158. Viatau via the South Couloir and West Ridge (Category I-b route, Fig. 23, 33).

The path from the “Jantugan” alpine camp to the “Green Hotel” is described in route 146.

From the “Green Hotel”, ascend along the Adylsu gorge, then reach the Jankuat Glacier and move up along it, keeping to its left side. After 350–400 m, turn left and ascend to the left-bank moraine at its lowest point. Continue ascending along the moraine. Having passed the foot of the West Ridge of Viatau Peak, turn left, descend from the moraine, and ascend along the southern slopes of the West Ridge. Initially, the slope is grassy, then it becomes covered with fine and later coarse scree, leading to a wide snowy scree-filled couloir descending south from the West Ridge of Viatau Peak.

Here, turn left and ascend along the snowy scree and simple rocks of the wide snowy couloir until you reach the West Ridge of the peak. From here:

• Continue to the right along the simple, destroyed, and partially snowy rocks of the ridge.
• In the upper section, keep to the right side (“live” rocks!).
• Ascend to the summit of Viatau.

From the “Green Hotel”, the ascent takes 5–6 hours.

Descend via the ascent route. The total duration of the route is 2 days.

Fig. 33