Report
ON THE FIRST ASCENT TO THE SUMMIT NADEZHDA VIA THE NORTHERN SLOPE ROUTE, CATEGORY 2A COMPLEXITY, BY THE TEAM OF RSOO "FAM" MOSCOW, JULY 26, 2023
2024
I. Climbing Report Details
| № | 1. General Information | |
|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | Leader's Full Name, Sports Rank | Murashova Olga Dmitrievna, 3rd sports rank |
| 1.2 | Participants' Full Names, Sports Ranks | Pruyak Roman Valerievich, 1st sports rank |
| 1.3 | Coach's Full Name | - |
| 1.4 | Organization | RSFO "FAM" Moscow |
| 2. Climbing Object Characteristics | ||
| 2.1 | Region | Arkhyz, Krasnodar and Stavropol Krais up to Marukh Pass |
| 2.2 | Valley | Sofiyskoe Valley |
| 2.3 | Classification Table Section (2013) | 2.1 |
| 2.4 | Peak Name and Height | Nadezhda, 3355 m |
| 2.5 | Peak Coordinates (Latitude/Longitude), GPS | 43.42824, 41.2396 |
| 3. Route Characteristics | ||
| 3.1 | Route Name | Via the Northern Slope ("Last Hope") |
| 3.2 | Proposed Complexity Category | 2A |
| 3.3 | Route Exploration Level | First Ascent |
| 3.4 | Route Terrain Type | Combined |
| 3.5 | Route Elevation Gain (altimeter or GPS data) | 455 m |
| 3.6 | Route Length (in meters) | 800 m |
| 3.7 | Technical Elements of the Route (total length of sections by complexity category and terrain type) | 1st cat. complexity rocks — 50 m. 1st cat. complexity combination — 200 m. 2nd cat. complexity ice-snow — 100 m. 3rd cat. complexity ice-snow — 150 m. 4th cat. complexity ice/rocks/combination — 0 m. Closed glacier travel — 300 m |
| 3.8 | Descent from the Summit | Via non-category complexity to Sofiyskoe Valley |
| 3.9 | Additional Route Characteristics | Water available only at "sandy campsites" and at the start of Solovyov Glacier, otherwise not readily available along the route or descent. |
| 4. Team Actions Characteristics | ||
| 4.1 | Travel Time (team hours, in hours and days) | 5.5 hours |
| 4.2 | Overnight Camps | - |
| 4.3 | Route Start Time | 10:00, July 26, 2023 |
| 4.4 | Summit Arrival Time | 13:00, July 26, 2023 |
| 4.5 | Return to Base Camp Time | 15:30, July 26, 2023 |
| 5. Report Responsible Person | ||
| 5.1 | Full Name, e-mail | Murashova Olga Dmitrievna, murashova.olya@inbox.ru |
II. Climbing Report Description
1. Climbing Object Characteristics
Nadezhda Peak is one of the peaks of the Sofiyskiy Ridge. It is located within the North Caucasus Federal District of the Russian Federation, in the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, Arkhyz mountain region, and is part of the so-called Ak-Ayry horseshoe. The peak is easily identifiable from the "sandy campsites" (see Fig. 1, Fig. 3) located in the upper Ak-Ayry River valley. The peak's height is 3355 meters.
2. Route Characteristics
The route is traversed from the start to the saddle in a rope team, wearing crampons and carrying ice axes, across a closed glacier. The team moved simultaneously; technically, sections from R0–R1 to R4–R5 can be traversed alternately with stations on ice screws.
2.3. Technical Characteristics of Route Sections
| Section № | Terrain Type | Complexity Category | Length, m | Type and Number of Pits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R0–R1 | Closed glacier | 1 | 200 | 0 |
| R1–R2 | Closed glacier | 1 | 100 | 0 |
| R2–R3 | Combined | 1 | 100 | 0 |
| R3–R4 | Combined | 1 | 100 | 0 |
| R4–R5 | Ice-snow | 2 | 100 | 0 |
| R5–R6 | Ice-snow | 3 | 150 | 0 |
| R6–R7 | Rocky | 1 | 50 | 0 |
3. Team Actions Characteristics
Our rope team traversed the route simultaneously, using only personal safety gear (crampons, ice axes).
3.2. Team Photo at the Summit Cairn
Unfortunately, we did not familiarize ourselves with the report requirements in advance. Therefore, when on the summit, we did not particularly try to take a photo that would show the cairn clearly.
3.3. Route Safety Assessment
Communication can be achieved only through radio communication (walkie-talkies). Sections R2–R3 and R3–R4 may be rockfall-prone. There are several descent options from the summit.
- Recommended: Descent via the Southern Ridge of Nadezhda Peak. It is walked. The ridge's character is large scree. The trail is equipped with cairns. An additional plus is the better panoramic views of almost the entire Arkhyz.
- Via 1B (NE ridge); may require rappelling organization.
- Not recommended: Via the ascent route. The last snow-ice section is quite long and steep; several rappels will be required (on ice axes or snow anchors).
"Escape" paths on the route:
- Up to R2–R3 via the ascent route;
- From R2–R3 to R4–R5 via Solovyov Pass;
- Above R5 — only upwards through the saddle.