Fig. 1

1. Ascent to the summit of Zapadnaya Kara-kaya (3570 m) from the Zapadno-Karakaysky pass — cat. diff. 6B (Fig. 1)

The approach to the Kara-kaya massif can be made by two variants:

1st variant. From Dombayskaya polyana, drive by car through Karachaevsk and stanitsa Kardanikskaya to the settlement of Rudnichny. Below Rudnichny, cross the river Aksaut via a log bridge, then proceed 700–800 m upstream along the river and ascend the slope to the right and upwards to a shepherd's trail. Follow the trail to the site of old sheepfolds and further across the glacier to the Yuzhno-Karakaysky pass. From Rudnichny, it takes 6–7 hours.

2nd variant. From Dombayskaya polyana, descend via Sulakhatsky or Alibeksky pass (through the "green hotel") to the Jalovchat glacier, cross it slightly above the tongue, and ascend a steep scree slope to the green shoulder of the northern spur of the Aksaut massif — bivouac site.

From Dombayskaya polyana: 8–9 hours (Sulakhatsky and Alibeksky passes — cat. diff. 1A).

From the bivouac, make a steep descent into the Aksaut valley — initially to the right and downwards towards the forest, then to the left and downwards, traversing several steep, loose couloirs, and exit to the right lateral moraine, descending into the Aksaut valley along it. Organizing a river crossing is challenging; it's better to walk 1–1.5 km upstream to the glacier tongue. Cross the glacier tongue to the right towards the canyon of the Zapadny Aksaut river, then exit onto the Zapadny Aksaut glacier and ascend to the right and upwards to the confluence of the Yuzhno-Karakaysky and Zapadno-Aksautsky glaciers. From here, ascend via snowfields and scree slopes, and to the right of the icefall, exit below a steep yellow-colored wall (rockfall hazard!). Continue across the glacier to the upper cirque and ascend to the right onto an avalanche cone descending from the slopes of Uzlovaya Kara-kaya. Cross the cone and exit to two snow-filled couloirs (45–50° steepness). Ascend the right, steeper couloir for 80–100 m (belay!) and exit to the rocks of the Yuzhno-Karakaysky pass saddle.

Descend to the western side of the pass onto the glacier (belay, crevasses!). Bypass the icefall to the left and ascend to the Zapadno-Karakaysky pass — bivouac.

From the bivouac on the shoulder of the northern spur of the Aksaut massif:

• 9–10 hours.

From the pass, ascend to the summit of Zapadnaya Kara-kaya:

• bypass the steep ascent of dark rocks and exit onto a buttress (piton belay!);
• follow the buttress to the western ridge and along it to the summit.

From the pass:

• 3–4 hours.

The descent via the ascent route takes 2.5–3 hours.

Recommendations for climbers

1. The number of participants in the group should not exceed 6–8 people.
2. Initial bivouac — Zapadno-Karakaysky pass.
3. Departure time from the bivouac — no later than 5–6 am.
4. Special equipment for a group of 4 people: a) main rope — 2×30 m; b) expendable cord — 2 m; c) rock pitons — 2–3; d) rock hammer — 1; e) carabiners — 6.
5. Possible bivouac site — on the pre-summit ridge.