Combined route, category 4B

Path from the CSP of the Tsey district to the initial bivouac in the hut of the Southern branch of the Tsey glacier.

From the hut (departure at 3–4 am):

• Cross the plateau of the Southern branch of the Tsey glacier (closed crevasses).
• Approach the Tyrolean ice-snow right (first) ridge of the Northern wall of Zaromag peak, north of the Northern ridge and behind it, the waterfall of the glacier descending along the Northern slope of the Western ridge of Zaromag.

From the plateau, after crossing the bergschrund via a snow bridge, ascend 200–250 m along the right side of a wide ice-snow couloir (avalanche rockfall). Then turn right and reach the rocks on the left side of the Northern ridge of Zaromag peak. From here:

• ascend simple rocks
• ascend scree
• reach the saddle of the Northern ridge.

On the saddle, turn left, along the steep, sharp, heavily broken, and snow-covered rocky Northern ridge, approach the First wall. Bypass the wall on the right with a 90–100 m traverse along steep, above average difficulty, broken rocks (“live” stones — piton protection) to reach the buttress on the right side of the Northern ridge. Further along steep, average difficulty, broken, and in places sharp rocks of the 150–170-meter buttress, with several 3–5-meter walls above average difficulty, then ascend the walls leading to the Northern ridge (piton protection).

Along the steep, average difficulty rocks of the Northern ridge, approach the Black gendarme. Along the convex, average difficulty rocks of the cleft on the left side of the wall (piton protection), ascend to its shoulder. From the shoulder, there is a small descent under the summit of the Black gendarme, which is bypassed with an 8–10 m traverse on the right. Further along the broken and snow-covered rocks of average difficulty of the Northern ridge — exit to a ledge.

From the ledge, ascend along a narrow ridge. Overcome the large rocking stone head-on (protection). Further, 60 m along rocks of average difficulty with 3–4-meter sheer sections, a convexity of average difficulty, and a steep slippery slab (piton protection) of the Northern ridge, approach the Big gendarme. On the ledge to the right of the ridge — bivouac. From the initial bivouac in the hut, it takes 12–14 hours.

From the bivouac, approach the wall. Along the convexity of average difficulty rocks of the wall (piton protection), ascend 60–80 m upwards to the Big gendarme.