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Tergun Bogd

hike | 2023-06-13

Our third ultra-peak adventure looms in the distance, teasing us with its inaccessibility for a simple day hike. We ambitiously seek a path to its steeper inclines, guided by satellite images of elusive car tracks that play a frustrating game of now-you-see-me, now-you-don’t. As twilight descends, we push our vehicle to its limits until the last whispers of 4G signal fade, marking our makeshift trailhead for the night. The promise of a true off-road experience becomes a reality as we prepare to tackle the remaining distance on foot in the morning, where the notion of a “track” becomes generously interpretive.

Near the base of the mountain, as is often the case, we encounter local households
We ascended the leftmost ridge of Tergun Bogd summit and descended via the second ridge

Choosing our route becomes an evening strategy session, with four ridges vying for our attention, each seemingly as inviting as the next. Driven by a default left-to-right bias—okay, not really—we settle on the leftmost ridge, not for its position but for its deceptive simplicity and directness. Despite the snow-capped peak, the summit’s flat profile on our maps reassures us enough to leave our crampons behind, a decision fueled by optimism more than evidence.

Views from the camp
Hornungia alpina (left) and Androsace villosa (right)
Wild rhubarb (left);
If it looks like onion, if it smells like onion, if taste like onion – it is onion (right)
Looking back from the slopes
Steppes are at the base of the mountain
Gradual slopes are at the beginning
The surface is friendly

The initial ascent offers a pleasant trek up gradual slopes, but the final approach is anything but gentle, turning into a boulder scramble with sizes varying from mere sports equipment to furniture pieces. Thankfully, the route allows us to sidestep the most precarious maneuvers among the unstable giants.

Soon, we scramble up a rocky slope. Some of the rocks are quite unstable
Looking back from the ridge
Iimpressively sized rocks hang above our heads
In a few places, pathfinding is more complex
Nice rock formations
We are approaching the end of the seemingly infinite rocky ridge
Finally, we start seeing the summit plateau
While climbing up, we look at the parallel ridge, which we will use for descent

Approaching the summit, we’re met with a vast plateau, its 2×3 km expanse teasingly interspersed with soft snow that refuses to bear our weight, presenting a dilemma of choosing between the lesser of two uneven terrains. Yet, the sight of the summit, adorned with a traditional cairn and fluttering blue fabric, bolsters our spirits for the final push, free of significant barriers.

We encounter the first patches of soft snow
On the summit plateau, a small point in the middle represents Rob
Rob crossing the summit plateau
The north west summit (P350)
Finally, the true summit is in view
Looking back, there’s a bit of soft snow, but it’s not bad. We are moving reasonably fast
Final summit ascent

Mongolian summits, with their characteristic cairns and blue markers, offer a brief respite before we contemplate our descent. The adjacent ridge, observed during our ascent through the boulders, beckons with the allure of the unknown. Yielding to curiosity, we opt for the scenic, albeit longer, return via ridge number two, its softer challenges a welcome change from our earlier trials.

Summit cairn marking the highest point
Rob and i at the summit
Buddhist swastikas made out of stones
Our ascent took place on this “leftmost” ridge
The path on the way down is longer, but it’s less rocky and easier to walk

This alternate route, while lengthier, proves less demanding, allowing for a quicker descent peppered with short breaks, guiding us back towards our starting point with renewed speed.

Peakbagger
One more P4 🙂
Views on the way down
Getting to this point definitely requires a 4WD vehicle with high clearance

Summiting this third ultra-peak injects us with a potent mix of confidence and ambition, leaving me to muse on the chicken-or-egg conundrum of confidence versus belief. Such philosophical musings accompany us as we set our sights on the next challenge: Hasgat Khairkhan Uul, with spirits undiminished and eyes firmly on the peaks ahead.


Tergun Bogd3957 m altitude
1979 m prominence
356.34 km isolation
RangesMongolia Ranges - Altai
Countries/regionsMongolia - Bayankhongor
Distance6.20 km up7.90 km down
Elevation1636 m gain1636 m loss
Time
5h35 up
0h10 other
4h20 down
10h05 total
Trailhead2320 m altitude44.9481660, 100.1784160
RouteStarting from the mountain's base, our ascent begins on the gradual slope of the "leftmost" ridge, leading us into a challenging boulder field that slows our progress. Despite this, we successfully navigate through, reaching a summit plateau dotted with snow patches that pose little difficulty in navigation. For our descent, we opt for "ridge two," a slightly longer route that offers an easier and more straightforward path back down.
DifficultiesAccessing the trailhead necessitates a 4WD vehicle with high clearance due to challenging terrain. Near the summit plateau, hikers must navigate through a boulder field containing some unstable boulders, requiring caution.
LinksGPX trail
  • Mongolia Ranges 2023
  • « Myangan Yamaat
  • Peak 2085m, Bayankhongor »

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TRIPS

2024
Southern Africa 2024
Mid-Atlantic Islands 2024
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2023
Mongolia Ranges 2023
Philippines 2023
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West Africa 2023
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2022
Andes 2022
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Malay Archipelago II 2022
Anatolia Mountains 2022
Iberian Peninsula 2022
Atlas Mountains 2022
North France-West Rhine Area 2022

archaeology (3) climb (157) food (2) hike (155) p30 (17) p50 (4) p100 (24) p300 (12) p600 (17) p1000 (11) p1500 (76) ribu (10) sight (46) summary (16) trig (44) ultra (76)

1 591 km walked, 121 298 m climbed

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