So­kol — 22

Authors: Se­rey Nad­to­chiy (Terr), Aleksandr Kuz­mi­ts­kiy “Be­lyy kvadr­at” (White Square) 5B/6A F6c, A2, 300 m — So­kol, Crimea So­kol

Over the past year, a lot of work has been done to describe alpinist routes on the So­kol massif, which is located in Su­dak (Crimea). There are already descriptions of more than 30 routes (not counting variations), and several new ones have been climbed. The work is not yet finished and will continue, so it is too early to talk about the results, but apparently, all the collected information will take the form of a printed guidebook. Negotiations with interested parties are already underway. For now, we will periodically post descriptions to попол­нять общую копил­ку знаний крым­ских маршрутов (replenish the general pool of knowledge of Crimean routes).

Below is a description of the “Be­lyy kvadr­at” route, which got its name from the characteristic white spots on the wall.

• One white spot is at the very beginning (to the right of the first rope)
• The second white spot is located in the upper part of the wall and serves as a location for the station of the penultimate rope

According to the initial assessment of the authors, the route had a category of 5B+, but after a test passage in October of this year by the team of A.Kuz­mi­ts­kiy and S.Nad­to­chiy, and consultations with the authors of the route, it was decided to adjust the category.

The route is a good 6A and is clearly too difficult for a 5B category. Just look at the required equipment.

Be­lyy kvadr­at 5B — 6A category. (A. Shelu­kha­kov — D. Popov, January 2001) R0–R1: 50 m, 6a*, good climbing with natural protection along the way (bolts and pitons are periodically available), station on a bolt above a tree on a ledge.

R1–R2: 50 m, 6c, A1+ (can be A2), good working rope where aid climbing is interspersed with free climbing, station on two bolts on a small ledge to the right of a small tree.

R2­–R3: 45 m, 5c, simple slab climbing, mostly on friction, protection on bolts, station on a tree.

R3­–R4: 45 m, 6a+, slab climbing, mostly on friction, protection on bolts, station on three bolts on a ledge to the right of a black streak.

R4­–R5: 50 m, 6b+, quite difficult slab climbing, protection on bolts + sometimes personal, station on a mini-ledge on two bolts (one above the other).

R5–R6: 35 m, 6B+, dangerous transition to the right and up under the overhang, with an exit behind the overhang to an inner corner (a bolt in the brow of the overhang and therefore not visible from below), followed by easier climbing with organized protection, station on a ledge directly under the white square on two bolts.

R6–R7: 25 m, 5C+, upwards through a small overhang and exit along a simple inner corner to the plateau, station on the plateau on one of the trees.

— Here and further: the maximum difficulty of free climbing on the rope is indicated (we ask you to take into account the subjectivity of our assessment of this difficulty... there are as many opinions as there are people).

Recom­mended equip­ment:

Rope 50–60 m, double set of nuts and cams, 20 quickdraws, 3 large and 3–4 small slings, 4 ladders (for the first and second), hammer, pitons are needed (5–6 pcs), sky­hooks are desirable, on the second rope they greatly облег­чают жизнь (make life easier), a jumar is not needed.

Gen­eral impres­sion:

A normal 6A, comparable in level to “Tsentr” on Mor­chek­h, only a bit shorter. More difficult than “Verba” on Chelyabinsk. The key ropes are:

• the second
• the penultimate rope (good sixth-category ropes).

The time it takes to complete the route is about 6 hours. In the upper part of the route (5–6 ropes), the bolts are not easy to see! Overall, the route is very logical and full of beautiful climbing.