235. Kulak via the Northwest Ridge (V. Merkl's combined route, category IIIA, difficulty, fig. 18, 28).

The path from the Chegem tourist base (group of 4-8 people) to the lake at the foot of the Eastern Ridge of the Bodorku peak is described in route 233. From the lake, turn right and ascend, crossing the Western branch of the Kulak Glacier (closed crevices), to the right side of its Southwest branch. From here, ascend in the direction of the col of the False Twiber pass, located in the Main Caucasian Ridge (MKR) to the left (south) of the Twiber pass, on the right side of the heavily broken Southwest branch of the glacier. From the glacier, cross the bergschrund via a snow bridge and ascend a steep ice-and-snow slope (avalanches, rockfall) to the left side of the col of the False Twiber pass. The ascent is also possible via the rocks of the counterfort in the middle part of the col ("unstable rocks", protection). On the col, turn left and ascend via easy, simple rocks of the ridge to a platform. The initial bivouac is on the platform. From the Chegem tourist base, 8-12 hours. From the platforms on the col, ascend via the Northwest Ridge of the Kulak peak. From the col, 120-150 m upwards via simple rocks of the narrow Northwest Ridge, bypassing small difficult walls on the right ("unstable rocks", piton protection). Then, 300-350 m upwards via the wide, snow-covered, rocky Northwest Ridge to the North Shoulder (I pinnacle). From the shoulder:

• descent via a 50-60-meter ice-and-snow slope;
• ascent via a steep 50-60-meter ice-and-snow rise of the Northwest Ridge (cornices, piton protection) to the second North pinnacle. From the northern pinnacle-coudelle, a small descent via a simple, snow-covered, rocky ridge follows. Then, 50-60 m upwards via a steep ice-and-snow slope of the Northwest Ridge (cornices, piton protection) to the right side of the rocky wall of the summit tower.

Western branch of Kulak Glacier

233. Kulak via the Eastern Ridge (combined route by N. Popov, category III difficulty, fig. 18, 28).

From the "Chegem" tourist base (group of 4–8 people), ascend along the trail on the left bank of the Kulak River, then cross to the right bank via a bridge and approach the koshu along the trail. Continue along the right-bank moraine of the Kulak glacier. After fording the stream from the Chat glacier, approach the point where the Northwest Branch of the Kulak glacier merges with it from the right. Here, descend from the moraine to the left onto the glacier and, having traversed:

• the Northwest Branch of the Kulak glacier,
• the base of the Eastern Ridge of the Bodorku peak, reach a lake located under the left (southern) side of the base of the Eastern Ridge of the Bodorku peak. A bivouac is possible by the lake. From the "Chegem" tourist base, it takes 5–6 hours. From the lake, cross to the left (south) onto the exposed Western Branch of the Kulak glacier

Western branch of Kulak glacier