Central Council of the Student Voluntary Sports Society "Burevestnik"

Report

on the ascent to the summit of East Dombay-Ulgen via the center of the north wall

Team of the "Alibek" alpine camp

Team captain — Gubanov Yu.D. Team coach — Beletsky E.A.

71

Information about team members

1. Characteristics of the ascent route

The route can be divided into four parts, varying in complexity and requiring specific tactics for passage (Fig. 1).

The lower wall — from the glacier to the shoulder with a snowfield, corresponds in length and complexity to the 5B category route type Myshlyaev on Main Dombay. The length along the ropes is 590 m, height is 465 m, and the average steepness is 60°.

The central wall is sheer (even overhanging) in the lower half and very steep in the upper half. It is formed from very smooth monolithic rocks, partly covered with lichen (very slippery) with a small number of cracks. Its technical difficulty corresponds to the complexity of 6B category routes. The wall length is 553 m, height is 517 m, and steepness is 77°.

The edge, which is the boundary between the wall and the slopes descending from the summit, is composed of rocks with a complexity corresponding to the usual 5A–5B category route. The edge length is 306 m, height is 262 m, and steepness is 62°.

The summit tower consists of two sheer walls and an upper ice (in normal years) pre-summit slab. The rocks here also correspond to the complexity of a 5B category route. Its length is 540 m, height is 440 m, and steepness is 58°.

The route leads either directly to the summit or to the eastern ridge — to the standard 5B category route — 40–70 m from the summit (there is no technical difference in their complexity). The descent is made along the usual 5B category route ("East Dombay via the South wall") followed by a traverse through the Dombay pass.

The division of the route into parts and their subdivision into sections, as well as the main data on the route, are given in Fig. 1. Figures 2–5 show profiles of the summit by parts, and Fig. 6 shows the overall profile of the ascent route.

As already mentioned, the exact height of the wall has not been precisely established. According to Kosmachev — Struk, it is 1900 m (although their route starts 200–250 m above the described one). According to our altimeter measurements (three measurements), its height is 1500 m, and according to the profile schemes given in the text, it is 1684 m. However, the latter value is inaccurate as it includes route lengthening due to deviation from the vertical. The estimated deviation is 10%, so the wall height according to the maps is 1615 m. Apparently, until more accurate measurements are made, the wall height should be considered to be 1500 m.

The route thread runs practically along the vertical dropped down from the summit. The passed route completely coincides with the declared one. Along the Central wall, movement was conducted 10–30 m to the right of the indicated route, as the black vertical strip, taken during observation for a crack, turned out to be actually a wet, sometimes watery, part of the overall wall, which is potentially rockfall-prone (although the group did not notice any rockfalls). The group came out onto it once over a distance of several meters.

Night camps (except for the hanging one) were organized in convenient and safe places, and their location coincided with the expected ones. There are several more places suitable for organizing night camps (indicated in the table and text). It should be taken into account that preparing a platform for a tent requires 4–6 hours of daylight.

The main characteristics of the route are summarized in the "Table of main characteristics," placed in section IV.

7. Table of main characteristics of the ascent route

Ascent route — East Dombay-Ulgen summit via the center of the north wall.

Route elevation gain — about 1500 m. Elevation gain of the most difficult sections — 475 m. Route steepness — 65°. Steepness of the most difficult sections — 83°. Number of rock pitons driven — 379, bolt pitons — 26, including at bivouacs — 40/3.

Ice pitons — 1. Specific information on sections is given in tables 4–5. Photographs of the overall wall view, a telephoto shot of the wall, and photographs characterizing the route and the technique of its passage are placed at the end of the report after the text material.

Section maps are included in the appendix to the report.

Main characteristics of the ascent route

VI. Order of passage of the route

First day (August 1, 1971) — the group arrived by truck at about 19:00 with all their cargo in the Bu-Ulgen gorge, at the foot of the tourist camps on the descent from the Chuchkhr pass.

Second day (August 2) — one climber (2 people) made an ascent to the base camp site on the spur under the East Dombay wall. On the "ram's foreheads" of the rocky spur, permanent ropes were installed (12 pitons driven) for passage with a load and for the needs of observers. The base camp was equipped.

Third day (August 3) — the rope team consisting of Gubanov — Aganisyán processed the lower wall, passing most of it. After this team passed a long horizontal ledge (around 11 am), the rest of the command set out from the camp and lifted the public load (piton, carabiners, food, tents) almost to the place where the leading rope team had made its way.

Fourth day (August 4) — the group in full crossed the glacier (crampons, extra ice axes were left under the wall), the group reached the processed part of the route by 12:30, and then came out onto the shoulder under the central wall. Part of the group began to look for a safe place to set up a bivouac, while the rest lifted the equipment left from the previous day.

Fifth day (August 5) — processing of the key section began (Aganis Sidney — Bakurisky rope team), but bad weather did not allow full use of the daylight. At the end of the day, the Perkovsky — Chasov pair passed the processed section and brought pitons and other equipment.

