Report

On the first ascent to the summit of Tsyndyshko Malaya via the northwestern counterfort in the period from April 29 to 30, 1976, by a group assembled by the Krasnodar City Committee for Physical Culture and Sports.

Route Description

From the base camp at Lake Kardyvach, head up the Upper Mzymta River to the start of the ascent up steep snowy slopes leading to the cirque between Tsyndyshko Yuzhnaya peak and Tsyndyshko Malaya peak. Staying in the central part of the cirque (avalanches!), move in the direction of Tsyndyshko Pass until the second snow couloir on the right, which leads to a clearly defined saddle on the counterfort of Tsyndyshko Malaya peak. The time taken to reach the couloir from the camp is 2.5–3 hours. Ascent up the couloir (2.5–3 ropes) with a steepness of 30 to 60° in the upper part, then up a steep snowy ridge to beneath a 4-meter rock wall (moderate climbing, 1 piton). Then, exit via sloping snowy slabs and a snowy ridge to beneath the first "gendarme". It is climbed directly "head-on" (moderate climbing). From the "gendarme", a sport rappel (1 rope) down to a snowy saddle with a separate rocky "finger". From the saddle, follow the ridge, then up a 3-meter rock wall (moderate climbing, 1 piton) and via an internal corner on its right-hand side, exit onto a snowy "knife-edge" (1 rope). A steep rocky ascent on the ridge (second "gendarme") is bypassed on the left via a steep, sloping snowy ledge (1 rope, 2 pitons). Then, ascend the rocky ridge to a platform beneath the sub-summit. The sub-summit is reached with alternate belays on the right-hand side of the ridge (cornice 1). From the sub-summit, descend to a broad depression in the ridge and, via simple, broken rocks (2 ropes), ascend to the summit. The time taken to complete the route from exiting beneath the couloir is 5–6 hours. The descent via the ascent route takes 2–3 hours, depending on the condition of the route.

Ascent Passport

Climb category — technical. Region of ascent — Krasnodar Krai, Kardyvach plateau. Route of ascent — Mt. Tsyndyshko Malaya (3010 m) via the Northwest buttress, category 2A difficulty. Characteristics of ascent — route is combined.

• total elevation gain of the route — 350–400 m
• average steepness of the route — 30–35°
• number of climbing hours (from camp to camp) — 10–12 hours. Team name — group of climbers from Krasnodar city committee on physical culture and sports. Team composition —
• Ponimatko Oleg Ivanovich — team leader, 1st sports category, alpinism instructor
• Semenov Mikhail Ivanovich — 1st sports category