Mshatka-Kaya — 2. "Halloween"

Massif: Mshatka-Kaya (618 m) Category: 3B Author: Kirill Gostev, Vladimir Odoyev

A warm autumn day and a good mood, what else is needed for a pleasant climb. Of course, a location, a summit, where you can create a new route. Many will say - they say, in Foros there's no room left for pioneers, but if you think and take a closer look, you can find new lines.

The route passes between the routes "Vilka levaya" (Left Fork) 2B and "Victoria" 2B. Despite the fact that the line is quite broken due to a long traverse, the route itself is interesting and logical, entirely tied to the relief, all stations are on their own gear and trees. Many sections of pleasant climbing.

R0–R1 (35 m, V)

The start of the route is slightly to the left of the start of "Vilka", directly in the center between the start of "Vilka" and a vertical juniper. Then:

• Move up through a vaguely defined crack in the direction of a spall (the spall will be slightly to the right).
• Climb out through the spall into an inside corner.
• Move up the corner.
• At the end of the corner, turn right onto a small juniper.
• On the juniper - a station, can be reinforced with an anchor or a hook.

R1–R2 (35 m, IV) — from the station traverse right to the start of an inside corner, then climb up the corner; large and medium nuts place well.

The corner then turns into a groove; this section passes 5 m to the left of the first rope of "Vilka". Climb up the groove onto a large horizontal ledge, then traverse 7 m to the left along the ledge. Here you can organize a belay on your own points (anchors and pitons).

R2–R3 (37 m, no gear) Then a long 35 m, but not difficult traverse to the left to a beautiful inside corner, at the base of the corner a station in a spall (large and medium nuts and cams)

R3–R4 (55 m, V)

Up the corner, initially it's convenient to climb slightly to the right on a slab, and use the corner for protection. At the end the corner overhangs, but there are many good holds.

At the exit:

• a semi-dry juniper (to the left will be a semi-destroyed inside corner — don't climb into it).

From the juniper:

• 3 m to the right,
• then up towards a large sturdy juniper,
• on it is a station.

R4–R5 (45 m, IV) From the station 5–7 m to the right, then climb a steeply inclined ledge.

The ledge is a plane of a large inside corner, going from right to left upwards. The corner leads to a buttress, behind which the route "Victoria" passes. On the buttress — a station on your own points.

R5–R6 (50 m, II) Then on easy rock climb to the summit.