172а

KSP Elbrus region

Report

on the first ascent in the technical class of the KSP Elbrus region team led by Nagorny S.I. ROUTE: peak ULLU-KARA via the center of the Western wall.

Main route characteristics table

Ascent Log

1. Category: technical
2. Ascent area: Central Caucasus, Adyl-Su valley
3. Peak: Ullukara (4302 m)
4. Route: via the center of the western face (S. Nagornyy's route), 5B cat. diff., 2.4.176(a)
5. Elevation gain: -682 m. Distance: -1170 m. Length of sections with VI cat. diff.: -80 m. Average steepness:
   • main part of the route (pillar): 50°

Passport

I. Rock class 2. Central Caucasus 3. Mt. Ullukara via the central pillar of the 3rd section of the wall 4. Proposed category: 5B, first ascent 5. Height difference: 672 m, route length: 1190 m Length of sections with category 5-6 difficulty — 400 m. Average steepness of the main part of the route — 49°. 6. Pitons driven: * rock pitons — 76

B.­Yuy­yu­ka­ra

on the left side of the NW wall

I. Climbing Passport

1. Climbing category — technical.
2. Climbing area — Central Caucasus.
3. Peak — Ullu-Kara via the left part of the north-eastern wall (first ascent).
4. Difficulty category: 5B, approximate.
5. Route characteristics:
   • total length — 1545 m.
   • height difference — 1300 m.
   • average steepness — 47°.
   • length of sections with 5.6 difficulty category — 500 m

ASCENT RECORD

1. Climbing category — ice and snow.
2. Climbing area — Central Caucasus.
3. Peak Ullu-Kara, 4302 m, via the right part of the north-eastern wall, ice and snow route.
4. Proposed difficulty category 5B.
5. Route characteristics: height difference 1300 m, length of sections with 5–6 category difficulty — 170 m, average steepness 47°.
6. Pitons used: rock — 13, ice screws — 60, protection gear — not used.
7. Total climbing hours — 19.
8. Number and nature of bivouacs: one, lying down.
9. Full name of the leader, participants, and their qualifications:

Central Caucasus

ULLUKARA 4037 m via the northwest wall buttress. (Tentatively — 2B cat. difficulty.)

1. Temirov Anatoly Magometovich 1st class
2. Temirov Mukhamed Magometovich 1st class Bauman MSTU Sports Club.

Geographic Description of the Climbing Area

The ULLUKARA peak is located in the Main Caucasian Range, between the peaks of Bashkara to the east and Pik Volnaya Ispaniya to the west. This section of the Main Caucasian Range is in the Baksan Valley area. The Baksan Valley area is one of the most visited regions by climbers in the Caucasus. The alpine camps located in the area, good roads, and numerous beautiful peaks make this area attractive to climbers. Many climbing routes of varying difficulty have been laid out in this region. The most beautiful peaks of the Caucasus, such as Ushba, Shkhelda, Chatyn, Volnaya Ispaniya, and many others, are located in this part of the Central Caucasus. The Ullukara peak is situated in the upper Adylsu gorge. A good automobile road leads from Nalchik to the "Djan-Tugan" alpine camp. From the "Djan-Tugan" alpine camp to the Kashkatash glacier plateau, a good trail is laid out. Further, the path goes along the Kashkatash glacier to the ascent to its upper plateau. The ULLUKARA peak is a huge rocky massif covered with a powerful ice cap. It rises with black walls above the Kashkatash glacier. To the northeast from Ullukara, a short northern spur extends with the peaks of Pik Germogenova and Chegetkara. Between the peaks of Ullukara and Pik Germogenova lies a glacier. The weather in this region is usually good, with short, rare periods of bad weather. Fogs are common, coming from the south through the Kashkatash pass.

132. Ullukara via North Counterforce and East Ridge (Category IV A route). The path from the "Jantugan" alpine camp to the foot of the North Counterforce of Ullukara summit with the initial bivouac at the terminal moraine of Bashkara glacier is described in route 136. From the glacier, along a steep snowy slope, bypassing the lower rocky outcrop of the North Counterforce from the left side, reach under the rocky wall. Bypass the wall from the right with an exit to a couloir and ascend 80–100 m (belay!) via non-steep, partially snow-covered easy to moderately difficult rocks of the couloir to a ridge platform. 3–4 hours from the glacier. Then, along heavily destroyed ridge rocks or its right side, ascend to a platform below an ice-snow slope. 3–4 hours from the first counterforce

в. ULLU-KARA, 4302 m, 3rd cat. diff., complicated category, N. Popov's route, '34 From the "Djantugan" base camp, follow a good trail along the right (orographically) lateral moraine of the Kashkatash glacier. After passing the overnight spot near the "Red Rocks", descend to the glacier and traverse its gently sloping middle section, sticking to its left (in traverse direction) side. At the beginning of summer, there are many hidden crevasses here. Approaching the upper icefall of Kashkatash (opposite the hanging glacier on the slope of Pik Germogenov), overcome its left (in traverse direction) side under the slope of Ullu-Kara. This section is hazardous due to possible rock and ice fall from the ridge wall above. By the end of summer, traversing the icefall becomes more difficult due to numerous crevasses. After reaching the snow plateau above the icefall, traverse it to the right and ascend a low-angle slope, sticking to its right (in traverse direction) side, to reach the Kashka-Tash pass. From Djantugan, it takes 5-7 hours; descent from the pass takes 2-4 hours. From the pass, ascend to the summit via a steep, not clearly defined ridge with fragile rocks. After passing two bivouac sites:

• the first one is 30 minutes walk from the pass,
• the second one is another 30 minutes further, start ascending the main ridge. The path goes along a rocky ridge to the right (in traverse direction) of a couloir, then along the left (in traverse direction) side of a wide snow slope to a small talus, from there - through a narrowing couloir and a chimney. The upper part of the ascent to the main ridge is the key section of the route and is done with rope protection.