Western Asia
Route Description: СЗ гребню
Ascent to Kulak peak via the North-West ridge, combined route, category 3A, 13-18 hours from Chegem tourist center.
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.
Description of a climbing route along the Western branch of the Kulak Glacier with a category of difficulty and terrain features.
Western branch of Kulak Glacier
Route Description: В гребню
The route to the summit of Kulak via the Eastern ridge is rated as Category 3B difficulty and includes snowy-ice slopes and rocky sections with piton belay.
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
Description of the route to the Western branch of the Kulak Glacier with information about the terrain and climbing features.
Western branch of Kulak glacier
Route Description: с юга по кулуару В гребня
Description of ascents to the top of Latsga via the Eastern ridge: combined routes of 3A and 2B category of complexity with details of passage and ascent time.
209. Latsha via the East Ridge (combined route, A. Bespalova, category III difficulty, fig. 24, 30). From the initial bivouac at the Garvash Pass (route 205), turn left and approach the first rocky ascent of Latsha's East Ridge via scree. Ascend 200–250 m up simple, then moderately difficult (with protection) rocks of the East Ridge to the "Paltsev" gendarme. Bypass the "Paltsev" on the left and continue up moderately difficult rocks of the East Ridge to the second ascent.
From under the second ascent:
- 20 m along a ledge to the left,
- then 35–40 m up moderately difficult rocks (with pitons) to the ascent,
- 150 m along the narrow snow-and-ice (with cornices) East Ridge to the third ascent. Overcome the third ascent directly up 20-meter moderately difficult rocks (with pitons). Continue along:
- 400–500-meter snow-and-ice East Ridge (with cornices) to reach the summit of Latsha. From Garvash Pass — 5-6 hours.
- Latsha from the south via the East Ridge couloir (combined route, category II difficulty, fig. 24, 30). From the initial bivouac on the snow plateau below the Garvash Pass (route 205), ascend 250–300 m up the first steep snow-and-ice, then simple but crumbling rocky, wide south couloir from the Garvash Pass (avalanches, protection) to the East Ridge (with cornices) of Latsha.
Route Description: В гребню
Description of ascents to the top of Latsga via the Eastern ridge and the southern couloir with a detailed analysis of the routes and categories of complexity.
209. Latsga via East Ridge (combined route, A. Bespalova, category III difficulty, fig. 24, 30). From the starting bivouac of the Garvash Pass (route 205) turn left and approach the first rocky ascent of the East Ridge of Latsga peak via scree. Ascend 200–250 m up the easy, then moderately difficult (belay required) rocks of the East Ridge to the “Finger” rock pinnacle. Bypass the “Finger” on the left and continue on the moderately difficult rocks of the East Ridge to the second ascent.
From below the second ascent:
- 20 m along the ledge leftward
- then 35–40 m up moderately difficult rocks (pitons) to the ascent
- 150 m along the narrow snow-ice ridge (cornices) of the East Ridge to the third ascent, which is overcome directly via 20 m of moderately difficult rocks (pitons). Then along:
- 400–500 m long snow-ice East Ridge (cornices) ascend to the summit of Latsga. From the Garvash Pass – 5-6 hours.
- Latsga from the south via the East Ridge couloir (combined route, category II difficulty, fig. 24, 30). From the initial bivouac on the snow plateau below the Garvash Pass (route 205) ascend 250–300 m up the first steep snow-ice, then easy but destroyed rocky, wide south couloir from the Garvash Pass (avalanche risk, belay required) to the East Ridge (cornices) of Latsga peak.
Route Description: Ю гребню
Description of the ascent to the summit of Latsga (3980 m) along the southern ridge, category of difficulty 3B, climbed by a group of climbers in 1979.
Ascent Passport
- ASCENT TYPE — rock climbing
- ASCENT REGION — Main Caucasus Range between Garvash and Jantugan passes
- PEAK — Latsga (3980 m) via the southern ridge
- PROPOSED DIFFICULTY CATEGORY — 3B
- ROUTE CHARACTERISTICS — ridge ascent with a height difference of 560 m, average steepness of 45°
- PITONS DRIVEN — 8 rock pitons for belaying
- TIME TAKEN — 8 hours 30 minutes from the start of the route to the summit (group of 6 people)
- NUMBER AND CHARACTERISTICS OF NIGHTS SPENT — no convenient places for overnight stays; it is possible to set up one tent approximately at the middle part of the route (beyond the "black triangle")
- ASCENT LEADER: Zaporozhchenko E.V. — 1st sports category
Route Description: В стене В гребня
Ascent description of the Latza peak (3,999m) via the Eastern wall, category 5B route, climbed in 1976.
Ascent Log
- Climbing grade — technically challenging.
- Ascent area — Main Caucasian Ridge and its spurs from Chipperaza Pass to Ortokara peak.
- Peak, its height, ascent route — Mt. Latsga (3999 m) eastern wall.
- Proposed difficulty category — 5A.
- Route characteristics: height difference — 620 m average steepness — 52° length of sections — 5th cat. diff. — 197 m
- Pitons hammered: for belay and for creating R.P.E. rock pitons 56
Route Description: ЮВкф.
Description of the ascent route to the summit of Latsа (3996 m) via the southeast counterforce, difficulty category 4B, climbed by a group of climbers in 1980.
Ascent Passport
- ASCENT CLASS — rock
- ASCENT AREA — Main Caucasus Range between GARVASH and DZHANTUGAN passes
- PEAK, ROUTE — LATZGA (3996 m) via south-eastern counterfort
- EXPECTED DIFFICULTY CATEGORY — 4B
- ROUTE CHARACTERISTICS — rock, via counterfort, height difference — 455 m, average steepness 75°
- NUMBER OF PITS HAMMERED — 22 rock anchors, for belay
- NUMBER OF CLIMBING HOURS — from the start of the route to the summit 12.5 h
- NUMBER OF OVERNIGHT STAYS — no comfortable places on the route, one tent can be set up at I and II control sections
- ASCENT LEADER: Novikov S.A. — Pr
Route Description: с пер. Тот
Description of the combined route 2Б category of complexity to the peak Lekzyr Severny via the Eastern slope of the South ridge.
165. Lekzyr Severnaya via the Eastern slope of the Southern ridge (combined route,
category 2B, fig. 24, 26). At Tot pass (item
160. turn right and reach the snowy eastern slope of Lekzyr Severnaya peak.
From here, 300–400 m up-left along a gentle snowy slope (avalanches, rocks),
in the upper part along the rocks or to the right of them — to reach
the shoulder of the snowy counterfort. Up along the counterfort, then
cross left a wide snowy couloir (avalanches, rocks) of the saddle between
Severnaya and Glavnaya peaks and reach a vaguely expressed ridge.
From here, 80–100 m up along steep easy destroyed and snowy rocks of