I35. Ularg via the Northwest Counterfort
(combined route, 5A category of difficulty)
The path from the base camp on the Songuti River or from the Ceysky district KSP to the initial bivouac on the rocky ledges under the North wall of Ularg peak.
From the ledges, along the snowy slope of the glacier (closed crevasses), approach the left side of the Northwest counterfort of Ularg peak. From the glacier, crossing the bergschrund via a snow bridge, ascend the 80-meter ice-and-snow slope to the rocks on the left side of the Northwest counterfort, 40 m to the left and above its rocky base.
Along smooth slabs with a limited number of holds, steep, partially icy rocks of medium difficulty with a 10-meter wall of above-average difficulty above, then along heavily broken simple and medium-difficulty shelves and rocks — "live" stones 60–80 m up and to the right along the left side of the Northwest counterfort. Then traverse 40 m to the right, bypassing the "reddish" gendarme, to the right side of the Northwest counterfort.
Along steep rocks of above-average difficulty on the right side of the counterfort, ascend 40 m to a narrow couloir. Up the difficult rocks of the vertical narrow couloir 80 m to a scree shelf on its right side.
— The key point of the route, possible rockfalls, falling ice fragments —
Along a snowy, scree-sloping shelf 40 m up and to the right. From the end of the shelf, ascend along difficult rocks with a small number of holds, a 60–70-meter wall with a shelf in the middle part. Further:
- along rocks of medium difficulty,
- then along the boundary of ice and rocks, exit to an inclined shelf crossing the Northwest counterfort.
From the initial bivouac 8–10 hours. Further:
- along simple and medium-difficulty rocks, ascend 40 m to a ledge on a sloping shelf,
- along the sloping shelf, traverse 40 m to the right to approach a steep ice couloir,
- up it 80 m to the Northwest counterfort.
From here, along simple, gently sloping rocks of the counterfort, ascend 120 m to a saddle. Bivouac on the saddle. From the initial bivouac 10–13 hours.
From the saddle, along rocks of medium and above-medium difficulty, ascend to the crest of the Northwest counterfort. Further along simple, broken rocks of the counterfort, approach the wall of the I gendarme.
Overcome the gendarme head-on along rocks of medium difficulty of a 30-meter ascent. From it, descend to a saddle under the II gendarme, which is also passed along the crest with a descent behind it to the snowy crest.
Having passed a sharp (cornice) snowy saddle, along broken, jagged rocks of medium difficulty of a long crest, ascend to the I gendarme of the North ridge.
From the gendarme, descend to the ledges on the right side. Along the ledges, bypassing...