Ascent Log

1. Ascent classification — technical
2. Ascent area — Central Caucasus, Elbrus region
3. Peak, its height, ascent route — Kjukjurtlu, 4623 m, center of the west wall
4. Anticipated difficulty category — 6B category difficulty
5. Route characteristics: a) height difference — 1020 m. b) length of sections: 5 — 120 m, 6 — 425 m, A-II — 8 m, mixed (У–VI, А+е) — 235 m. c) average steepness — 87°
6. Pitons driven: for belaying: a) rock — 167, b) ice — 10, c) bolt — 7, d) chocks — 70; for ITO: a) rock — 59, b) ice — 0, c) bolt — 37, d) chocks — 24
7. Total climbing hours — 94.5
8. Number of bivouacs and their characteristics — 7 hanging and 2 sitting
9. Surname, name, patronymic of the leader, participants and their qualification:
   1. Lukashvili Tariel Shalvovich — Master of Sports of the USSR
   2. Chichinadze Murad Grigorievich — Master of Sports of the USSR
   3. Gheldiashvili Irakli Alekseevich — Candidate Master of Sports, Master of Sports of the USSR in rock climbing
   4. Tarkhnishvili David Ivanovich — Candidate Master of Sports
   5. Kelekhsashvili Jemal Longinozovich — Candidate Master of Sports
10. Team coaches — Sharashenidze D.B. — Master of Sports of the USSR, Ghiutashvili R.I. — Master of Sports of the USSR.
11. Date of departure and return — July 12, 1981, July 21, 1981

Ascent Tactics

Based on reconnaissance data, the route parameters were established, and a tactical ascent plan was developed, which largely coincided with the actual plan, except for minor deviations in the passage of certain sections and planned bivouac locations.

The nature of the wall's relief suggested the following: the optimal number of participants for the ascent is 5 people, for organizing bivouacs — 2 hammocks, two platforms, two spare ropes, 4 backpacks, 2 ice axes, jumar for each participant, 2 radios for communication between rope teams, lightweight water containers, 320 m of main rope and 80 m of auxiliary rope (for the lead climber).

Based on the experience of previous wall ascents, food was selected at a rate of 250 g per day per participant according to their taste preferences, and individual food and medicine packages were provided for separate bivouacs.

To fully unload the first rope team, the following was planned:

• pulling up one backpack,
• transporting the remaining cargo using a well-mastered American method,
• working with two ropes for greater safety during movement.

Climbers and observers had a photo of the route with an identical grid for adjusting the group's path.

• The wall crossing was planned for 8 climbing days.

Route Characteristics

The center of the western wall of Kjukjurtlu is unique in terms of the combination of parameters inherent in complex walls:

• great steepness
• large height difference for walls of such steepness
• considerable length of sections with negative slope and cornices
• lack of places even for sitting bivouacs (except for the first one, all bivouacs are hanging)
• lack of snow for water in the middle part of the route
• presence of belts with unstable rock
• cold due to its location between two powerful glaciations — all this gives the right to assert that there is no other such wall in the Caucasus.

Previously climbed by the team members, the strongest wall routes of 6B category difficulty, such as the northern walls of Chatyn and Dzhigit, the western walls of Ushba and Bodhona, are significantly inferior to the center of the western wall of Kjukjurtlu. Thus, the northern wall (“diamond”) of Chatyn is inferior in length, Dzhigit and Ushba — in average steepness and length of overhanging sections, Bodhona — in average steepness and severity.

The route can be conditionally divided into 5 belts:

• steep ice slope (R1)
• vertical monolithic rocks with small cornices (R1–R29)
• section with large red-colored monolithic cornices (R29–R45)
• vertical unstable rocks (R45–R51)
• ridge part (R51–R54)

One of the significant factors is the diversity of geological structure — alternating rocks of low strength with hard ones, which requires the use of diverse equipment and movement methods. Passing through soft rocks sometimes requires duplicating pitons, without which belaying may be unreliable.

It is worth noting another important feature of the route. The negative slope of the belt (R29–R45) of considerable length with cascades of red cornices of various orientations, along with the extreme complexity of its passage, poses a problematic task for the climber — after passing this belt, the possibility of descending from the wall is practically excluded. Descending on a rope at a distance of several meters moves far away from the wall, which greatly complicates the organization of subsequent descent (during the descent, it was necessary to pull the descending person towards the wall). Therefore, subsequent groups should pay attention to the correct distribution of forces.

The characteristics listed above define the route as one of the most complex and undoubtedly the highest, 6B category difficulty.

APPENDICES

TABLE OF MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ASCENT ROUTE

Departure time — 8:00, stop time — 20:00, total climbing hours — 10, bivouac hanging.

Departure time — 8:30, stop time — 21:30, total climbing hours — 12 h 30 min, bivouac hanging.

Departure time — 8:00, stop time — 22:00, total climbing hours — 13, bivouac hanging.

Departure time — 9:00, stop time — 21:30, total climbing hours — 11 h 30 min, bivouac hanging on the same spot. 17.07 Due to bad weather, the team did not work, stayed in the same place.

Departure time — 13:00, stop time — 22:30, total climbing hours — 8 h, bivouac hanging.

Departure time — 9:00, stop time — 21:00, total climbing hours — 11, bivouac hanging.

Departure time — 8:00, stop time — 22:00, total climbing hours — 13, bivouac sitting.

Departure time — 8:00, arrival at the summit — 11:30, total climbing hours — 3.5. Total pitons driven:

1. rock: for belaying — 167, for ITO — 59
2. Ice: for belaying — 10, for ITO — 0
3. Bolt: for belaying — 7, for ITO — 37
4. Chocks: for belaying — 70, for ITO — 24 Total climbing hours — 94.5 Number of bivouacs — 2 sitting, 7 hanging

97. 19-20-21-29

Route Sketch