Route Description for Climbing Arkhon Maly Peak (3942 m)

Category II-B difficulty. The peak is located in the Teplinskaya group of the Front Range of the Greater Caucasus, on the northeastern spur of Kolota, immediately adjacent to the Arkhon Glavny peak (4253 m) to the southwest. The first ascent to Arkhon Maly was made by a group of climbers from Ordzhonikidze led by N. Alchiev on May 29, 1966, from the Fiagdon valley via the southwest ridge. Day I. Traveling from Ordzhonikidze through the Kurtatinskoye gorge to the confluence of the Fiagdon and Dzamarashdon rivers takes 2 hours 30 minutes. Cross the Fiagdon River via a bridge near a watchtower and follow the trail up to the first hanging valley (on the left orographic slope of the gorge). The ascent proceeds up a grassy slope, which becomes quite steep at the top, leading to a moraine hill. The moraine ridge is sharp, with avalanche debris from Glavny Arkhon on both sides. On the first day, the ascent reaches an absolute height of 3000 m. At the junction of the moraine and the slope, a bivouac is set up on a small site. The ascent to the bivouac takes 3 hours. Day II. Depart at 5:00 AM. After proceeding 100 m along the moraine, turn right and ascend the slope to the eastern buttress of the northeastern ridge of Arkhon. Upon reaching the ridge of the buttress:

• form a rope team;
• move up the ridge.