172а

KSP Elbrus region

Report

on the first ascent in the technical class of the KSP Elbrus region team led by Nagorny S.I.

ROUTE: peak ULLU-KARA via the center of the Western wall.

Main route characteristics table

Reached the summit at 15:00 (8 hours of climbing time). Considering the preliminary processing, the route took 29 hours of climbing time.

Team captain Nagorny S.I. Coach Makhinov A.P.

Brief explanation of the table (Appendix No. 2)

After preliminary observation of the wall, an objectively safe route was chosen - through the central part of the western wall of Ullu-Kara, which is a nearly vertical bastion "pillar" with smooth, monolithic rocks (see Fig. 1).

On August 16, 1953, a base camp was set up on the plateau of the Kashka-Tash glacier, from where the processing and ascent were planned.

On August 17 at 8:00, the group started the preliminary processing of the lower part of the wall. After overcoming the bergschrund, they began the ascent along the ice slope (R0–R1) to the base of the bastion "pillar".

The route on the "pillar" starts at its lowest part and goes in the direction of a huge, clearly visible inner corner that cuts through the lower part of the wall (see Fig. 1, 2). When approaching the base of the "pillar", one should stick to its central part, as the gullies to the right and left are prone to rockfall. The section R0–R1 is a steep ice slope (about 45°) 60 meters long (ice screw protection). Crampons and ice screws are used. Then along the wall and further up the steep inner corner (section R1–R2), the ascent is 80 meters straight up. The first person goes in galoshes. Rock pitons and stoppers are used. The ropes are fixed on pitons on a small ledge at the base of the huge inner corner. Climbing on the section R1–R2 is difficult.

The section R2–R3 passes on the right side, and then through 10 meters along the huge inner corner with gradually increasing steepness (from 80° at the bottom to 95° at the top). After 50 meters, the inner corner turns into a large overhanging chimney. Rock pitons and cams are used for protection. Climbing is difficult. In the inner corner, there is a first control tour on a rock piton. Section R3–R4 - 30 meters of overhanging inner corner "chimney" is passed with very difficult climbing using artificial aids (I.T.O.). The exit from the inner corner is closed by a monolithic overhanging wall with a steepness of up to 100° and a length of 10 meters (section R4–R5). Climbing is very difficult. I.T.O. is applied.

Further on section R5–R6, the steepness decreases, and the route goes 20 meters straight up along a steep wall with a cleft, and then along a narrow vertical inner corner, exiting onto a narrow ledge, from where it is convenient to pull up backpacks. The entire section R5–R6 is passed with very difficult free climbing. Rock pitons are used for protection.

From the ledge, 10 meters up along a steep wall of tiled structure to an inclined slab under a cornice (section R6–R7). Along the slab, left-up under the cornice, in the direction of a yellow steep wall with a cleft (section R7–R8) 30 meters is passed with difficult climbing. In the middle part of the slab, there is a section of detached tiles - where there are many loose rocks.

The yellow wall (section R8–R9) is climbed head-on through a cleft, exiting onto a small ledge under a giant cornice, where the ropes are fixed. At this point, the wall processing ends, and by 19:00, the group returns to the original bivouac.

On August 18 at 7:00, the group starts the ascent. For the night, a light "zarka" tent is taken. All things are packed into two maximally lightened backpacks.

Having passed the sections processed the day before with the help of ascenders and having dropped the extra ropes down (we take 4 ropes of 40 meters with us), we begin work on the section (R9–R10). From the point where the previous ropes were fixed, we need to climb 15 meters straight up under a cornice. Here, a bolted piton is hammered, with the help of which a 20-meter pendulum is made across a smooth steep slab to the right onto a very narrow (2-3 cm) ledge, interrupted in places.

Along the ledges, a 40-meter traverse of the cornice is made to the right and up. Climbing is very difficult with the use of I.T.O. The section ends on a small ledge under the right edge of the cornice (there is barely room for 2 people). Combined pitons are used for protection. From the ledge (section R10–R11), having overcome a small cornice straight ahead, we move up along the wall, and then along a cleft, and after 50 meters, we exit onto a balcony at the base of an overhanging yellow wall.

Here is a convenient place to spend the night.

• There is ice in a deep cleft for cooking hot food (there is no water on the entire previous route).
• Here, on a piton, is the second control tour.

From the tour straight up (section R11–R12), along an inner corner, we exit onto a steep slab (R12–R13) with very small holds. Along the slab, we move up and to the right towards the inner corner.

The inner corner (section R13–R14) is very steep. There are large "blocks". Initially, we climb along its left wall, then after a small overhang ("bulge"), along the right wall, the corner leads to a small ledge (there is a place for one person).

From the ledge straight up and slightly left, we exit onto an outer corner (section R14–R15). The outer corner is overcome with very difficult climbing using I.T.O. There are very few holds. Body positioning and friction are widely used. The outer corner leads to a wall (section R15–R16) with few holds, along which we exit onto the top of the "pillar".

On the section R11–R16, climbing is difficult, and in places very difficult. For protection, the following are used:

• rock pitons
• cams
• stoppers

On the top of the bastion, there is a third control tour. The first person climbs the entire route on the wall of the bastion in galoshes.

On August 19 at 7:00, further movement along the route began. Along rocks of medium complexity of a heavily destroyed ridge, 40 meters are passed under the base of a rock ascent. Protection is organized through ledges (section R16–R17).

