After spending eight days looking for signs of two Polish climbers who went missing last year, Denis Urubko and Boris Dedeshko climbed a new route on Prjevalsky (possibly spelled Przewalski) Peak (6240m) in Kyrgyzstan in the Tien Shan mountains of central Asia on July 25.
The two Polish climbers, Piotr Zwolinski, 45, and Michal Kacperski, 30, were on their way to Khan Tengri (7010m). A Kazakh agency provided the climbers with a map that was mis-marked likely leading them astray. Urubko believes, “[they] made a wrong turn to the edges of the Bayankol Gorge where they lost their way.” However after the pair spent over a week searching, there is still no sign of the two missing mountaineers.
The Tien Shan range is nestled amongst the borders of China, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. A body recovery search for the lost team of Polish climbers saw “no success after searching the slopes up to 5000m, down to base camp and back up to over 6000m,” commented Urubko on his blog.
Four days after the search was called off, on July 25, Denis Urubko and Boris Dedeshko took advantage of an opportune weather window and summitted Prjevalsky. The new route consists of thirty-six sixty meter pitches with difficulties of 6a and M4 and and a snow ridge.
Denis Urubko and Boris Dedeshko are no strangers to the success of new lines. To read more about the pair click here.
EDIT 8/23/2011: A more detailed route description and photos from the climb can be viewed here. -ED
Denis Urubko beneath Cho Oyu. [Photo] Courtesy Mounteverest.net