80. Aylama via the Northeast ridge-slope (ice and snow route, G. Wullea, cat. 4A, fig. 5, 17). From the Aylama camps (camp 44) cross (closed crevasses) the Western branch of the Aylama glacier and, along the snowy slopes on the right side of the Western branch, move towards the Eastern walls of the Aylama summit. Here, turn right and, following the center, bypass numerous crevasses of the heavily crevassed Northwest short steep branch, which flows into the Western branch of the Aylama glacier, and approach the left side of the upper part of the Northeast ridge of the summit (closed crevasses). Then:

• 500–600 m upwards, keeping to the right side of the steep heavily crevassed ice and snow Eastern slope;
• ascend to the Northeast ridge at the point where it turns into the ice and snow slope of the summit dome. From here, ascend 300–350 m up and to the right along the steep ice and snow slope, bypassing ice cliffs and drops (avalanches, ice falls). Below are the ice falls of the North wall! Then turn left and, along the gradually flattening 400–500-meter snow slope (avalanches), reach the summit of Aylama. From the initial bivouac, 6–10 hours. M. Chertkov's group ascended to the Northeast ridge from the Dykhsu glacier. Fig. 17.

76. Aylama via the West Ridge (combined route, I. Marra, category 4B difficulty, fig. 5, 15, 17). From the upper plateau of Koruldashi Glacier (m. 72), approach the wide snowy southern slope of the saddle between Aylama Malaya peak and the Big Sharp Gendarme of Aylama's West Ridge. From the plateau, cross the bergschrund on the left side of the steep wide snowy slope, 400–500 m up, to the right of the rocks of the East Ridge of Aylama Malaya peak. Having overcome the second bergschrund or bypassed it on the left via the rocks, 600–700 m up and to the right, towards the couloir on the left side of the Big Gendarme. Follow the winding couloir, known as the "Zmeika" (Snake) couloir, 150–200 m up, to

Fig. 15.

Description of the First Ascent Route

To the summit of Peak Айлама (Ailama) via the Western spur of the South wall, climbed on July 20-25, 1966, by a team from the Kuibyshev Regional Council of the "Trud" Sports Society. Ailama is located in the Main Caucasus Range. To the west of the summit, beyond the Unamusso pass ("Бессовестный" or "Shameless"), lies Peak Нуам-Куам (Nuam-Kuam), with a ridge connecting it to the summit of Восточная Шхара (Eastern Shkhara) via peaks 4250 m and 4100 m. Beyond the so-called "saw" of Ailama, the ridge turns south towards the summit of Цурунгал (Tsurungal), and then eastwards through peaks Черная Незнакомка (Black Stranger, пик Алеши Джапаридзе or Aliocha Djaparidze Peak) and Белая Незнакомка (White Stranger) to the Шерри–Вцек (Sherri-Vtsek) pass. The Ailama ridge stretches for a considerable distance. The western ridge has a steepness of up to 55° in its lower half and is characterized by a system of snow and ice undulations with steepness ranging from 25° to 75° in its upper part. The eastern ridge of the summit is primarily rocky and is known as the "Pила Айламы" (Ailama Saw), indicating its highly serrated nature. Along the entire length of the massif's ridge, steep walls with significant relative heights drop to the north and south; those to the north are mostly snow and ice, while those to the south are more rocky. Due to the remoteness of this mountain region from permanent alpine camps, until 1965, only a few sports groups, always consisting of high-class climbers, ascended Ailama. Most of these groups followed the ridge of the massif, undertaking extensive traverses of the crest.

501114

Benkin 2–3

69. Ai­lama via South­east Ridge (com­bi­na­tion route, E. Abal­a­kov, cat.5B, fig. 5, 15, 16). From Tsurun­galskaya saddle of the Main Caucasus Range (point 65, 63):

• 250–300 m up­wards over rocks of medium dif­fi­cul­ty be­low the first rock tur­ret of Ai­lama South­east Ridge;
• 200–220 m up­wards over rocks of me­dium-above dif­fi­cul­ty and dif­fi­cult rocks, cor­n­ers, couloirs to the tur­ret's shoulder;
• 50–60 m along a nar­row ledge on the left from the shoulder;
• 120 m up­wards over snow­cov­ered, de­stroyed rocks of me­dium dif­fi­cul­ty of the couloir to the snow col be­hind the I tur­ret.

Fig. 15.

ASCENT ON AILAMA VIA THE SOUTH FACE

Report

of the combined team of climbers from the A. Japaridze Georgian Alpine Club, Tbilisi, 1965
THE AILAMA MASSIF FROM THE SOUTH.

Introduction

The Ailama massif stretches in a latitudinal direction. To the west, Ailama is adjacent to the peaks of Nuamkuam and the Bezengi Wall, separated from Ailama by a low, heavily dissected ridge with numerous gendarmes and deep gaps. The Main Caucasian Range runs south from Ailama to the peak of Tsurungal and further to the Ardon River gorge, where the Digor chain continues.

Description of the Ascent Route to the Summit of AYILAMA via the South Face

The summit of AYILAMA (4537 m) is located in the MAIN CAUCASUS RANGE between the peaks of NUAM-KUAM (4283 m) to the west and TSURUNGAL (4342 m) to the east. The lower, base part of the summit is composed of heavily weathered schist rocks. The upper part rises as inaccessible vertical bastions made of light gray granite. The grandiose South Face of AYILAMA towers directly above the "AYILAMA" alpine camp. The path from the "AYILAMA" alpine camp goes along a trail on the right (orographic) bank of the Koruldashi River, then the trail crosses to the left (orographic) bank and proceeds along an old moraine overgrown with forest. This moraine leads to a small glacier, covered with snow and rocks, under the South Face of AYILAMA. To the left lies the icefall of the Koruldashi Glacier. In the lower part of the face, three counterforts are clearly visible, separated by couloirs.

Climbing Passport

1. Snow and ice class.
2. Central Caucasus, Dykh-Su valley.
3. Peak Aylama via the center of the North face.
4. Proposed category: 5B, first ascent.
5. Elevation gain: 1475 m, route length — 2333 m. Average steepness of main sections — 53°. Including 6th category sections up to 95° — 27 m.
6. Pitons driven: rock — 5 bolt hangers — 3