ASCENT DOCUMENT

1. Ascent type — rock climbing.
2. Ascent area — spurs of the Main Caucasus Range from Chiperezlu Pass to Kitlod Pass.
3. Peak Chegem 4461 m via the North-Eastern wall of the North-Eastern ridge.
4. Difficulty category – 5B (certified).
5. Route characteristics:
   • height difference – 1200 m
   • average steepness – overall 55°
   • walls – 80–85°
   • length of 5th difficulty category sections – 170 m
   • 6th difficulty category – 240 m
6. Number of pitons hammered: for belaying and for creating artificial climbing holds.
   • rock pitons – 131
   • ice pitons – 5
   • bolt pitons – 5
7. Number of climbing hours – 45 h
8. Number of nights and their characteristics – 3 nights (one after preparation – under the wall, two sitting).
9. Full names of participants and their qualifications
   1. Inyutkin Alexey Nikolaevich – Candidate Master of Sports
   2. Ryzhikov Sergey Anatolyevich – Candidate Master of Sports
10. Team coach – Popov V.P., Porokhnya Yu.N.
11. Date of departure and return – 4–8 September 1978.

ROUTE DESCRIPTION

The ascent to the wall starts at the location of a characteristic snowy internal corner, crossing a randkluft via a snow bridge. First, climb up moderately complex monolithic, stepped rocks — to reach a monolithic internal corner with a gap (R0–R1). Climb 30 m up the corner — to a 3-meter cornice. The climbing is extremely difficult (R1–R2). The cornice is overcome using artificial climbing holds with an exit into a hanging internal corner with longitudinal gaps on its right side. Bypass strongly overhanging sections on the right — climb 60 m up using artificial climbing holds (channel pitons, cams R3–R4). There's a small chip here. Pull up the backpacks. Cairn. Further, climb 30 m up a sheer wall with two smooth overhangs. In the lower part, there are gaps; in the upper part, there's a limited number of small cracks. Small chip (for one person R4–R5). Then climb 30 m up a complex overhanging wall (R5–R6). From the randkluft — 12 hours. Further, the wall is generally not overhanging. Initially, the movement is mainly on artificial climbing holds — 40 m. Then free climbing is possible. Move along an indistinct internal corner. Then climb complex slabs (R7–R8). There's a small sloping shelf with snow here. A sitting bivouac is possible (exit from R6, 10 hours). Cairn. Climb up gradually flattening rocks of "forehead" type. Reach sloping snowy shelves. Climb stepped snowy rocks along the ridge of a buttress. Then climb 30–40 m on complex slabs to the left of a hanging internal corner and further on snowy rocks — to reach the ridge. There's a third cairn here. Exit in 8 hours. Move along the ridge, bypassing the gendarmes of the buttress on the left on rocks of 3rd-4th difficulty category — to an ice col (R14, 4 hours). From the col, climb ice slopes, bypassing drops — to reach the summit. The glacier is heavily crevassed. The steepness of the ice is up to 50° in some places. Piton belay. Climb to the summit from the south side on destroyed rocks. From the col — 3–4 hours. Descend to Donkin Pass via the western ridge on a route of 3A difficulty category.

Table 1. Characteristics of the Section

X — together with cams

Table 1. Characteristics of Sections (Processing)

Photo 1. Peak Chegem (4461 m), North-Eastern wall of the North-Eastern ridge. ▲ — cairns ■ — bivouac locations.