Fig. 22

1. Ascent to the summit of Zub Sofruju — category 2B (Fig. 22)

From Dombayskaya Polyana, cross the bridge over the Alibek River and follow the trail to the stream descending from the large Belalakaysky couloir. Cross the stream to the snowfield and ascend 300 m up. Then, move left into the Sofrujinsky couloir (prone to rockfall!) and ascend it to a large overhanging rock. Continue straight up the steep section to the trail and follow it to Medvezhya Polyana (Bear Glade). From Medvezhya Polyana, initially follow alpine meadows (trail), then snow, and after 300–350 m, move left of the eastern slopes of Belalakaya to reach the Sofrujinsky bivouac. The journey from Dombayskaya Polyana takes 5–6 hours. From the bivouac (in rope teams!), descend to the Sofrujinsky Glacier, traverse between the upper and lower icefalls, and reach the base of the summit massif. Ascend the steep (50–55°) snow slope (partially rocky), reach the ridge, and follow it to a snow saddle. Continue along the snowy ridge to a wall. In the second half of summer, ice is present on this section — crampons and ice axes are required. The ridge is sharp (belay required!).

• Ascend the 18–20-meter wall (2 pitons!)
• Continue along the broken ridge to a steep ascent

Fig. 22

1. Ascent to the summit of Zub Sofrudju — category 2B (fig. 22)

From Dombayskaya polyana across the bridge over the Alibek river and along the trail to the stream descending from the large Belalakay sky cuolar. Across the stream onto the snowfield and 300 m up. Then left into the Sofrudju cuolar (rockfall hazard!) and up to a large overhanging rock. Then straight up a steep section to the trail and along it to Medvezhya polyana. From Medvezhya polyana:

• initially along alpine meadows (trail),
• then across snow,
• and after 300–350 m, left of the eastern slopes of Belalakaya — exit to the Sofrudju bivouac. From Dombayskaya polyana — 5–6 hours. From the bivouac (in teams!), descend to the Sofrudju glacier, traverse between the upper and lower icefalls, and exit below the massif of the summit. Ascend a steep (50–55°) snowy slope (partially rocky), exit onto the ridge and along it — to a snowy saddle. Then along the snowy ridge to a wall.

To the Classification Commission of the USSR Alpine Federation

REPORT

on the first ascent to the Sofruju peak via the southern wall on July 27-29, 1972

I. Group Composition:

Gubanov Yu. D. — leader, Candidate for Master of Sports, senior instructor of the Dombay region Climbing School, unattached, "Burevestnik" Sports Society, Dombay settlement. Prima Yu. V. — participant, Candidate for Master of Sports, radio instructor of the Dombay region Climbing School, unattached, "Burevestnik" Sports Society, Dombay settlement. Khamtsov A. P. — participant, 1st class, junior instructor, unattached, "Burevestnik" Sports Society, Dombay settlement, Alibek alpine camp worker. Support group led by Candidate for Master of Sports Vorobyev D. G., parallel route on the Main Amanauz peak via the southern wall, category 5B difficulty.

II. Alpine and Geographical Overview of the Sofruju Massif.

Fig. 26

2. Tra­verse of Sofru­dzhu peak from the north-east — category 2B (fig. 26)

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 mo­rena and over the "baa­ran­y lby" to the Ama­nauz­sky gla­cier, and along it to the ter­mi­nal mo­rena under the Zapad­no-Ama­nauz­sky gla­cier. Camping site. From Domba­y­skaya Poly­ana — 3–4 hours. Further (in con­nec­tion!) as­cend to the Ama­nauz pass be­tween the peaks Glav­ny Ama­nauz and Sofru­dzhu. As­cend along the right side of the heav­ily cre­vassed gla­cier, then, in the up­per part, un­der the slopes of Sofru­dzhu Zub exit to the mid­dle of the gla­cier, as snow ava­lanch­es are pos­si­ble from the slopes of Sofru­dzhu Zub. Along the mid­dle of the gla­cier up to the bergschrund, cross the bergschrund over a snow bridge and up the steep snow slope (50°) to the pass. Exit to the pass to the left of the rocky out­crop at the pass point.

Fig. 25

1. Ascent to Sofrudju peak (3785 m) — cat. d. 1B (fig. 25)

From Dombayskaya polyana cross the bridge over the Alibek river and follow the trail to the stream descending from the large Belalakay couloir. Cross the stream to the snowfield and ascend it for 300–350 m. Then turn left into the Sofrudju couloir (danger of rockfall!) and ascend it to a large overhanging rock. Continue straight up the steep section to the trail and follow it to Medvezhya (Med­ve­zh­'ya) polyana. From Medvezhya polyana ascend 300–350 m up the eastern slope of Belalakay through the snow — exit to the Sofrudju bivouac. From Dombayskaya polyana — 5–6 hours.

