Agepsta Main 3. ridge — cat. diff.

Samoylenko V.V. Western Caucasus 2.1.

Passport

I. Rock class 2. Western Caucasus, Agetuka ridge 3. Agepsta Main peak, via the western ridge 4. Proposed — 3A cat. diff., first ascent 5. Height difference: 450 m, length — 1900 m

Length of sections 4A–4B cat. diff. — 30 m. Average steepness of the main part of the route 42°

6. Pitons used — 3 pcs., chockstones — 7 pcs.

Pitons left on the route (not extracted) — 1 pc.

7. Team's travel hours: 12 h, days — 1.
8. Overnights — 0
9. Leader: Samoylenko Vladimir Vasilievich — 1st sports category

Participants:

• Efimov Alexander Vladimirovich — CMS
• Koval Konstantin Mikhailovich — 2nd sports category
• Mishkel Yulia Frantsevna — 2nd sports category
• Fleer Leonid Alexandrovich — 2nd sports category
• Tsyban Olga Leonidovna — 2nd sports category
• Chebusheva Elena Leonidovna — 2nd sports category

10. Coach: Kozak Leonid Romanovich — MS.
11. Route approach: August 9, 1992

Summit: August 9, 1992 Return: August 9, 1992

12. Organization: Dnepropetrovsk regional federation of mountaineering, Alpclub "Dnieper".

Brief description of the route

From the base camp on the meadow near the cowshed — ascent along the trail to its turn towards the Sochi pass, from where up the grassy slopes between rock outcrops — ascent to the ridge. From the camp to the ridge — about 2 hours.

The route begins with a control tour. From it, along simple rocks to a grassy ridge with rock outcrops (400 m). Then a sporty descent (5 m) and along the grassy ridge approach the first gendarme, which is bypassed on the right. Here, a 10 m rappel down steep moderate rocks and further along the simple ridge to the second gendarme. From it, a 15 m rappel down difficult steep rocks. Further along inclined shelves (40 m) approach the third gendarme. It is bypassed along scree shelves, descending 10–15 m, then along the inner corner and a narrow diagonal crack, ascend to a horizontal shelf. On the shelf — a control tour.

From the shelf, ascent via:

• a steep narrow chimney
• or its right wall

The crack and chimney are climbed with protection through pitons and chockstones. Behind the chimney, without reaching the ridge, traverse the slope towards the snowpatch closing the couloir and traverse it alternately, with piton protection. Further along the scree slope and shelves — exit to the summit. From the base camp to the summit — 8 h 30 min.

Descent via route 2A cat. diff. along the South slope with a deviation to the right onto a large snowpatch and along the left bank of the stream about 40 m, and then along the right — exit to grassy slopes and, traversing to the right, descend to the trail from the Sochi pass. Descent from the summit takes about 3.5 hours.

Route safety assessment

In good weather, the route is practically safe. In bad weather, the risk of falling on steep grassy slopes before reaching the ridge and on the descent after the snowpatch increases.

Descent from the summit to the snowpatch is rockfall-prone. In fog, it is difficult to find the optimal descent path.