Стол (4500 m) along the Kinomu slope 35° cat. tr.

August 22, 1969

G. S. Starikov

The summit of Стол is located on the southwestern slope of the Kov-Bel ridge and is connected by a pass to Таджи-Таш.

The beginning of the route passes along the orographic left side of the snow-ice couloir descending along the Kinomu slope of the summit. The first two ropes pass through heavily destroyed rocks located away from the couloir. Then the rocks become monolithic, but with good holds and footholds, the steepness is 50–60°.

After 200 m, by traversing to the right, we enter the couloir running parallel to the main one.

In the middle of summer, most of the couloir is snowy, and only in the last few meters - ice.

The couloir is 70 m, then exit to the right onto rocks. 30 m up a simple slab, then traverse left to exit under our spot with a cork.

After the chimney, an inclined shelf leads to a platform under a 30-meter rock "mirror":

• Straight from the platform, 15 m up (steep), then traverse left.
• There is a platform for two people.
• From here, 5–10 m up to the top of the "mirror" - there is a good platform.

Further:

• Rocks are complex.
• Climbing along a destroyed ridge and pre-summit, connected to the summit massif by a snowy saddle.
• From the saddle, along rocks to the summit - 130 m of not very difficult climbing.

Descent:

• From the summit to the saddle - via the ascent route.
• Then to the west along a snowy slope with a steepness of up to 40°.

A storm bivouac can be conveniently organized directly under the slopes of the summit in a cirque that surrounds the summit from the south. The ascent from here to the summit and descent back take 10–12 hours.

The complexity of the rocks in certain sections (the "mirror", chimney, and cork) exceeds the requirements for routes of category 3Б, however, due to the brevity of the route, the first ascenders consider it possible to classify it