Fig. 19 76. Tajmazi Zapadnaya — Vostochnaya (combined route by G. Cherevichenko, 4A category of difficulty, fig. 19). The path from the "Tajmazi" meadow (group of 4–8 people) to the summit of Zapadnaya Tajmazi is described in route 74. From Zapadnaya Tajmazi, descend in the direction of Central'naya Tajmazi along a narrow rocky, then snowy (cornices) ridge to under the I gendarme. Overcome it directly along the ridge with a descent to under the II gendarme. From under the II gendarme, make a 15 m rappel to the left and along the rocks on the left side — bypass the II and III gendarmes of the ridge. Overcome the IV gendarme directly along the moderately difficult rocks of the ridge. Further, along a narrow ridge with several low gendarmes (overcome directly along the ridge), exit under the large V-gendarme. Overcome the gendarme directly. From it, make a difficult 15 m descent to a platform, from which make a 30 m rappel to a snowpatch. Then, along rocks of above-average difficulty, make an ascent (piton belay) to the VI — Dvugorbyi gendarme, from it make a 15 m rappel to a saddle under the VII gendarme. Along the ridge, ascend to the gendarme, traverse along the left side (pitons belay) of the summit ridge of the gendarme. At the end of the gendarme, move to its right side. From here, descend along an internal angle, then along a wide, destroyed ledge, exit to a saddle under the ascent to Central'naya summit. On the saddle, make a bivouac. Travel time:

• From Zapadnaya Tajmazi: 4–6 hours
• From the initial bivouac: 9–11 hours

Fig. 19 77. Tajmazi East — West (combined route, 4A cat. of difficulty, Fig. 19). The path from the "Tajmazi" clearing (group of 4-8 people) to the summit of East Tajmazi is described in route 72. From the East summit, descend along a simple rocky ridge in the direction of the Central summit. Then, along a wide, long snow-covered simple rocky ridge, bypassing numerous small gendarmes on the left and overcoming only one head-on, then along a simple wide snow-covered ridge, ascend to Central Tajmazi. From the East summit, it takes 2 hours 30 minutes. From the Central summit, descend along a wide steep snowy ridge towards the West summit onto a snowy saddle. From the saddle, along a wide ledge, then along the inner corner of the left side of the ridge, ascend to under the summit tower of the VII gendarme (first from the Central summit). Bypass the tower on the right, then rappel onto the saddle under the VI Double-Humped gendarme. Along rocks of above-average difficulty, ascend a 15-20-meter wall onto the gendarme. From the Double-Humped gendarme, make a sports descent onto a snowy saddle. From the saddle, along rocks of above-average difficulty, ascend 45-50 meters onto the V gendarme (pitons insurance). From it, descend using sports equipment. Then, along a narrow ridge, passing small gendarmes head-on, approach the IV gendarme, overcome it head-on along rocks of average difficulty, and descend onto the saddle under the III gendarme. Bypass the III and II gendarmes along ledges and rocks of average difficulty (pitons insurance) on the right side of the ridge, then ascend a 15-meter wall onto the saddle under the I gendarme. Overcome the gendarme head-on and along a snowy (cornices), then narrow rocky ridge, ascend to the summit of West Tajmazi. The route includes the following sections:

ASCENT PASS

I. Ascent class: technical. 2. Ascent area: from Gezetau Pass to Gurdzautsek Pass. 3. Peak, its height, and ascent route: Tajmazi Central peak (3700 m) via the northeast counterfort. 4. Estimated difficulty category: 2B category. 5. Route characteristics:

• Height difference: 700 m
• Average steepness: 45°
• Length of sections:
  • R1 — 500 m

Fig. 19 73. Taymaz Western peak ascent via North-East couloir and Western ridge (combined route by A. Rzhevsky, category III difficulty, fig. 19). The path from "Taymazi" meadow (group of 4-8 people) to the exit onto the Taymazi East glacier is described in route 72. Upon reaching the Taymazi East glacier (closed crevasses), cross it, avoiding crevasses, upwards to the right under the North ridge - a spur of the Tsentralnaya Taymazi peak, separating the Taymazi East and Taymazi West glaciers. From the Taymazi East glacier, overcome the bergschrund via a snow bridge, then ascend a steep avalanche-prone slope, followed by a snow slope, and further up - a simple, fragmented rocky couloir to reach the broad North ridge - a spur of Tsentralnaya Taymazi. The ridge serves as the initial bivouac site. The journey from "Taymazi" meadow takes 5-6 hours. From the bivouac, descend from the ridge onto the snow plateau of the Taymazi West glacier and traverse it (closed crevasses), avoiding crevasses to the left, to approach a steep snow couloir descending northeast from the Western ridge and the North counterfort of Taymazi West. From the plateau, overcome the wide bergschrund in the center via a snow bridge, then ascend directly up the 500-600-meter ice-and-snow couloir (possible rockfall from the left walls - belay) and through a steep ice gorge (pitched belay) to reach the right side of the first pinnacle on the Western ridge of Taymazi West.

