Ascent to Karaulchitaus via the Northwest Ridge, category 4B (Fig. 33).
From the Talgar alpine camp to the initial bivouac at Zelyonaya Polyana — 2–3 hours walking.
Approach:
- From Zelyonaya Polyana, approach the western ridge and enter the left couloir.
- Ascend along the ridge for 25–30 meters.
- Then begin ascending left along the ridge for 40–50 meters.
The rocks are average. Insurance is via pitons and ledges.
Further, the ridge stretches for 150–200 meters. The rocks are of average difficulty. Five not very pronounced gendarmes are overcome head-on with piton insurance. After the fifth gendarme, exit onto slabs with an angle of up to 35°. Further, with piton insurance, at the base of a sheer gendarme. Here, the 1st cairn is built. Bypassing the gendarme is impossible. From the control cairn, move right along the slabs for 20–30 meters, crossing a steep groove in the upper part, and exit onto a platform to a sheer black rock.
Immediately from the platform, climb 4 meters up, then right onto a platform under a rocky cornice. From the platform, exit onto a sheer smooth wall without holds. Here, apply a human ladder. Then, along a ledge, reach an internal corner closed by an upper slab. Exit from the corner via a negative section. Insurance is via pitons.
Behind the internal corner, exit onto a ridge of easy rocks for 70–80 meters. Here, on the ridge, is an overnight stay. The travel time from the initial bivouac is 8–9 hours.
From the overnight stay:
- 100–200 meters of average rocks lead to the upper part of a steep couloir covered with ice.
- The length of the couloir is 90–100 meters.
- Behind the couloir lies a wall that leads to the ridge.
Careful piton insurance is required.
On the ridge, the rocks are stepped, stretching for 40 meters. On a steep lateral ridge is the 2nd control cairn. Exit to the foot of a large wall, 250 meters high.
The ascent onto the wall begins immediately from a traverse. The first section, 45 meters, is absolutely sheer. Insurance is via pitons. At the end is a small platform where insurance can be organized and backpacks can be taken.
From the platform, 150 meters of difficult rocks follow. It is necessary to move, deviating to the right, and reach the ridge of a gendarme. Insurance is via pitons.
The first wall on the ridge — 10 meters — is overcome head-on, followed by a sharp ridge.
After 40–50 meters:
- A second wall, 6–7 meters high.
- Then a sharp ridge, 50–60 meters long, leading to the summit of this large wall.
Here is the 3rd control cairn.
From the cairn, a descent follows onto a snowy traverse before the second wall. The first section of the second wall is heavily destroyed. The angle is up to 70°.
Having passed 40 meters head-on with piton insurance, further:
- Move to the right side of the wall along steep ledges for 110–120 meters.
- Exit onto a long snowy ridge.
Here is the 4th control point and a good place for an overnight stay.
The snowy ridge leads to icy rocks. Move to the right of the rocks along a snowy-ice slope. Insurance is via pitons. After 50 meters, exit onto a narrow snowy traverse. Further, to the right, along the ice slope at the very base of the rocks, and then left — up with insurance via pitons. The first 20 meters have an angle of 80°. Careful piton insurance is needed. The next section, 80–90 meters, runs along the rocks with an exit onto a snowy shoulder, 100 meters from the summit. Here is the last control cairn.
The final stage of the ascent goes along the left slope, stretching up to 70 meters. Exit onto a snowy ridge, 60 meters long. Moving to the right along the ridge, approach the cairn on the summit. Descent is via route 1B, through a couloir from the traverse between the summits of Karaulchitaus and Chekist.
Recommendations for Climbers
- The number of participants should not exceed 6 people.
- Initial bivouac at Zelyonaya Polyana.
- Departure from the initial bivouac no later than 5:00.
- Special equipment for a group of 4 people: a) main ropes 2 × 40 meters; b) auxiliary ropes —