Fig. 27

1. Ascent to the summit of Glavny Amanauz (3757 m) from the Amanauzsky Pass — category 3b difficulty (Fig. 27)

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 moraine,
• through the "barany lby" to the Amanauzsky Glacier,
• along the glacier to the terminal moraine below the West Amanauz Glacier. From Dombayskaya Polyana 3–4 hours. Further (in rope teams!), ascent to the Amanauzsky Pass between the peaks Glavny Amanauz and Sofruju. Ascent on the right side of the heavily crevassed glacier. In the upper part, under the slopes of Zub Sofruju peak, one should move to the middle of the glacier due to possible firn avalanches from the slopes of Zub Sofruju. The exit to the pass is via a bergschrund on a steep (50°) snowy slope — 120 m (belaying!), slightly to the left of a rock outcrop. There is a bivouac site on the pass. From Dombayskaya Polyana 8–9 hours. From the pass, along the несложным скалам (easy rocks) of the western ridge to the gendarme. Bypass the gendarme on the right and continue along the ridge to the red gendarme.