Fig. 12. The lamp of the couloir on the right side of the Central rib. Then, via simple snow-covered (cornices) rocks of the Eastern ridge, ascend to the summit of Tsurungal. From the bivouac on the wall, 6 hours. 63. Tsurungal via the South ridge (combined route, A. Japaridze, category III difficulty, fig. 5, 10, 12). From the "Aylama" alpine camp, cross the Koruldashi river via a temporary bridge and follow the trail on the right side of the gorge to the first snowy couloir. To the right of the couloir are rock climbing areas. Cross the couloir, turn right and ascend via the trail:

• grassy,

Fig. 13. From Koruldashi glacier 8–10 hrs. The route is prone to rockfall. 65. Tsurungal via the North-West ridge (combined route. A. Freisля, 3B cat. dif., fig. 5, 12, 13). From Ailama meadows (point 44) follow the center of the Western branch of Ailama glacier (closed crevasses) to approach Tsurungal saddle on the Main Caucasian Range between Ailama and Tsurungal. From the glacier, having crossed a snow bridge or bypassed a large bergschrund on the left under Tsurungal slopes, ascend 200–250 m up an icy-snowy slope (loose rocks, belay). Then, bypassing two ice crevasses on the right, approach the rocky slope of the saddle (steep slope). Ascend 150–200 m up severely damaged steep rocks of medium difficulty (loose rocks, streams) to the left side of the saddle (cornice). On the saddle, turn left and ascend wide talus rocks to reach the north-west ridge of Tsurungal. On the route:

• Ascend 200–250 m up steep easy severely damaged rocks of the North-West ridge (belay)
• Then ascend 60–80 m up steep rocks of medium difficulty (piton) to the rise
• From the rise ascend 300–350 m up easy severely damaged rocks of the North-West ridge
• Difficult sections are bypassed on the left

64. Tsurungal via the West Face (combined route, V. Gabelashvili, grade 4A, fig. 5, 12). From the "Ailama" alpine camp, follow the trail up the gorge along the left bank of the Koruldashi River. Above the point where the second stream of the Koruldashi Glacier merges into the river on the right, cross the river and follow the trail on the left side of the large green moraine to reach the lower plateau of the Koruldashi Glacier. It takes 1–1.5 hours from the alpine camp. On the glacier, make your way to the right side of the ice-and-snow slope with rockfall in the upper part, descending from the Tsurungal saddle on the Main Caucasian Range between Ailama and Tsurungal. From the glacier, having overcome the bergschrund:

• 200–250 m up and to the right (loose rocks) along the steep broken ice-and-snow slope below the

10ro boro sub

Ascent Log

(Third Ascent)

1. Ascent class — rock climbing.
2. Ascent area, ridge — Caucasus, Main Caucasian Range from Ktlod Pass to Gezhevtsek Pass.
3. Ascent route — Tsurungal via the southeast wall (4222 m) – Central Nезнакомка (4100 m) – Bolshaya Nезнакомка (4200 m).
4. Difficulty category — 5B.
5. Route characteristics: elevation gain — 1980 m, length of 5th-6th difficulty sections — 720 m, average steepness (excluding the ridge part) — 65–70°.

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Northwest wall of Черной Незнакомки (photo from under the wall) — the route of our team — the route of A. Naumov's group