Report on the Ascent in the Area

of the Main Caucasus Range and its spurs from Marukh pass to Nakhar pass to the summit of Glavnaya Karakaya via NW wall (left part) (3896 m) by the team of instructors from DOMBAY alpine camp:

• SAVCHUK V.A. — CMS
• KOROTKOV V.A. — MS
• KARPOV Yu.G. — CMS
• PERKOVSKY L.I. — CMS
• MOCHNIKOV E.I. — CMS
• AZARYEV I.A. — 1st sports category

Team coaches: MAGOMEDOV Kh.K.; KUROCHKINA Z.V.

DOMBAY — 1974

I. Geographical Description of the Ascent Area

The Karakaya massif is a huge rocky pyramid rising north of the Main Range, in the Myysty-bashi spur. The northern and southern slopes have small glaciers, while the northwestern slope has a significantly larger glaciation area, where the S. Marukhsky glacier is located.

To the west of Glavnaya Karakaya (3896), a ridge stretches in a semi-circle, featuring: Deitokaya, Protokaya, Uzlovaya peak (Dvuuška) and Zapadnaya Karakaya. To the northwest, all peaks drop off with walls. The massif is primarily composed of gneisses, prevalent in the Western Caucasus region, and schists, layered within the gneisses. Weather conditions are characteristic of the northern part of the Western Caucasus.

The closest alpine base area is Dombay. From Dombay to the Rudnichny settlement in the upper reaches of Aksaut — a day's journey. The KSP of the Aksaut region is located in Rudnichny.

From Rudnichny settlement, via the Северо-Karakaysky or Khaleh passes to the Северо-Marukhsky glacier, where the glaciological station of the USSR Academy of Sciences is located — 3–5 hours.

The Северо-Marukhsky glacier is gentle, with a short feeding zone. The height of the upper plateau is 2900 m.

The Karakaya massif, like most other peaks in the Aksaut region, is undeservedly rarely visited by climbers.

Excellent weather conditions, good access routes, and an abundance of classified and unclassified, rocky and combined routes of various difficulty categories make the area of significant interest for alpinism, despite the relatively low absolute heights (up to 3900 m).

2. Sports Characteristics

The area has been explored for alpinism since 1934. On Glavnaya Karakaya, routes have been laid along the E ridge — 2B category of difficulty, and along the northern ridge — 4A category of difficulty.

In 1965, a group of sports masters from the "KRASNAYA ZVEZDA" alpine camp, led by R. Andreev, ascended the NW wall of Glavnaya Karakaya via the right part. The group completed the route in three days and rated it as 6th category of difficulty.

The left part of the wall, in terms of its main characteristics — average and most difficult sections' steepness, height difference, relief, and rock character — is similar to the right part ascended by R. Andreev's group, which was classified as 5B category of difficulty.

Route Description

From the Северо-Marukhsky glacier plateau, ascend a steep snow slope to the bergschrund. Cross the bergschrund at a break in the snow slope via steep, smooth rocks — 40 m. Careful piton belay.

Then, ascend to the right and upwards across slabs and broken rocks to the base of a black, overhanging wall. Continue to the right and upwards, beneath a small waterfall (with ice in the morning), via a crack — to reach slabs. Very difficult climbing. Climb vertically upwards for 20 m to a ledge. Bypass the ledge from above and reach a smooth slab. Few handholds; two ladders were hung for passage. Then, ascend a cleft to an overhanging cornice. Difficult climbing. From the start of the route — 5 ropes.

Then, ascend broken rocks of medium difficulty directly upwards, beneath a somewhat defined rib — three ropes. Rockfall hazard. Reach the rib to the left via a very steep and smooth wall onto a poorly defined rib. Then, to the right of a very steep snow slope with rime ice and numerous signs of falling rocks, continue up the rib — two ropes. Difficult climbing. Reach a steep ledge.

Along an inclined ledge with a small snow patch — to the base of the wall. Overnight here.

• Space for a 4-person tent.
• 7 m below — space for 2 people to overnight.

No other overnight spot on the route.

From the overnight spot, climb 20 m to the right. Climbing of medium difficulty.

Then:

• Up a steep, smooth wall ("tiles"), difficult climbing, to beneath a poorly defined rib.
• Along the rib for 40 m to a chimney.
• Climb the chimney, initially inside, then exit to the right onto the wall — 5 m — and onto the rib.
• To the right, up a smooth gully to the rib.
• Along the rib directly upwards to the base of the summit bastion.
• Bypass the bastion to the left and upwards, crossing a gully that leads from the pre-summit gendarme.
• Up a steep wall with loose rocks — to a short horizontal ledge.
• Then, beneath an overhanging cornice — to the pre-summit ridge.

Along the ridge, via несложными скалам to the summit. The group descended via the northern ridge to the Северо-Karakaysky pass. 4A category of difficulty.

TABLE of main characteristics of the ascent route:

• Ascent route — Glavnaya Karakaya via NW wall (left part)
• Height difference of the route — 916 m.
• Including complex sections — 810 m.
• Steepness of the route — 72°
• Including complex sections — 77°

Bivouac on the wall (photo by Azaryev I.A.)