It is not diffucult to understand why they insist so much, right here; they’re Russian, but overall, the place is gorgeous. The ridge goes up regularly from the valley with a geometric regularity and it stops suddenly at 3600 metres of height, then falls 600 metres below; the wall is full of potholes and portals, some of them are so big to inspire the perception of the sacred in the natives – and for us is the same. A border for every speleologist eager to explore, a mythical border with all the elements to become a legend.
We go up with a nice Russian Ural, then another day with loaded donkeys, then all on our shoulders. In Festivalnaja the explorations are carried on lateral branches, the equipment is taken away from the bottom because we need the ropes; Ulugh Begh is an hell we reach after a whole day marching-from the advanced camp-and we find it blocked by ice. No problem for the Russian, they’re here and don’t give up: they hammer for two days and manage to come in, but to descend is impossible. But we are in Boysun Tau, and they find a ravine with iced walls that run down along the river.
We, the Mediterranean – I, Beppe Spitalieri and Cecilio Lopez Terceiro- are assigned to the Dark Star camp, together with two geologists of the expedition: Sebastian Breitenbach and Yang Bin. The cave easily goes down below the -310 of the last year, just looking around and descending the parallel caves; sure, at -560 we must put our wetsuit and before it’s not a joke, but the Full Moon Room is a balm at our return – and moreover it ices the suits, all inclusive.
The camp for us ends on the 18th, we have three days to come back to Tashkent, uno on foot, one with the donkeys and then a lift with a battered Uaz; then the Uzbek train, 12 hours of heat and clanking plate. The Russian begin to dismantle the camp on the 21st, they hope to come back on the 25th…however here the timeline is like this, three weeks plus 10 days only to move the material, equip the descents and settle the camps. Russian style.
Giusto