112. Songuti via the right buttress of the East face

5A cat. diff.

From the "Volginskaya overnight stay" in the direction of the buttress, which descends lowest onto the plateau from the Songuti massif. The ascent to the Songuti wall is made along the ridge of the buttress, bypassing individual sections on the left. Rocks of medium difficulty.

Along the rocks (300 m) to a wide snow-ice shelf at the base of the wall. Along the shelf left-down into the couloir. Up the couloir (50–60 m) to a small indentation on the right, at the beginning of the wall.

From the indentation, ascend straight up the vertical wall (rocks are smooth, few ledges, rockfall hazard on the left!). Landmark: to the left of the wall, a narrow snow-ice couloir goes straight up to the shoulder of the buttress, turning into rocks in the upper part. Movement near the couloir is dangerous (rockfall, avalanches!).

The path goes through the middle part of the wall along difficult rocks, requiring careful piton belay (150 m) to a small glaciated chimney. Along the chimney (20–25 m) to the ridge of the buttress.

From the "Volginskaya overnight stay" to the ridge — 12–15 hours. Convenient sites. Control cairn. Overnight stay.

From the overnight stay:

• left — up along the ridge (rocks of medium difficulty, protection via ledges) to a characteristic round stone (“balda”) like a "ram's forehead";
• bypassing the stone on the left onto the snow slope, leading under the summit tower of Songuti;
• along the steep snow slope 180–200 m under the tower.

The ascent to the tower is possible:

• via a small chimney on the ridge on the right, leading to the U larg peak, and then left along easy rocks to the summit;
• or left along the shelf to the saddle between the South and Main peaks of Songuti and then right along the well-known 4A cat. diff. route to the summit.

Descent from the summit — along the well-known 4A cat. diff. route.

Recommendations for climbers

1. Number of participants — 4 people
2. Initial bivouac — "Volginskaya overnight stay"
3. Departure time from bivouac — 2:00 AM.
4. Special equipment: a) main rope 40 m — 2 ends b) auxiliary rope — 40 m c) expendable cordelette — 80 m d) rock pitons — 20–25 pieces e) ice pitons — 5–6 pieces f) rock hammers — 2 pieces g) spare carabiners — 12 pieces h) crampons — for each participant.