- Peak Tikhonov via North Face — Cat. 4A (L. Alekshashin, V. Koptev and Yu. Minin — August 14, 1959).
The route from the Bezengi alpine camp to the bivouac on the Southern ridge of the Utug gendarme is described in route 18. Bivouac on the Southern ridge.
From the bivouac:
- Descend to the glacier above the third stage of the icefall
- Cross the glacier to the right towards the North Face of Peak Tikhonov
- On the glacier (with crampons!), bypass the base of the northern rock walls of Peak Tikhonov on the left
- Move along the right side of a steep, wide snow-ice slope — a couloir descending from the saddle — the junction of the Eastern ridge of Peak Tikhonov and the Western ridge of Koshtantau peak
- Ascend 200 m up to the base of the rock wall
- Ascend 70 m up steep snow-covered difficult rocks of the wall — to the right (pitched climbing!) to reach the left counterfort
- On the rocks of medium difficulty of the counterfort: first 40 m up — to the left, then 100 m up — to the right with several difficult sections (climbing protection!) — ascend to the Northern counterfort above the gendarme
- Then 200 m up along simple rocks of the snow-covered counterfort — exit onto Peak Tikhonov
From the initial bivouac — 7–8 hours.
Descent: via the ascent route or along the Northern counterfort (see description in route 40).
Recommendations for climbers
- Number of participants — 4–5 people.
- Initial bivouac — Southern ridge of the Utug gendarme.
- Departure time — 3–4 am.
- Equipment: main rope — 2×40 m; expendable cordelette — 8 m; cordelette for descent — 40 m; rock pitons — 8–10; ice screws — 2–3; rock hammer — 2; carabiners — 8–10; crampons — 4 pairs; tent — 1.
- Bivouac locations — Southern ridge of the Utug gendarme on a ledge in the lower part of the 200-meter rock counterfort, on a ledge on the southern side 30 m below the Southern summit of Peak Tikhonov.