Peak Kankosheva via NW Edge — Category 4A

From the overnight stay behind the moraine of the Dumala glacier, the glacier is crossed towards the northwest (right) ridge of Peak Kankosheva. The exit to the ridge is on the right, bypassing the first large "gendarme" along the ice-snow slope (30–40°) and across the scree into the gap behind the "gendarme".

Further movement is along the ridge:

• on its left side, along the ledges;
• using outcrops and rock pitons for belaying (2–3 ropes).

The further path is strictly along the ridge. The rocks are of medium difficulty, with short complex walls encountered in places. After 3–4 ropes, the ridge turns into a narrow sharp "knife-edge", movement is possible:

• either to the right of the ridge along the slab, holding onto the sharp ridge,
• or astride the ridge — 1–1.5 ropes.

The ridge abuts against a sheer wall 10–12 m (the key point of the route). To the left, the wall is dangerous to bypass due to heavily destroyed needle-like rocks; to the right, stones and avalanches come down the couloir. The wall must be overcome head-on. The upper part of the wall overhangs, with no holds. It is advisable to use ladders to overcome the wall.

Another 2 ropes of difficult climbing lead back to the ridge, which goes:

• first to the left (1 rope),
• then to the right upwards (1 rope) to the pre-summit tower.

Belaying is piton. Then one should move in the direction of the left passage in the rocky bastion of the pre-summit tower. This passage is a couloir with inclined slabs covered with snow. Belaying is piton. Pitons are hammered into the sheer side of the passage.

2 ropes of difficult climbing lead to the "roof" of the passage. Here, one should move left onto the side of the passage, which is a monolithic block of gray granite. The rocks are complex, with few cracks for hammering in pitons.

The next 2 ropes of snow-ice slope with a steepness of 50–55° lead to the Western summit of Peak Kankosheva.

The descent to the east, through the Eastern summit to KOSHTAN pass (Category 3A) takes 3–4 hours.