Dedicated to the blessed memory of Misha Khergiani and E. Sokolovsky by the team on their ascent
Report
On the ascent to the Eastern peak of Ullu-tau-chana via the rocky islands of the northern wall to the Western ridge, made by the KFK team No. 76 during the CS Fis alpine climbing championship from June 29 to July 1, 1980 (second ascent).
Team members:
- Shumikhin G.I. — CMS, team captain
- Dubrovskikh V.V. — 1st sports rank
- Yagupov S.N. — 1st sports rank
- Yakovlev G.S. — MS, coach
1st place CS Fis 1980, group I, rock climbing category
Ascent Details
- Ascent class — rock climbing
- Ascent area, ridge — Caucasus, Adyr-su gorge
- Peak, its height, ascent route — Eastern Ullu-tau-chana, 4207 m, via rocky islands of the northern wall to the Western ridge.
- Difficulty category — 5B
- Route characteristics: elevation gain — ~800 m length of sections with 5-6 difficulty category — 780 m average steepness — 60°
- Pitons used:
for belaying:
- 87 rock pitons
- 52 ice screws
- 13 for creating TPT
- Duration — 18 hours
- Full name of the team leader, participants, and their qualifications Shumikhin Gennadiy Ivanovich, team captain, CMS Dubrovskikh Vladimir Viktorovich, participant, 1st sports rank Yakovlev Gennadiy Semenovich, team coach, MS Yakupov Sergey Nikolaevich, participant, 1st sports rank
- Departure to the route on June 29, 1980
Return to the camp on July 1, 1980
Table of main characteristics of the ascent route
| Date | Section | Average steepness (°) | Length (m) | Terrain characteristics | Difficulty | Condition | Weather conditions | Rock pitons | Ice screws | Bolt pitons |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 29 | R0–R1 | 60 | 100 | snow-ice slope | 3 | loose wet snow | cloudy, wind | — | — | — |
| R1–R2 | 90 | 7 | rock wall | 4 | frozen rocks | — | 2 | — | — | |
| 1980 | R2–R3 | 50 | 20 | snow-ice slope | 3 | thin layer of snow on ice with rock islands | — | 2 | — | — |
| R3–R4 | 75 | 30 | rock wall | 4-6 | ice coating | — | 17 | — | — | |
| R4–R5 | 90 | 30 | narrow shelf on a vertical wall | 4-6 | smooth plate-like rocks | — | 9 | — | — | |
| R5–R6 | 65 | 60 | inclined slabs | 4-6 | ice coating | clear | 7 | — | — | |
| R6–R7 | 55 | 300 | snow-ice slope | 4 | loose snow on ice | — | 5 | — | — | |
| June 30 | R7–R8 | 60 | 200 | snow-ice slope | 4 | — | — | 2 | 5 | — |
| R8–R9 | 65 | 100 | ice slope | 4 | smooth hard ice | — | 8 | 16 | — | |
| 1980 | R9–R10 | 80 | 40 | earthy corner | 4 | frozen rocks | — | 8 | 2 | — |
II. Tactical Plan of the Ascent
Due to the absence of bivouacs on the wall, the basis of the tactical plan was to complete the route at maximum speed without overnight stays. Additionally, the task was to overcome the most dangerous lower part of the route in the early hours (i.e., starting the ascent at 2-3 am).
To implement the developed tactical plan, it was decided to pre-process the lower rock wall of 100-120 meters the day before. The fast pace of the ascent required minimizing the weight of the backpacks. Thanks to specially prepared equipment and careful selection of food, the weight of the backpacks during the ascent was reduced to 7-8 kg. This eliminated the problem of pulling up the backpacks (a procedure that usually takes a lot of time). The lead climber was to have an even lighter backpack.
III. Conducting the Ascent
On June 28, the team approached the route at "Central Bivouacs" at 14:00 and dedicated the day to visual observation of the route and making sketches.
On June 29, the pair consisting of Dubrovskikh and Shumikhin set out to process the route at 5:00 am. They processed the ice-snow slope and the lower rock belt (sections R0-R5) for 6 hours.
Section R3-R4 consists of complex, smoothed, ice-filled rocks with limited handholds. TPT.
Section R4-R5 is a narrow inclined shelf going up from left to right on a vertical wall and ending in an internal corner with a plug. Complex climbing.
June 30. Departure from the bivouac at 3:00 am. After passing the pre-processed section, the team overcame a section of rocks (R5-R6) covered in ice, and then moved along an ice-snow slope with a steepness of 55° to 65° (section R6-R9) with belaying via ice axe and ice screws, as well as rock pitons on rock islands.
The entry to the ridge is made via rocks of medium difficulty with ice coating (section R9-R10).
At 14:00, the team reached the ridge and after 2 hours of movement along the Western ridge, reached the Eastern peak.
The success of the ascent was facilitated by the fact that all team members showed themselves in the most positive light, working on the route in any capacity - both as lead and as the second pair. The constant change of the lead on the ice-snow slope allowed maintaining a fairly high pace of advancement. The team was a cohesive unit, united by years of joint training and ascents. The route was completed by the team in accordance with the tactical plan.