The Gabelashvili — Perkovsky pair went 100 m up and to the right to scout the possibility of bypassing the overhang to the right. However, this path led to:

• loose, overhanging rocks,
• ledges of the right couloir,
• where rockfalls occur.

Sixth day (August 6) — Aganesyan and Bakursky passed the first bolt wall and 40 m of the wall. However, further work was hindered by bad weather.

Seventh day (August 7) — the group passed the previously processed part of the route, and then Perkovsky — Chasov processed the second bolt wall and hung ropes to a ledge where it is possible to set up a platform for a tent. However, the group and backpacks were significantly lower, and they had to spend the night on "ram's foreheads" under an overhanging wall. Three people slept in hammocks, the rest in a semi-reclining position on the ropes. There was a weak thunderstorm at night.

Eighth day (August 8) — they reached the ledge and built a platform for a tent and two "zdarkas" out of stones. This took about 5 hours and 30 minutes, as stones had to be lifted in backpacks from lower platforms.

During the 7th and 8th days, there was no water or snow anywhere. For 1 day, the group used a water reserve in flasks. The group was without water for about a day until a passing rain allowed them to collect about 4 liters of water.

In the afternoon:

• Chasov — Perkovsky passed the third bolt section;
• they approached the edge.

Ninth day (August 9)

• General movement upward
• The Aganisyán — Bakurisky rope team led the way on the further route
• As soon as the group approached the "ram's foreheads," a strong thunderstorm with snow broke out
• The platform was laid out over 4 hours
• Water was plentiful

Tenth day (August 10) — the sheer, icy rocks did not allow the group to start moving in the morning, so the Gubanov — Aganisyán rope team started processing only at 10:00 and, having passed about 100 m, was forced to return to the bivouac again. Almost immediately, a strong thunderstorm with hail broke out. From the bivouac, the path to the saddle under Main Dombay is visible. As we later found out, the group of the Lvovsky gathering, following us:

• reached the shoulder
• from there ascended to the summit.

VII. Evaluation of the route and the group's actions

Eleventh of August (August 11) — sunny weather facilitated the group's exit onto the route. The rocks quickly thawed. The Chasov — Perkovsky rope team passed the vertical walls and reached the ice on the pre-summit slab. Here, for the first time on the route, the entire load was transferred to backpacks, and further movement was made with backpacks. 200 m from the summit, a strong thunderstorm with snow and hail broke out. In one of the clearings during the thunderstorm, we saw a group on the 3B category route to the summit of Main Dombay and established voice contact. Soon the weather improved. The group reached the summit and began descending to the saddle along the 5B category route. However, due to wet rocks, the movement was slowed down, and the descent ended in the dark, with the ropes left on the lower part of the route.

Twelfth day (August 12) — the group removed the ropes and descended along the 5B category route. By 9:00, the group was at the "Alibek" camp.

From the camp, the group:

• sent a telegram about the successful ascent to the Committee for Physical Culture and Sports,
• then, in the presence of the Committee's authorized representative, Comrade Chereшкин D.S., who released the group on the route, conducted a debriefing on the ascent (the debriefing protocol is included in the appendix).

VIII. Conclusions and recommendations

The complexity of the route can be assessed by objective data (length, height of the route, required number of pitons, etc.) and subjective methods — by comparison with known routes. Information about the route is given in the table of main characteristics. The large overall height of the route and the steepness of the wall, and most importantly, the significant technical complexity throughout the route, indicate a considerable complexity of the route.

The route to East Dombay significantly surpasses in complexity the 5B and 6 category routes known to the team members. This opinion is supported by the team members of the Lvovsky gathering, who passed the route after the "Alibek" alpine camp team.

In the Dombay region, the passed route surpasses other routes in the region. In terms of steepness, the wall of Dvuzubka Amanauz is close to East Dombay, but its wall is smaller than the central wall of East Dombay.

Comparisons indicating the high class of the passed route:

• All wall routes in the region are usually passed in 2 days
• Total ascent time — 4 days

The route was passed by the team along the path initially declared. There were no deviations from the route. The team was released on the route by the representative of the Committee for Physical Culture and Sports, Comrade Chereшкин D.S., and in his presence, a debriefing on the ascent was conducted.

No extraordinary incidents or errors were made by the group; all participants of the storm group showed themselves to be well-prepared, physically and technically, for such ascents.

• The observation group worked clearly, timely observing the group and transmitting information via radio to the camp.

1. The route deserves the highest category of difficulty (6), as it corresponds to the technical difficulty and length of wall routes of this category.
2. When searching for alternative ascent options within the main direction, the group's preliminary conclusion about the inevitability of encountering objectively rockfall-prone wall sections should be taken into account.
3. When ascending in seasons following snowy winters, the icing in the upper part of the route should be taken into account.
4. Snow cover and icing will significantly complicate the ascent along this route, so July and the beginning of August should be considered the optimal period for the ascent.
5. The most favorable is the passage of the route by a group of 6 people (4 climbers will experience difficulties when pulling