Along a steep ridge of the rock ascent (R17–R18), 30 meters straight up, then 50 meters up-left. Individual rock walls encountered on the way are overcome with difficult climbing and piton protection. Further, 40 meters along a ledge up-left, bypassing the upper part of the rock ascent. From the end of the ledge, along a steep monolithic wall with flowstone, 60 meters straight up with difficult climbing, we ascend to the top of the rock ascent. From the top of the ascent, along a ridge with small steep walls, we move in the direction of the summit tower (R19–R20). When approaching the tower, we have to overcome a 15-meter overhanging wall (R20–R21). Climbing is very difficult. The wall is smooth. There are "live" patches that should be loaded very carefully. Along the wall, we exit onto a ledge under the summit tower. From the ledge up along an inner corner (R21–R22) with difficult climbing, we ascend under an overhanging wall. Under the wall, on a slab, is a reception point.

Further:

• traverse 10 meters to the right along a steep wall to a cleft
• along the cleft (R22–R23), we overcome an overhanging section with an entrance to a not clearly expressed rock counterfort (R23–R24) of large-block structure

Along the counterfort up-left, 160 meters, we exit onto the summit ridge (be careful! There are large "live" blocks). The summit ridge, leading to the ice cap of Ullu-Kara (R24–R25), has a steepness to the left and is overcome:

• on snow and ice
• with simultaneous protection for individual rock ledges encountered on the way
• and for ice screws

Descent from the summit along the Southwest ridge (route 3A) to the Kashka-Tash pass. From the control tour on the summit, a note was taken from a group of climbers from the Alplager "Adyl-Su", who completed the ascent along route 3A cat. diff. in a pair. On the same day, we descended to the KSP Elbrus region.

sect.R3–R5 sect.R6–R7 sect.R7–R8 sect.R8–R9 sect.R9–R10 sect.R21–R25 sect.R14–R15

Conclusions on the route and recommendations

The route passed is a technically difficult rock route, the lower part of which goes along a nearly vertical wall of the bastion "pillar" over 400 meters long, located in the central part of the western wall of Ullu-Kara, and is characterized by great steepness (the average steepness of the "pillar" is approximately 83°), monolithic smooth rocks with few holds, lack of water, snow, and areas convenient for overnight stays (up to its upper part).

The rock relief of this part of the route is very diverse - inner and outer corners, chimneys, walls, and cornices, steep slabs, etc., which requires climbers to have good technical, rock-climbing, and psychological preparation.

The entire "pillar" is climbed with difficult free climbing, sometimes using I.T.O. (on small sections). The first person climbed the entire route on the wall of the bastion in galoshes without a backpack. Thanks to the preliminary processing of the "pillar" and, as a result, the maximally lightened backpacks (two backpacks of 8 kg each), the group managed to avoid laborious hauling - the second and third participants climbed with backpacks using ascenders and ladders, and in particularly difficult places (overhangs and cornices), the backpacks were suspended from the harness on 1.5-meter reepschnur, which significantly facilitates movement along the fixed ropes in places where the ropes hang freely, not touching the ground. The entire route along the wall of the bastion is objectively safe.

The second part of the route goes from the top of the "pillar" along a steep ridge - a counterfort with individual walls up to 10-15 meters and a steep ascent 60 meters long. Here, too, there are sections that are climbed with difficult climbing in galoshes. It is impossible to bypass them. The steep ridge-counterfort directly leads under the pre-summit tower - a rock ascent with an average steepness of 75° and a length of 255 meters (its profile is given in the figure taken during the descent from the summit).

The pre-summit tower is also characterized by diverse rock relief, and in places, difficult climbing is required, and the rocks are very broken - there are many live rocks and huge blocks. Movement on this section requires maximum caution and careful selection of places for hammering pitons. Under the pre-summit tower, there are places suitable for overnight stays.

The high sporting qualification of the group and good rock preparation (two members of the group worked as CMS in rock climbing) allowed them to pass the technically difficult route at a good pace and reliably cope with the listed difficulties. The route was mainly climbed with free climbing, without the use of bolted pitons (only one bolted piton was hammered to organize a pendulum).

The group members have previously climbed the following technically complex routes:

1. Subortovich route on p. Volnaya Ispaniya - 5B cat. diff.
2. Myshlyaev route on p. Volnaya Ispaniya - 5B cat. diff.
3. First ascent on the Western wall of Uzlovoy Amanauz - 5B cat. diff.
4. Francuzov route on the Western wall of v. Dzhailyk - 5B cat. diff.
5. Akhtyrsky route on the South wall of 2nd Zap. Shkhelda - 5B cat. diff.
6. Kuznetsov route on the South-West wall of 2-10 Zap. Shkhelda - 5B cat. diff.
7. Peak Arg via the North wall (Fansky Mountains) - 5B cat. diff.
8. Peak Trud via the South-West wall - 5B cat. diff.
9. 6B Bashnya Korony - 5B cat. diff.
10. p. E. Korzhenevskaya via Dobrovolsky's route - 5B cat. diff.
11. Khan-Tengri via the center of the North wall - 6 cat. diff.
12. p. Kommunizma via Kuzmin's route - 6 cat. diff.
13. Ushba - "cross" - 5B cat. diff.
14. Kazunenko route on the Western wall of v. Pravda Vostoka - 5B cat. diff.
15. Nekrasov route on the South-West wall of p. Lukshitsky - 5B cat. diff.
16. p. E. Korzhenevskaya via Budanov's route - 5B cat. diff.
17. Laub via the Western wall - 5B cat. diff.
18. Zap. Dombay-Ulgen through TsDSA via the South wall - 5B cat. diff.