Logistics - Lenin Peak

Personal

Администратор — Fri, 04 Feb 2022 07:39:51 +0000

Mountain guides.

When hiring mountain guide in Kyrgyzstan one should be very careful not to be guided by an untrained person. Nowadays everyone in Kyrgyzstan can call himself a guide and offer guiding service. There are no law regulations to control work of a mountain guide.

How to find information about mountain guides? First of all, the main source is the Association of Mountain Guides of Kyrgyzstan (AMGK). This organization also trains and certifies mountain guides. Also this information can be found on the Association web site. The Association trains mountain guides in accordance with UIAGM-IFMGA standard though it is not be member yet(AMGK has been a probationary member of UIAGM-IFMGA since 2010) and also Association developed its own standards. Only trainers who hold UIAGM-IFMGA carnet are training guides according to the proper standard. And the local guides who took UIAGM-IFMGA standard training are qualified to train in accordance with Association standard. The latter standard is a bit lower than UIAGM-IFMGA but it is the most qualified training available in Kyrgyzstan. If the guide you are planning to work with doesn’t hold AMGK certificate it is worth to request for the references from other clients or from AMGK first.

Liaison officers, expedition and base camp managers.

It’s better to prepare expedition with the specialized tour operators as they have necessary experience, take responsibility and value their good name. Usually expedition manager is very important stuff member for solving different organizational issues during expedition. As a rule the issues include supplying, cooperation with authorities and military (at the border posts), providing communication, guarding campsite and stuff management. Often a manager position is combined with other stuff – mountain guide, driver, porter or cook. If there is a local mountain guide in expedition then frequently he performs the duties of the manager. However if there is no guide then the most experienced stuff member can manage the expedition.

Porters.

Porters can be hired only in Bishkek or Karakol. Also during the season number of porters is based in the area of Lenin Peak. If you are going to any region other than Lenin Peak you have to transport porters from Bishkek or Karakol. In addition, hiring directly at Lenin Peak base camp can be more expensive than doing such through the agency. The same is with horses for transporting loads from BC to ABC (4200) and return. As learn from previous experience it is frequently more reliable and cheaper to hire porters and horses through the agency.

Cooks.
Not every good chef can cook in field conditions. Special experience is required. It is more reliable to hire cook for expedition through the specialized tour operator.

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Food

Администратор — Fri, 04 Feb 2022 07:37:24 +0000

There are no problems with food supply to the mountaineering expedition in Kyrgyzstan. Basically any standard set of ingredient can be easily obtained in the local store and markets of the country.

But there are several things to consider while buying. These will provide you with required food of good quality. All necessary ingredients can be bought in Bishkek which is usually a starting point for most expeditions. It’s also Bishkek, as a rule, where you find the best choice, variety and quality. Therefore it is better to stock main ingredients in Bishkek yet something is better to buy on the way to the mountains. Special food for climbers, concentrates, sublimate and long term food is better to buy in Bishkek. If travel to the expedition destination takes several day, as for example to the Western Kakshal-Too region, then some things especially perishables are worth to buy in town or villages on the way.

First of all, it applies to bread, fruit, vegetables and meat. Most expedition in Kyrgyzstan are held in the areas of big towns of Karakol, Naryn and Osh. Karakol is good place to purchase bread, vegetables and meat, however, fruit and tomatoes are better in Chu valley and Bishkek. Osh offers good selection of fruit, vegetables, meat and bread even fruit and vegetables are cheaper and of better quality than in the north.

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Transport

Администратор — Fri, 04 Feb 2022 06:55:40 +0000

Off-Road Vehicles 4-6WD

Half the journey is alwasy just getting there! There are several ways to get into Kyrgyzstan: by air, by train, by car; to get around inside the country is easy by car or sometimes air, but most of the mountaineering regions we travel to can be accessed only by all-wheel drive off-road vehicles. And even then, a helicopter can sometimes be the only option to access some more remote parts of the Central Tien-Shan and Djangart. Walking time into those regions is about 4-7 days. Mountain roads in Kyrgyzstan, if they exist at all, range from well worn dirt roads between villages, to rocky overgrown Soviet tracks – untouched for the last 20 years, to faint tyre tracks up valleys or between yurts, or to absolutely no road whatsoever. There are thus several considerations when choosing vehicles: not only roominess and comfort but of upmost importance is a vehicles cross-country and 4WDing ability. For instance, sometimes river crossing abililty or clearance over rock fall becomes the main requirement, depending on where your travelling. Another vital factor is the driver’s experience in the mountains. For example, there are many river marshes and hillside bogs – “saz” in Kyrgyz. To avoid these traps a driver needs not only route knowledge and driving experience, but know-how enough to pull himself out of a swamp as well. It’s very important for the vehicle to be equipped with all the necessary tools and recovery gear. A driver should also be a good mechanic – there’s no road-side assistance service in the mountains of the Tien-Shan! There’s not a large number of off-road cross-country vehicles equipped well enough to manage expeditions in Kyrgyzstan, but at ITMC this type of transportation and experienced drivers are available. Our vehicles are Soviet designed, thus simple, practical and most importantly strong!

Please meet our much loved all-wheel drive ‘truck buses’:

KAMAZ 43101

Wheel arrangement: 6×6

Capacity: max 24 persons
Carrying capacity: 6000kg

URAL 375

Wheel arrangement: 6×6

Capacity: max 18 persons
Carrying capacity: 4500kg

GAZ-66

Wheel arrangement: 4×4

Capacity: max 16 persons
Carrying capacity: 2000kg

UAZ-minivan

Wheel arrangment:4×4

Capacity: max 7 persons
Carrying capacity: 700 kg

LADA -NIVA

Wheel arrangement: 4×4

Capacity:max 4 persons
Carrying capacity: 400 kg

The post Transport first appeared on Lenin Peak.

Equipment

Администратор — Fri, 04 Feb 2022 06:29:50 +0000

Mountaineers usually bring their own personal equipment however occasionally some problems occur, such as lost baggage or some items worn out during expedition. There are several outdoor stores in Bishkek where everything necessary can be purchased. There are no such facilities in other towns of Kyrgyzstan. Cookwares and cooking supplies can also be bought in hunting or sportswear stores but the assortment is usually not very big and often can happen there is no necessary item. If special equipment needs to be purchase it is recommended to order it in advance from the store or through the tour operator. In addition, some tour operators can lend equipment such as: tents(high altitude, base camp, kitchen and dining tents), cooking wares utensils, satellite phones, USB-station and etc.

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