Report on the Ascent of Donguz-Orun via the North Face

Geographical Location and Sporting Characteristics of the Ascent Object

The peak Donguz-Orun (4,452 meters above sea level) is located in the Main Caucasian Range, between the Donguz-Orun pass and the Becho pass. To the west of Donguz-Orun lies the peak Nakra-Tau, essentially serving as a shoulder of Donguz-Orun. Donguz-Orun, like Elbrus to its north, is characterized by significant glaciation. All three peaks of Donguz-Orun are covered by a powerful glacier, reaching thicknesses of 120–150 meters. On the southern side, towards the Nakra valley, this glacier has natural, gentle slopes. However, on the north, northwest, and northeast, due to the steepness of the slopes forming the walls, the summit glacial shield breaks off with sheer drops. The ice is expended in these directions through ice avalanches, making the northern walls of Donguz-Orun highly dangerous to traverse. The glacier on the peaks of Donguz-Orun is often referred to as the ice "cap" or simply "cap". The peaks of Donguz-Orun have been visited by climbers multiple times, with several ascent variations available. The most well-known route is the ascent via the northern ridge (4A category of difficulty), which is traversed annually by many climbing groups. Furthermore, ascending Donguz-Orun from the west, along gentle ice and snow slopes (2B category of difficulty), is quite common. This route is also typically used for descending from the summit after ascending via the northern ridge. Notably less frequent are ascents via two other routes:

Passport

1. Technical class.
2. Central Caucasus.
3. Donguzorun via M. Khergiani route on the North face.
4. 5B difficulty category.
5. Elevation gain: 1618 m, length 1900 m. Length of sections:

• 5th cat. diff. 1205 m.
• 6th cat. diff. 70 m. Average steepness of the main part of the route — 62°

44. Maly Donguzorun from the south (route 1Б category). From the "Baksan" alp camp along the highway up the Baksan valley. Before reaching the "Itkol" hotel, cross the bridge over the Baksan river below the confluence of the Donguzorun river, and also over the Donguzorun. Then move along the gorge path, which goes through a beautiful dense forest almost without ascent along the right bank of the Donguzorun; further, the path rises sharply, exits the forest and leads to the Donguzorunkel lakes. From the second lake:

• along the right bank of the river flowing into it, go to the right-bank moraine of the Nameless glacier, lying under the southern slopes of the Maly Donguzorun peak;
• then ascend the moraine and at its end, turning right, descend to the talus couloir descending from the East ridge, to the right of a small snowy slope of Maly Donguzorun (from the second Donguzorunkel lake — 1.5–2 hours);
• on the right or left side of the couloir (rockfalls go along the couloir!) ascent to the talus,

(Donguzorun Lesser Peaks via the Eastern Ridge, cat. 2A)

From the "Av" cafe to the bivouac. From the bivouac, ascend along the talus and simple broken rocks of the pinnacle slope of this peak, to the right of the counterfort, to its eastern shoulder. From the shoulder, move left and proceed along the wide talus ridge to a large snowpatch. Along the ridge (beware of cornices!) on the snowpatch, ascend to the talus, from which, via simple broken rocks and talus, reach the summit of Azau-Gitche-Chegetkar. (1 hour) From the summit, move west along the wide snow-covered simple rocky ridge, reaching the first rocky gendarme. Ascend the gendarme via the sharp steep rocky ridge, then descend 10 meters via rappel. Continue along the simple rocky ridge. The second gendarme is bypassed on the left via strongly broken rocks — the rocks are steep, requiring piton protection. After the gendarme, proceed along the simple rocks of the wide ridge to beneath the third gendarme — a slab-like formation. Bypass the gendarme on the left ("live" rocks, protection required). Further along the simple broken rocks of the wide ridge, reach beneath the tower of the Big Gendarme of the Eastern Ridge. From the ridge, ascend 5–7 meters up the wall of the gendarme, then traverse it along the steep rocks on the left side ("live" rocks, protection required), and descend 11–12 meters via rappel to the saddle of the talus ridge. Along the ridge, ascend beneath the rocky giant of the summit. From beneath the giant, traverse left along the yellow rocky ledge to a slab. Up and to the right along the slab (protection required!) to the ridge of the giant. From here, ascend along the simple broken rocks of the ridge to the summit of Donguzorun. From the summit of Azau-Gitche-Chegetkar — 4–5 hours. Descent from the summit via category IB difficulty from the south, along simple rocks to a slab.

• Down and to the left along the slab to the yellow rocky ledge.

Report on the Ascent of Maly Donguz-Orun Peak via the Eastern Ridge, Category 2A, by the MAC "Freeline" Climbing Team from 01.07.2018 to 01.07.2018

I. Ascent Passport

Route Description

From the "Baksan" alpine base, the group departed by car at 8:00 on June 30, 1975, to the lower station of the "Cheget" ropeway and ascended to the "Ai" café. From here, the movement:

• is to the right along the road for 20 minutes,
• then along a faintly marked trail,
• traversing the northeastern slopes of Maly Donguzorun peak,
• we ascend to a saddle in the northern ridge. This is the starting point of the route. The path from the "Ai" café to the saddle takes 3 hours. The first control cairn was set up on the saddle. At 14:00, the group began moving from the saddle in rope teams, to the right along the ridge on snow for 100–120 m below the wall. Up the steep wall (80° steepness) for 15 m to the right and upwards, and exit onto the ridge (pitons used for protection).

. Tactical plan of the ascent, breakdown by time, route sections, etc., UIAA scheme:

Description, Marinuto

The path from "Terekos" to "Kurnik". At the beginning, at the 14-year end, it does not provide conveniently erroneous simple and impeccable things. From "Kurnik" common smooth and short and dry oxidations, refusing oxidations. Along the length of oxidation, given in oxidation, in 12–14 years at 8:00–10:00:

• refusing smooth
• not refusing oxidation yielding from the execution of skis. The violation is not violated for oxidation, gives and 10 m. Inside conveniently marinuto, violation. With a violation at the 14-year end, and 80 m. Inside, violation, on

65. Traverse of the Donguzorun massif from east to west (route by V. Kabanov, category IIIA difficulty). The path from the "Baksan" alpine camp (group of 4-12 people) to the Eastern peak of the Donguzorun massif is described in routes 61 and 63. From the Eastern peak, ascent to the Main peak of the massif follows a broad rocky-snow ridge, with occasional steep sections, overcoming small gendarmes directly. Descent from the Main peak follows a snowy ridge with small connecting sections, as well as small gendarmes that can be passed directly, leading to the Western peak. Descent along the southwestern slopes with an overnight stay on a platform under the southwestern ridge of Nakra peak is described in route 56. Duration of the route is 3 days. Special equipment for 4 people: main rope - 2×30 m, auxiliary cordelette - 2 m, rock pitons - 3-4, ice screws - 4-5, rock hammers - 2, carabiners - 8, crampons - 4 pairs, tent - 1. Possible bivouac sites are practically available on all sections of the main massif's ridge. ("Baksan valley", A.F. Naumov)