Fig. 19 74. Taymaz West via West Ridge (a combined route, 3A category of difficulty, Fig. 19). The path from the "Taymazi" meadow (a group of 4–8 people) to the red cliffs at the head of the Taymazi River is described in route 72. At the red cliffs (rockfall):

• ford the Taymazi River;
• ascend through the boulder field on the right bank to the talus slopes. Climb the talus slopes to the northern ridge — a spur of Tcentral'naya Taymazi Peak. From here, move right and, traversing the moraines beneath the broad tongue of the Zapadny Taymazi Glacier, reach its right-lateral moraine. Ascend along the moraine crest, which gradually turns left, to almost beneath the northeastern rocky slopes of Glavnaya Taymazi Peak. Here, leave the moraine and move left onto the Zapadny Taymazi Glacier, staying on its right side (closed crevasses), and reach the Taymazi Pass that connects the Zapadnaya (left) and Glavnaya Taymazi (right) peaks. From the glacier, overcome the bergschrund via a snow bridge and ascend a steep 250–300-meter ice-and-snow slope to the Taymazi Pass. On the narrow rocky ridge's flat areas of the pass is the starting bivouac. From the "Taymazi" meadow — 8–10 hours. On the pass, turn left and:

Ascent Passport

1. Ascent category — technical
2. Ascent area: Central Caucasus, Main Caucasian Range, Digor district.
3. Ascent route: peak Zapadnaya Taymazi in the Taymazi massif via the eastern counterfort (3760 m)
4. Ascent characteristics: height difference 800 m, average slope 46°.
5. Pitons driven:
   • angled — II
   • ice — —
   • drilled (shlyambur) — —
6. Number of travel hours — 7 (from bivouac to summit).

1. Area: Central Caucasus, Digor district, Tana-Don gorge. Main Caucasian Range. Category according to CMGS - 2.6.
2. Tajmazi Glavnaya peak, 3803 m, via SW wall.
3. Proposed 5A category of difficulty, first ascent.
4. Route character - combined.
5. Height difference of the route: – from the saddle at the start of the route to the ridge - 250 m (by altimeter); – from the ridge - 180 m Route length along the wall - 579 m. Section lengths:

Ascent Passport

I. Technical class. Combined route. 2. Central Caucasus. Digoria. Main Caucasian Range. 3. Tajmazi Glavnaja 3803 m. Western ridge. 4. Category 3B difficulty. 5. Height difference 600 m. Average steepness of sections determining the complexity of the routes is 60°. The total length of these sections is 160 m. Route length is 1150 m. 6. Pitons driven for belay: rock - 10 ice - 3 placements used - 11

Fig. 19 75. Taymazi — Glavnaya via East Ridge (combined route, category 2B difficulty, fig. 19). The path from the Taymazi meadow (group of 4-20 people) to the initial bivouac on the Taymazi pass is described in route 74. At the pass, turn right and approach the ascent of the East ridge of Glavnaya Taymazi peak. From under the ascent, descend to the right into a small snowy hollow. Traverse the hollow, bypassing the ascent, to reach the first snowy couloir descending from the East ridge. Here, turn left, overcome the bergschrund via a snow bridge, and ascend a steep 150-180-meter ice-snow, and in the upper part - scree, narrowing couloir to reach the East ridge. On the ridge, turn right and ascend simple rocks of the 90-100-meter East ridge ascent with wide ledges (belay) to reach the pre-summit shoulder. From the shoulder, ascend a straightforward snow-covered East ridge, bypassing a gendarme on the right (belay), to reach the summit of Glavnaya Taymazi. From the initial bivouac, 2.5-3 hours. Descent follows the ascent route. Route duration: 2 days. Source: Naumov A. F. Karaugom, Digoria, Tsey (Central Caucasus), M., "Fizkultura i sport", 1976.

Fig. 19 72. Taymaz East via North-Eastern Ridge (snow and ice route, category 2B, fig. 19). From the Taymazi glade (group of 4–20 people), descend along the trail to the bridge over the Khares River, above the confluence of its right tributary, Tanadon. Cross the Khares River here via the bridge. From the Digoriya CPS:

• Down the gorge to Tanadon.
• From here, ascend along the wide forest trail of the valley along the right bank of Tanadon.