- Karagoy via North-west ridge. The route is combined, cat. 4B (fig. 5, 61, 62, 74–76). Length — 2500 m, H — 800 m, time — 10–14 hours. From “Kirgizata” alpine camp (group of 4–8 people) cross Kurgan river via a bridge and ascend along the road on its left bank. After crossing Kurgan river, ascend along the road, then along a pack trail on the left bank of Suychikty river. Cross Joljylga river streams via temporary wooden bridges or ford, and after passing the western wall of Gelintash peak, approach the right side of a huge terminal moraine of the first left lateral West Karagoy cirque. To the left of the moraine, under the walls of Gelintash peak, descends a narrow talus couloir prone to rockfall. After crossing the moraine, turn left and ascend along its right side — a 200-meter ascent along a 35–40° slope of the moraine overgrown with grass and wild onions, leading into West Karagoy cirque. Ascend up and to the right along large and medium moraine to reach the first talus couloir descending from the North-west ridge of Karagoy peak. 150–200 m above the terminal moraine, near water, is the initial bivouac. From the alpine camp — 2.5–3 hours. From the moraine, ascend 180–200 m up a talus couloir, which becomes steeper and turns into an ice-and-snow couloir in its upper part, until it narrows sharply with a rock plug. Further, ascend 40 m up rocks of above average difficulty on the right side of a 75–80° rock couloir, leading to a ledge left and above the couloir. From the ledge, first ascend 40–50 m up and to the left, then 40–50 m up and to the right, and further 60 m straight up along boulder-like, moderately difficult, destroyed rocks of a steep 50–60° rock slope, and then along a 50°, moderately difficult, 70–80-meter couloir to reach the North-west ridge of Karagoy peak. On the ridge, turn left and ascend along a 70–80-meter, gentle, easy North-west ridge to a ledge below the “Tower” gendarme. Cairn. From the initial bivouac — 3–4 hours. From the ledge, ascend 35–40 m up steep 55–65° rocks of above average difficulty on the left side of the gendarme to a ledge. From the ledge, ascend 12–15 m up a 70–80° difficult crack in the wall in the center of the gendarme. From the crack, traverse to the right: first along a 5–8-meter difficult wall, then along a 30–40-meter ledge to bypass “Tower” gendarme on the right, and then reach a saddle on the North-west ridge. From the saddle, ascend 60–80 m up steep 40–50° rocks of average difficulty of the 2nd gendarme, and then descend 30 m down easy rocks. Further, bypass the 3rd and 4th gendarmes with a 200–250-meter traverse along easy and moderately difficult, местами destroyed rocks of a steep 45–50° right slope, and then reach a saddle on the North-west ridge. Overcome the 5th, 6th, and 7th gendarmes head-on along rocks of above average difficulty with 3–5-meter walls of the 280–300-meter North-west ridge, and reach the 1st snow (overhanging snow cornices) col, and along it approach the Big gendarme (the 5th gendarme can be bypassed with an 80–100-meter traverse along above average difficulty 50–60° slabs on the left side). Overnight on the col. From the ledge with a cairn — 5–6 hours. Descent from the col to the south is possible via couloirs, but they are prone to rockfall! From the col, ascend 180–200 m up rocks of average and above average difficulty, местами steep and destroyed, of the North-west ridge to the Big gendarme. From the Big gendarme, descend 60–80 m down a sharp, easy, местами moderately difficult North-west ridge to the 2nd snow 100–120-meter col (overhanging snow cornices), and along it, bypassing the Small gendarme on the left, approach the summit ascent. Ascend 80 m up rocks of above average difficulty, 60–65° ascent. Further, ascend 100–120 m along an easy, destroyed North-west ridge below a 25-meter wall, which is passed along rocks of average difficulty in the center. Ascend along an easy, gentle, 200–250-meter, местами snow-covered (overhanging snow cornices) North-west ridge to the summit of Karagoy. From the overnight stay on the 1st col — 4–5 hours.
KARACHAJ
