35th category To the ridge Sevchenko, B. Kozlov, E. Mikhailov, V. Cherepov (Bezengi) To Brno, view from Ukju bivouac. The group's path is shown with a dotted line. 1 — the first gendarme. 2 — Misses-Tau. 4 — Salynan-bashi. 5 — Shaurtu. 6 — Tyutyurgu.

Descending from the North ridge of peak Brno. After narrowing of the couloir - transition to its right side and up. From the place of couloir bifurcation - ascent via its right branch, then to the right and via easy rocks to the Central counterfort. From the trail - 2–3 hours. Via medium difficulty rocks (in rope teams!) on the left side of the counterfort:

• 200 m upwards,
• then transition to its right side,
• via a snowslope ascent towards the wall of the North ridge. From the couloir - 2–3 hours. Via steep medium difficulty rocks:
• 45–50 m straight up,

2. Varschava peak — Sella peak, traverse.

From the Dzhangi-Kosh hut, cross the crescent-shaped moraine, reach the Bezengi glacier and move along the "pocket" between the zone of marginal crevices and the S. slopes of Varschava peak until the glacier flattens out for 30–40 minutes (watch out! — prone to rockfall from the left, hidden crevices). To the left is a wide snow couloir, bounded on the right by the S. ridge of Varschava peak. Follow the snow on the left side of the couloir, then:

• left across the broken rocks
• up the narrow snowy couloir (if icy — along the rocky ridge to the left of the couloir)
• to the saddle on the SW ridge with a cairn. From the hut — 2 hours. From the saddle, move to the right or along the ridge line simultaneously with protection on the ridge's protrusions and bends. The rocky ascent of the ridge before the summit is bypassed on the left along an inclined ledge with piton protection, then 30 m of easy rocks. From the saddle to Varschava peak — 2 hours. From the summit, descend simultaneously along the easy, gentle rocky ridge to a dip. Descend into the dip with a double rope pull or with the last person using piton protection, then continue simultaneously along the ridge to its lowest point. The ascent to Sella peak initially follows a broken rocky, then a gentle, gradually widening snowy ridge. From here, in adverse weather conditions, it is possible to abandon the route along the S. spur — ridge. From the junction with the spur:
• simultaneously along the sharp snowy ridge with rock outcrops,

1. Gestola, NE buttress — Cat. 4B

The initial bivouac is on the edge of the rocky side of the Lower Tsanner ice fall (point 3). Approach to the western slopes at the base of the NE buttress across the upper plateau of the N. Tsanner Glacier (covered crevasses!). Exit to the ridge of the buttress via a gentle snowy slope of 120–150 m. Up along the ridge (overhanging cornices to the east!) to a depression in the ridge. Ascend a snowy-icy slope to the right of a rocky outcrop: 100 m up a steep (50–60°) ice pitch from the bergschrund, then 150–200 m along a snowy ridge to a snowy-icy "cushion" to the right of a gendarme on the NE buttress. In a depression below the gendarme, it is possible to set up an overnight stay. From the depression, ascend 80–100 m up a sharp snowy ridge, then traverse left for 20 m along the boundary between rocks and snow (ice), and then up easy rocks — an ascent of 80–100 m to a shoulder of the ridge. 30–40 m along a gentle snowy ridge to the summit. 8–12 hours from the bivouac. Descent to the "saddle" of Gestola and further — as per description 2. Recommended ascent plan to Gestola peak via Lyalver:

• Day 1 — approach to the initial bivouac site;
• Day 2 — N. Tsanner Pass – Lyalver – Bezymyanaya (4310) – "saddle" of Gestola;
• Day 3 — ascent to the summit and descent via the ascent route to the initial bivouac site;
• Day 4 — return to camp. via the NE buttress of Bezymyanaya:
• Day 1 — approach to the initial bivouac site;

Ascent Passport

1. Central Caucasus, Bezengi gorge, section No. 2.5 of the route classifier for mountain peaks
2. Peak name: Gestemony; route name: via the North wall (M. Khergiani, 1959)
3. Complexity category: 5Б
4. Route character: combined
5. Route height difference: 1960 m (by altimeter) Route length: 2990 m. Section length: V category: 938 m, VI category: 140 m. Average steepness:

