Ascent Report on Kursaanty 3-V (3838 m) Traverse, along the 3rd Ridge, E. Chasova, 1982, Category 2B

The route was completed by the former team from St. Petersburg (now Voronezh)

2022

Ascent Passport

Western Caucasus, 2.5. From Kittlod Pass to Gezivcek Pass (from the north of the Main Caucasian Range)
Kursaanty 3-V peak (3838 m), traverse, along the 3rd ridge, E. Chasova, 1982
Route type — combined.
Height difference ~ 150 m. Route length ~ 600 m. Length of sections with V-VI category difficulty: ~ 40 m. Average steepness of the key part ~ 70°.
Pitons left on the route: total — 0, including bolted pitons — 0. Total points used on the route: 30 (anchor pitons — 10, camalots — 20, bolted pitons — 0). Of these, for ITO — 2.
Time taken to reach the summit: 3 hours.
Coach — Gagarinov A. Yu., Kornev V. M. Leader: Maksimova Lomara Aslanovna, 1st sports category Participants: Gagarinov Aleksey Yuryevich, 1st sports category Kornev Svyatoslav Vladimirovich, 2nd sports category
Start of work on the route — June 30, 2022, at 6:30 Reaching the Western summit — June 30, 2022, at 8:10 Reaching the Eastern summit — June 30, 2022, at 9:30 Descent to the start of the route — June 30, 2022, at 12:00 Return to the base camp — June 30, 2022, at 15:00.

E-mail of the person responsible for the report: ymahaster@gmail.com

General photo of the summit

View of Kursaanty from the Mises Glacier. The Western peak of Kursaanty and the direction of movement along the route towards Kursaanty Eastern are marked with arrows. Photo by E. Leontyeva

Route description, characteristics by sections

Section	Description
R0–R1	From the cirque on the Mises Glacier, exit onto the snow saddle before the Western peak.	1	100 m	40–45°
R1–R2	Ascend the smooth, almost vertical internal corner to the ridge.	6*	30 m	80°
R2–R3	Left along the sharp ridge, consisting of large boulders, under the overhanging light-yellow wall. Bypass the wall on the left along a horizontal ledge until its end.	3	40 m	20°
R3–R4	Ascend under a small cornice, climb directly onto a smooth slab and then left-upwards along inclined slabs and "barany lby" bypassing the ridge on the left to the summit (accumulation of rock blocks).	5–3	5 40	80 40
R4–R5	Rappelling from the Western peak along the sharp rocky ridge, left — onto the snow-ice slope.	-	60 m	-
R5–R6	The "jean-d'arc" in the form of five "ear-stones" is bypassed on the left along a narrow ledge (snow or ice) with an exit to a wide horizontal ridge — the saddle between the Western and Eastern peaks.	2–3	100 m	-
R6–R7	Ascend to the Eastern peak along a wide snowy ridge, then along slabs to the left of the ridge (in the middle part, there is a 3 m overhang).	2–3	200 m	30°

Tactical actions of the team

June 29, 2022, approach

6:00 Departed from Bezengi alpine camp
11:00 Arrived at Kursantskie bivouac, ate and rested
12:00 Began ascent along the left edge of the ice rise
13:00 Set up a bivouac on snow on the Mises Glacier

June 30, 2022, ascent + descent

4:00 Ascended
5:20 Departed
6:30 Began climbing the first crux (start of the route)
8:10 Reached the first peak (Kursaanty West)
9:30 Reached the second peak (Kursaanty East)
12:00 Descended to the snowfield at the start of the route
12:16 Returned to the bivouac
12:50 Departed towards the base camp
15:07 Arrived at the base camp

The main goal of the group was to gain experience. The entire route was led by Kornev; on the traverse in the opposite direction to the Western peak, Maksimova climbed, followed by Gagarinov. The team completed the entire route simultaneously, except for two key sections where upper belays were organized (or rappelling in the opposite direction).

Recommendations for subsequent groups: We recommend this route for trained climbing teams. The route allows for practicing movement on complex sections, simultaneous movement along the ridge, and rappelling. The route is interesting and logical, and the climbing difficulty is impressive for this category. Not recommended as the first 2B route. BRING ROCK SHOES!

Descent recommendations

Option 1: Descent from the summit via the ascent route: traverse to the West peak, bypass it on the right in the direction of travel, followed by two rappels to the starting saddle with Mises. The option chosen by the group and recommended by KSP.

Option 2: Descent from the East peak to the saddle between the two Kursaanty peaks, then down to the right along the slope. Becomes hazardous with little snow!