Shkhara
via the northern edge, cat. 5B
Team M.G.S. "SPARTAK" July 13-18, 1965
Coach and leader - SHATAEV V.N.
Shkhara northern edge
Ascent
July 13. From the alpine camp, the path goes up along the trail and the Besengi glacier moraine to Misses-Kosh. We set out fairly early (5:00) hoping to rest well at the "Austrian" campsite and get to know the character of Shkhara.
No wind. Only the uларs disturb the peace with their morning songs. The path is familiar only to the leader; the others are going to Shkhara for the first time. Turning left from the confluence of the Eastern and Western branches of the Besengi glacier along the coastal moraine, we approached the red rocks, from which we reached the campsite in half an hour. Gusty winds were shaking the tent of a group of Leningraders climbing Shkhara via the Eastern edge - cat. 4B.
We set up the tent behind a rock, and while preparing lunch, Shataev-Karchewski went out to examine the approach route and the exit to the edge.
The night was restless: rain, a thunderstorm nearby, and gusts of wind made it difficult to sleep.
July 14. 6:00 - the sun warms the slopes, we move along the snowfields:
- initially towards the Dykhni-Aush pass;
- then along the glacier to the right into the Shkhara glacier circus.
The slope is not steep, but the steepness increases significantly further on, and Klopova is already working 300 m ahead, cutting steps. The snow is loose, and we sink up to our knees. The rocks are very close. The exit to the route should be around here somewhere.
Overcoming the bergschrund along a snowy slope (50 m, 50°), we approached an internal corner-shelf. First hooks; the rope teams work independently. First blows with an ice axe.
Rocks (30 m, 70°) are covered with ice; meter by meter, the rope is pulled out by Belyaev, who is belaying. Difficult! Occasionally, the sound of falling ice fragments hitting the helmets of comrades is heard.
After the rocks, we move up to the right along an icy slope (120 m, 45°) slightly covered with snow. It doesn't hold at all, and ice hooks are our only safeguard. The steepness increases to 50° before the exit to the edge, and instead of ice, there is now loose snow, in which Karchevsky makes a trench, moving from one outcrop to the next.
16:00 - we reached the ridge and set up a bivouac here, clearing several cubic meters of snow. The weather is bad: gusty winds, clouds are passing close to us.
July 15. Shataev sets out at 5:00 to tackle a "not very difficult 17-meter wall" (as described). Conditions change:
- Ice formation on the rocks;
- Almost no visible crevices;
- An hour of cleaning brought success.
A very difficult spot.
Further on, along a snowy slope (250 m, 45°), sometimes with small rock walls of 2-3 m. We often change leaders; Klopova helps a lot again; she seems unaffected by the altitude, and fatigue doesn't seem to affect her. Then again, rocks are covered with ice and loose snow (60 m, 70%). Difficult free climbing.
Everyone watches Karchevsky's every move as he searches for handholds. "Give me 1 meter! Please pull me up!" The weather is not kind to us:
- Occasionally, graupel falls.
- Gusts of wind push us unexpectedly in the back.
16:00 - we decide to stop as there is a very difficult section ahead.
After 10 minutes, Volodya surprises us with a ready drink; we happily sip the sports drink. An elixir of vigor!
The task is clear - we need to set up the tent, and for that, we must level out a spot on the rocks (40°) with loose snow.
We hang the railings, and we settle into the tent, lying on our sides.
We listen to Belyaev's memories, a participant in the Great Patriotic War.
July 16. While the tent is being disassembled, Shataev sets out on the route (Belyaev provides belay) - a sheer chimney 7-8 m, completely covered in ice; then along complex rocks (10 m) to the right onto the ridge.
Finally! The backpack is pulled up. And then? Passing a traverse (4 m) under overhanging rocks and up to the left along slabs with tiny handholds (6 m, 75°).
The last meter is a very difficult exit from under an overhanging rock. And ahead, there is a 6-meter internal corner with a single crack in the middle, filled with snow.
An extremely difficult section!
We gain every centimeter with the help of:
- jamming our hands;
- jamming our feet.
Another 40 m of movement along the ridge - and we reached a sharp snowy "knife-edge," from which we saw the drop of a hanging glacier. Using the crust on the southern slope, we move forward.
Movement along the ridge for 150 m - simultaneous, but each of us is ready to jump in case of an unexpected event.
The group climbs higher - ahead (after 20 minutes) Karchevsky-Klopova change places. After passing 150 m (40°) of a snowy slope, we again reached the rocks. 40 m of difficult climbing, again clearing handholds from ice and snow. We passed a 7-meter internal corner leading to the base of a large slab with an overhanging rock. Clearing the snowy ridge for the tent didn't take much time. We have become specialists in setting up tents on snow.
Rest (!) after a difficult day's work.
