Dolomit Malyy via the West Face, rock, 3B

Route Description

Before reaching the tongue of the glacier below Dolomit Yuzhnyy Pass, cross the talus slopes to the walls of Dolomit Malyy. The landmark of the route on the wall is a huge couloir running from a large snow-talus cirque of the main ridge of the summit. To the right of the couloir, a wall goes upwards. Its lower part is composed of rocks resembling "sheep's foreheads." Below them are snowy slopes with rocky outcrops. The lower section of the rocks and slopes is largely uniform in appearance and character. Therefore, reaching the first large talus terrace running under the entire Dolomit Malyy wall is not straightforward. One of the wall's blocks is cut by a series of internal corners. Ascend to the R2 terrace via the second internal corner from the ridge within the pronounced black streaks, orienting towards the end of the Dolomit Malyy wall's edge running along the huge couloir from the upper cirque. Traverse along the second terrace to its middle part and exit through a short R5 wall to a short ridge. In its middle section, there is a 40 m traverse to the left across the rocks towards the R8 wall. From here, via a couloir with "live" rocks and a 40-meter R10 wall, then slightly below the buttress of the large couloir, bypassing a corniche on R11, ascend to the confluence of the two R12 couloirs (landmark - a rusty rock on the ridge of the buttress). The rock drops to the couloirs with a huge slab. At the end of the couloirs on a narrow ledge, there is a control cairn. From the ledge, left and upwards via a wide internal corner and ledges on the left side of the ridge, then along the edge of the destroyed rocks across the snowy-talus slopes of the cirque, ascend to the summit. From the lake - 7–10 hours depending on the route's condition.

Dolomit Severny from Dolomit Severny Pass, 2A

Route description:

From Chat bivouac, ascend via the right moraine and large talus slopes into the talus cirque between Chat-bashi Peak (left) and Dolomit Severny Peak (right). From here, take a straightforward snowy-talus slope to reach Dolomit Severny Pass. From the pass, traverse a 300-meter crumbling ridge to its sharp depression. From this point, descend leftwards to a ledge, then follow a chimney (R2) and a ridge composed of slabs to approach a large slab (R4) overhanging the ridge. Bypass it on the left via talus (loose rocks!). Continue via rocky terrain to a large "roof" slab lying edge-upwards, a key landmark. Bypass the "roof" on the left through a couloir and then ascend to the summit ascent via the ridge (beware of cornices early in the season!). From the ascent, descend via straightforward rocky terrain to a large talus saddle, then ascend the summit via a straightforward talus slope. The ascent takes approximately 5.5 hours from the bivouac. The descent from the summit follows the "Dоломит Северный по центру бастиона Западной стены" route, exiting onto Okhotnichy Pass. Then, descend via talus and snowy slopes to the bivouac in the Chat-bashi cirque (40 minutes from the pass).

Severny Dolomit Peak — 3700 m

Ascent via the southwest wall — category 3–6 difficulty (Description along the route to the summit) The path to the bivouac on Dolomit Lake — see the route description to Yuzhny Dolomit. From the bivouac, traverse scree to the base of the wall, in the direction of two black streaks of running water on the wall. Below them is an alluvial cone and above it, three caves. The ascent primarily follows the left streak. The lower part of the wall is very steep — so after the scree slope, move left onto ledges. The sequential transition from the 1st to the 2nd and then to the 3rd ledge is via internal rock corners (Protection!). The third ledge leads into a couloir with a black streak, along which the ascent continues. From the 3rd ledge, traverse the couloir and continue upwards — along the right side of the couloir. The rocks here are of the "sheep's back" type (Protection! Pitons!). In case of bad weather, a second ascent option is possible (After entering the couloir, ascend to its right ridge and follow it up to the end of the couloir. This path is technically more challenging). Along the rocks on the right side of the couloir, ascend to a 4-meter wall below a large black overhanging wall. Cross the wall (Pitons! Can be traversed with a boost) and then ascend 30 m via easy rocks to the ridge, traverse it, and then move right into the 2nd couloir. Traverse right-up through the couloir to ledges. Along the ledges, ascend to the 2nd stream (Protection!) and follow it up along rocks of the "sheep's back" type (Protection! Pitons!) to a wide scree ledge. From the base of the wall — 5 hours. Along the ledge, move left to the 1st stream. On the edge of the ledge — a control cairn.

