The main summit of Psysh mountain (3509 m) is located in the Main Caucasian Range, in the upper reaches of the Psysh river between the passes:

• to the west — Naur,
• to the east — Chamagvara

and glaciers:

• Northern Psysh,
• Southwest Psysh.

In addition to the main summit, there is also the Eastern summit of Psysh, to which the Busha glacier is adjacent from the north, and the Skeu glacier from the south. The North-Psyshsky and Busha glaciers are separated by an ice isthmus, to the north of which the Tokmak peak rises in a beautiful pyramid (see orographic diagram, photo I). There are no classified routes to any of the peaks in the upper reaches of the Psysh gorge.

Only in the upper reaches of the Amanauz river — a left tributary of the Psysh river — were four routes to the peaks climbed and classified in 1978:

• Akademika Kalesnik (2A and 3B)
• 60 let VLKSM (2B and 3B)

The present first ascent route to the Main Psysh appears to be the least difficult of the possible ones; the routes from the north are approximately 3A–4A category (photo 2), along the southern ridge: 2B–3A category of difficulty.

The base camp is either the lower Naur lake (photo 4) or the Naur pass (on the southern slope).

The path along the Psysh river to the Naur lakes and the Naur pass is described in the book by V. Arsenin, N. Bondarev, and E. Sergievsky "Mountain travels in the Western Caucasus". Moscow, "Fizkultura i sport", 1978. Note that from the Arkhyz bus station to the lakes is about 30 km. Of these, 14 km are a road accessible to passable vehicles.

However, given the status of the reserve and the presence of two guarded barriers (the second one at the 6th km), it is not possible to enter the Psysh river valley by vehicle without special permission.

On the 16th km of the trail, which abounds with descents, ascents, and windfalls, taking into account the crossing of the Amanauz river, it takes 5–7 hours.

From the lower Naur lake (abs. mark 2650 m) to the Naur pass – 1.5–2 hours of walking.

From the Naur pass, the Western ridge is a rocky fence of needles and towers, and it seems less logical to follow it immediately from the pass than to reach the ridge from the North or Southwest Psysh glacier.

For the first ascent, the second path was chosen (assuming that this peak has not tempted anyone to an illegal first ascent in the past — the group is not taking a risk).

From the Naur pass, descend left — down ≈100 m in height to the tongue of the Southwest Psysh glacier and along its orographically right edge along the ridge coming from the pass, upwards. The ridge to the glacier is cut off by walls of light gray granite and is separated from the glacier by a randkluft. The height of these walls gradually decreases along the way.

The path leads to a section where:

• the height of the walls decreases to ≈20 m,
• there is a snow bridge across the randkluft.

This is a characteristic and the simplest place to reach the ridge. Up to this point and further, until the ice gully separating the sub-summit on the Western ridge and the summit, the beginning of the route would be more complicated (photo 3).

In addition, higher up the glacier — numerous zones of large crevasses. Movement along the glacier in teams (closed crevasses), 1–1.5 hours from the Naur pass.

The beginning of the route. Absolute mark ≈2900 m.

Route description

Section R0–R1. Wall. It is climbed through a system of oblique slots that "accept" nuts well (3 pcs.).

At the exit to the upper (above the wall) shelf, a stone cairn is built for orientation. Here is the most expedient path. 20 m, Ω = 85°, 1.

Above — a steep slope of a system of scree shelves, snow-covered, with individual patches of snow.

Section R1–R2.

Through a snow cushion (photo 5), along steep scree shelves left — upwards, then to the right, through one of several rocky slots, to the Western ridge. At the exit point, a cairn is also built.

120 m, Ω = 60°, 2.

Section R2–R3. Long, sometimes narrow, sometimes wide ridge, with gentle areas alternating with steep ones, with frequently encountered small walls. Simultaneous movement. 300 m. Ω = 40°, 2. At the end of the section, there is a wall-like ascent, which can be bypassed either to the right and then along the chimney left — upwards to the sub-summit, or to the left along the wall.

Section R3–R4. The characteristic rocky "Beak" on the ridge is overcome:

• first on the wall H = 35 m, Ω = 80°, difficulty category 3, with 3–4 nuts,
• then by a short traverse along its left side with a slight descent to the snowy ridge at the base of the latter.

The ridge begins immediately behind the rocky massif of the sub-summit with the "Beak" gendarme on the right.

An alternative (equivalent) is to go right-upwards along the base of the gendarme and exit along a wide steep chimney (to the right — an ice gully) to approximately the same point.

Section R4–R5. Along the wide snowy ridge with a stony scree of 25–30° steepness (inclined plateau, photo 6) simultaneous movement L = 100–120 m, to the icy summit ascent. 2.

Section R5–R6. 80 m of the left slope with a steepness of up to 50° (on average ≈40°) with an exit to the snowy-firn gentle part of the Western slope (to the right of the snow-covered rocks). 3. Crampons, ice screws (6 pcs.). In the first half of the summer, the slope is obviously covered with snow and its overcoming is simplified.

Section R6–R7. Upwards to the right 20–25°, along compacted snow (photo 7), to the summit point (photo 8). To the east, the ridge drops off with walls. To the south — about 60 m another summit point (photo 9), from which a steep southwestern ridge descends. A summit cairn is built. Descent along the ascent route: from R6–R5 — athletic, from R4–R3 and from R1–R0 — rappels.

Ascent from the start of the route to the summit 5–6 hours. Descent 2–3 hours. From the base camp to the summit and back II — 12 hours.