July 17. We passed 20 m of snowy rocks, and then a very difficult exit into the throat of the slab. A ladder is hung on a small rocky tooth. Passing the upper part of the slab is facilitated by the good condition of the snow. After 25 m (50°), we exit onto a small snowy ridge, which leads under a massive icy drop to the rocks.
Passing along the edge of the rocks is very complex - they are smoothed out and covered in ice; cutting steps in steep gullies, ice hooks - these are the last obstacles before reaching the cirque under the summit ridge.
It seems like just a little more, and we'll reach our goal. But the cirque is treacherous - the middle part of the icy slope is covered with a thin layer of loose snow.
This time, crampons come to our aid. And now we can see the summit. 300 m of snowy, not very steep (20-25°) slope seem endless.
THE SUMMIT!!! Shataev manages to crawl to the cairn with difficulty; a crazy wind blows us off the ridge, hitting us with fragments of ice. There's a great desire to hide, to burrow into the snow from this wind.
Descent to East Shkhara along a wide snowy slope (300 m, 30°).
At the bottom, the steepness increases. The last rope is 45°, and there is a 2-meter drop of the bergschrund. We reached the saddle between Main and East Shkhara. From there, a snowy ridge with powerful cornices leads north. Descent along a steep snowy ridge, then 40 m along the "knife-edge." Further down a snowy slope (100 m, 35°) to a wide plateau. We set up the tent here at 14:00 (the site was ready). After 2 hours, the weather deteriorated completely - visibility is zero, snow, thunderstorm.
At night, we had to dig out the tent from under the snow.
July 18. Visibility is 5-7 m; we can barely see the tracks of previous groups that have taken the route cat. 4B.
At 6:00, we began our descent and, having passed two "gendarmes" with rock outcrops, descended onto a snowy slope.
This slope leads to the beginning of a couloir going steeply down to the western side of the ridge.
Three descents down in a sports manner - and we're on the "cushion." Visibility is good below, which helps us as we cross the glacier to the "Austrian" campsite.
And as a reward for our ascent, we saw... tomatoes, fresh cucumbers - our Spartakovites have prepared a surprise for us!!!
General conclusion on the route and participants
The northern edge of Shkhara is an exceptionally logical and beautiful route, rightly classified as one of the highest categories of difficulty.
For us, it was complicated by the fact that we were the first to take this route in 1965.
A lot of time and effort were spent on chipping ice from the rocks - a characteristic feature of the entire route. On the ice, in some places, there was 5-10 cm of loose snow, requiring the cutting of steps and the organization of hook belays.
The overall steepness of the edge is 50°, with individual sections reaching 80-85°, and the length is 2000 m.
On the route, 31 rock hooks and 9 ice hooks were hammered in.
The participants (Klopova, Karchevsky, Belyaev) took on a category 5B route for the first time, and all, without exception, worked clearly, competently, and without fuss. Each fully performed any task, whether it was:
- preparing a site for a bivouac;
- preparing food, etc.
All group members are well-prepared technically, physically, and psychologically.
Particular note should be made of the mutual respect and care for one another. Klopova proved herself to be a strong-willed athlete, working a lot and effectively on most snowy sections as the first.
Belyaev felt great, and at 52 years old! For Zhenya Karchevsky, this ascent is not the limit; with his athletic qualities, he will get to know many more peaks.
GROUP LEADER MASTER OF SPORTS OF THE USSR (V. SHATAEV)
Table 1. Characteristics of sections and conditions of passage (July 14)
| № | Average steepness of section | Length of section (in m) | Characteristics of sections and passage conditions: By relief character | Characteristics of sections and passage conditions: By technical difficulties | Characteristics of sections and passage conditions: By weather conditions | Time: Departure | Time: Stop | Time: Climbing hours | Hooks driven: Rock | Hooks driven: Ice |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20–40° | 400 | Closed glacier | Belay through an ice axe. | Constantly gusty wind. | 6:00 | – | – | – | – |
| 2 | 50° | 50 | Snowy slope above bergschrund. | Belay through an ice axe. Snow holds well. | Significant cloudiness. | – | – | – | – | – |
| 3 | 30–35° | 80 | Internal corner-shelf with smoothed rocks, partially snowy. | Exit to rocks 2 m difficult, the rest is of medium difficulty. | – | – | – | – | 3 | – |
| 4 | 70° | 30 | Smoothed rocks covered with ice and snow; handholds only for the front phalanges of fingers. | Difficult free climbing. | – | – | – | – | 4 | – |
| 5 | 45° | 120 | Icy slope covered with 10–15 cm of snow, which doesn't hold at all. | Cutting steps (medium difficulty) | – | – | – | – | 4 | – |
| 6 | 70° | 10 | 6 m steep rocks and then 4 m traverse to the right. | Difficult free climbing. | – | – | – | – | 2 | – |
