Route Description

Ascent to peak KALTSIT - 2A category of difficulty via the northwest ridge.

From the base camp, cross the meadow with a rain gauge to the BIOB River. Cross the river and ascend on the right side of the couloir towards peak KALTSIT to a meadow with a snow-measuring marker. The beginning of the couloir is approximately 1 km from the confluence of the ARG and BIOB rivers. The upper part of the couloir leads to a narrow snow couloir in a small ridge adjacent to peak Kaltsit (Fig. 1). The slope of the snow in the lower part of the couloir is 20°, and in the upper part, it is 30°–45°. The length of the entire couloir is about 100 m. The passage through the couloir is done either on snow with mandatory piton belay on rocks or, in unfavorable snow conditions (hard snow, ice, little snow), on the left rocks with piton belay or via perms. The rocks are of medium difficulty. The time it takes to reach the base of the couloir from the base camp is about 2 hours.

The mentioned couloir leads to a saddle. Then, move traversely left and upwards to a pyramidal snow patch with a characteristic rocky outcrop in the middle (Fig. 2). The slope of the snow patch in the lower part is 10°. Further, the slope increases to 30° (near the rocky outcrop). It is convenient to pass the snow patch along small rocky outcrops stretched in the direction of movement. Bypassing the rocky outcrop on the left, ascend to the upper part of the snow patch. Then, traverse right and upwards (2–3 ropes) on rocks of medium difficulty (piton belay or via ledges - outcrops) to the saddle (Fig. 2).

The saddle is located to the left of a three-pronged rocky gendarme. From the saddle, traverse, bypassing the gendarme on the right, and move along the ridge to the summit. The exit to the summit is via a simple internal angle, broken from massive stone slabs. Throughout the path along the ridge, belay is done via outcrops.

The rocks forming the summit and adjacent cliffs are loose. Be cautious of "live rocks".

From the base of the narrow couloir to the summit, it takes 4 hours. Descent is done via the same route. Descent on snow patches is done:

• via perms
• or with belay via ice axe

In wet snow, a usual descent in rope teams with self-