From the CPS (group of 4–6 people) down the highway of the Baksan valley past the village of Elbrus to the bridge over the Baksan River. Having crossed the bridge over the Baksan River to the right (orographic) bank of Baksan, turn right and ascend along the trail on the left bank along the way, against the current, to the moraine outflow of the first stream (Andyrchi River). Cross the stream flowing from the circus located under the northern walls of the Andyrchi-MNR ridge, and, turning left, ascend along the trail to the moraine outflow. Further:

• up the coarse scree of the couloir along the right bank of the stream;
• from the place of the bifurcation of the stream and the couloir — ascent along its left branch (in the right one — a waterfall);
• above the right waterfall — exit from the couloir along the rocks to the right onto the trail;
• along the trail onto the steep grassy slopes overgrown with small forest;
• then up the scree — to the right onto the moraine platforms near the Black Rocks. On the platforms — the initial bivouac. From the bridge over Baksan — 3–4 hours. From the platforms on the moraine ridge, descend traversing to the left along the scree. Then, along the snowy slope, exit to the "ram's foreheads" on the right side of the first (lower) rocky island of the Northern wall of Andyrchi peak. Along the following sections:
• steep grassy ledges

Artkol 8. Artkol via the South Ridge (V. Grecheninov's and E. Grecheninova's route. Category 1B, August 14, 1938) The path from Verkhniy Baksan settlement to Zugulla is described in route 4. Having crossed Zugulla ford to the left bank, ascend along the trail on the right bank of the Kyrtyk river up to the confluence of a small Gicheartkol river coming in from the right. Cross Gicheartkol ford and ascend along the grassy slope of its left bank up to the upper abandoned cattle-breeding farm and further along the left bank up to the talus descending from the summit of Artkol. The initial bivouac is at the talus. 7-8 hours from Verkhniy Baksan settlement. From here:

• turn right and ascend along the large talus to the rocky towers of the South Ridge of Artkol summit;
• further ascent along simple, heavily cut and ruined rocks of the South Ridge with numerous gendarmes;
  • bypass the 1st gendarme on the left along taluses and simple ruined rocks;
  • overcome the 2nd one head-on along the ridge;
  • bypass the 3rd one along taluses on the left and then along a simple rocky ridge reach the 4th gendarme;

А­Х­SУ via Western ridge, cat. 2А From the CSP:

• go up along the trail on the slope of the «Shkhelda gorge» — first through the forest, then along the grassy slopes — to the Shkhelda glacier;
• 300 m above the glacier's tongue, exit onto its lateral moraine;
• follow the moraine, keeping to the right bank of the glacier, and move about 500 m up the gorge;
• then exit to the right onto the trail;
• ascend along the trail on the grassy slope along the glacier to the clearing near the rocks with black stripes — Aristov's bivouac.

From the Shkhelda a/b, up the right slope of the Shkhelda valley trapezoid, first through the forest, then through the grassy slopes to the Shkhelda glacier. 300 m above the glacier tongue, exit to its surface moraine. Along the moraine, sticking to the right bank of the glacier, go about 500 m upstream along the gorge, then exit to the right onto the trail. Along the trail on the grassy slope, the ascent along the glacier to the clearing at the rocks with black stripes — Aristov bivouac. On the clearing there is a bivouac. From the Shkhelda alp camp — 3.5–4 hours. From Aristov bivouac, go to the Aksu glacier — the right tributary of Shkhelda — and up it. Having passed the right branch of the Aksu glacier falling into it with an icefall, exit after the turn to the icefall of the main (left) branch of the Aksu glacier, lying in a narrow rocky gorge. Pass the icefall in the center or bypass it to the right along the moraine (a longer and more dangerous path due to falling stones!). Beyond the icefall:

• ascent along the center of the glacier,
• ascent along the ice-snow ascent (crevasses!) to the snow plateau of the upper circus of the left branch of the Aksu glacier. Move up the plateau — to the right to the snowy slope rising to the North-Eastern ridge of the Aksu peak. Along the slope — ascent to the ridge (bivouac site). From the sites on the ridge — exit to the upper circus of the right branch of the Aksu glacier. Along the snow plateau of the upper circus of the right branch, go to the left and, without losing height, shift to the Aksu pass. From Aristov bivouac — 7–8 hours. On the pass, turn left to the Western ridge of the Aksu peak. Along simple, heavily destroyed rocks of the Western ridge with small scree and rocky ascents of gendarmes, passable head-on, ascent to the Aksu peak. From the Aksu pass — 2.5–3 hours.

