Ascent Passport.
- Class of winter ascents.
- Caucasus, Digoria, Sugan Range.
- Galdor Glavny via the Southeast wall.
- Complexity category 5B.
- Wall section height difference — 380 m. Wall section length — 500 m. Length of sections with 5th cat. diff. — 170 m. Length of sections with 6th cat. diff. — 20 m. Average steepness of the wall section — 73°.
- Pitons driven: rock 37/0, chocks 23/0, ice 2/0, bolted 0/2.
- Team's travel hours: 14 hours, 2 days.
- Overnights: 1st on a rock shelf, lying down, comfortable.
- Leader: Ivanov Vitaly Valentinovich CMS, RSO-A 362019, Vladikavkaz, Shmulevich St. 16/6, apt. 98. tel. 54-29-49. Participants: Bondarenko Igor Olegovich CMS, Egorin Sergey Vladimirovich CMS, Stadeev Nikolay Grigoryevich 1st sports category.
- Coach: Korablin Boris Nikolayevich MS, Honored Trainer of the Russian Federation. Tavasiyev Ruslan Andreyevich.
- Approach departure: January 21, 1999. Route departure: January 23, 1999. Summit: January 24, 1999. Return to base: January 25, 1999.
- North Ossetian Republican Search and Rescue Service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia.
GENERAL PHOTO OF THE SUMMIT. Taken from Pik Botkina on January 22, 1999.
- Galdor Glavny via the South ridge 4A cat. diff.
- Galdor Glavny via the Southeast wall 5B cat. diff.
Route profile on the left. Video footage from a helicopter (frame obtained using a computer).
Panorama.
Hand-drawn profile of Galdor Glavny.
M 1:2000. 4130 m.
3750 m.
PHOTOPANORAMA OF THE AREA
Ascent Schedule.
| Pitons | Chocks | Ice screws | Route diagram M 1:2000 | Distance | Steepness | Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 37 | 23 | 2 | ||||
| R16 | 120 m | 40° | III | |||
| 2 | R15 | 45 m | 70° | IV+ | ||
| 6 | 1 | R14 | 35 m | 75° | V- | |
| 1 | 2 | R13 | 10 m | 80° | V | |
| R12 (January 23, 1999, large ledge) | 15 m | 70° | IV+ | |||
| 1 | 1 | R11 | 30 m | 70° | IV | |
| 5 | 1 | R10 | 25 m | 95° | V+ | |
| 2 | 1 | R9 | 10 m | 75° | V | |
| 7 | 4 | R8 (Large inner corner) | 45 m | 85° | VA2 | |
| 1 | R7 | 10 m | 30° | III | ||
| 2 | 2 | R6 | 35 m | 80° | IV+ | |
| 3 | 1 | R5 | 25 m | 80° | V | |
| 1 | 1 | R4 (Large ledge) | 15 m | 70° | IV | |
| 5 | 2 | R3 | 25 m | 85° | V | |
| 2 | 1 | R2 | 25 m | 75° | IV | |
| 3 | R1 | 30 m | 60° | III |
Route description by sections.
Approach the SE wall via a steep ice couloir.
- R1–R2: Along the damaged wall 30 m, 60°, 3 cat. diff., to a small ledge.
- R2–R3: From the ledge, straight up the inner corner.
- R3–R4: Then 3 meters to the right and up a steep (overhanging in one place) chimney to a large ledge at the base of a large inner corner.
- R4–R5: Right along a not very steep wall.
- R5–R6: Then up a steeper inner corner, in the upper part through a small cornice, to a small ledge.
- R6–R7: To the right of the edge, up a steep inner corner (loose rocks) to a large outcrop.
- R7–R8: From here, left and up along not steep rocks to a ledge.
- R8–R9: From the ledge, along a sheer wall with small holds, approach a smooth steep slab, then along the left edge of the steep slab to a small ledge (station in a hang).
- R9–R10: Up a smooth inner corner, right and up, under an overhanging chimney.
- R10–R11: Up the overhanging chimney to a small ledge.
- R11–R12: Then up a heavily damaged inner corner to a large rock ledge. Here is a bivouac.
- R12–R13: From the ledge, up the inner corner to the summit of a ledge.
- R13–R14: Then straight up a steep monolithic inner corner.
- R14–R15: From here, up a monolithic wall with few cracks.
- R15–R16: The wall gradually "lays back", but the rocks are monolithic, and the holds are very small and sloping; exit to the eastern ridge of the summit along the wall.
- R16: Along a narrow ridge of medium difficulty to the summit.
Descent from the summit via the south ridge 4A cat. diff., 8 rappels to the ice couloir.
Technical Photo
Galdor Glavny via the Southeast wall 5B cat. diff.
Photo #5. Passage of section R2–R3, 25 m, 75°, 4 cat. diff.
Photo #6. Passage of section R4–R5, 15 m, 70°, 4 cat. diff.
Photo #7. Passage of the upper part of section R8–R9, 20 m, 85°, 6 cat. diff. A2.
Photo #8. Participant on section R9–R10, 10 m, 75°, 5 cat. diff. Taken from point R11.
Photo #9. Section R12–R13, 15 m, 70°, 4+ cat. diff., above is movement along section R13–R14, 10 m, 80°, 5 cat. diff.
To the Chairman of the Classification Commission of the FAR, T. Shataev V.N.
I kindly request that you reconsider the materials for the classification of the route on Galdor Glavny via the SE wall (7th ascent). According to the conclusion of the Classification Commission of the Digor Gorge, this route is 5B cat. diff. This was confirmed by all the teams that have climbed it. Since the first ascent in 1983, this route has been climbed by:
1st ascent: July 4, 1983, led by Pogorelov A.G. 2nd ascent: 1991 — duo Moiseev–Polokhov 3rd ascent: duo Spiridonov–Livitsky 4th ascent: duo Kostin A–Milner V 5th ascent: a group of Germans 6th ascent: March 1994 — led by Moiseev A. 7th ascent: July 8, 1994 — led by Moiseev A.A. +5
According to the assessment of the first ascenders (led by Pogorelov A.G.): route length 490 m, avg. diff. 5–6 cat. diff., H=376 m; average steepness of the main part of the route — 77°, including 104 m of 80–95°.
The 1994 team climbed this route as an unclassified route "for the soul" and "in preparation for championships". In 1994, the climbers of the USC "Planeta" climbed this route specifically to prepare materials for the Classification Commission. The general opinion of all the teams that have climbed: this route is 5B cat. diff., suitable for teams with good rock and physical preparation.
Deputy Chairman of the Classification Commission (A. Tikchienkov) of the Digor Gorge Commission.