ASCENT FORM

1. Category: Rock climbing
2. Region: Crimea, Batiliman
3. Peak: Kush-Kaya
4. Route: Via the Southern wall through white spots
5. Category of difficulty: 5B, first ascent
6. Route characteristics: Height difference — 400 m, length — 480 m, average steepness — 57°
7. Pitons used: Rock pitons — 40 pcs, of which 15 pcs for ITO
8. Time taken: 8 hours, descent via trail — 0.5 hours
9. Ascent leader: Levin Andrey Viktorovich, participant: Babich Mikhail Anatolyevich
10. Coach: Kalnichenko Mikhail Vasilyevich
11. Ascent date: December 31, 1978
12. Organisation: SK "Sevastopol".

KUSH-KAYA via S wall through white spots 5B

Approach from the bonded polygon along the shelf left-upwards, then 20 m up through cracks to a large terrace under the yellow overhanging rocks. R0–R1. The start of the route is about 50 m to the left of the yellow overhanging rocks. Ascend 30 m via the internal corner transitioning into a system of cracks to a shelf, move right along a steep slab with duretzki to a diagonal shelf and along it 15 m to the right to a tree under the "crocodile" overhang. R1–R2. Ascend 25 m up through the left crack of the "crocodile" to reach the overhang, then via slabs and cracks in the direction of a thin pine another 20 m. R2–R3. Straight up 20 m via the internal corner, then 25 m to the right via slabs to the flattening slabs of the bowl. R3–R4. Walk 60 m, then a 100-meter approach along shelves and slabs of the bowl to the start of the central crack. Insurance point on a thin pine with old rope loops. R4–R5. Exit from the slabs to the crack is very difficult, with the help of ladders. Then up the crack 30 m to an internal corner inclined left, along it 10 m to a small juniper bush. R5–R6. From the bush left-upwards via the corner transitioning into a crack, bypassing three small ledges, exit to a small shelf on a flattening section, 35–40 m. R6–R7. Slightly right to a shelf and up through thin, overgrown cracks to the upper white spot to a shelf 40 m. R7–R8. Via steep slabs left-upwards in the direction of the SW ridge and further along its right side 40 m. R8–R10. Via a small internal corner and inclined slabs 50–60 m to the summit. Necessary equipment: rope — 45–50 m; chocks — 9–10 pcs; rock pitons — 6–7 pcs; ladders. KUSH-KAYA via S wall through white spots