СВ гребню
Route Description: СВ гребню
Ascent to the summit of Agepsta (3261 m) via the North-Eastern ridge, category 3Б difficulty in 1978.
- Time of ascent. Krasnodar cranes to Marukh pass.
- Peak, its height and ascent route: Agepsta Main, 3261 m, along the north-eastern ridge.
- Proposed category of difficulty: 3B.
- Characteristics of the route: height difference — 700 m, average steepness — 45°, length of sections: I — 80 m; II — 520 m; III — 340 m; IV — 55 m; V — none; VI — none.
- Number of pitons: for belaying, for descent, etc. rock 21, ice, bolt
- Number of walking hours — 9 hours.
Route Description: СВ гребню
Description of the geographical area, approach to the route, and ascent to the summit of Agepsta Main via a new Category IIIB route.
Geographic Overview of the Area
The AGEPSTA massif is a standalone ridge with the dominant peak GLAVNAYA AGEPSTA (3261 m), dropping off to the north with walls up to 80 ° steep and a height difference of 1000 m. It is located on the border between Krasnodar Krai and the Georgian SSR. It is bounded to the west by the Aibga ridge and the Turii mountains, to the east by the Atskentsi ridge, to the north by the Mzymta River, and to the south by the Gegra River. From a geographical point of view, the AGEPSTA massif is part of the Southern Front Ridge. It stretches parallel to the Main Caucasian Ridge between the upper reaches of the Tikhaia and Agepsta rivers. It is 10 km long, with heights ranging from 2800 to 3200 m, and is composed of marl, conglomerates, limestones, diorites, tuffs, and other rocks from the marine and Cretaceous periods. Glacial landforms are well-developed:
- cirques;
- karst formations;
- glaciers (the largest being Khyms-Aneke) cover about 5 sq. km. The lower slopes feature mountain meadow vegetation, beech and beech-deciduous forests, rhododendron, and plenty of berries such as currants, blueberries, and bilberries. High precipitation (up to 6 m of snow in some years) and a sharp temperature scale contribute to the breakdown of rocks.