Ascent Log

I. Ascent category — rock climbing 2. Region — Western Caucasus 3. Route Bolshoi Nakhar (3780 m) via route 6B cat. diff. 4. Ascent characteristics: height difference 1050 m average steepness 80° length of complex section 740 m 5. Pitons used: rock 290, ice —, bolt 11 6. Total climbing hours 61 h

Ascent Passport

1. Ascent category — technical

2. Region — Western Caucasus

3. Route — Bolshoy Nakhara via 6B category route, 3780 m.

4. Characteristics of the ascent: height difference — 1080 m.

• Average steepness: 81°
• Length of complex section: 760 m.

5. Pitons hammered: rock

• 315
• Ice: 0

1. Rock climbing category
2. Western Caucasus, Nakhar gorge
3. Bolshoi Nakhar via the northeast wall
4. Proposed category: 6th category of complexity, first ascent
5. Height difference — 930 m, length — 1320 m Length of sections with 5–6 category of complexity — 730 m Average steepness of main sections 81° (2950–3500), including 6th category of complexity:

• 86°, 60 m (3010–3050);
• 88°, 185 m (3070–3200);
• 90°, 10 m (3230–3240);

Pyramid

Ascent to the summit of Pyramid via the south-east ridge from Marda valley - 2A cat. From Uzunkol alpine camp along the trail on the right bank of the Myrdy river to the right moraine of the Myrza glacier. Along the trail, through the "ram's foreheads" and further - along the grassy slopes to "Myrdy bivouac". 3.5–4 hours from the camp. From the bivouac into a narrow steep couloir leading to the snow plateau of the Kara-Bashi and Pyramid peaks. From dropping the "ram's foreheads" on the edge, start-right-up along the snow and the beginning of a wide scree-filled couloir, going up in steps to the SE ridge. Along the couloir (in a rope team! Rocks!) exit to the ridge. From here, left along the destroyed rocks of the wide ridge (≈ 250 m) and the first gendarme (severely destroyed rocks). Bypass the gendarme on the left along the ledges and further along the inner corner (15 m, piton!) with an exit to the ridge behind the gendarme. Along the rocks, approach and yellow 7 m wall, behind which along the ledges enter a 10 m chimney (piton!). The gendarme at the confluence of the SE and southern ridges is bypassed on the right along the ledges (belay). www.alpfederation.ru

PYRAMID PEAK – 3760 m Ascent via the Eastern ridge – cat. 4B (Description of the ascent route to the summit) From the "Uzunkol" camp, follow the right bank of the Mordy River to the 4th stream at a large stone blockage in the Mordy gorge. From here, head left up the right grassy slope (trail) to the destroyed "sheep's foreheads". Continue along the green terraces under the long moraine, which goes up into the Pyramid glacier cirque. Follow the moraine to reach the glacier. On the talus islands, there's a bivouac site. From the camp, it takes 4–4.5 hours. From the overnight stay, follow the snowfield, crossing several avalanche cones (!), to the start of R1 on the eastern ridge shelf of Pyramid. (Rappel! Belay!) The slope is up to 45° in the upper part. Traverse along the first shelf, on the edge of snow and rocks, to R1 of a short wet black couloir. Climb up the couloir (Belay! Pitons!) to inclined ledges and along them (Belay! Pitons!) to R2, a large shelf – under the R3 shelf overhang. Follow the snowfield on the shelf to a 20-meter rock wall (Belay! Pitons!). Go left along the boundary of snow and rocks under the wall to an internal corner 3–4 m. Wall: exit into the corner and climb up (20 m) to the R3 shelf (Belay! Piton!). Traverse left-up along the boundary of rocks and snow for 100 m (Pitons!) to reach the ridge crest. Exit onto the crest above the "finger". From here, climb up the sharp crest to the shoulder. There's a control cairn here. From the bivouac to the shoulder, it takes 5.5–6 hours. (There are many loose rocks on the shelves. To ensure better passage, preliminary processing of the shelves is necessary the day before!). Bivouac site. No water.

Pyramid Peak — 3760 m

Ascent via the northern counterfort — Cat. 3B difficulty

Description of the ascent route to the summit

The path from the camp to the bivouac — see the description of the Cat. 4A route.

Ascent Passport

1. Western Caucasus, Uzunkol region, Kiчkinekol gorge, section number according to the classification table 2.3
2. Peak 3400 (Raspopova), via the eastern ridge
3. Proposed 2A category of difficulty, first ascent
4. Route type: Rocky
5. Height difference of the route: 250 m Route length: 575 m Section lengths:
   • I – 135 m
   • II – 380 m

Report on the First Ascent

To Peak 3400 — Peak Raspopova (Western Caucasus, Uzunkol, August 2010) The ascent was made by climbers from Rostov-on-Don with the goal of naming the previously unnamed peak 3400 after Raspopov Sergey Alekseevich, a Master of Sports, a pioneer of Rostov mountaineering, and a dedicated organizer of mountaineering events and mentor to climbers in the Rostov region.

Contact Information

All inquiries related to the report should be directed to:

• 344029, Rostov-on-Don, ul. Pervoy Konnoy Armii, 4a
• Club of Tourists and Climbers "Planeta"
• Phone +7 (863) 242–35–10, Phone/Fax +7 (863) 223–86–12
• http://www.club-planeta.ru
• e-mail: clubplaneta@aaanet.ru

ASCENT ROUTE TO THE SUMMIT OF PELYCHACHAP from the west — I.6Б.

Route Description:

From the ice bivouacs, via the Middle Kichkinekol glacier plateau, approach the slopes of Talychat pass. To the left of the pass, the western slopes of Talychat peak begin. In the middle of the western slope, a large couloir descends — this is the route landmark. Ascend via the right snow-scree side of the lower part of the couloir to a rocky outcrop. Then:

• through rocks, up and to the right via a small snowy couloir;
• then left via fine scree to reach a large inclined ledge. Along it:
• up for 20 m, bypassing the walls on the right;
• after 50 m, reach a grassy ledge. Along the ledge, head left to a stream, bypassing wet slabs, then ascend rocks to large slabs. Across them, left onto a large scree.