Michel Krol and Andrzej Sokołowski have made the first ascent of the north face of Pik Vernyi (c5,250m), close to Kyzyl Asker in Kyrgyzstan's Western Kokshaal-too.

Cztery Pory Roku, which translates as Four Seasons, follows steep ice runnels and mixed ground on this relatively narrow 700m granite face, with difficulties rated at M8- (one rest point), WI5 and UIAA IV+.

In 2009, and using a different start, the accomplished Polish pair climbed almost to the end of the main difficulties before Krol was struck resoundingly on the shoulder by a large lump of falling ice.

It damaged ligaments and with the pain severe, the two bailed.

On their recent ascent, completed in two days of fine crisp weather, the two were able to follow a more direct start, and use bolt belays they had established two years previously.

Two long pitches of WI4+ led to a easier-angled but calve-burning ice field of WI3 and 3+, towards the top of which they rejoined their original line coming in from the left.

The next two pitches were taxing; WI5 M7 and M6. Four long pitches of WI4 and 5 took them to a second icefield where they bivouacked.

Next day they reached their 2009 high point, where Sokołowski began grappling with the crux pitch - a troublesome icy off-width. He was unable to climb it without taking a rest on a Camalot 6 and had no time to lower and try again free.

Easier ground (M4 and UIAA IV+) took them up left to the crest of the north ridge, which they followed without difficulty to the north summit (5,150-5,200m).

The main top looked to be half an hour of easy snow plodding/scrambling distant, but thunder was already in the air, and worried about the possibility of a lightning strike, they opted to give it a miss.

The two then made a committing blind descent down the east face, abseiling three, consecutive, 100m-high couloirs to reach a steep and complex glacier. Starting their descent of the glacier at 11:00pm, they reached advanced base during the night.

In recent years Russian teams reconnoitering this mountain's steep granite walls have dubbed Vernyi the Petit Dru of the Tien Shan.

Vernyi was first climbed by a four-man Soviet team in 1988 via a route up the north-west face and south ridge (Russian 5A). But this has only come to light recently, and was certainly unknown to Neil Crampton and Blair Fyffe, who in 2002 reached the summit by the north ridge (TD+: Scottish 6), naming it Pik Sabor. French repeated their line one year later.

In 2009 a Belorussian-Russian team added a big wall route to the main north-west face, leading to the principle summit, while in 2010 a four-person Swiss group climbed No Shaslik, a 700m line to the left up the north-west face at 6c, A3 and M6, directly to the north summit. Other aspects of this impressive granite tower have still to be ascended.



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