Dushanbe (1h 40m).