First Ascent

to the summit of Nakhashbita Glavnaya via the northwest ridge from the Nakhashbita Glacier, category 4A (estimated), Dnepropetrovsk

1. Characteristics of the Climbing Area

The summit of Nakhashbita Glavnaya is located in the Sugan Ridge, stretching from west to east, north of the Main Caucasian Ridge between the valleys of the rivers:

• Cherek Balkarsky
• Khizny-Don

Studying the materials of groups that had previously visited this area (Honored Master of Sports of the USSR A.S. Zyuzina, I.M. Leonova, Master of Sports of the USSR R.U. Abduramanova), we concluded that nobody had climbed to the summit of Nakhashbita Glavnaya via the northwest ridge from the Nakhashbita Glacier.

In the winter of 1964, during the preparation of the alpinist plans, it was decided to make this ascent.

2. Preparation for the Ascent

Preparation for the ascent was carried out before heading to the mountains. The group had materials, photographs, and a map of the ascent area. To study the area and scout the route, they made ascents to the summits:

• Shevchenko Peak,
• Dneprovskaya Pravda Peak,
• others.

The group was equipped with all necessary gear and food for four days.

3. Group Composition

All participants of the ascent conducted joint training throughout 1964 and made a number of ascents in the areas of the "Bezengi" alpine camp and the Sugan Ridge.

4. Route Description

July 13. Leaving the base camp located on the moraine of the Nakhashbita Glacier at 13:00, we move along the moraine ridge to the beginning of the glacier. At 17:00, we choose a convenient place for the night, set up tents. The pair Litovchenko - Bulich go to scout and prepare the path to the beginning of the ridge. The path lies through the icefall between Malaia and Glavnaya Nakhashbita. The icefall is quite steep and heavily crevassed. The path is often blocked by wide crevasses (careful belaying required). We fail to reach the ridge due to two wide crevasses with heavily thawed bridges. It can be done early in the morning. The pair returns to the night's lodging.

July 14. We set out at 4:00 along the prepared path. With the icefall in good condition, there is an option to reach the beginning of the ridge:

• from the snow pad under the icefall, thus avoiding the complex rocks at the start of the route.

However, this option is rockfall-prone. Overcoming the ice wall (0.5 rope length, 2 ice screws), we reach the rocks.

Movement up the steep, solid rocks to the right requires piton belaying (6-5 pitons for two rope lengths). In some areas, the leader needs to remove their backpack or have a lighter backpack (4 rope lengths).

After overcoming the rock wall (1 rope length, 5 pitons), we pull up the backpacks, build a cairn, and move onto the broken ridge (caution, loose rocks! Belaying is difficult to organize), which turns into a steep snow ridge about 300 m long. Movement is "in three steps," belaying via ice axe. Further movement goes along a snow-rock slope of average steepness (alternating movement, piton and combined belaying), leading to a steep ice slope (one rope length, steps, ice screws).

Next, we traverse a heavily snow-covered rock ridge where it's difficult to organize belaying (rocks are loose, snow lies on formed ice), dropping:

• left - snow-ice slopes,
• right - ice walls.

Further, we reach monolithic rocks of average difficulty (alternating movement, combined belaying), leading to a gendarme blocking the exit to the snow ridge. An attempt to overcome it head-on fails. Champion of the Ukrainian SSR in rock climbing, Yu. Litovchenko, leads the way (see photo). He goes:

• left-up along an awkward, sloping shelf,
• crosses a narrow ice couloir with many loose rocks,
• then right-up along an icy internal angle,

reaches firm, reddish rocks (1 rope length, 6 pitons). We set up a rope for the rest of the group to ascend. Another 40 meters along complex rocks, and we're on a broad snow ridge. This is a convenient spot for the night. The journey to the bivouac takes 13 hours. We settle in for the night; a pair goes to process the path to the sub-summit. They reach a steep snow edge and return due to very slushy snow.

July 15. We depart at 5:00. The path to the sub-summit lies along a broad, gentle ridge turning into a steep snow edge (belaying via ice axe). Almost sheer rocks lead to the saddle between the sub-summit and the summit (one rope length, sports descent). The saddle is a very sharp, unpleasant snow "knife-edge" about 30 m long. We set up "rappels." The ascent to the summit follows a snow "board" with a steepness of 50-55°, 60 m long (movement "in three steps," belaying via ice axe), and then along a simple ridge to the summit. We found remains of two old cairns and no notes; we left a note in one of them and began the descent. We descend via the ascent route. Further, down to the right along snow-ice slopes (piton, combined belaying, crampons) to a snow plateau between the spurs of Shevchenko Peak and Nakhashbita Glavnaya, which we cross to the right and reach the glacier descending from the spurs of Shevchenko Peak. The icefall is heavily crevassed; the weather starts to deteriorate, and fog rolls in. We reach a saddle in the spurs of Shevchenko Peak, from which a safe snow couloir leads down. After 30 minutes of descent along the snow couloir, we arrive at the site of the first night's lodging on the moraine of the Nakhashbita Glacier. The descent from the summit takes 7.5 hours.

5. Assessment and Recommendations for the Route

The route taken is logical and holds significant sporting interest. The length of the route, its diversity (rocks, snow, ice), and complexity allow us to assess the route as category 4A. For the entire group to complete the route, crampons are necessary.

Diversity includes:

• rocks
• ice
• ice

Group Leader Bulich V.F. Team Coach Master of Sports of the USSR ZAIDLER A.M.

Photo 3. Bypassing the gendarme before reaching the ridge.

Table 1. Main characteristics of the route.