2.9А.43
WESTERN SHALBUZDAG (4105 m) VIA EASTERN RIDGE 3B TO TUR (FIRST ASCENT)
ASCENT DETAILS
- Ascent category: combined
- Ascent area: 2–9 East Caucasus
- Peak, its height, and ascent route: Western Shalbuzdag, approx. 4105 m, from the south to the col and via the Eastern ridge
- Proposed difficulty category: 3B
- Route characteristics:
- elevation gain: 900 m
- average slope: 45°
- section lengths:
- I difficulty category: 450 m
- II difficulty category: 360 m
- III difficulty category: 360 m
- IV difficulty category: 180 m
- V difficulty category: 150 m
- VI difficulty category: 40 m
- Pitons used:
- for belay:
- rock: 14
- ice: 3
- sling: 0
- for artificial climbing aids (ITOs):
- rock: 0
- ice: 0
- sling: 0
- for belay:
- Total climbing hours: 12
- Number of bivouacs and their characteristics: Overnight stay in Kurush village
- Surname, name, patronymic of the team leader, participants, and their sports qualification:
- PASHUK Evgeny Grigorievich — 1st sports category
- MALIKOV Yuri Borisovich — 1st sports category
- KOZOREZOV Evgeny Fedorovich — 1st sports category
- LEONOV Petr Georgievich — 1st sports category
- TIMOSHIN Mikhail Egorovich — Master of Sports of the USSR
- Team coach: (not specified in the document)
- Date of departure and return: May 5, 1981
Photo 1.
TABLE OF MAIN CHARACTERISTICS of the route to Western Shalbuzdag via the Eastern ridge
| Date | Designation | Average slope | Length | Terrain characteristics | Difficulty | Condition | Weather | Rock pitons | Ice pitons | Outcrops |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05.05.1981 | R0–R1 | 20° | 450 m | Scree | 1 | average, snow, nat. ice | Good | – | – | – |
| R1–R2 | 40° | 250 m | Couloir | 1–2 | broken rocks | same | – | – | 1 | |
| R2–R3 | 35° | 300 m | Traverse of ice-snow slope | 2 | snow, ice | same | – | 1 | – | |
| R3–R4 | 60° | 80 m | Wall | 4 | iced rocks | same | 4 | – | 2 | |
| R4–R5 | 70° | 30 m | Inner corner | 4 | broken | same | 4 | – | 1 | |
| R5–R8 | 80° | 40 m | Wall | 5 | monolithic | same | 5 | – | 1 | |
| R6–R7 | 50° | 40 m | Ice-snow couloir | 4 | snow, ice | same | – | 2 | 1 | |
| R7–R8 | 15° | 180 m | Rocky ridge | 3 | sharp, broken | same | – | – | 4 |
DESCRIPTION
of the route to Western Shalbuzdag via the Eastern ridge, 3B category, approximate
Approach via red scree to the couloir descending from the col between the peaks of Main Shalbuzdag and Eastern Shalbuzdag. Ascend the steep couloir (rockfall hazard!) (250 m) to reach the col.
Then, below the NE wall of Main Shalbuzdag, traverse the ice-snow slope (belays) — 300 m and reach the col between Main Shalbuzdag and Western Shalbuzdag. Ascend steep iced rocks resembling "ram's foreheads" to the col and approach the base of the Eastern ridge of Western Shalbuzdag. A 30-meter inner corner leads to the wall. Ascend a difficult 40-meter wall (with a rock overhang in the middle — the crux) to reach the base of an ice-snow couloir. With belays, ascend the couloir to the sharp Eastern ridge. Traverse the broken ridge for 180 m to reach the summit of Western Shalbuzdag (cairn).
From the col between Main and Eastern Shalbuzdag:
- 7–6 hours
- Descent via the ascent route (1 rappel and 4 pitches)