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264. Ushba South via the center of the Northwest wall (combined route, Yu. Grigorenko - Prigoda, cat. 5B, fig. 32, 37, 38).

From the initial bivouac in the cirque of the southeastern branch of the Ushbinsky glacier, under the western ridge of Ushba South (point 259), approach the right side of the lower rock belt. From the glacier, ascend a steep ice-and-snow slope, then 150–200 m of very difficult rocks (aid, exposed) on the right side of the lower belt, left of a large corner, to reach the Georgian shelf. From the initial bivouac, 8–10 hours. I. Marr's group exited onto the shelf from the right, where it descends almost to the ice-and-snow slope of the southeastern branch.

Along the steep snowy slabs of the Georgian shelf, make a difficult traverse 300–350 m up and left, crossing numerous ice gullies (avalanches, stones). Ascend 120 m up and left on steep rocks of medium and above medium difficulty to a platform at the end of the Georgian shelf - the upper part of the Lower rock belt. Bivouac. From the initial bivouac, 8–14 hours.

From the platform, along a steep 80–90-meter ridge of the Lower ice-and-snow slope, approach the left side of the base of the Central bastion of the Middle rock belt of the Northwest wall. Along a steep, difficult, interrupted ledge-corner of the Central bastion, 120 m up and right, under overhanging rocks. Through a crack in the overhanging rocks, 8 m up (aid, leaning) under a large corner. On the right side of the corner, a very difficult ascent 60–80 m (aid, leaning) onto a shelf, then through a crack and wall into a niche. Further, 70 m up a very difficult (aid, leaning) vertical corner, bypassing overhanging rocks on the left, to a small platform. Sitting bivouac. From the Georgian shelf, 10–12 hours.

From the shelf, along steep, smoothed, iced rocks, a difficult ascent 40 m (aid, leaning) to the top of the Central bastion of the Middle rock belt. From the Central bastion:

• 60–80 m up and left along a steep ice-and-snow slope with rock outcrops of the West wall
• along a heavily damaged, difficult chimney of the wall, 30 m up to the Central ridge

From here, 80 m up along the steep, snowy, iced rocky Central ridge and along the ice-and-snow ridge of the ridge under overhanging rocks. Bivouac. From the previous bivouac, 4–7 hours.

From the bivouac, bypassing overhanging rocks on the left, 120–130 m up along steep snowy rocks with short, narrow ice-and-snow bridges of the Central ridge under the Red wall. Bypass the wall on the left along a steep 50–60-meter ice-and-snow slope on the right side of the couloir (stones), then traverse left through the couloir (stones) onto the left buttress. Along iced, above medium difficulty, rocks of the buttress, 30–40 m up, bypassing overhanging rocks on the ledges, under the wall. From here:

• 40 m up along a difficult chimney formed by a block
• further along steep, smooth, rounded rocks
• then 100–120 m along a steep ice-and-snow ridge with a very difficult short wall (aid, leaning) in the middle part of the ascent under the bastion of the summit rock belt

From the previous bivouac on the Central ridge, 8–12 hours.

From here:

• 15–20 m up along rocks of medium difficulty and ledges
• then 40–50 m along a difficult corner onto a shelf

From the shelf, 70–80 m up along overhanging rocks (aid, pendulum, exposed) under a cornice. From under the cornice, along overhanging rocks, a pendulum 10–15 m right onto a shelf. On the right side of the shelf, 70–80 m up along a very difficult wall with a crack (aid, pendulum, leaning, exposed) onto a small platform. On the right side of the platform - ledges along overhanging, very difficult rocks of the corner, 40–50 m up (aid, pendulum, leaning, exposed) onto the ice-and-snow slope of the "roof". Bivouac. From the bivouac under the bastion, 3–4 days.

From the bivouac, along steep snowy rocks above medium difficulty, a 160–170-meter ridge ascent to the summit ridge. Along a straightforward snowy 200–250-meter West ridge, ascend to the summit of Ushba South. From the exit to the "roof", 6–9 hours.