ELBRUS EASTERN AND WESTERN PEAKS TRAVERSE VIA THE SOUTHERN SLOPE 3–4 cat. dif. From the village of Terskol, ascend via the road on the left bank of the Terskol River. The road almost immediately crosses to the left side of the southeastern spur of the Elbrus massif into the Azau gorge and gradually ascends to the "95" checkpoint, then to the "105" checkpoint and further to the ice base. The road serpentines can be bypassed via trails in many places, starting from the transformer booth near the village of Terskol. From the village of Terskol, 5–6 hours. From the ice base, descend from the moraine onto the glacier, then make a steep ascent. Continue upwards along the gentle snowy slope, gradually bearing left, moving in a broad snowy hollow until the slope steepness increases sharply (to 30–35°). Here, turn left and, ascending via a traverse onto a snowy rise, after 300–350 m, reach the rocky ridge where the Priyut 11 ( Refuge of Eleven) is located (to the left of the ascent path — hidden crevices). From the ice base, 1.5–2 hours. In summer, the path from the ice base to Priyut 11 is usually marked with wooden stakes every 40–60 m. Another ascent option to Priyut 11 is possible: from Terskol by car to Azau, then via the cable car and from the cable car station upwards along the broken rocks and snowfields — from the station, about 3–3.5 hours. At Priyut 11, it is advisable to have an active acclimatization day with an exit to the Pastukhov rocks.

Krumkol via the center of the right bastion of the North wall (Tsey team route). BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ROUTE A 500 m snow-ice ascent (40°) leads to the beginning of the bastion. Along the way, there are two ice sections to overcome (50–100 m). Exit to a rocky island. From the island, a steep (45°) ice slope leads to the beginning of the bastion. Exit onto fragile, heavily degraded rocks. 10 m up and left along the rocks to an overhanging section (change of lead). Traverse left (difficult climbing; icy rocks make it hard to set up belays) and, crossing an internal corner (ice), exit into a chimney. 5 m of artificial technical climbing. Further along an inclined internal corner, exit onto an icy balcony. The overhang is bypassed on the right via an internal corner and a series of ridges. Exit onto simpler dry rocks. Change of lead. To the left is the ridge of the bastion. Exit via a cleft onto the slab-like left wall of the bastion; small dry rocks with minor holds; difficult climbing (overshoes) for 30 m and exit onto a ledge under an overhanging section above. 30–40 m away, overhanging reddish rocks are visible. Traverse under the overhang to the right and up, and exit onto a second ledge; along it, to the wall to the right of the reddish overhang. Second crux:

• Up the wall 8–10 m to an overhang.
• Traverse through an internal corner onto a ledge.
• Up a cleft for 15 m and exit onto a balcony.

1. Technical category.
2. Caucasus, Mizhirgi gorge.
3. V. Krumkol 4676 m, via the North Face.
4. Suggested route - 6A category of difficulty, first ascent.
5. Route characteristics: height difference: 1585 m. length: 1956 m. length of sections with 5–6 category of difficulty: 399 m, out of which 6 category - 113 m. Average steepness of the rock bastion 70°.
6. Pitons hammered in:

Ascent Passport

1. Ascent category — technical.
2. Region — Central Caucasus, Bezengi region.
3. Peak Krumkol (4640) via the Central Bastion of the North face, combined route.
4. First ascent, proposed category of difficulty — 5B.
5. Route characteristics: Elevation gain 1440 m (by altimeter). Length of sections 5–6 km trud. — 480 m. Average steepness 53° (same as Melentyev's route, for which data is available in the USSR Sports Committee).
6. Pitons used: rock 24/4, ice 96, protection gear 15.
7. Total travel time: 15 + 7 + 11 = 33 hours.

St. Petersburg City Alpinism Championship 2013

Climbing Passport:

1. Central Caucasus, Lateral Ridge, Bezengi gorge, section 2.5 ECTM 2013
2. v. Krumkol (4688 m), center of the north wall (A. Kolchin), variant
3. Proposed: 5B category of difficulty (variant)
4. Route type: combined
5. Route height difference — 1600 m Total route length — 2900 m Section lengths:

• V category of difficulty — 505 m

1. Altitude-technical class.
2. Caucasus, Bezengi, Northern array, section 25 p. 92 according to the classification table 2001
3. Krumkol, via C rib 6A (Timofeev's route) 4676 m
4. The route is combined.
5. Height difference of the route: 1576 m. Route length: 1735 m. Length of sections: V–VI cat. diff. 1400 m. Average steepness: 70°.
6. Team's walking hours: 30 hours, 2 days.
7. Leader: Viktor Yu. Kramarenko CMS (Kharkov). Participants: Dmitry N. Podlesny CMS (Taganrog), born 1979. Alexander V. Gudzinsky CMS (Uzhgorod).
8. Coach: Valentina T. Orekhova, CMS, 1st category alpinism instructor-methodologist, cert. #550 (Taganrog);

Passport

Climbing area — Caucasus, Bezengi. Climbing route — North wall of "Krumkol" peak — 4676 m. Characteristics of the ascent:

• Height difference — 1680 m.
• Average steepness — 61°.
• Length — 460 m.
• Number of difficult sections — Number of pitons driven:
• Rock — 168

Protocol № 345 dated 14.12.1971

5B

The route was not credited to the group due to exceeding the time limit.

REPORT

ON THE FIRST ASCENT OF PIK PIONER VIA THE NORTH-WESTERN WALL (DUMALA VALLEY, CAUCASUS) 19–22 August 1971 www.alpfederation.ru

Gertybashi Pioneer

ASCENT TO PTITSA SUMMIT VIA NORTH RIDGE, CATEGORY 3B Route Description From the "3900*" campsite, head towards the upper plateau of the glacier. The fourth step of the icefall is climbed near the rocks of the West ridge of Kündüm-Mijirgi Peak ("bolts"!) or through the center of the glacier ("crevasses"!). Move left along the plateau towards the saddle between Ptitsa and Kündüm-Mijirgi Peaks. The ascent to the saddle is via a snow slope of 35–40°. (From "3900" campsite — 2–2.5 hours). From the saddle, ascend 200 m up the North ridge via moderately difficult rocks and snow (possible hidden ice!) to the base of a snow-and-rock couloir with flow ice in its lower part. The couloir starts 15–16 m to the right of the ridge. Climb 30–40 m up the couloir ("bolts", ledges!) and then continue along the snowy ridge ("cornices"!) to the base of a rock outcrop. From here, make a short traverse to the right and then ascend 30 m up the couloir ("bolts"!) to a snowy shoulder on the ridge. Then continue along the ridge to the pre-summit outcrop. From under the outcrop, traverse right and upwards along an 80 m snow slope towards an overhanging rock with a jammed stone. To the right of this rock, there is a rock wall that is climbed leftwards and upwards ("bolts"!). The total height of the wall is about 20 m. Then ascend a snow slope to the summit. From the saddle between Kündüm-Mijirgi and Ptitsa Peaks, it takes around 5 hours. Descent via the ascent route to the saddle takes around 3 hours. Equipment list for a group of 4: Rock bolts 6 pcs Ice screws 3 pcs Crampons 4 pairs