CLIMBING CLASS

CLIMBING AREA

PEAK, ROUTE

ESTIMATED DIFFICULTY CATEGORY

ROUTE CHARACTERISTICS

• NUMBER OF PITOONS DRIVEN
• NUMBER OF CLIMBING HOURS
• NUMBER OF NIGHTS ON THE ROUTE
• CLIMB LEADERS

PARTICIPANTS

TEAM COACH

DATE OF DEPARTURE AND RETURN

• Rock climbing
• Western Caucasus, North-West spur of the Sofiyskiy ridge between the Psyish and Sofiya rivers valleys. 3206
• "Bulgarian-Soviet friendship" (as proposed by the first ascenders) via the North-East slope and South-East ridge.
• 2B
• Combined (snow and rock), absolute height difference ~450 m.
• 5 (on ascent)
• 8.5
• not required on the route
• from BNR N. Popov, 1st sports category, from USSR E. Zaporozhchenko, Candidate for Master of Sports
• from BNR N. Semerdzhiev, Master of Sports, S. Beshev, Honored Master of Sports from USSR

Yanchenko V., 1st sports category, Gavrilov I., 1st sports category, Kosyakov P., 1st sports category, Smerchansky V., 1st sports category, Gorda R., Candidate for Master of Sports

• Popov V.P., Master of Sports USSR
• May 1, 1982 The unnamed peak 3206 m (absolute height — according to the state topographic plan M 1:25 000) is located in the middle part of the massif, towering over the Karadjasch tract in the North-West end of the Sofiyskiy ridge. It is clearly visible as a separate peak from various locations in the upper reaches of the Sofiya and Psyish hydrographic system (see photo 1 and 2). To the North-West of it is the peak named after G. Dimitrov (“Dimitrov-100”, 3226 m), to the South-East — the peak named after the Bulgarian Communist Party (“BCP”, 3160 m), first ascents of which were made by climbers from the Stavropol regional sports committee in early May 1982.

The peak "3206", as an object of the first ascent, was chosen during reconnaissance group trips in November and December 1981, as well as January 1982, and was approved by the coaching council of the joint Soviet-Bulgarian expedition "Arkhyz-82".

The most acceptable route for the first ascent seemed to be (in its initial part) along the steep snowy slope of the North-Eastern exposure to the saddle between the peaks "3206" and "3160". The relative avalanche safety of this path was assessed during the last reconnaissance (within the framework of the "Arkhyz-82" event) on April 30, 1982, by a snow and avalanche specialist from the VGI, Candidate of Geographical Sciences A. Runich.

The nearest classified peak — "3200", 1B category — is located to the South-West of the Stolichny pass.

The approach to the start of the route can be made via two options:

• from the "Syrzavod" clearing up the Kashka-Eshek river
• from the "Sofiya" shelter up the Gammash-Chat river

The first path option is questionable in terms of avalanche safety and, at least until the beginning of May, it is not recommended to use it. The second one is more preferable. The group of first ascenders used the approach from the "Sofiya" shelter. This path is described below.

From the "Sofiya" shelter (abs. mark 1830 m), through the snow (it melts in the shelter area on May 10–20), up the Gammash-Chat river to the first ledge, the ascent to which is carried out on the right along the cones of avalanches descending in winter from the peak named after Zaimov ("Zaimov-peak", 3011 m). At the top — a lake, known as "Zapятая" (Comma). To the right of the lake (covered with snow until the end of May), along the snowy slope, to the base of the second ledge.

At the right part of the base:

• a wide snowy couloir
• along it to the upper, inclined part of the ledge
• turn right and with ~20-degree ascent to the site of the assault camp in the immediate vicinity of the start of the route.

Overnight stay — on the snow, at the base of the rocky spur extending from the peak "3206" (see diagram). Absolute mark — ~2700 m. From the "Sofiya" shelter to the overnight stay — 4–6 hours of walking, depending on the snow conditions.

Route Description

From the overnight stay — ascent ~60 m along the snowy, on average 35-degree slope to the base of the North-Eastern slope under the saddle between the peaks "3160" and "3206".

Absolute mark — 2760 m. Slope steepness from 35° at the beginning to 60° when reaching the saddle. Section R0–R1. In rope teams, on snow, alternating movement straight up between rocky outcrops in the direction of the saddle, having an absolute mark of 2980 m. From 2930 m the slope steepness increases to 55–60°. Ascent in 3 pitches. Ropes. Avalanches descending from the South-East ridge of the peak 3206 m, go around the mentioned rocky outcrops, obviously not overlapping (photo 3). Nevertheless, the ascent must be carried out early in the morning. The ascent to the saddle takes ~2 hours. Section R1–R2. From the saddle, turn to the North-West and along the ridge (rocks covered with snow), left-up 50 m to the base of the wall-debris of the South-East ridge. Steepness ~50°. 0.5 hours. Section R2–R3. Straight up the center of the 40-meter wall (I option) or 10 m left-up to the inner icy corner and along the right side of the latter 35 m of complex climbing on piton belay (II option) to the upper inclined shoulder of the wall, abutting against another wall on the ridge. In front of it — a control cairn. The key point of the route! 1.5 hours. Section R3–R4. 10 m left-up on piton belay and then traverse along the wall with a slight descent 40 m, then right-up along the couloir h ~40 m — exit to the snowy shoulder of the ridge. 1 hour. Section R4–R5. Along the left side of the ridge (on the right — cornices!) ~150 m 25-degree ascent, leading to the pre-summit rocky escarpment, breaking off to the east and north with walls. 0.5 hours. Section R5–R6. Bypassing the escarpment on the left and, sticking to the left side of the pre-summit ridge, exit to it and further to the summit, ~120 m, d_avg = 35°. 0.5 hours. No signs of human presence were found on the summit. The cairn is being built for the first time. Rock — granitoid. To the North — steep ~70° slope, to the south — more gentle ~60°. To the North-West, in the direction of the South wall of the "Dimitrov-100" massif, the ridge is more complex than the passed South-East one (photo 4).

Descent — along the ascent path to R4. Not reaching ~20 m, turn south, towards the inclined snowy fields. Along the short South buttress descent ~20 m on top-rope, then 30 m of sport descent to a snowy shelf and along it left-down to R1, bypassing the complex section R2–R4. Time for descent from R6 to R1 ~2 hours.

When descending, the following sections must be taken into account:

• From the saddle — a section of 60-degree slope requires maximum attention and organization of reliable belay.
• From the assault camp to the assault camp the group spent 8.5 hours.

The leaders and participants of the first ascent evaluate the route as corresponding to the 2B category.

The group of first ascenders appeals with a request to name the peak "Bulgarian-Soviet friendship".

G. Dimitrov, in honor of whose 100th birthday the joint Soviet-Bulgarian expedition "Arkhyz-82" was organized, bequeathed to cherish and develop the friendship between the Bulgarian and Soviet peoples.

Possible subsequent first ascent routes — along the NW ridge and NE counterfort — 3A or 3B category.

LEADERS: from BNR N. Popov from USSR E. Zaporozhchenko May 15, 1982 Pyatigorsk.

TABLE

main characteristics of the route of the first ascent to the peak named Bulgarian-Soviet friendship