To the Classification Commission of the USSR Alpine Federation

REPORT

on the first ascent to the Sofruju peak via the southern wall on July 27-29, 1972

I. Group Composition:

Gubanov Yu. D. — leader, Candidate for Master of Sports, senior instructor of the Dombay region Climbing School, unattached, "Burevestnik" Sports Society, Dombay settlement. Prima Yu. V. — participant, Candidate for Master of Sports, radio instructor of the Dombay region Climbing School, unattached, "Burevestnik" Sports Society, Dombay settlement. Khamtsov A. P. — participant, 1st class, junior instructor, unattached, "Burevestnik" Sports Society, Dombay settlement, Alibek alpine camp worker. Support group led by Candidate for Master of Sports Vorobyev D. G., parallel route on the Main Amanauz peak via the southern wall, category 5B difficulty.

II. Alpine and Geographical Overview of the Sofruju Massif.

Fig. 25

1. Ascent to Sofrudju peak (3785 m) — cat. d. 1B (fig. 25)

From Dombayskaya polyana cross the bridge over the Alibek river and follow the trail to the stream descending from the large Belalakay couloir. Cross the stream to the snowfield and ascend it for 300–350 m. Then turn left into the Sofrudju couloir (danger of rockfall!) and ascend it to a large overhanging rock. Continue straight up the steep section to the trail and follow it to Medvezhya (Med­ve­zh­'ya) polyana. From Medvezhya polyana ascend 300–350 m up the eastern slope of Belalakay through the snow — exit to the Sofrudju bivouac. From Dombayskaya polyana — 5–6 hours.

Fig. 26

2. Tra­verse of Sofru­dzhu peak from the north-east — category 2B (fig. 26)

From Domba­y­skaya Poly­ana across the bridge over the Ali­bek river and along the trail to the crossing over the Ama­nauz river. Crossing to the right bank, then along the mo­rena and over the "baa­ran­y lby" to the Ama­nauz­sky gla­cier, and along it to the ter­mi­nal mo­rena under the Zapad­no-Ama­nauz­sky gla­cier. Camping site. From Domba­y­skaya Poly­ana — 3–4 hours. Further (in con­nec­tion!) as­cend to the Ama­nauz pass be­tween the peaks Glav­ny Ama­nauz and Sofru­dzhu. As­cend along the right side of the heav­ily cre­vassed gla­cier, then, in the up­per part, un­der the slopes of Sofru­dzhu Zub exit to the mid­dle of the gla­cier, as snow ava­lanch­es are pos­si­ble from the slopes of Sofru­dzhu Zub. Along the mid­dle of the gla­cier up to the bergschrund, cross the bergschrund over a snow bridge and up the steep snow slope (50°) to the pass. Exit to the pass to the left of the rocky out­crop at the pass point.