Report

On the Ascent

via the 2nd counterfort of the eastern part of the "Otkol" cirque wall, Takhtarvumchorr (S) (1058 m)

"Dembelsky" route, cat. 2B Takhtarvumchorr ridge, Khibiny (July 11, 2015, first ascent)

Apatity

2016

Ascent Passport

Kola Peninsula. Khibiny mountain range. Section number in the classification table: 8.6.1.
Route name — "Dembelsky", Takhtarvumchorr South, 1058 m, via the counterfort of the eastern part of the "Otkol" cirque wall.
Proposed category: 2B.
Route type: rock climbing.
Height difference of the technical part — 240 m.

Length of the technical part of the route — 275 m; length of sections: cat. II — 150 m, cat. III — 125 m; average steepness of the key part — 50°; total route steepness — 35°.

Pitons used on the route:

Friends and stoppers — 8 pcs;
Left behind — 0 pcs.

Team's walking hours: 3.5 (excluding approach and descent).
Leader: Goloborodko A. — 2nd sports category;

Participant: Shcherbin I. — 2nd sports category.

Coach: Ivanov D.
Time on the route:

Start of the route — 8:00; reaching the summit — 11:30; return to base camp — 13:00. Descent from the summit: via the plateau to the south and then along the NE ridge of Takhtarvumchorr (S) "by lifts" to the Ganesha cirque, then to the valley of Lake Maly Vudyavr.

Organization: Apatity-Kirov Federation of Alpinism.
Responsible for the report: Goloborodko A., goloborodkoalex@gmail.com.

Map of the Area

Fig. 1. Map of the area (fragment, scale — 1:50 000)

Panorama of the area

1B, to "Otkol" via Geografov Pass, Shumilov O., 1992
2B, "Roga", Shumilov O., 1992
2A, center of the E wall of the E ridge, Shumilov O., 1992
3A, 2Bz, "Otkol" couloir, Shumilov O., 1992
3A, to "Otkol" via the E wall, Shumilov O., 1992
3B, "Olenevody", Proklov V., 2011
5A, "Otkol" via the center of the NE wall, Timoshenko D., 1993
5A, "Otkol" via the center of the N wall, Afanasiev V., 2004
2Bz, "Otkol" couloir from the north, Balagurin S., 2014
2B, "Pravee 'Otkola'", Shumilov O., 1992
2B orig., "Dembelsky", Goloborodko A., 2015. Fig. 2. Ganesha cirque, photo from the southern slope of Takhtarporr

Orographic Scheme of the Area

Fig. 3. Orographic scheme of the central part of the Khibiny

General photos of the route

Fig. 4. View of the route from the crossing over the Vudyavryok River

Fig. 5. Route line, profile

Fig. 6. Route line, front

Route Scheme in UIAA Symbols

1	-	-	-		50	30	II

Route Description

Approach: from the crossing over the Vudyavryok River along the dirt road to the "Otkol" cirque, then along the trail to the northern part of the cirque (1.5–2 hours); a good landmark for the start of the route is a large solitary stone; from the stone, up the scree to the beginning of the "ram's foreheads".

R0–R1: via a series of "ram's foreheads" to a wide horizontal ledge, 50 m, 30°, cat. II (control point №1 — a pyramid of stones).

R1–R2: along a wide inclined slab, leaving a large cornice on the left, following the right side of the slab, to a horizontal ledge with an internal angle, 50 m, 55°, cat. III.

R2–R3: from the ledge, bypassing the internal angle on the left and reaching an inclined slab, slightly steeper than the previous section, 20 m, 60°, cat. III, leaving two small cornices on the left, through an internal angle (control point №2, a can on a piton), 5 m, 70°, cat. III+, exit to a "ram's forehead" and then to a sloping ledge leading to a "gendarme", 25 m, 45°, cat. II.

R3–R4: bypassing the "gendarme" on the right; through an internal angle and a narrow ridge to the beginning of a series of "ram's foreheads", 25 m, 30°, cat. III.

R4–R5: directly along the "ram's foreheads", 50 m, 30°, cat. II. R5–R6: from the "ram's foreheads" to strongly rugged rocks, 50 m, 30°, cat. II; exit to the plateau (summit point, on a flat stone 20 m from the edge of the plateau).

Descent: along the NE ridge of Takhtarvumchorr South to the Ganesha cirque; alternative descent — along the E ridge of Takhtarvumchorr Central to the "Otkol" cirque.

Emergency descent: via the ascent route.

Recommendations

The route lacks sections of complex climbing, but has many mossy and wet areas that require increased caution during movement. Overall, the route line is safe and logical, with complexity gradually increasing towards the central part.

Equipment for all stations is possible on convenient safe ledges on ledges and stones.

The route is fully passable with protection elements: