Alupkinskaya Wall — 3B.

«Ulfhednar», via the grotto of the eastern sector of the Alupkinskaya Wall, 5B

The route's length (excluding approaches, 150–180 m, 1A–1Б category) is 320 m, of which:

• 4th category — 25–30 m.
• 5th category — 130–150 m.
• 6th category — 100–120 m.

In sections of 6th category:

• ITO complexity A2 — 18–20 m.
• A2,5–A3 — 7–8 m.
• sections of free climbing 6C category — 15–20 m.
• complexity ranging from 6A to 6B+ — 75–80 m.

3 anchors 40–45 mm deep and 10 mm in diameter were hammered at stations, and one 10×35 mm bolt for belay. Skyhooks were not used. The first ascent (without work on the ropes), i.e., only gaining height, took 22–24 working hours.

April 23, 2011 — approaching the wall in 2 stages; April 24 — passing the big Lower Corner and the subsequent system of corners leading to the grotto, organizing water delivery to the camp on the wall; April 25 — passing the lower third of the Upper Tier; April 26 — organizing the photographer's work, passing the middle third; April 27 — reaching the summit plateau at 18:00, descending to the camp in the grotto via the ascent route; April 28 — descending to the lower shelves via the entrance to the grotto through the beginning of «Berserk», further descent to the foot of the wall.

Participants:

• Voloshanovskiy M.V. — Kiev
• Rushkovskiy A.A. — Yalta
• Utkin V.S. — photographer, Kiev

Transportation of cargo on the ropes of sections R0–R4:

• Oreshin Stas, Kiev
• Tedjiyants Stepan, Kiev
• Kochkarev Boris (ROPE JAMP TEAM), Kiev

R0–R1 Approach section 150–180 m., of which 20 m — 1B category, the rest — 1A category. With heavy backpacks, participants are advised to organize a rope.

R1–R2 Lower Corner. At the beginning, a 3-meter vertical corner-cairn (attention to the right wall, there is good relief), 6B, insurance — medium stoppers and small friends.

Then the corner becomes less steep, 7–8 m, 5C+ – 6A+, insurance is the same, some "dead" hammered hooks are left.

Further:

• 3–4 m, 6B (small and medium stoppers)
• Key pitch: 5 m, 6C — on the left — there is a "sandwich" of 2 hooks above (reliable); especially carefully examine the microrelief on the walls of the vertical corner, which appears smooth
• Climbing in exact balance in a spread position; there is a small tree in the depth of the corner, hardly suitable for insurance, and reaching it will cause a lot of problems
• 5–7 m, 5C+ (medium friends)
• 22–25 m uniform 6A+ – 6B on a vertical corner with a very wide gap and very convenient relief on the left wall (more medium and large friends)

Leads to a large block, here is a station on large stoppers and medium friends (be sure to "pull" everything down with a counter- закладкой).

R2–R3. We wanted to go further vertically up — classically "El Capitan" vertical corner, 15–18 m, but it requires especially large friends, which we didn't have. So:

• From the station, exit right-up onto simple inclined monolithic slabs with good relief for climbing, along them 8–10 m right-up to the edge 5B–5C
• 3–4 m climb, 5C+–6A, up the edge
• From a clearly defined "feather" traverse right 7–8 m 6A along inclined smoothed slabs (hooks, anchors) into a mulda with a small pine tree

R3–R4

From the pine tree up along the system of inclined smoothed corners and wide gaps:

• 15–17 m, 6A+–6B (medium and large friends)

From the big pine tree up along the vertical corner:

• 5–7 m, 6A
• 8–10 m, 6B–6B+ (small and medium stoppers)

Further 7–8 m of simple rocks (at the exit there is a strong "sandwich" of a hook and a channel) lead to a rocky-grassy slope. Along it, left along the rocks — enter the depth of the grotto, here is a convenient platform for an overnight stay for three participants. To the left, the beginning of «Berserk» is visible, even further left — a ярко expressed 1.5–2 m tooth 8–10 m from the floor of the grotto.

R4–R5. Left of the tooth 3–4 m (i.e., the first gaps left of the tooth, between them and the tooth — a smooth inclined slab) along simple, 5B–5B+, inclined gaps 7–8 m, further:

• gaps become vertical, 5C+ — 6A, along them 4–5 m exit to a shelf (on the described section — medium and large stoppers)
• pass along the shelf left-up 2–3 m to hanging jammed blocks, passed along the leftmost gap (A2, 5–6 m, large and medium stoppers), exit to the next shelf
• here again take left-up 2–3 m, along a vertical gap ITO A2 8–10 m under a large cornice (medium and small stoppers)
• straight through the cornice, at first 1.5-meter ceiling A3, then along a strongly hanging 7–8-meter gap A2.5 (small friends, medium stoppers), approach the bolt
• on it, lean left to a narrow gap, along it 4–5 m A2 (anchors) exit to an inclined inner corner

along the corner 10–12 m of simple, 5B+ – 5C+, climbing leads to a convenient safe shelf. Here is a station: there is an anchor, you can add medium and small stoppers.

R5–R6 Right along the shelf 6–7 m (not category) approach the vertical cairn (at the base of the cairn many "live" stones!). Climbing in a spread position 10 m 6A — 6A+ (large and medium stoppers), then the cairn turns into a vertical 50–60 cm pipe... inside the mountain!, along it 6–7 m 6B (insurance is the same). Further, the pipe again goes "outside", immediately turning into an inner corner. Along the corner, at first vertical, 3–4 m A2 (small and medium stoppers), then the corner becomes hanging. Along a narrow gap on the right wall 7–8 m A2 (small stoppers), then 7–8 m along vertical gaps 6B+ (medium friends) under a meter-long cornice with a characteristic triangular opening in it.

• Straight through the cornice A2.5
• Then up and slightly left along a 3–4-meter hanging wall A2 (anchors, at the end there are reliable "hourglasses")
• Exit left — up to a stepped shelf with a narrow vertical cave

There is an anchor and a regular bolt, change.

R6–R7 Along a vertical gap (medium and large stoppers) 10 m A2 until its end in an inclined monolith with good, but rare relief for climbing.

Further:

• up under a hanging smooth slab 7–8 m 6A+,
• then traverse 4 m left 6B+ to a wide gap (on the left wall of the gap, at waist level — a medium stopper in a horizontal crack).

From the gap:

• traverse left 5 m 6C along a vertical slab (under hands — good, but far from each other, footholds; under feet — very small, almost smooth) to a small mulda,
• along the mulda 3 m up 6B to the last small shelf (medium stoppers).

Further, a complex and psychological section of two flakes diverging from the corners of the shelf: with each meter, they diverge wider, become narrower, the overall steepness at the end increases to vertical, 5 m 6C.

Before the last, key movement from the side micro-footholds to good "grabbers" at waist level, a medium-sized stopper is reliably placed.

Having exited onto simple rocks:

• 5A–5B 12–15 m up and slightly right in the direction of a large pine tree,
• 4 m before the pine tree, a wide slightly swinging gap — 5C+.

R7–Top:

• from the pine tree up 5 m 4C+–5A,
• then right-up 5–6 m 5B–5C,
• further 4–5 m left — up 5B enter a wide simple cairn,
• along the cairn 15–18 m 5B+–5C+ exit to the summit plateau.

Descent: into the grotto via the ascent route, further to the shelves of section R0–R1 — along the beginning of «Berserk», along the shelves — to the foot of the wall.

Recommended Equipment:

On section R1–R4, 2–3 friends №4 are required, further they are not needed. On the section from the grotto to the summit plateau:

• Friends from №0.5 to №2.5 — no more than 4–5 pieces.
• Increased ("one and a half" or "double") set of stoppers
• 2 large anchors
• Rope 60 m

Resume

Now it is advisable to start «Berserk» with the right beginning into the grotto (i.e., new), in this version it will be a full-fledged 6A. Other combinations of starts and paths of the Upper Tier — 5B. We wish success and good luck to subsequent climbers!