CLIMBING REPORT on the ascent of the unnamed peak ("Baksan" peak) 2A Area: Greater Caucasus from Chiper-Azau Pass to Kitlod Pass Summit elevation: approx. 3500 m. Ascent route: via the northern ridge. Group composition:

1. PAKHOMOVA A.V. — Master of Sports of the USSR;
2. GURYAN Yu.A. — 1st category, instructor at "Baksan" alpine camp, Spartak Sports Society, Leningrad. Ascent date: July 16, 1977.

Ba­lyk via the South Ridge (Route 1B cat. dif.). The path from the settlement of Verkhniy Baksan to the scree under the South Ridge of Artkol peak is described in routes 4 and 8. From here, follow the right bank of the Ikeras River, then Subashi River, to reach the scree of the upper plateau in the Subashi gorge. From the plateau, ascend via scree and broken simple gentle rocks to the gentle snowy South Ridge of Balyk peak. From here:

• initially along a gentle,
• then along a steeper simple snowy ridge — ascent to the South shoulder. From the col, via simple rocks and connecting ridges alternating with sharp snowy crests (cornices!) — ascent to the summit of Balyk. From the scree — 3–3.5 hours. Descent:
• via the ascent route,
• or along the East Ridge. Duration of the route — 2 days. “Baksan Valley”, A.F. Naumov

143. Bashkara via the South Ridge of the South Shoulder (K. Tumanov's route, category 3A). The path from the “Jantugan” alplager (group of 4-8 people) to the initial bivouac at the Jantugan Pass is described in route 146. From the pass, exit onto the Jantugan Plateau and move down along its right side. Bypass the glacier's icefall from the right, then descend along the moraine under the slopes of Lekzyr-Jantugan Peak onto the Lekzyr Glacier at the confluence of its Western and Eastern branches. Ascend along the flat surface on the right side of the Western branch, bypassing the Bashkara Gadyl massif from the south, until reaching the point where the Unnamed Glacier's icefall (which descends from a small cirque formed by Ullukara

142. Bashkara via North-Eastern Ridge (E. Ivanov's route, cat. 3B) The path from the Djantugan alpbase (group of 4-8 people) to the initial bivouac on the Djantugan pass is described in route 146. From the pass, depart (at 3:00-4:00 am) to the Djantugan plateau. Traverse around the Djantugan peak from the left and exit to the North-Eastern ridge of Bashkara below the last (left) gentle snowy slope descending from the ridge saddle, which connects the Bashkara peak on the left and the Djantugan peak on the right. Turn right from the plateau and, having overcome the bergschrund, ascend directly up the gentle snowy, then scree slope. Further, ascend via easy, broken rocks, leaving the gendarme-connectors on the right, to the rocks of the North-Eastern ridge of Bashkara. 1-1.5 hours from the bivouac. When exiting onto the ridge, bypass the gendarme-connector on the left via easy, broken rocks (belay!). From the exit point to the ridge, turn left and move 50-60 m up via easy, broken rocks on the left side of the ridge, then across a short snowy connector below the rock ascent wall. Ascend 30 meters straight up the wall of medium difficulty to a ledge and traverse 10 m left along it. From there, ascend up-right 20-25 m via rocks of medium difficulty, then via easier and more broken rocks to the ridge (pitons for belay on the ascent wall!).

Ascent Record

1. Central Caucasus, Adyl-Su gorge, section 2.4 according to CMGA.
2. Bashkara peak, 4241 m, via the North Face.
3. Claimed 6A category of difficulty, first ascent.
4. Nature of the route — combined.
5. Elevation gain of the route 540 m. Route length 926 m. Length of sections:

• 5th category of difficulty — 345 m;
• 6th category of difficulty — 51 m. Average steepness of the main part of the route 70°, entire route — 55°.

6. Pitons left on the route: total 0