Fig. 27

1. Ascent to the summit of Glavny Amanauz (3757 m) from the Amanauzsky Pass — category 3b difficulty (Fig. 27)

From Dombayskaya Polyana across the bridge over the Alibek River and along the trail to the crossing over the Amanauz River. Crossing to the right bank, then:

• along the moraine,
• through the "barany lby" to the Amanauzsky Glacier,
• along the glacier to the terminal moraine below the West Amanauz Glacier.

From Dombayskaya Polyana 3–4 hours.

Further (in rope teams!), ascent to the Amanauzsky Pass between the peaks Glavny Amanauz and Sofruju. Ascent on the right side of the heavily crevassed glacier. In the upper part, under the slopes of Zub Sofruju peak, one should move to the middle of the glacier due to possible firn avalanches from the slopes of Zub Sofruju. The exit to the pass is via a bergschrund on a steep (50°) snowy slope — 120 m (belaying!), slightly to the left of a rock outcrop. There is a bivouac site on the pass. From Dombayskaya Polyana 8–9 hours.

From the pass, along the несложным скалам (easy rocks) of the western ridge to the gendarme. Bypass the gendarme on the right and continue along the ridge to the red gendarme.

Ascent to the red gendarme directly (pitons for belaying!) and, before reaching the summit of the gendarme, bypass it on the right to a gap (cam!). Through the gap, exit to the left side of the gendarme, descend along the slabs to the ridge (pitons for belaying!) and along it to the black gendarme.

Ascent to the black gendarme via the right couloir, descend to the ridge, along it to the summit rise and further along the несложным скалам (easy rocks) to the summit.

Total time:

• From the pass to the summit: 6–7 hours
• Descent along the ascent route to the pass: 4–5 hours

Recommendations for climbers

1. Number of participants in the group — not more than 8 people.
2. Initial bivouac — Amanauzsky Pass.
3. Departure time from the bivouac — not later than 5:00 am.
4. Special equipment for a group of 4 people: a) main rope 2 × 30 m; b) expendable reepschnur — 3 m; c) rock pitons — 6–8; d) ice pitons — 2 (in the second half of summer); e) rock hammers — 2; f) carabiners — 8; g) crampons — 4 pairs (in the second half of summer).
5. Possible bivouac sites: 1st — behind the first gendarme; 2nd — behind the second gendarme; 3rd — on the ridge between the second and third gendarmes; 4th — behind the third gendarme; 5th — on the ridge between the third and black gendarmes; 6th — on the black gendarme; 7th — in the hollow before the summit rise; 8th — on the summit.