Ascent Passport

1. ASCENT CLASS — rock
2. ASCENT AREA — Main Caucasus Range between GARVASH and DZHANTUGAN passes
3. PEAK, ROUTE — LATZGA (3996 m) via south-eastern counterfort
4. EXPECTED DIFFICULTY CATEGORY — 4B
5. ROUTE CHARACTERISTICS — rock, via counterfort, height difference — 455 m, average steepness 75°
6. NUMBER OF PITS HAMMERED — 22 rock anchors, for belay
7. NUMBER OF CLIMBING HOURS — from the start of the route to the summit 12.5 h
8. NUMBER OF OVERNIGHT STAYS — no comfortable places on the route, one tent can be set up at I and II control sections
9. ASCENT LEADER: Novikov S.A. — Pr

163. Lekzyr Malaya via North-West ridge (combined route, Cat. III, Fig. 24, 26). From the initial bivouac on the “Morena Lekzyr” sites (point 159) cross the Eastern branch of Lekzyr Glacier (closed crevasses) and ascend on its right side. Pass the lower part of the North-West ridge with gendarmes, turn right, cross the bergschrund, and ascend a steep snow-ice slope (streams) to the North-West ridge of Lekzyr Malaya summit. On the ridge, turn left and follow the icy-snowy North-West ridge (cornices) to approach the snow-covered rocky ascent. Ascend steep snow-covered rocks of the ascent (“live” stones, pitons) — 60–70 m up. Then 100–120 m along the edge of ice and rocks (cornices, belay), then:

165. Lekzyr Severnaya via the Eastern slope of the Southern ridge (combined route, category 2B, fig. 24, 26). At Tot pass (item 160. turn right and reach the snowy eastern slope of Lekzyr Severnaya peak. From here, 300–400 m up-left along a gentle snowy slope (avalanches, rocks), in the upper part along the rocks or to the right of them — to reach the shoulder of the snowy counterfort. Up along the counterfort, then cross left a wide snowy couloir (avalanches, rocks) of the saddle between Severnaya and Glavnaya peaks and reach a vaguely expressed ridge. From here, 80–100 m up along steep easy destroyed and snowy rocks of

Fig. 26. 164. Lekzyr Severная via North Ridge (combined route, V. Martynova, category 4A, fig. 24, 26). From the initial bivouac on the "Morena Lekzyr" sites (point 159), cross the Eastern branch of the Lekzyr Glacier and approach the right side of the Tot pass — the left side of the base of the North Ridge of Lekzyr Severная peak. From the glacier:

• overcome the bergschrund via a snow bridge;
• ascend a steep 100–300-meter ice-and-snow slope to the North Ridge of Lekzyr Severная peak.

168. Lekzyr Yuzhnaya via South-Eastern Ridge (combined route, E, Beletsky, 3B cat. diff., fig. 24, 26).

From Tot Pass (route 160) descend a snow slope with a bergschrund in its lower part to Tot Glacier and along its right side (closed crevasses) approach the right side of the south-eastern ridge of Lekzyr Yuzhnaya peak. From the glacier, having traversed the bergschrund, ascend 100–120 m up a snowy-ice slope of the "tie" to a col (cornice) of the South-Eastern ridge above the 1st pillar. Here, turn right, approach the 2nd pillar, bypass it with a descent along a ledge on the left (belay) and get behind it onto the South-Eastern ridge. Then:

• 15–20 m along a snowy slope,
• 80–90 m along rocky South-Eastern ridge to below a wall. Bypass the wall on the right along a ledge. Then, traverse 50–60 m along medium-difficulty rocks on the right side of the South-Eastern ridge (gully) and via an ice-snow couloir ascend to the South-Eastern ridge. Then:
• along medium-difficulty rocks,
• along a snowy col (cornice),
• along simple, easy rocks of the South-Eastern ridge — ascend to the summit of Lekzyr Yuzhnaya.

169. Lekzyr Severnaya — Lekzyr Yuzhnaya

(combined route, E. Emelyanova, 4A cat. diff., fig. 24, 26). From the summit of Lekzyr Glavnaya (route 165, 166) descend along simple rocky Yuzhny ridge, then along shelves on its right side to the saddle of Yuzhny ridge. From the saddle descend on the left side of the ridge by 3–4 abseils 25–30 m and sport route to a platform. From the platform traverse right along snowy shelves, then along a narrow 20–25-meter couloir (chimney) and steep broken rocks to a platform on the saddle of the massif behind Bolshoy zhendarм. Make a bivouac on the platform. From Glavnaya summit 5–6 hours. From the platform — along simple rocks of the ridge, overcoming small rock towers head-on or

Ascent Passport (v. Treugolnik via NW ridge)

I. Ascent category — technical. 2. Ascent region — Central Caucasus. Leninsky Komsomol 3. Ascent route — Treugolnik peak (3620 m) via NW ridge, combined. 4. Ascent characteristics: elevation gain 800 m*. 5. Pitons hammered: rock — 6 ice — 0 bolts — 0 6. Duration of ascent — 11–12 hours.

Mestia route via the Southwest Ridge, Category 1B

Route Description:

From the "Djailyk" base camp* past the "Ullu-Tau" recreation center and further along the trail along the right (orographically) bank from Adyr-Su to the moraine rises to the left of the Adyr-Su glacier tongue. The first of these has Mestian overnight stays. Climbing to the next rise, we reach the glacier and cross it in the direction of the large hitching post on which the Mestian hut is located; we go around the hitching post on the left and climb onto it. There are small crevices under the hitching post. From the Mestia Hut, we ascend a steep firn slope, and to the right of the rocky ridge, we reach the glacier. The path continues along the glacier, which is usually covered with a thick layer of snow. Large glacier crevices are bypassed on the right as we proceed. Further, after a steep ascent, we again emerge onto a large firn plateau, along which we move in the direction of the Mestia Pass. From the Mestia Pass, we turn left and move across the vast firn plateau towards the snow pyramid of Mestia-Tau. Crevices are possible on the left as we proceed. Descent is via the ascent route. The median moraine of the Adyr-Su glacier

Mestia route via the southwest ridge, 1B

Route description:

From the "Djailyk" base camp* past the "Ullu-Tau" camp and further along the trail along the right (orographically) bank from Adyr-Su to the moraine rises to the left of the Adyr-Su glacier tongue. The first of them hosts Mestia camping sites. Having ascended to the next rise, we reach the glacier and cross it in the direction of a large hitzan on which the Mestia hut is located; we bypass the hitzan on the left and ascend onto it. There are small crevasses under the hitzan. From the Mestia hut, we ascend a steep firn slope, and to the right of the rocky ridge, we reach the glacier. Further, the path goes along the glacier, which is usually covered with a thick layer of snow. Large crevasses on the glacier are bypassed on the right as we proceed. Further, after a steep ascent, we again reach a large firn plateau and move along it in the direction of the Mestia pass. From the Mestia pass, we turn left and move along the vast firn plateau towards the snowy pyramid of Mestia-Tau. There may be crevasses on the left as we proceed. The descent is made via the ascent route. Median moraine of the Adyr-Su glacier

Ascent Record

(Mestia-tau summit via the South Counterfort)

1. Ascent category — technical.
2. Ascent area — Central Caucasus.
3. Ascent route — Mestia-tau peak (4130 m) via the South Counterfort, combined.
4. Ascent characteristics: elevation gain — 1100 m.
5. Pitons used: rock — 22, ice — 0, screw — 0.
6. Duration — 13–14 hours.
7. Number of nights on the route — none.
8. Team name — instructors from "Djailyk" alpine camp.