Fig. 19
- Taymaz Western peak ascent via North-East couloir and Western ridge (combined route by A. Rzhevsky, category III difficulty, fig. 19).
The path from "Taymazi" meadow (group of 4-8 people) to the exit onto the Taymazi East glacier
is described in route 72. Upon reaching the Taymazi East glacier (closed crevasses), cross it, avoiding crevasses, upwards to the right under the North ridge - a spur of the Tsentralnaya Taymazi peak, separating the Taymazi East and Taymazi West glaciers. From the Taymazi East glacier, overcome the bergschrund via a snow bridge, then ascend a steep avalanche-prone slope, followed by a snow slope, and further up - a simple, fragmented rocky couloir to reach the broad North ridge - a spur of Tsentralnaya Taymazi. The ridge serves as the initial bivouac site. The journey from "Taymazi" meadow takes 5-6 hours.
From the bivouac, descend from the ridge onto the snow plateau of the Taymazi West glacier and traverse it (closed crevasses), avoiding crevasses to the left, to approach a steep snow couloir descending northeast from the Western ridge and the North counterfort of Taymazi West. From the plateau, overcome the wide bergschrund in the center via a snow bridge, then ascend directly up the 500-600-meter ice-and-snow couloir (possible rockfall from the left walls - belay) and through a steep ice gorge (pitched belay) to reach the right side of the first pinnacle on the Western ridge of Taymazi West.
Bypass the pinnacle from the left via a 15-meter ledge (belay) and ascend rocks of moderate difficulty on a vaguely defined 10-meter slope (pitched belay) to emerge behind it onto the Western ridge. From here, ascend the sharp, moderately difficult, 25-30-meter rocky Western ridge. Overcome the second pinnacle head-on. Further, traverse simple rocks of the Western ridge to approach the third pinnacle and bypass it via a ledge on the left (pitched belay). Behind it, ascend simple rocky, then snowy Western ridge, followed by an ice-and-snow slope of the summit dome to reach the summit of Taymazi West.
Route summary:
- Bypass the first pinnacle from the left via a 15-meter ledge (belay)
- Ascend rocks of moderate difficulty on a vaguely defined 10-meter slope (pitched belay)
- Emerge onto the Western ridge
- Ascend the sharp, moderately difficult, 25-30-meter rocky Western ridge
- Overcome the second pinnacle head-on
- Traverse simple rocks of the Western ridge to approach the third pinnacle
- Bypass the third pinnacle via a ledge on the left (pitched belay)
- Traverse simple rocky Western ridge
- Transition to the snowy Western ridge
- Ascend the ice-and-snow slope of the summit dome to Taymazi West
The journey from the initial bivouac takes 7-9 hours.
The descent follows the ascent route. The total duration of the route is 3 days.
References:
- Naumov A. F. Karau gom, Digoriya, Tsey (Central Caucasus), M., "Fizkultura i sport", 1976.