Ascent Passport
- Ascent category — rock climbing (within the winter category of the Russian Championship)
- Ascent area — Eastern Caucasus, Chekhchai gorge, Dagestan
- Mt. Erydag (3925 m) via the center of the W. wall through "feathers" (Samoded route)
- Difficulty category — 5B.
- Height difference: — 880 m
- wall section — 680 m
- length of the wall section — 930 m
- of which 5th difficulty category — 525 m
- of which 6th difficulty category — 55 m
- average steepness of the wall section — 72°
- Pitons hammered: rock 51/2, chocks 91/10, bolted 4/0
- Number of climbing hours / days — 23.5/3
- Overnights: 1st — in a grotto, in a tent, sitting 2nd — on a scree shelf, comfortable
- Leader — Sergey I. Bernatsky, Master of Sports
Participants — Alexander B. Kashevnuk, 1st sports category
- Alexey D. Lopatko, Candidate for Master of Sports
- Sergey V. Khadzhynov, Candidate for Master of Sports
- Coach — Alexey D. Lopatko, Candidate for Master of Sports
- Approach to the route — February 4, 1994
Summit and return — February 6, 1994
General photo of Mt. Erydag (3925 m). Taken from the summit of Mt. V. Shalbuzdag (4060 m)
1 — team route via the center of the W. wall through "feathers" 5B category (Samoded route) 2 — Dubovikov's route through the 3rd shaft of the W. wall 5A category 3 — Nezamutdinov's route via the W. wall 5A category 4 — Polyakov's route via the left edge of the W. wall 5B category 5 — Mikhailov's route via the right part of the NW wall 5A category
Taken from the summit of Mt. V. Shalbuzdag (4060 m) in January 1992
The tactical plan for the ascent, adopted by the team before starting the route and taking into account the experience of training ascents, reconnaissance results, and processing of the beginning of the route, was fully implemented without significant changes.
Initially, the departure was planned for February 1. However, due to a snowfall, it was postponed, and after an additional reconnaissance on February 3, it was decided to start the route on February 4, as strong winds were intensively clearing the wall of snow, and the condition of the route was gradually improving.
Team Tactical Plan for the Ascent
to Mt. Erydag via the center of the W. wall through "feathers"
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Group movement schedule on the route:
February 4 — departure from the base camp to Kurush village — 2:00
- approach to the route — 8:30
- start of processed sections — 9:00
- start of unprocessed sections — 13:00
- arrival at the overnight stop — 15:00
- processing — until 18:00
February 5 — departure from the overnight stop by the first rope team — 9:00
- start of unprocessed sections — 10:00
- arrival at the II overnight stop — 14:00
- processing — until 18:00
February 6 — departure from the overnight stop by the first rope team — 10:00
- arrival at the "roof" (on the plateau) — 15:00
- ascent to the summit 3900 m — 16:30
- descent and return to the base camp — 20:00
February 7 — reserve day for bad weather
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Key sections of the route:
- beginning of the route — exit to the "desk" 40 m
- exit to the 1st overnight stop 30 m
- exit to the plateau after the II overnight stop 2–3 ropes
Safety measures and technical techniques during their passage: the first person goes without a backpack, in winter (insulated) rock shoes, on a double elastic rope, using various chocks — pyramids, eccentrics, friends; rock pitons are used for organizing belay stations; other participants pass these sections on fixed ropes with two jumar ascenders and with belay on the main rope, for which the group takes 5 main ropes (50 m each) on the route. Preliminary processing of sections at the beginning of the route and from overnight stops is also applied.
Route Diagram in Symbols
3 rock, 4 chocks. R11: 11. V 40 70–80° 1 rock, 6 chocks. R10: 10. V 45 80° 2 rock, 8/1 chocks. R9: 9. V+ 45 80–90° 2 rock, 6 chocks. R8: 8. V 45 80° 1 rock, 5 chocks. R7: 7. V 45 80° (3300 m) (4.02.94) 3 rock, 6/1 chocks. R6: 6. V+ 40 90° 1 rock, 5 chocks. R5: 5. V 45 80° 2 rock, 6 chocks. R4: 4. V 45 80–90° 2 rock, 3 chocks. R3: 3. III 120 10–20° 3 rock, 6 chocks. R2: 2. V 40 90° 3 rock. R1: 1. III 140 20° 5 rock, 5 chocks. R0: 0. V–VI 40 m 90° M1:2000
Erydag (3925) (continued)
Erydag (3900) Erydag (3925) R18: 18. I 1000 10–15° (3700 m) (6.02.94) 1 rock, 4 chocks. R17: 19. IV 45 70–80° 12/5 chocks, 10/2 rock. R16: V, 15 m, 90°; V+, 10 m, 90° (traverse) (16. V–V+ 45 80–90°) 4 rock, 5/3 chocks. (5.02.94) R15: 15. V–IV 45 80–90° 3 rock, 3 chocks. R14: 14. IV 20 70° (3570 m) 2 rock, 4 chocks. R13: 13. IV 40 70° 3 rock, 4 chocks. R12: 12. IV 45 80° 3 rock, 4 chocks. R11: 11. V 40 70–80°