ASCENT PASS

I. Ascent class: technical. 2. Ascent area: from Gezetau Pass to Gurdzautsek Pass. 3. Peak, its height, and ascent route: Tajmazi Central peak (3700 m) via the northeast counterfort. 4. Estimated difficulty category: 2B category. 5. Route characteristics:

• Height difference: 700 m
• Average steepness: 45°
• Length of sections:
  • R1 — 500 m
  • R2 — 50 m
  • R3 — 15 m
  • R4 — 50 m
  • R5 — 40 m
  • R6 — 70 m
  • R7 — 80 m
  • R8 — 250 m Total — 1055 m

6. Pitons used: for belaying, for creating I.T.O.

• Rock pitons — 15
• Ice pitons — 1
• Bolts — none mentioned

7. Total climbing time: 9 hours 30 minutes.
8. Number of bivouacs and their characteristics: possible bivouacs a) under the "sail" wall, b) under Tajmazi Central peak.
9. Full name of the leader, participants, and their sports qualification:

Leader: Makarenko N.F. — 1st sports category

Team members:

• Sklyarov V.V. — 1st sports category
• Lesnichiy V.N. — 1st sports category
• Stepanyan A.K. — 1st sports category
• Karsaev A.I. — 1st sports category
• Savchenko A.F. — 1st sports category

10. Team coach — Tsymbal A.D. — Master of Sports of the USSR.
11. Date of departure and return:

• Departure — 3:30
• Return — 13:00.

Tajmazi Central via Northeast Counterfort (combined route)

(3700 m). The Tajmazi massif is located in the Main Caucasian Range between the peaks Gebe to the east and Chashura to the west. The massif has peaks rising from east to west:

• Eastern (3720 m)
• Central
• Western (3760 m)

and beyond the Tajmazi Pass saddle — Main (3800 m). East of the massif lies the Gehe Glacier, and in the cirque, high above the Tajmazi glade, under the northern slopes of the massif — East and West Tajmazi Glaciers, separated by the North ridge of the central peak.

Route Description

From the Tajmazi glade, descend along the trail to the bridge over the Kharest River, above the confluence of its right tributary Tanadon. Here, cross the Kharest River via the bridge. Descend along the trail past the farm to the bridge over the Tanadon River. Cross the Tanadon River via the bridge. From here, ascend along the trail along the left bank of Tanadon, and further along the left bank of the Tajmazi River, approach the "red canyon". At the red cliffs ("STONE FALL!") ford the Tajmazi River across the pile of stones. Along the right bank, ascend to the place where it branches into multiple streams. Here, the trail turns right towards the "ram's foreheads". Further, ascend along the moraine to the bivouacs located to the right of the base of the North ridge of Central Tajmazi peak. From the Tajmazi glade — 4–5 hours. This is the initial bivouac.

From the bivouacs, crossing the moraine and along the spurs descending from Central Tajmazi peak, exit into the cirque of the East Tajmazi Glacier. Ascend along it and approach the bergschrund under the col between East Tajmazi peak and Central Tajmazi peak. From the initial bivouac — 1 hour.

Cross the bergschrund via a snow bridge, then ascend rightwards up the steep 500-meter snow slope (average steepness 35–40°) — approach the base of the counterfort descending from the left ridge of Central Tajmazi peak massif. From the bergschrund — 2.5 hours.

In the lower part of the counterfort, there is an inclined green ledge going rightwards. Further:

• Along the green ledge, then straight up the slabs and rocks of medium difficulty (pitons for belaying to the rock ledge, two ropes).
• Along the 20-meter rock ledge leftwards upwards — approach the internal corner.
• Up the right part of the internal corner (rocks above medium difficulty, piton belay) — 15 meters upwards.
• Then along simple rocks ("live rocks") — approach the snow ridge.
• Along the ridge (40 m) — exit under the right part of the base of the large triangular wall ("sail"), at the bottom of which there is a chip ("finger").

Here is the control point of the route.

Further:

• Bypassing the "finger" from the right — along an inclined wide crack (10 m).
• Exit onto the ridge of the triangular "sail" wall (piton belay, rocks above medium difficulty).
• Along the "sail" ridge — 60 meters upwards along wet rocks of medium difficulty to a gap in the ridge.
• Bypassing the gap from the right along the boundary of rocks and snow (ice possible at the end of summer).
• Further along rocks of medium difficulty and a wet inclined slab (4–5 m) (piton belay, "live rocks") — exit onto the ridge between East and Central Tajmazi peaks. From the "sail" ridge gap — 2 ropes.

Further along the ridge rightwards, bypassing gendarmes on the left side ("CAREFUL! LIVE ROCKS!") — exit onto Central Tajmazi peak. From the base of the counterfort to the summit — 4.5–5 hours.

Possible Descent Options

1. Along the Tajmazi massif ridge through East Tajmazi peak and descent along the NE ridge (2B category).
2. Along the Tajmazi massif ridge to West Tajmazi peak and descent along the West ridge (3A category) to Tajmazi Pass.
3. Descent from the col between Central and East Tajmazi peaks into the East Tajmazi Glacier cirque. This descent option is technically challenging. Very steep snow slope (45–50°). At the beginning of summer, there is a possibility of avalanches, as well as cornices on the ridge.

Recommendations

1. Group size — 4 people.
2. Early departure from the bivouac.
3. Crampons are MANDATORY for "vibram" boots.
4. Equipment for a group of 4 people:

• ropes — 2 × 40 m
• rock pitons — 8–10 pcs. (many wide cracks)
• ice pitons — 4 pcs.
• hammers — 2 pcs.
• crampons — 4 pairs