1978

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

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

Ш­Х­A­R­A Fig. 21

116. Shkhara South via the Eastern slope of the Southern ridge (a combined route, G. Klimova, cat. 3B, fig. 20, 21). From the initial bivouac on the platform of the Eastern counterfort of Shkhara South’s Southern ridge (point 117), traverse right towards the Southern branch of the Shkhara glacier — between glacial drop-offs — and approach the rocks of the Eastern slope of Shkhara South’s Southern ridge. 200–250 m ascent up the heavily deteriorated rocks of medium difficulty with numerous talus shelves and short walls of above-medium difficulty, mainly bypassed (“live” stones, protection). Then 60–80 m up-left. Further, 500–600 m ascent

Shkhara South via the East Ridge

(combined route by A. Naumov, category 5A, fig. 18, 21). The path from the "Ailama" alpine camp (group of 4-6 people) to the left-bank (orographic) moraine of the Shkhara glacier is described in route 184. From the moraine:

• descend to the right side of the glacier;
• traverse the flat part of the glacier to bypass the icefall and crevasses on the lower part of the glacier on the right;
• approach the base of the East Ridge of Shkhara South peak. From the glacier:
• ascend the scree slope, and higher up, the snow slope, bypassing the base of the East Ridge on the left, to the inner corner - the beginning of the rock ledge that rises to the right towards the takeoff of the East Ridge of Shkhara South peak;
• follow this ledge up and to the right onto the East Ridge, below the sheer wall. At the platform below the wall - a bivouac. From the "Ailama" alpine camp, 12-14 hours. From the platform, ascend a difficult 70-80-meter wall to a ledge, and from it, traverse the slabs to a snow-covered saddle on the East Ridge. From here, follow simple, smooth rocks ("loose rocks") on the wide, snow-covered East Ridge to approach the narrow crest of the East Ridge.

Ш­ХА­RА Fig. 21

Shkhara: via NE ridge and N edge

Shkhara (Main), NE ridge — Cat. 5A

The initial bivouac can be organized either at the "Austrian overnight stays" or on the Shkhara pillow — a snow plateau below the western slopes of the NE ridge. From the "Austrian overnight stays," descend to the glacier and, passing under the steep ice step of its tributary flowing from the Sella pass, cross the Eastern branch of the Bezengi glacier, exiting under the icefall in the couloir between the NE ridge and the North edge of Shkhara. Ascend the couloir to the right of the icefall via a snowy slope with a series of ascents. 400–450 m. The couloir is avalanche-prone (threatened by ice discharges on the northern slopes of East Shkhara), so at the beginning of the ascent, stay closer to the rock outcrops of the North edge. Upon reaching the upper boundary of the icefall, you should:

• Turn left,
• Cross avalanche gullies,
• Exit onto the snow plateau above the icefall — the "pillow".

Shkhara

via the northern edge, cat. 5B Team M.G.S. "SPARTAK" July 13-18, 1965 Coach and leader - SHATAEV V.N. Shkhara northern edge

Ascent

July 13. From the alpine camp, the path goes up along the trail and the Besengi glacier moraine to Misses-Kosh. We set out fairly early (5:00) hoping to rest well at the "Austrian" campsite and get to know the character of Shkhara. No wind. Only the uларs disturb the peace with their morning songs. The path is familiar only to the leader; the others are going to Shkhara for the first time. Turning left from the confluence of the Eastern and Western branches of the Besengi glacier along the coastal moraine, we approached the red rocks, from which we reached the campsite in half an hour. Gusty winds were shaking the tent of a group of Leningraders climbing Shkhara via the Eastern edge - cat. 4B. We set up the tent behind a rock, and while preparing lunch, Shataev-Karchewski went out to examine the approach route and the exit to the edge.

Ascent Passport

1. Central Caucasus, Bezengi region, classification table section number 2.5
2. Shkhara peak (Main) (5068 m) via Tomašek's rib
3. Category 5B difficulty
4. Route type: combined
5. Route elevation gain: 1900 m Route length: approximately 2500 m Section lengths:

• Category 5 difficulty — 125 m
• Category 6 difficulty — none

Shkhara (Main), North Edge, 5B cat. dif.

The initial bivouac can be organized either

1. on the "Austrian overnight stays", or
2. in a snowy hollow above the ice drops adjacent to the left of the rock outcrops of the North Edge (250–300 m above the base of the edge). From the "Austrian overnight stays" to the snowy hollow is 2 hours according to description 7. From the hollow, having overcome the randkluft, ascend 50 m up the snowy slope to a rocky ledge going from left to right along the eastern rock wall of the North Edge. The ledge 70–80 m leads to a snow-ice couloir ("tie"), dividing the lower wide part of the edge into two ridges - kant. The couloir is stone-dangerous, and therefore, having ascended along the border of the rocks of the left ridge to the rocky island in the narrow part of the couloir, one should cross the couloir and exit to the right ridge. Along the rocks of medium difficulty of the right ridge 150–200 m upwards under the overhanging rock wall. Here is the junction of the ridges of the lower part of the edge. Through the ice groove flowing into the couloir-"tie", exit to the 10 m wall and climb it to the overhanging rock. Further, the path goes along the clearly defined jagged ridge. Steep rocky sections and walls are bypassed on the snow on the right. After 150 m, on the left side, 3–5 m below the ridge, there is a platform for a tent. The subsequent movement goes along the snowy rocks of medium difficulty 80–100 m with an exit to the 50 m ice slope. After the rocky ascent on the gentle snow-ice ridge, resting against the wall of rusty rocks, it is possible to organize a bivouac. From the initial bivouac 10–12 hours walking.