fig. 3 5. Galdor Main via South Ridge (combined route by A. Alexandrova, 4A category of complexity, fig. 3). The path from the "Nakhashbita" meadow (group of 4-8 people) to the moraine leading to the Galdor glacier is described in route 1. From the moraine, traverse right and upwards along the talus slopes to approach a wide couloir descending southwest from the South Ridge of Galdor Main. From here, ascend a wide, gradually narrowing, steep snow-ice 600-700-meter couloir (rockfall possible) that becomes talus in the upper part, to beneath the rock walls of the South Ridge. The ascent includes:

• 20-30 m of steep 'sheep's foreheads' (loose rocks - piton protection);
• then simple slabs with snow sections to a 'South' ridge platform. The platform serves as the initial bivouac. From the "Nakhashbita" meadow, it takes 5-6 hours. From the platform, turn left and follow the simple 'South' ridge to approach a rock step. Ascend 120-140 m of rocks of above average difficulty (loose rocks, piton protection) up the left side of the ridge to the step.

Fig. 3 6. Galdor Main via Western Ridge (combined route by I. Suzhaev, category 4B, Fig. 3). The path from the "Nakhashbita" clearing (group of 4-8 people) to the moraine leading to the Galdor glacier is described in route 1. From here, ascend the moraines to the Galdor glacier. Then, moving up the steep glacier, overcome a crevasse cutting across it on the left side, and cross over to the right side. Further, staying on the right side (rockfall is possible from the left), approach the saddle of the Sugansky ridge between the peaks of Tsukhgarty on the left and Galdor Main on the right. From the glacier, ascend a steep ice-snow slope, then scree, to the saddle, where a bivouac is set up. From the "Nakhashbita" clearing, it takes 4 hours. On the saddle, turn right and reach the rocks of the Western ridge of Galdor Main. Along the simple, heavily destroyed Western ridge, approach the first pinnacle. Overcome this and the subsequent second pinnacle head-on via moderately difficult rocks. Further, along simple rocks, reach the third pinnacle. Overcome it via rocks of above-average difficulty head-on up a 20-meter wall (piton belay), and then bypass the pinnacle's summit on the right via steep rocks. Beyond the pinnacle:

• first, along a ledge on the right side of the ridge;
• then, along destroyed rocks, approach the main rock ascent of the Western ridge.

1. Caucasus, Sugansky Ridge, Classification section number — 2.6.
2. Galdor Glavny (4239 m); via the South Face.
3. Proposed category — 5A; first ascent.
4. Route character — rock.
5. Route elevation gain — 420 m (by GPS). Route length — 550 m. Steepness of key sections — up to 90°. Length of sections with 5th category difficulty — 5 m.
6. Hooks left on the route — 1. Used on the route:

Ascent Passport.

1. Class of winter ascents.
2. Caucasus, Digoria, Sugan Range.
3. Galdor Glavny via the Southeast wall.
4. Complexity category 5B.
5. Wall section height difference — 380 m. Wall section length — 500 m. Length of sections with 5th cat. diff. — 170 m. Length of sections with 6th cat. diff. — 20 m. Average steepness of the wall section — 73°.

Ascent Passport

1. Class of technical ascents to the peaks of Digorsky gorge and nearby gorges of North Ossetia.
2. Digoria. Eastern part of the Central Caucasus.
3. Peak Galdor Glavny (4130 m) via the Southeast wall.
4. 5B cat. sl. (approximately) first ascent.
5. Height difference 1330 m. Length 900 m. Length of the wall section 380 m. Length of sections 4–5 cat. sl. 310 m. Length of sections 6 cat. sl. 20 m. Average steepness of the route.

Passport

1. Rock Climbing Category

1. Rock Climbing Category.
2. Central Caucasus. Digor Gorge.
3. Main Galdor peak via the Southeast wall.
4. Proposed difficulty category — 5B cat. diff., first ascent.
5. Route height difference — 417 m, length — 490 m.
6. Length of sections with 5–6 cat. diff. — 376 m.
7. Average steepness of sections with 4–6 cat. diff. — 77.
8. Of which 6 cat. diff. — 104 m with a steepness of 90–95°.

Open Summer Championship of St. Petersburg on mountaineering 2004

Report

on the ascent to v. Galdor Main (4130 m) by the Southeast wall, 5B category of difficulty of the youth team of St. Petersburg on mountaineering Head Coach Koltunov O. S. Lobachev E. A.

2004

Contact Information:

fig. 3 7. Main Galdor via North Face (the route is combined, V. Popova, cat. 5B, fig. 3). From the initial bivouac (a group of 4–5 people) on the snow plateau or the moraine of the Yuzhny Khazni glacier (due to rockfall in the lower part of the wall, exit at 23:00 night) approach the bergschrund to the left of the lower rocky cape of the North Face of Main Galdor, to the left of the huge ice drop. Having overcome the bergschrund, ascend a steep icy slope to the rocks left and above the lowest rocky cape of the North Face. Then move right and upwards along difficult monolithic, smooth, with a small number of

2. Maly Galdor (4080 m) via the East Ridge (rocky route, category 2A difficulty). The path from the "Nakhashbita" clearing (group of 4-12 people) to the platforms near the black rock is described in route 1. From the platforms, ascend a wide, scree-covered (possibly snow-covered) slope of the couloir to the saddle of the Sugansky Ridge between the Maly Galdor peak on the left and Botkin Peak on the right. At the saddle, turn left and reach the rocks of the East Ridge of Maly Galdor. From here, ascend simple, sometimes steep (requiring protection) rocks of the East Ridge to Maly Galdor. The time from the platforms near the black rock is 2 hours 30 minutes. The descent follows the ascent route. Naumov A. F. Karau gom, Digoria, Tsey (Central Caucasus), M., "Fizkultura i sport", 1976.

3. Maly Galdor via the Western Ridge (combined route, category II difficulty). The path from the "Nakhashbita" meadow (group of 4–12 people) to the platforms near the black rock is described in route 1. From the platforms, ascend via a potentially snow-covered scree-filled couloir towards the saddle between Sredniy and Maly Galdor. In the middle part of the couloir, exit it and proceed 200–250 m upwards along the scree shelves and rocky outcrops on its right side. Then, ascend a steep 80–100-meter ice-and-snow slope of the couloir (risk of rockfall — use protection) to reach the right side of the ridge saddle between Maly Galdor on the right and Sredniy on the left. At the saddle, turn right and exit onto the rocks of Maly Galdor's Western Ridge. Continue along the straightforward, occasionally steep ridge rocks, overcoming small rock formations head-on (the large rock formation can be bypassed on the right with protection), to ascend Maly Galdor. The ascent from the platforms near the black rock takes 3–4 hours. The descent follows the ascent route. Source:

• Naumov A. F. Karagom, Digoriya, Tsey (Central Caucasus), M., "Fizkultura i sport", 1976.