| 7 | 50° | 40 | Snowy slope - snow is loose, sink up to chest. | Trenching - physically difficult. | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 8 | 40–45° | 30 | Rocks covered with snow. Many outcrops and ledges. | Medium difficulty | – | 16:00 | 10 | – | – |
Table 2. Characteristics of sections and conditions of passage (July 15)
| № | Average steepness of section | Length of section (in m) | Characteristics of sections and passage conditions: By relief character | Characteristics of sections and passage conditions: By technical difficulties | Characteristics of sections and passage conditions: By weather conditions | Time: Departure | Time: Stop | Time: Climbing hours | Hooks driven: Rock | Hooks driven: Ice |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 80° | 17 | Rocky wall - cracks and handholds are filled with ice. | Very difficult free climbing. | – | 5:00 | – | – | 3 | – |
| 2 | 45° | 250 | Snowy slope with individual rock blocks of 2–3 m, covered with ice. | Belay through an ice axe. On rocks, difficult climbing. | Low cloudiness, occasional light snow. | – | – | – | – | – |
| 3 | 60–70° | 15 | Rocks covered with snow; few handholds. Sometimes there are outcrops that need to be cleared of ice. | Difficult climbing. | – | – | – | – | 3 | – |
| 4 | 85° | 15 | 7-meter | sheer chimney with loose snow, then up to the left onto the ridge. | Climbing on friction, jamming. Difficult climbing. | – | 16:00 | 11 | 2 | – |
Table 3. Characteristics of sections and conditions of passage (July 16)
| № | Average steepness of section | Length of section (in m) | Characteristics of sections and passage conditions: By relief character | Characteristics of sections and passage conditions: By technical difficulties | Characteristics of sections and passage conditions: By weather conditions | Time: Departure | Time: Stop | Time: Climbing hours | Hooks driven: Rock | Hooks driven: Ice |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | – | 4 | Traverse under overhanging rocks towards the chimney. | Proceeds along steps in the ice | – | 6:00 | – | – | – | – |
| 2 | 85° | 8 | Chimney filled with ice; handholds are cut out. | Difficult climbing without a backpack. | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 3 | 25–35° | 10 | Large-block rocks on the ridge with few handholds. | Difficult climbing, sometimes "on top." | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 4 | 75° | 10 | First 4 m traverse under overhanging rocks and along detached tiles, then up to the left along a slab. Exit from under an overhanging rock. The slab is without ice or snow. | Key point of the route. Climbing on friction without a backpack. | – | – | – | – | 3 | – |
| 5 | 50° | 6 | Internal corner with a vertical crack (filled with snow); no handholds. | Jamming of boots and arm jamming. Difficult climbing. | – | – | – | – | 1 | – |
| 6 | 10–15° | 40 | Rocky ridge with small 2–3 m dips. | Medium difficulty. | – | – | – | – | 1 | – |
| 7 | 10–15° | 150 | Sharp snowy ridge. | Simultaneous movement. | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 8 | 40° | 150 | Snowy slope, sink up to knees, then along the ridge for 40 m. | Belay through an ice axe. | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 9 | 60° | 40 | Rocks are smoothed out; with snow. Movement up to the left onto the ridge. At the end, an internal corner leads to a small 5-meter snowy ridge. | Difficult free climbing. | – | 15:00 | 9 | 3 | – |
Table 4. Characteristics of sections and conditions of passage (July 17)
| № | Average steepness of section | Length of section (in m) | Characteristics of sections and passage conditions: By relief character | Characteristics of sections and passage conditions: By technical difficulties | Characteristics of sections and passage conditions: By weather conditions | Time: Departure | Time: Stop | Time: Climbing hours | Hooks driven: Rock | Hooks driven: Ice |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 55–60° | 40 | 20 m stepped rocks with sufficient handholds leading into the throat of the slab. Further, a small wall and slab partially covered with snow. | Medium difficulty; the throat is passed with the hanging of one 3-step ladder. Snow holds well. | – | 5:00 | – | – | 2 | – |
| 2 | 50° | 25 | Snowy slope leading to the ridge, along which we exit (40 m) to rocks under the glacier drops. | Belay through an ice axe - snow holds well. | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 3 | – | 20 | Traverse to the right along the boundary of rocks and snow under ice drops. | Easy climbing. | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 4 | 15–20° | 60 | Rocks like "ram's foreheads" covered with ice and snow, cut through by 2 ice gullies with a steepness of 60°. | Cutting steps. Psychologically difficult spot - passing under drops. | – | – | – | – | 2 | 3 |
| 5 | 40° | 120 | Snowy slope - a cirque. At the bottom, 50 m of snow holds well, turns into ice covered with a loose (10 cm) layer of snow. | The upper part is passed by the first climber on crampons, the rest follow the rope. | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 6 | 25° | 300 | Snow with a crust on top, which is broken through by a boot. The upper part of the slope with a steepness of 35–40° leads to the summit. | Simultaneous movement. | – | 12:30 | 8 | – | – |
