Ascent Log

1. ASCENT TYPE — ROCK CLIMB
2. ASCENT AREA — UGAM RANGE
3. PEAK "ALTUS" (3200), NORTH RIDGE
4. DIFFICULTY CATEGORY — 3B
5. ELEVATION GAIN — 700 m
6. NUMBER OF ROCK ANCHORS — 21
7. TOTAL CLIMBING TIME — 12 hours
8. TEAM MEMBERS:
   1. RAFIKOV SH.R. — 2nd sports category
   2. METZDORF V.R. — 2nd sports category
   3. ZHURAVSKY N.N. — 2nd sports category
   4. GUZOVSKY K. — 2nd sports category
9. ASCENT DATE — May 4, 1977

Description of the ascent to peak "Altus" (3200) category 3B

Via the north ridge. From "Green Glade" to the fork in the gorge — 40 min. From the fork, bypassing the north ridge of peak "Altus" on the left, exit onto the moraine under the northeast wall of peak "Altus". From the fork — 3 hours. Overnight stay here.

Section 1

• Enter the breach in the north ridge, forming a window, via the right side of a wide scree-filled couloir.
• Early departure from the overnight camp, as the couloir is prone to rockfall.
• Within the breach — the first control cairn.

Section 2

The path along the ridge begins with a 25-meter wall with a steepness of 70°. The rocks are complex. Further on — a 5-meter vertical chimney leading to an inclined ledge on the left side of the ridge.

Section 3

Along the 60-meter ledge upwards and the base of a 30-meter wall, which is climbed directly. Difficult climbing, small holds. The wall's steepness is 85°. At the top of the wall — a platform with the second control cairn.

Section 4

From the platform, upwards to the right along a snowy slope (45°), leading into a rocky gully filled with meltwater ice and having a steepness of 60°. The section is 80 m long.

Section 5

The path follows a heavily jagged 300-meter rocky ridge to the base of a gendarme. From the overnight stay — 8 hours. At the base of the gendarme — a convenient overnight spot.

Section 6

Ascent to the top of the gendarme. The path follows a sharp rocky edge with a series of 4–6-meter walls. On the gendarme's summit — the third control cairn.

Section 7

From the gendarme's summit to the next step of the ridge leads a 45-meter rocky "knife-edge", transitioning into a sharp rocky ridge with a steepness of up to 40°, leading to the summit. The ridge's length is 300 m.

Descent from the summit (100 m):

• initially along moderately difficult rock,
• then along a wide scree-filled ridge — to a saddle in the ridge and the massif of peak Sayramsky,
• further left, down a couloir to the overnight location.

Section 2. Beginning of the ridge traverse