February 22, 1982
ASCENT DOCUMENT
| ASCENT CLASS | — Rock climbing |
|---|---|
| ASCENT AREA | — Western Caucasus, Northwestern spur of the Sofiyskiy ridge to the north from the Karadjasch pass, 3130 m |
| PEAK, ROUTE | — "BATAK" (proposed by the first ascenders) via the southern ridge from the Karadjasch pass |
| EXPECTED DIFFICULTY CATEGORY | — 2A |
| ROUTE CHARACTERISTICS | — Ridge route, absolute elevation gain 330 m |
| NUMBER OF PITS SET | — 2 (on the ascent) |
| DURATION OF THE ASCENT | — 3.5 hours |
| NUMBER OF NIGHTS SPENT | — No overnight stays required on the route |
| ASCENT LEADER | — E. Zaporozhchenko, Candidate for Master of Sports |
| PARTICIPANTS | — I. Gavrilov, 1st class |
| TEAM COACH | — V. Popov, Master of Sports of the USSR |
| DATE OF DEPARTURE AND RETURN | — September 1, 1982 |
The unnamed peak — 3130 m — is located in the Northwestern part of the Sofiyskiy ridge, to the north from the Karadjasch pass. Further north lies the peak named after the Bulgarian Communist Party (BCP, 3160 m), which was first ascended in May 1982 (photo 2). To the south, above the Karadjasch pass, rises the Kelbashi peak (3243 m).
The 3130 m peak was identified as a target for a first ascent during the spring alpinist gathering "Arkhyz-82" organized by the Stavropol krai sports committee. It was intended to be another peak named in honor of the Soviet-Bulgarian friendship between the Stavropol krai of the RSFSR and the Pazardzhik district of the NRB, thus adding to the list of peaks in the "Bulgarian corner" of the Sofiyskiy area in Arkhyz. The most logical route along the ridge from the Karadjasch pass was chosen (photo 1).
The summer assault camp is most conveniently established near the lake below the "60 years of KChAO" peak. This camp can be reached in approximately 4 hours either from the "Sofia" shelter or from "Poliana-2000" ("Syrzavod" in the Sofia river valley).
The ascent can be made in both summer and winter.
From the assault camp by the lake below the "60 years of KChAO" peak, traverse across snowy fields, large scree, and fine scree slopes to the Karadjasch pass (~2800 m). 1–1.5 hours.
The ridge drops to the pass via the wall of the Southern buttress. The route begins directly from the pass.
Route Description
Section R0–R1. Move left around the edge of the buttress, ascend the stepped rocks, then traverse across large scree and further up the rocky slope on the Western side of the buttress via a weakly defined couloir towards the saddle in the Northern ridge. Not far from the latter (photo 3), the buttress drops almost vertically to the south towards the pass and to the east; from the west, it has a slope of about 50°, and its upper part, where it transitions into the ridge, features two characteristic "horns". Aim for the saddle between these "horns" (the simplest of the possible routes to ascend to the start of the Northern ridge).
From the saddle (absolute elevation 2950 m), turn left and ascend a 20-meter, 55° rock wall onto the top of the second "horn". This marks the entry onto the ridge. Cairn. Section R1–R2. Traverse 80 m along the narrow ridge until it becomes a "fence" with complex rocks leaning to the east. Before the "fence", there's a small saddle. Oblique leftwards along ledges with a slight ascent to the first couloir, which re-emerges onto the ridge (60 m). Ascend directly up the couloir for 25 m (75°) back onto the ridge and then up a 10 m wall to the top of a gendarme (2 pitons). Traverse 30 m along the narrow ridge (partly "on top") to a 5-meter gap (photo 4). Descend through the gap with an 80° face-in descent with protection via a ledge (in winter — rappel!). Then move with alternating protection along the ridge or slightly left of it: first, ascend 25 m, then descend 30 m to the next saddle before the "Head" gendarme. Steep walls flank both sides. The saddle has a cairn at the 2950 m mark.
Section R2–R3. From the saddle, descend 10 m and bypass the "Head" gendarme on the right, passing below (and to the side of) a сквозная scatter in the ridge, with a wedged rock (photo 5), and ascend back onto the ridge (photo 6). Continue along the ridge with protection using numerous ledges or mini-gendarmes for ~100 m to the summit. Cairn built on first ascent. Absolute elevation — 3130 m.
Descent
- To the saddle below the Southern wall of the "BCP" peak along the widening ridge downwards to the ~3000 m mark — via rocks of difficulty 2, 100 m, ~45°.
- Then rightwards (East) 60 m across rocks resembling "ram's foreheads" with scree material onto a rocky shoulder. Slope ~60°. Protection required! Rock difficulty — 3.
- From the shoulder, steep snowy slopes (45°–50°) lead down to the assault camp (winter descent — follow the ascent path or possibly westwards and under the western slopes of the peak — to the Karadjasch pass).
The first ascenders classify the route as a rock climb, ridge route, corresponding to the 2A category of difficulty. The first ascenders request that the peak be named "BATAK" — after the Bulgarian twin city of Georgiyevsk in Stavropol krai, a historical center of the April Uprising of 1876 against the Turkish yoke.
TABLE of main characteristics of the first ascent route to the "BATAK" peak
(Date: September 1, 1982)
| Section | Average slope | Length, m | Relief | Difficulty | Condition | Weather conditions | Rock pitons | Ice | Bolted pitons |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R0–R1 | 50° | 220 | Rocky | 1 | Average degree of weathering | Clear | – | – | – |
| R1–R2 | 0° | 250 | Narrow ridge with gaps and gendarmes | 3 | Rocks of average strength | — | 2 | – | – |
| R2–R3 | 45° | 120 | — | 1 | — | — | – | – | – |
Conditions:
- Rocky
- Icy
- Bolted
Relief type:
- Rocks
- Narrow ridge (numerous ascents and descents) with gaps of average and above-average strength (gendarmes 2–3)