ASCENT DOCUMENT

1. Ascent category — combined.
2. Ascent area — Khibiny Mountains.
3. Peak, its height and route — Takhtarvumchorr ridge, via the "Otkola" couloir to the Takhtarvumchorr ridge crest, 1143.5 m.
4. Expected difficulty category — 3A cat. diff.
5. Route characteristics: height difference — 800 m. Walls: Length of sections, cat. diff.:
   • 2 — 151
   • 3 — 500
   • 4 — 100
   • 5 — 20 Average steepness: overall — 55°.
6. Pitons driven:
   • for rock protection — 27
   • chocks — 7
   • ice screws — 1 Including used for creating artificial holds — 7.
7. Number of climbing hours — 8 h 25 min. 25 km.
8. Surname, name, patronymic of the leader, participants and their qualification:
   • 1. Shumilov Oleg Ivanovich — leader, Master of Sports;
   • 2. Proskura Alexander Yakovlevich — participant, 1st sports category.
9. Team coach — Shumilov O.I., Master of Sports, 1st category instructor.
10. Dates: March 21, 1992

March 21, 1992 Description of the first ascent of the 3A cat. diff. route via the "Otkola" couloir of the Eastern crest of the Takhtarvumchorr ridge. Second ascent on October 4, 1992.

Ascent team:

• 1. Shumilov O.I. — Master of Sports
• 2. Proskura A.Ya. — 1st sports category

First ascent in the same team in winter 1991. Left the sanatorium at 8:30. Arrived at the Takhtarvumchorr cirque at 9:30. 200 m over snow to the couloir.

Three ropes up the couloir and another 30 m to a large plug. On the second and third ropes — steep rock, covered with ice, 80–90°, in places overhanging — 110°.

• First plug — 5 m, on it: 2 pitons, one artificial hold, one chock.
• Second plug — 7 m, on it: two artificial holds, chock, piton. Belays — to rock projections. After the third rope, exit under the main plug, a 10 m cornices. From under the cornices on the left side: left, back, up. Before the plug — a piton, belay — two chocks. Under the main plug — a good shelter in case of bad weather.

Control cairn #1 — under the plug, under the cornices, can on a piton. Above the plug 40 m to the 4th plug, then 7 m up the left side of the 4th plug (driven: 4 pitons, one chock, two artificial holds). Further 60 m at 45° to the wall. 14:15. Then up the left wall: 60 m traverse along the couloir, then up the left wall of the couloir 70–80 m, bypassing the double plug — 5th and 6th.

Control cairn #2 — above the double plug. Driven: 8 pitons, 2 chocks. On the right wall — control cairn #2. 15:30.

Then 180 m on a steep firn slope, at times 50°, protection via ice axes. Approached the 7th plug. Overhanging plug — 10 m, passage from under it left and up — via chimney technique. Left wall covered with ice. Used:

• Ice chocks — 3 pcs.
• 1 rock piton
• 2 artificial holds
• Chimney technique

At the top, turned in an ice axe, in the gap, kicked steps. 30 m up simple rocks — 4 pitons. 60 m up rocks at 50°, covered with snow, in places ice — 6 pitons. Reached the Takhtarvumchorr ridge plateau at 17:45.

Descent via the 1B cat. diff. route to the Geografov pass. Driven: 27 pitons, chocks — 7 pcs., ice screws — 1 pc., ice chocks — 3 pcs.

Route length — 900 m.

Equipment:

1. Main rope
   • 1 — 40 m (12 mm, Germany) — 1 pc.
   • 1 — 40 m (8 mm, Germany) — 1 pc.
2. Disposable cordelette — 5 m.
3. Rock pitons — 12 pcs.
4. Rock hammer — 1 pc.
5. Ice axes — 2 pcs.
6. Chocks — 6 pcs.
7. Carabiners — 15 pcs.
8. Miscellaneous — 2 pcs.
9. Ice screws — 4 pcs.
10. Ice chocks — 3 pcs.
11. First aid kit — 1 pc.
12. Backpacks — 2 pcs.
13. Extension slings — 5 pcs.
14. Self-belay slings — 2 pcs.
15. Thermoses — 2 pcs.
16. Piton extractor cord — 2 pcs.
17. Ladders — 3 pcs.
18. Clamps — 4 pcs.
19. Helmets — 2 pcs.

Ascent Diagram

Diagram of the 3A category difficulty ascent, combined, via the "Otkola" couloir of the Eastern crest of the Takhtarvumchorr ridge.

• R0: 200 m snow
• R1: –5 m – plug 80–90°–110°
• R2: –7 m – plug 80–90°–110°
• R3: 3 plugs, cornices 10 m, control cairn #1
• R4: 4th plug, 40 m
• R5: wall, 60 m 45°
• R6: 5th plug, 6th plug, 70–80 m, control cairn #2
• R7: 7th plug, 180 m 50°
• R8: 30 m
• R9: 60 m 50°

Route length — 900 m.