Merdven-Kayas — 5. "False Start"
Massif: Merdven-Kayas (Khergiani) 856 m. Difficulty: 5B, VI, A2. Authors: Tsushko T., Khomenko A. Year of route creation: 2008. Number of pitches: 7. Length: 320 m. Route description: From "Chertova lestnitsa" (Devil's Staircase) follow the upper road approximately 1 km east, then take a dirt road to reach the campsites, and then follow a trail to the wall. The start of the route is a long cleft with a tree in its lower part.
- R0–R1 45 m. Up the cleft cutting through the entire lower bastion. The cleft is partially destroyed. There's an intermediate bolt at the 15-meter mark.
- Belay station on a bolt (spit) and own protection points.
- 10 m IV–V; 35 m VIA2
R1–R2 55 m. First, follow the cleft for 35 m, then exit through a chimney onto an inclined ledge. Traverse left and up along the ledge to a tree; belay station at the tree using spit anchors + cams.
List:
- 35 m VIA2
- 10 m V
- 10 m II
R2–R3 50 m. Continue left and up along the ledge, then easy climbing follows, first on a slab, then on a flake, leading up to a gentler slope. Traverse right and up on gentle rocks to a tree.
Belay station on the tree, roughly directly above the previous station.
List:
- 10 m I
- 10 m II
- 20 m IV
- 10 m II
R3–R4 50 m
Climb up and slightly right to a ledge with a juniper.
Traverse left along the ledge for 5 m, then climb up through clefts.
Belay station on a small tree. III–IV
R4–R5 50 m.
- Climb up and right through inclined clefts.
- Then, reach a large talus ledge.
- Continue along the inclined ledge to the base of a large chimney.
Belay station on own protection points.
30 m IV; 20 m easy. R5–R6 30 m. From the belay station, climb left and up through the left part of the chimney. The belay station is immediately above a large "plug" in the chimney, on a ledge with a tree. Belay station on anchors and cams. V
R6–R7 40 m. From the belay station, climb up the chimney. The lower part of the chimney is challenging with limited protection opportunities. After 15 meters, it becomes easier. Continue up the chimney-couloir to reach the yayla.
- 15 m V+
- 25 m III+