Ascent Log

1. Ascent class — rock climbing
2. Ascent area — Uzunkol tourist center, Western Caucasus
3. Ascent route — Gvandra East peak 3900 m via the eastern ridge
4. Proposed category of difficulty — 3A category of difficulty
5. Route characteristics — height difference 700 m, average slope 45°
6. Pitons hammered: for belaying: — rock: II — ice: 2 — bolt: — for creating artificial climbing holds: —
7. Number of climbing hours — 11 hours
8. Number of nights on the route — none
9. Full name of the leader and participants, their sports qualification: — POGOSYAN F.L. — 2nd rank — PRUSSKY V.M. — 1st sports rank — KONONENKO A.I. — 1st sports rank — GRUBRIN K.P. — 1st sports rank
10. Team coach — head of the training department Zakharov P.P.
11. Date of departure on the route and return to the camp — 1971

Ascent to the East peak of Gvandra via the eastern ridge from the Gvandra glacier, 3A category of difficulty

From the Uzunkol alpine camp along the right bank of the Mrydy river to the beginning of the Mrydy glacier moraine. Along the trail and grassy slopes to a large terrace. Campsite — "Mrydy bivouac". From the camp 3 hours.

From the bivouac along the talus and moraines upwards and further exit to the snowy slopes, along which exit to the Mrydy glacier plateau. From here, heading towards the false Mrydy pass, right-upwards along the snowy slopes, ascent to the base of the eastern ridge of East Gvandra, which is bent around below by a small snowy plateau.

Along this snowfield, bypassing the lower part of the ridge on the right. Along a steep snowy slope, a rocky ascent is bypassed — "crevasses! belay!" — and then along simple rocks, exit to the ridge part of this rocky ascent. Here is a control cairn.

From the bivouac — 3.5–4 hours. Along the ridge to the 1st gendarme, which is bypassed by a traverse up to 15 m — "belay! pitons!" — with an exit to a shelf, from which exit to an internal corner and along it ascent to the ridge — "belay!" From here along the ridge to the 2nd gendarme, bypassing it on the right and exit under the 3rd gendarme. Here is a route cairn. Ascent to the 3rd gendarme slightly to the right and traverse up to 5 m — "belay! piton!" — and right-upwards — "belay!" — exit to a snowy ridge, along which exit under the base of a snowy couloir. Ascent along the couloir 25 m, sticking to its left side — "belay!" — and exit to a snowy saddle and from here left-upwards along the rocks, exit to the 4th gendarme. From the top of the gendarme, taking to the right, along the snowy ridge, exit to the East peak of Gvandra.

From the control cairn to the summit 6–7 hours. Descent from the summit along the 1B category route to the Ak-Tyube pass and further to the Mrydy bivouac takes 1.5–2 hours.

Recommendations for Climbers

1. Number of participants in the group — training unit
2. Initial bivouac — "Mrydy bivouac".
3. Departure time from the bivouac — not later than 3:00 AM.
4. Special equipment for a group of 4 people: a) main rope 2 × 40 m b) expendable cordelette 5 m c) rock pitons 8 pcs. d) rock hammers 2 pcs. e) carabiners 6–8 pcs. f) crampons and ice pitons in the second half of summer, depending on the ice conditions.

Fig. No. 1. I Gendarme. Saddle Internal corner — "piton!" Inclined shelf — "Belay!" Do not enter — rocks! Bypass along destroyed rocks. Exit to the gendarme along the ridge

Fig. No. 2. IV Gendarme Ascent along the rocks — "Belay! Pitons!" Steep 45° narrow couloir — "Belay!" Snowy crest Snowy saddle