• main part of the route: 65 °

Climbing route description to Gerta-bashi peak (4200 m) from Ullu-Auz glacier — Category 1B From the overnight stay on the moraine, ascend via grassy slopes and scree, then left to bypass the ridge descending from the Dumala-Tau massif, and following the Dumala-Tau slopes along the glacier and snowfields — ascent to the middle plateau of the Ullu-Auz glacier. Then, via snowy slopes upwards, in the direction of the central rocky outcrop under Mira peak (above the outcrop are icefalls) to a snowy ledge-slope above the icefalls. Along the snowy ledge-slope above the icefalls 400–500 m leftwards upwards under Mira peak slopes (prone to avalanches and icefall) to ascend to Trud pass plateau. From the overnight stay — 5–6 hours. From the pass, leftwards via snowfields, slopes, and simple rocks to reach Gerta-bashi peak. Descent via the ascent route takes 2–3 hours.

Route Description — Ascending Gerta-Bashi Peak via the Northwest Ridge — Category III difficulty.

From the overnight stay behind the moraine, ascend via grassy slopes and scree, bypassing the icefall of the Ullu-Auz glacier, to the middle snow plateau of the glacier, and along it to the left, under the right part of the Northwest ridge of Gerta-Bashi peak. From the glacier, ascend up a snowy slope and heavily broken simple rocks to the right of a small snowy couloir; after 40–50 m, move left, then 25–30 m through a rocky couloir to a ridge. Follow the ridge's moderately difficult rocks 90–120 m upwards (loose rocks!), then 60–70 m up steep slabs to beneath a vertical wall. Bypass the wall on the right via an 8–10-meter ledge. From the ledge:

• ascend 45–50 m up heavily broken rocks;
• then 25–30 m along an inclined slab under a large boulder on the ridge. From the boulder:
• ascend rightwards up a small snowy slope 30–35 m via slabs;
• then 35–40 m up a steep couloir (loose rocks) to ascend to the ridge's saddle between sharp gendarmes. From the saddle, move right. Bypass the sharp gendarme along the snowy plateau on the left; then follow a wide, simple horizontal ridge to reach a gap (cairn!).

46. Be­лая Ne­zna­kom­ka via East­ern ridge (the route is com­bined, V. Saba­niz­dze, cat­egory III, fig. 5, 8). From the pla­teau (point 37) along a steep ice-and-snow slope, with out­crops of bro­ken rocks of me­dium dif­fi­culty, 150–200 m as­cent (pitons) to the Lower Shoul­der of the East­ern ridge. On the right there are ice falls. Fur­ther 200–250 m along the sim­ple ice-and-snow East­ern ridge (cor­nices) to the Snow Sen­tinel. From it a short des­cent to a sad­dle. Fur­ther along a gen­tle, then along a steep 50–60-me­ter ice-and-snow II as­cent and along frozen 20–40-me­ter rocks of me­dium dif­fi­culty (cor­nices, pitons) to the East­ern sen­tinel. From the sen­tinel along the snow East­ern ridge (cor­nices) to the sad­dle and along a steep 50–60-me­ter ice-and-snow (pitons) III as­cent, then along sim­ple

40. Belaya Neznakomka via the Southern ridge of the Uzlovoĭ gendarme of the Main Caucasian Ridge (MCR) (a combined route, Yu. Pulenets, 3B category of difficulty, fig. 5, 8). From the plateau, to the right of the MCR col between Belaya Neznakomka and Zeskho (point 37), having passed the bergschrund, ascend 40 m via a narrow ice-snow gully (rocks, belay) onto the Southern ridge of the Uzlovoĭ gendarme of the MCR (a cairn on the left on the shoulder). Here, turn right and ascend 60–80 m along slab-like steep simple broken rocks, 15–20 m along steep rocks of medium difficulty on the wall side (“live” rocks, pitons), 80 m along simple broken rocks of the Southern ridge. Then, along steep rocks of medium difficulty (piton belay):

• a 20-meter corner (piton belay)
• a 40-meter wide destroyed rocky ridge Ascend to the Uzlovoĭ gendarme of the MCR (a cairn). From the plateau, 4–5 hours.

Fig. 8.