Merdven-Kayas — 9. "Easy Flirt"* — 385 m, VI, A3+, F6c, E4. Description

August 5, 2013

The route was ascended in a classic style, from bottom to top, without prior reconnaissance or processing from the top.

The thread of the "Easy Flirt" route is indicated in white.

Massif: Merdven-Kayas. This is one of the few massifs of great length in Crimea where there are still unclimbed main logical lines.

Route length: 385 m
Maximum complexity of free climbing sections: F6c, E4
Maximum complexity of artificial climbing sections: A3(+)
Overall category: VI category of complexity.

First ascenders: Yuri Kruglov (Sevastopol) — Vladimir Odoyev (Sevastopol). Date: June 1, 2013. Time spent: 21 hours. Number of bolts: 5, of which 4 were used for belay stations.

The route is logical. The upper part with an overhanging chimney attracted and intimidated many. Initially, we wanted to climb this way during the first ascent of "Madeira Krymskaya", but we didn't have enough daylight.

Vova Odoyev on the R1–R2 section.

The lower part resembles the "Center" route on Foros Kant and Morcheka. The upper bastion involves climbing wide (15–30 cm) cracks and vertical chimneys.

The last rope is reminiscent of the fourth rope on Bershov's route on Chelebi, but it is much more difficult. The only route with a similar crack is also located on Merdven-Kayas — "Sevastopol-230".

The beginning coincides with the "Madeira Krymskaya" route. R0–R1 — an inclined crack at the base of a tapering monolithic tower. The crack goes 40 meters up-left to the base of a large overgrown chimney.

The lower part is climbed using free climbing. In the middle part, one has to switch from strenuous free climbing to artificial climbing and back.

The insurance is mainly on anchor hooks. In the upper part, the crack leads to a large, heavily overgrown chimney. Here is the R1 station on a thematic bolt.

The length of the section is 40 m, VI, (F6c), A2.

R1–R2 section. Photo from R2 station. Vova Odoyev below.

R1–R2

This is the key rope of the lower part of the route. It is climbed using very difficult artificial holds. It represents a complicated version of the R2–R3 section of the "Center" route on Foros Kant.

The initial plan was to climb the overgrown chimney, but after examining it, we abandoned the idea. Standing on the R1 station, we found an old route (bolts and holes for skyhooks) that approached our R1 from the left and then went left-up again. This path ended with a pendulum swing to the left — where the "Odessa Express" route now goes.

I followed this path for 3 meters up-left from the R1 station, belaying with anchor hooks, then after setting two skyhooks, our paths diverged: we climbed vertically up the center of a monolithic slab with shells and a thin, intermittent crack.

Features of the passage:

Very careful work on the shells.
The experience of dry tooling on V. Sipavin's routes came in handy.
Several times inserted anchors into the shells from bottom to top and loaded them to the breaking point.

After 25 m of A3+, the crack becomes more protection-friendly. After 15 m of A2 — R2 station on a bolt. The length of the section is 40 m.

R2–R3

From the R3 station, difficult climbing up a vertical crack 15 m VI (F6a–b), then the relief becomes slightly easier, and after another 25 m of climbing V category of complexity, we reach a large juniper. On it is the R3 station. The length of the section is 40 m.

R3–R4

From the tree, move up-right 5 m to the base of a vertical, slightly overhanging internal corner with wide cracks. Then, complex climbing up the corner, overcome the overhang, continue moving up, and reach a shelf between the lower and upper bastions.

The length of the section is 60 m:

10 m — V
25 m — VI+ (F6b)
25 m — V category of complexity.

The R4 station is on a large tree.

R4–R5

Cross the shelf to a large juniper at the base of the second bastion. The length of the section is 50 m, walking.

R4–R5

From the tree, up-right along gentle rocks. After 10 meters, approach the base of a steep rock wall — VI category of complexity. Climb the steep wall "head-on" — several meters A2, then free climbing — VI, 15 meters. Then, continue climbing up towards:

a tree,
another tree,
a sprawling juniper under an overhanging monolithic wall (30 meters, V).

From the juniper, 5 m up-right towards the beginning of a vertical internal corner with a wide crack. The R6 station is on a shelf at the base of a 3-meter "blob" at the base of the vertical internal corner. The length of the section is 60 m.

View of the lower part of the R6–R7 section from the R6 station.

R6–R7

From the R7 station, complex climbing up a vertical internal corner with smooth walls and a wide crack (F6b+) 20 m up. In the lower part of the crack, one can move using artificial holds, but in the middle part, artificial holds won't help — the crack becomes too wide even for large cams, and there are no suitable cracks for anchor hooks — one needs to climb this section; above, the crack narrows.

Approach the overhang, which can be bypassed on the left — careful footwork on the slab and handholds on the undercuts — left-up 5 m, and then, after 5 m, climb onto an inclined shelf.

From the shelf, complex climbing (artificial holds) up the wall with a crack for anchor hooks — left 10 m to a small ledge. Here is the R7 station on anchors and medium-sized stoppers.

Directly above, 20 m away, is an overhanging chimney with a green streak.

The length of the section is 40 m.
The complexity of the section is 6B.
The complexity of climbing is F6b+, E2–E3.

R7 station.

Yuri Kruglov on the R7–R8 section. Photo from the R7 station.

R7–R8

From the R7 station, move up-left 5 m towards the crack that leads right-up to the overhanging chimney. Climb this crack 10 m up, mainly using free climbing, as insurance in the crack is very convenient (medium-sized cams and stoppers).

Then:

Climb 5 m up the overhanging chimney,
Overcome the "plug",
Reach a shelf formed inside the chimney, which turns out to be a cave.

Here, on the left wall, a bolt is driven — R8. The length of the section is 25 m. The complexity is VI, A2+. The complexity of climbing is F6b, E2.

Photo from top to bottom on the lower part of the R7–R8 section.

Narrowing chimney. View up from the R8 station.

R8–R9. Key section of the upper bastion. The width of the chimney at the R8 station:

R8 — 80 cm
Then the chimney gradually narrows and after 7 m becomes 25 cm wide (cam 5.5 is at the limit)
Then it widens again, so that one can climb inside and expand (bolt + 2 anchors left)

The first 7 m are the key, complex climbing in an overhanging chimney, with limited insurance opportunities. Then the chimney narrows again and turns into a wide vertical crack. After 20 m of complex climbing, the vertical crack leads to a flattening before another overhanging chimney. Here, on the right wall, a bolt is driven. From the bolt, traverse right along the wall, bypassing the overhang, to an inclined internal corner (V), and then, after 10 m, reach the yayla. The length of the section is 40 m. The complexity of the section is VI+. The complexity of climbing is F6c (max), E4. Sometimes artificial holds A2–A3.

Recommended equipment: Standard set — nuts, anchor hooks, and cams + large cams (camalots — up to 5.5–6 according to the BD size chart) and a pair of skyhooks like BD Talon (for the R1–R2 section).