2. Ascent to the summit of Severny Dolomit (3710 m) via the southwest face — Category 3B difficulty From the bivouac near Dolomit Lake, ascend via talus to the base of the face, in the direction of two black streaks of running water on the face. Below them lies an outwash cone, and above it, three caves. The ascent primarily follows the left streak. The lower part of the face is very steep, so after the talus outwash, move left onto a ledge. The alternating traverse from the first to the second and then to the third ledge is done via internal rock corners (Belay!). The third ledge leads into a couloir with a black streak, along which the ascent continues. From the third ledge, cross the couloir and continue upward along the right side of the couloir. The rocks here resemble "sheep's foreheads" (Belay! Pitons!). In case of bad weather, a second ascent option is possible. (After entering the couloir, ascend to its right ridge and continue up it to the end of the couloir. This path is technically more challenging). Ascend via the rocks on the right side of the couloir to a 4-meter wall below a large black overhanging wall. Cross the wall (Pitons! Can be climbed with a boost) and continue 30 m via easy rocks to the ridge, cross it, and then move right into the second couloir. Traverse right and upward through the couloir to the ledges. Ascend the ledges to the second stream (Belay!) and continue up along it via rocks resembling "sheep's foreheads" (Belay! Pitons!) to a wide talus ledge. From the base of the face — 5 hours.

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Ascent Log

1. Ascent category — rock
2. Ascent region — West Caucasus — Uzunkol
3. Ascent route — Severny Dolomit 3710 m via the right part of the western wall, 4A category of complexity, first ascent.
4. Ascent description: route length — 930 m; wall height difference — 495 m; average wall steepness — 75°; length of complex wall sections — 295 m.

Report

on the ascent to the summit of Dolomit Severny via the right part of the western wall, category 4A by the team led by Popov V.I.

I. Climbing Passport

Ascent Passport

1. Ascent category — rock climbing
2. Ascent area — West Caucasus, Gvandra region
3. Peak, route
   • Severný Dolomit — 3710 m via the center of the west wall bastion, approximately 5B category of difficulty — first ascent.
4. Route characteristics:
   • Elevation gain — 650 m.
   • Route length — 689 m.
   • Length of 5–6 category of difficulty sections — 424 m, including 270 m on the bastion itself.
   • Average steepness of the route — 70°, bastion — 82°.

Passport

1. Rock climbing category
2. Caucasus, Kichkinekol gorge
3. Dolomit Severny peak via the central bastion of the western wall
4. 5A category of difficulty
5. Height difference: 607 m, length — 698 m. Length of sections 5 — 248 m. Average steepness of main sections — 78°, including 5 — 80°.
6. Pitons driven: — rock: 5

To the Classification Commission of the Russian Alpine Federation.

Ascent Passport

1. Western Caucasus. Uzunkol. 2.3.
2. Dolomity (C) 3748 m, via the center of the bastion of the 3rd wall, through the "reddish corner".
3. Claimed - 5B category of difficulty, first ascent.
4. Route character - rock climbing.
5. Total height difference of the route - 690 m, lower bastion - 280 m. Section lengths:

• 5B category of difficulty - 310 m
• 6B category of difficulty - 80 m

M86. Dolomit Tsentralny via West Face

(rock route, category 4B, first ascent by Yu. Melnik, 1965) From the lake, head up and to the right along the scree towards the couloir between the North (left) and Central (right) Dolomites. The couloir ends at the bottom with a block of steep cliffs resembling "ram's foreheads". Ascend to a small rocky ridge via its lower right part, 150 m from the couloir. The ridge divides in half two short, gentle couloirs resembling internal corners to the right of the main couloir. From here, the starting point of the route is visible - a huge internal corner - the "Book". The ascent to the ledge R0 below the "Book" follows the terrain without visible landmarks and lacks a defined line. It takes 3.5 hours from the bivouac. From the R0 ledge, ascend via the crack with the overhanging left "page of the book". Then, move up and to the right along a sloping ledge, cross to the other "page of the book", and exit it via the internal corner onto a ledge to the control cairn R2 (strenuous climbing). From the cairn, traverse 4 m to the left along the slab, then ascend to a small ledge. From here, via the R3 crack between two slabs, exit under the overhang of the left slab into an internal corner (strenuous climbing; when there's verglas on the slabs, the middle 10 m of the slab are traversed using ladders). Ascend 8 m up the corner and then move right onto a grey slab - an internal corner leading to a narrow ledge R5. It takes 3.5 hours from the "Book". From the slab's edge, move left and ascend up and to the right, bypassing monolithic overhangs along a 10-meter narrow ledge. At its end, ascend straight up along smooth rocks (beware of loose rocks! blind cracks). Reach the next ledge R7. It's also possible to ascend directly from R6 via a hanging crack, but if it's icy, it's better to go to the right.