General view from the south. Arrows indicate ascent routes. Semenov-Bashi, 3602 m

Via the central bastion of the southern wall. Cat. 3A

From al "Alibek" up along the trail leading to the training slopes of Semenov-Bashi peak. From the rocks up along the grassy slopes in the direction of the southern wall of Semenov-Bashi peak to the large snow circus under the wall. From "Alibek" - 3 hours. Along the snowy slope with a steepness of 25-30° up to the central bastion of the Southern wall (the start of the route is to the right of the red arrow drawn on a light 8-meter rock). Along the rocks first up, then to the right, crossing the couloir, exit under the wall. Along the wall up to a large shelf. Control cairn. From the shelf to the right-up along the system of inner corners, shelves, and ridges - exit to a loose mulda and along it to the "roof". Along the easy rocks of the roof - exit to the Eastern ridge and along it to the left to the summit. From the start of the route 6-8 hours. Descent via route 1B (see below). Recommendations:

• Group size: 6 people
• Initial bivouac: under the Southern wall

ASCENT PASSPORT

1. Ascent class — rock climbing
2. Ascent area — Western Caucasus (from Marukh pass to Nakhar pass)
3. Peak, its height, ascent route — Semyonov-Bashi peak 3602 m via the central bastion of the southern wall
4. Expected difficulty category — 3A
5. Height difference — 1100 m
6. Pitons driven (rock anchors for belaying) — 4
7. Number of travel hours — 5
8. Participants — Abarbarchuk Georgy Samuilovich, CMS, 2nd sports category. Boyko Viktor Viktorovich, CMS, 3rd sports category.
9. Date of team's departure on the route and return — July 8, 1981

Brief Description of the Approach

From the "Alibek" mountaineering camp in the direction of the "73" pass, follow the trail through the stream under the waterfall and then along the stream from the slopes of v. Semenov-Bashi up the trail to a steep grassy slope. Having passed it, exit to the left ridge of the upper moraine. Follow the trail on the moraine for about 500 m and then traverse left along a steep grassy-scree slope to the ridge of large and medium scree in a small hanging valley, going from the saddle between v. Semenov-Bashi and v. Maly Semenov-Bashi. Possible bivouac site, water available.

Brief Description of the Route

From the bivouac, follow the medium and large scree (at the beginning and middle of the season, along a snowy slope) 500 m in the direction of the saddle between v. Semenov-Bashi and v. Maly Semenov-Bashi and, 150 m before it, turn right onto a ledge. Along the 0.5–2 m wide ledge (1–2) 400 m to a snow-scree couloir, leading left of the "Lopata" gendarme. Up the couloir 100 m and, bypassing the gendarme on the left, 50 m along the ridge to a 35-meter wall with a vaguely defined internal angle, steepness 50–60°. Up the wall straight with piton belay (possible rockfall) to a sharp ridge. Then traverse 5 m to the right into an internal angle of slab-like structure, steepness 40°, and up it 35 m (pitons), exit to the ridge. Further along a gentle ridge 60 m — exit under the black wall. From here, traverse along a ledge to the right 40 m to a wide scree southern slope of the summit and along it 300 m to the right-up to a notch. Then 100–120 m along the ridge (route 1B cat. dif.) to the summit. Descent via route 1B cat. dif. Control tour is installed on the ledge when bypassing the "Lopata" gendarme. Here is also a convenient place for a forced bivouac.

Table of Main Characteristics of the Ascent Route

1. Ascent to Semenov-bashi peak (3608 m) from the southwest — 1b category of difficulty (Fig. 10)

From the “Alibek” alpine camp along the trail through the stream under the waterfall to the bivouac site. From Dombay plain 2.5–3 hours. From the bivouac:

• along the stream up the trail to a steep grassy slope;
• after passing the slope, exit to the left ridge of the upper moraine;
• further along the talus — to a wide couloir divided by a ridge into two parts. Up the ridge and through heavily destroyed rocks — exit under the ridge of the forepeak (in the couloir, it is possible to ascend to the left of the ridge, but the path is more rockfall-prone!). 50–60 m below the ridge — traverse to the right and through a gentle wall (15 m) along the shelves — exit to the forepeak. From the forepeak — descent into the gap (insurance, piton!) and along the destroyed rocks of the ridge (50–60 m) — exit to the summit. From the bivouac to the summit: 5–6 hours. The entire path is rockfall-prone! Descent along the ascent route to Dombay — 6–7 hours.

Recommendations for Climbers

South-east, 1B cat.

From Dombai clearing or h/c "Alibek" along the trail and grassy slopes and talus exit under Khrustalny pass, traverse steep spurs of the eastern ridge of Semenov-Bashi peak. Place for a bivouac — 3–4 hours. From the bivouac:

• Along a gentle slope in the direction of Khrustalny pass and, 100–150 m before the pass, left up a branched couloir.
• Up the couloir to the eastern ridge. Rockfall hazard!
• Then left along the ridge to the summit. Gendarmes are bypassed mainly on the right, downhill.
• At the beginning of summer — snow cornices on the north.