Peak Kankosheva via NW ridge - 4A

Route description. The route starts from the moraine fields below KOSHTAN Pass; a snow-ice slope with an angle of 30 to 40° on the right - a total of 3 pitches over 40 m leads to a gap in the ridge behind the final ascent of the ridge. Then, exit onto the ridge via moderately difficult rocks and then easy, broken rocks - 2 pitches. Belays via outcrops. Along the ridge, 2 pitches on rock and ice, to the right. The rocks are slab-like, moderately difficult. Exit to the first ascent is 0.5 pitches via slabs and ice (pitons). Steepness is 45°. The ascent is a 60° wall with cracks, climbed directly from the left - 1 pitch or bypassed on the right - 1.5 pitches on ice with piton belays on rock. Ice steepness is 40-45°. Exit up and left onto the ascent via steep slabs resembling "sheep's foreheads" - 0.5 pitches. No outcrops, few handholds. Overnight stay possible at the ascent. Total of 4 hours from the start of the route. Then, the ridge ascent continues - moderately difficult rocks with outcrops, steepness 40-45°, total of 2-2.5 pitches. Then, a 5 m triangular wall is bypassed on the right, belays via outcrops. Steep slabs are climbed via ledges and cracks (pitons). Then, the ridge becomes steeper with 2-4 m walls bypassed on the right and left via ledges and slabs covered in ice. Yellow blocks - pylons cross the ridge and are bypassed on the right via wall ledges in traverse with exit onto the ridge - 2.5-3 pitches. Total of 3 hours of climbing.