Fig. 13

Fig. 14

4. Ascent to the Ertzog peak via the eastern ridge — category 4A difficulty (see Fig. 13 and 14)

From Dombayskaya Polyana along the trail to Turiy Lake, then:

• up the moraine,
• then along the Alibek glacier (the glacier is broken, thorough belay!),
• to the left of two rocky outcrops along a steep snowy ascent to the Ertzog saddle. Bivouac location.

From Dombayskaya Polyana 7–8 hours.

From the bivouac along the ridge to two gendarmes.

• The first gendarme is bypassed on the left along an inclined inner corner (piton belay!)
• The second one is also bypassed on the left along the ledges

After the gendarme, exit to the ridge along a 5-meter wall (piton!). The third gendarme is bypassed on the right along the white wall (piton belay!). Then along the ridge to the ascent, bypass the ascent on the left, exit along the wall to the ridge. Further along the ridge to exit to the snowy saddle. From the snowy saddle, the ascent goes all the time along the ridge and exits to the southern side to the junction of the eastern and southern ridges. Then straight up to the pre-summit ridge and along it to the summit.

From the saddle to the summit 8–9 hours. Descent via the route of category 2B difficulty or via the route of category 3 difficulty.

Recommendations for climbers

1. Number of participants in the group — no more than 6 people.
2. Initial bivouac — Ertzog saddle.
3. Time of departure from the bivouac — 5–6 am.
4. Special equipment for a group of 4 people: a) main rope 2×40 m; b) expendable cordelette — 4 m; c) rock pitons — 8–10; d) ice pitons — 2; e) rock hammers — 2; f) carabiners — 10; g) crampons — 4 pairs (in the second half of summer).
5. Possible bivouac locations: 1st — on the ridge behind the white wall; 2nd — on the snowy pad.
6. In conditions of heavy snow cover, it is recommended to bypass the white wall on the left.