From the Torpedo bus station by car along the Ossetian Military Road towards the Mamisson Pass to the Mamikdon River, which flows from the Ronketi Glacier, along the trail that runs along the right bank of the river to the moraine. Cross the river and follow the trail along the ridge of the first moraine, which runs along the left bank of the river — ascent to the overnight stays located in the hollow between the two moraines. Cairn on the moraine. 1.5 hours from the Ossetian Military Road (see Appendix I). From the overnight stays, go right to the ridge of the next moraine and ascend to its end. From here, go right onto the glacier (be careful, crevasses) and cross it in the direction of the Freshfield Pass. The Freshfield Pass is accessed via a couloir, which is wide and snowy at the bottom, with a bergschrund. The ascent to the pass initially goes up the middle of the couloir. In the middle section, the couloir narrows, and the ascent is made along its right side, close to the rocks. In the upper part, the couloir widens again and breaks into several branches. Leaving a large rocky outcrop on the left, ascend via the leftmost narrow scree couloir, which leads to the Freshfield Pass, at the start of the route. 1.5–2 hours from the overnight stays. From the pass, ascend left and upwards along the ridge, via moderately difficult rocks, 20–30 m. Then ascend straight up a narrow rocky couloir for 2–3 ropes. Protection via rock outcrops. The ascent is always on the right side of the eastern ridge. Then follow an inclined ledge and further via a cleft exit left onto the ridge, 1.5–2 ropes, piton belay. Continue along the ridge: initially sharp, then broadening. A large boulder is bypassed on the right. Further along ledges to the right of the ridge, ascend to the summit. 1.5–2 hours from the pass.

96. Ronchetti Vostochnaya via North-Eastern wall (combined route, cat. 4A)

The path from the CSP of the Tsey district to the initial bivouac on the plateau of the Southern branch of the Tsey glacier under the North-Eastern wall of Vostochnaya Ronchetti. From the bivouac, across the plateau (closed crevices), approach the North-Eastern wall of Vostochnaya Rongetti peak. From the plateau, having passed the bergschrund, ascend to a steep snow-ice slope under the left side of the North-Eastern wall of Vostochnaya Rongetti. Then, along a steep 60–70-meter snow-ice slope, approach a 10–12-meter rock couloir wall of the North-Eastern wall. From the snow patch, ascend the 10–12-meter wall of moderate difficulty rocks to the right and upwards into the rock couloir. Ascend 60 m straight up through simple and moderately difficult rocks, possibly snow-covered, passing the wall on the left in the lower part. Further ascent:

• 100 m along steep moderately difficult rocks on the right side of the couloir (piton belay);
• 120 m along tile-like steep, above moderate difficulty, rocks of the wall («live» rocks, piton belay). Then, traverse 30–40 m through the couloir and two small ridges to the left into a wet but simpler couloir. From here:
• Ascend frozen and wet rocks of moderate and above moderate difficulty (piton belay) on the right side of the couloir to a rock plug;

AND EASTERN VIA NORTH-EAST WALL, 4A cat. diff. II+ III IV IV+ III+ R6 EASTERN

4A category No. 498 as of October 28, 1980

Climbing Passport

1. Climbing type — rock climbing.
2. Climbing area — Caucasus, Tsey Gorge.
3. Peak Vostochnaya Ronketti via the North wall edge.
4. Proposed category — 5A.
5. Route characteristics: height difference 500 m, route length 5–6 km, 120 m of traversing, average wall steepness — 70°, upper part of the route — 10°
6. Pitons driven: for belaying: rock — 52, ice — 4.

Fig. 37 181. Ron­ket­ti Glav­na­ya (4080 m) via South Ridge (combined route, 2А cat. dif., fig. 37). From the CPS of the Tsey region (group of 4–20 people) — along the highway; 1 km before the Mamison Pass, turn right into the last gorge and ascend along the trail along the bank of the Mamison River to the eponymous glacier. Further:

• along the talus and moraine deposits covering the glacier, approach the first lower moraine rising left along the eastern slopes of the South Ridge of the Glavnaya Ron­ket­ti peak;
• at the upper part of the moraine under the eastern buttress of the South Ridge — initial

Fig. 37 182. Ronketti Main (4080 m) via the Western ridge (route is combined, B. Golubev, category III difficulty, Fig. 37). The path from the CSP of the Tsey region (group of 4-8 people) to the initial bivouac on the upper plateau of the Southern branch of the Tsey glacier below the Tsey-Mamison pass is described in routes 83 and 179. From the bivouac, approach the middle of the Tsey-Mamison pass across the snowy plateau (closed crevasses), where a group of rocks is located. From the plateau, overcome the bergschrund via a snow bridge and ascend a steep 180-220-meter snow slope to the pass, to the group of rocks (avalanches possible, piton protection). On the pass, turn left and reach the rocks of the Western ridge of Ronketti Main, then:

• Ascend a snow slope or simple, crumbling rocks and ledges on the right side of the Western ridge, bypassing gendarmes via a traverse to the right, and approach the first southern snow couloir.
• Ascend a gentle snow couloir to a saddle behind the gendarmes of the Western ridge, before the rock ascent to the Western tower.
• From the saddle, ascend simple, crumbling rocks of the Western ridge with numerous handholds to the Western tower of Ronketti Main. From the Western tower, descend simple rocks with numerous handholds on the snowy Western ridge (cornice, loose rocks) to a saddle, and from it, ascend to the summit (Central tower) of Ronketti Main. The duration from the initial bivouac on the plateau is 4-5 hours.

Fig. 37 183. Ronketti East — Main (combined route, category 3B, Fig. 37). The path from the CSP of the Tsey region (group of 4-8 people) to East Ronketti with the initial bivouac on the plateau of the Southern branch of the Tsey Glacier is described in routes 83 and 179. From East Ronketti, descend (using rappel and athletic method) along the steep 180-200-meter West Ridge, bypassing the Sharp Gendarme on the left, with an exit to the sandy areas of the col between East and Main peaks of the Ronketti massif. From the col, move straight up along the crumbling, simple and moderately difficult rocks of the 150-meter East Ridge to the pre-summit wall of the East Tower of the Main peak. Along the moderately difficult rocks of the 35-40-meter wall (the most challenging part of the route - piton belay), then along the simple, gentle East Ridge, ascend to the East Tower of the Main peak. From the East Tower:

• first, along the simple rocky ridge,
• then along the snowy ridge, descend to a narrow snowy isthmus (cornices).