- Peak Tikhonov via NW ridge — 4A cat. diff. (V. Lubenets, V. Volchenko, L. Kalishevsky, I. Kunaev, V. Lebedev, V. Nikolaenko, A. Ovchinnikov and A. Sevostyanov — August 23, 1951).
The path from the "Bezengi" alpine camp to the overnight stay on the Southern ridge of the Utug spire is described in route 18.
From the overnight stay:
- Descent to the glacier above the third stage of the icefall
- Crossing the glacier to the right towards the Northern counterforce of Peak Tikhonov
- Through the bergschrund — ascent up the steep 150-meter snowy slope to the saddle of the Northern counterforce of Peak Tikhonov, left of the rocky spire Medved
On the saddle — a bivouac. From the "Bezengi" alpine camp — 10–12 hours.
From the saddle:
- Bypass the rocky outcrop along the snowy slope on the left
- Ascend 400 m up the icy-snowy slope of the counterforce (pitons!) under the black rocks
- From under the rocks — left and 90–100 m up the right side of the wide icy-snowy couloir
- 45–50-meter traverse of the couloir left-upwards
- Ascent up the narrow, short, steep couloir and rocks of medium difficulty for 60–70 m to the shoulder
- From the shoulder — ascent up the 6-meter snowy ridge through a 3-meter gap under the chimney of the main 100-meter rocky ascent of the counterforce
- Ascent up the 30–35-meter chimney, then up the 70–80-meter rocks of medium difficulty with small icy slopes on the left side of the counterforce under the "Paltse" (pitons!)
- Bypass the "Paltse" along the ledges on the left
- Behind it — 200 m up the simple rocks of the counterforce or its left side to the summit of Peak Tikhonov
From the initial bivouac — 7–8 hours.
Descent:
- Via the ascent route
- Four 40-meter rappels
To the initial bivouac — 4–5 hours.
Recommendations for climbers
- Number of participants — 4–5 people.
- Initial bivouac — the saddle of the Northern counterforce near the Medved spire.
- Departure time — 3–4 am.
- Equipment: main rope — 2 × 40 m; accessory cord — 8 m; rappel rope — 40 m; rock pitons — 8–10; ice pitons — 3–4; rock hammers — 2; carabiners — 10–12; crampons — 4 pairs; tent — 1.
- Bivouac sites — on the shoulder of the counterforce, 30 m below the Southern side of the Southern summit of Peak Tikhonov.