Ш­Х­A­R­A Fig. 21

184. Shkhara South via the Eastern spur of the South Ridge (a combined route by A. Gvalia, category IIIA, Figs. 18, 21). The path from the "Ailama" alpine camp (a group of 4-12 people) to the "Inguri bivouac" is described in route 175. From the "Inguri bivouac", descend down a grassy slope to the Inguri River. Cross the river by fording and ascend traversing to the right grassy slopes to the right-bank moraine of the Shkhara Glacier. Up the moraine, then descend to the right side of the Shkhara Glacier. Up along the glacier plateau, alongside the steep southern slopes of the Shkhara massif; behind the icefall and the broken part of the Shkhara Glacier, turn left and across the plateau (crevasses) reach the talus under the Eastern edge of the Shkhara South summit. Up a snowy slope, left of the moraine, to reach the South branch of the Shkhara Glacier, descending from the South Ridge of Shkhara South between its Eastern edge and Eastern spur. Up the glacier - left to the areas on the Eastern spur of the South Ridge. Bivouac on the areas. From the "Ailama" alpine camp: 8-10 hours. From the areas, ascend via talus and easy rocks of the wide Eastern spur of the South Ridge of Shkhara South.

• Bypass the first pillar on the left via a snowy talus,
• overcome the second pillar head-on. Further, along the easy rocky Eastern spur, to the third pillar; bypass it on the right via a ledge and ascend a snowy slope to the Eastern spur. Along the snowy spur, having passed the fourth pillar head-on and bypassed the fifth pillar on the left via the slope, reach the South Ridge of Shkhara South. Here, turn right and ascend along the easy, long, gently sloping, snowy, rocky South Ridge. Then:
• 120-150 m up along the gently sloping, snowy South Ridge
• 60-80 m along a steep, snowy ascent (avalanches, piton belay) to the pre-summit rocks

1978

• 1978
• Czechoslovak climbers 1976
• 5015
• 3. Shkhara 5058
• 94
• 95
• 96

I. Category of ascent — category of technical ascents. 2. Region of ascent — Central Caucasus. 3. Peak and route — Western Shkhara (5058 m) via the center of the southwest face. 4. Estimated category of difficulty — 6th cat. diff. 5. Characteristics of the route: a) height difference — 1540 m; b) length of sections — 6th cat. diff. — 695 m; — 5th cat. diff. — 520 m; c) average steepness — 75°; e) steepness of the lower half — 60–65°; d) steepness of the rocky bastion — 90°.

[No text found on this page.]

ASCENT CERTIFICATE

of the ascent made in the 1970 USSR Alpine Championship

1. Ascent class — technically challenging
2. Ascent area — Khalde - Bezengi
3. Ascent route indicating peaks and their elevations — Western Shkhara via the center of the southwest wall 5058 m.
4. Ascent characteristics:
   • elevation gain — 1500 m
   • average steepness:
     • lower section 60°
     • upper section 90°

1999

August 14 August 18 August 17 August 16 August 15

2.5A. 2294 2nd ascent!

Ascent Record of the 1971 USSR Alpine Championship

1. Ascent category — Technical, complex.
2. Ascent region — Central Caucasus (Shkhara region).
3. Ascent route with peak names and elevations — West Shkhara via Southeast wall (5058 m).
4. Ascent characteristics: Elevation gain — 1960 m. Average slope — 75°.

118. Shkhara West via the South Ridge (combined route, L. Rollestone, category 5A, fig. 20, 21, 22). From Shkhara South (no. 117) descend along the snowy (with cornices) North Ridge to the col. Cross the snowy (with cornices) rocks of medium difficulty on the col, passing the gendarmes head-on, to reach a ledge. Bivouac. 7–9 hours from the initial bivouac on the East Counterfort. From the ledge, cross a sharp snowy ridge (cornice) and approach the ascent point of Shkhara West's South Ridge. From here, follow a rock shelf up and to the right, then ascend via a snow-and-ice gully to reach the South Ridge. Continue along the snowy rocks of medium and above-medium difficulty on the South Ridge to reach the base of a wall. Overcome the 25–30-meter difficult wall head-on. Continue along rocks of medium and above-medium difficulty, with some sections on the sharp snowy South Ridge, to reach a ledge below the II wall. Bivouac. 7–9 hours from the col bivouac. Overcome the 35–40-meter difficult II wall head-on, or possibly bypass it to the right via ledges. Continue along steep snowy rocks of above-medium difficulty (with cornices) to reach the base of the III wall. Make a difficult 40–50-meter ascent up the III wall to the ridge and exit onto the South shoulder. From the shoulder, follow the long snow-and-ice, partially sharp South Ridge (with cornices) to reach the summit of Shkhara West. 9–11 hours from the bivouac. 5–6 hours from the initial bivouac.