DESCRIPTION

ASCENT TO SMIDOVICH PEAK (3359 m) VIA THE SOUTHEAST RIDGE (PHOTO № 1, 2, 3, 4)

Smidovich Peak is located in the Kardyvach Lake area, so the base camp for the ascent is set up near Kardyvach Lake.

Approach to the overnight stay at Smidovich Pass:

• Starts from Kardyvach Lake through the gorge of the Upper Mzymta River to the northern wall of Laub Peak.
• A gentle ascent along the snowy slope goes along the Upper Mzymta River, which is hidden under the snow.
• After 2.5 hours, you should reach a steep southwestern grassy slope overgrown with rhododendron, with small rocky outcrops.
• The ascent to the western cirque of Smidovich Peak and the Tsendyshkho peaks takes 1 hour.
• The path continues across the firn of the cirque, leading to the western edge of Smidovich Peak.

Overnight stay features:

Description of the ascent to peak Smidovich via the western counterfort

Group composition

1. Kovalevsky V.A. — II category — leader 2. Shklyaev E.V. — II category — participant 3. Kovalenko Yu.I. — II category — participant 4. Smoglyukov S.E. — II category — participant

First day (approach to the route) May 4, 1973

Departure from the base camp to lake KARDYVACH at 4:00 AM, upstream along the right bank (in the direction of travel) of the VERKHNYAYA MZYMTA river to a group of large boulders under the slopes of peak LAUB EASTERN. Then, upwards to the right along a wide snowy slope with rocky outcrops, exit to a shoulder under peak Severnaya Tsyndyshko (3–3.5 hours from the base camp to the shoulder). From the shoulder, leftwards to a sharp depression in the southwestern ridge of peak SMIDOVICH; CHERNORECHENSKY pass (1 hour). From the pass, descent along a steep snowy slope to the first rocky terrace near peak SMIDOVICH (1.5 hours descent).

Report

On the first ascent

on v. Sobor-Skala Gl. (1st tower) from the South

Climbing passport

1. Climbing area, section number according to the 2008 classification table
2. Name of the peak, its height, route name.
3. Proposed:
4. Nature of the route:
5. Height difference of the route: Route length:

DESCRIPTION

First ascent to v. Sofia via the eastern slope and ridge, approximately category 2A difficulty. From the base camp, follow the trail used by Kislovodsk climbers to the Sofiyskiy glacier, emerging under the eastern slopes of v. Sofia – 4 hours. The route initially follows a diagonal ledge, from right to left, passing from "sheep's foreheads" to "sheep's foreheads". The approach involves a steep snowy slope with a gradient of 40–45° – 250–300 m, followed by a wide bergschrund. The "sheep's foreheads" are traversed with piton protection – initially 10 m straight up, then 60 m to the left with a gradual gain in height. Climbing is difficult. The group of six spends 2 hours on this section. After reaching the diagonal ledge, move along it to the left towards a couloir descending from the ridge – 45–60 minutes. Movement is with simultaneous protection. The ledge is snow-covered. Before the couloir, turn right at a 90° angle and climb onto a degraded rocky ridge. The rocks are moderately difficult, with movement on a full rope and simultaneous protection. The ridge has many protrusions that can be used for belaying. The ascent along the ridge takes 1 hour, after which you emerge onto a snowy slope with a gradient of 40–45°. This slope is traversed:

• initially 60 m up and to the left,
• then 30 m up and to the right, emerging onto the eastern ridge – 20–30 minutes.

Description

First ascent to v. Sofia via the western ridge, approximately category 3A. From the base camp, follow the left bank of the Sofia River (orographically) until the confluence with the Ak-Airy River. Then, move left and upwards along the left (orographically) bank of the Ak-Airy River to the first belt of "ram's foreheads" - 1 hour of movement. The belt of "ram's foreheads" is bypassed from the right along a small stream. Then, move left across small meadows overgrown with rhododendron. After the meadows, move along the middle talus to the shoulder, beyond which lies the upper part of the Ak-Airy River valley. Here, there is a green, flat clearing with a stream of clear water nearby. A suitable location for the initial bivouac. From the first belt of "ram's foreheads" - 1 hour. From the initial bivouac, move upwards along the Ak-Airy River across talus to the Ak-Airy glacier. The glacier ends in an icefall, which is bypassed from the right across a rocky outcrop. Then, ascend a snowy slope with a steepness of 35-40° - 150-200 m upwards, exiting onto the glacier. From the initial bivouac to the glacier exit - 1 hour of movement.

PASSPORT

1. Class: combined
2. Western Caucasus
3. Peak Сочи (Sochi) by couloir and D.gr.
4. Proposed 2A category, first ascent
5. Height difference: 483 m, length: 680 m average steepness of the route: 45°
6. Pitons hammered: 0, used protection elements: 3
7. Team's moving hours: 9 hours and 1 day
8. Leader: Ivanchenko Vladimir Alexandrovich, 1st sports category

Peak: Pik Sochi Route: E ridge from Sochi Pass Cat. complexity: 4A Group leader: Solod S. D. Mountain region: Western Caucasus Classification section: 2.1

Report

on the first ascent of the route to Pik Sochi via the eastern ridge from Sochi Pass

Description of the route to the summit of Unnamed "Peak 2330 m", "Peak SOCHI 2014".

Ascent Passport

1. Krasnodar Krai, Mzymta River gorge, Aibga ridge, section number in KMGV — 2.1
2. Peak 2330 m (Peak Sochi 2014), from the Southeast.
3. Proposed — 1B cat. diff., first ascent.
4. Character of the route: rock.
5. Height difference of the route: 300 m (by GPS) Length of the route: about 500 m. Length of sections: 3 cat. diff.: 30 m. Average steepness of the route: 25°.
6. Pitons left on the route: none.

REPORT

On the first ascent to the summit "Peak 3231" (Eastern), made by a group of climbers from the Stavropol region on May 4, 1980, in the Arkhyz mountain range (Western Caucasus), Stavropol region, west of the "Marukh" pass, Sofiysky ridge. The Arkhyz mountain area is located on the northern slopes of the Main Caucasian Range between the Kardyvach area (Krasnodar region) to the west and the "Marukh" pass to the east. The area is entirely within the Stavropol region and is situated at approximately 43° north latitude. North of the Main Caucasian Range lies the Sofiysky ridge, where this unnamed peak with an elevation of 3231 meters above sea level is located. The base camp was set up at an altitude of 1320 meters above sea level, 1.5 km from the "Glacier Farm" on a clearing. From the base camp:

• up along the Sofia River
• to the tributary from the Ak-Ayry glacier
• along which to the right up to the "Barańi lbov"
• then to the right into a wide couloir leading to the firn fields
• up the firn fields to the "Stolichny" pass (3 hours from the camp) The "Peak 3231" summit is a section of the Sofiysky ridge crest (its northeastern part) with two peaks of equal height, located close to each other (200-250 meters along the ridge). Further northwest, the ridge continues with the Mingi-Kyol-Bashi peak. And to the southeast - with the following peaks:

ASCENT DOCUMENT

1. ASCENT CLASS: Rock
2. ASCENT REGION: Arkhyz, Stavropol Krai, KTMGV – 2.1.
3. PEAK: "Pik 3231" (Main), its height is 3231 m above sea level, ascent via the South-Eastern ridge through the peak "Pik 3231" (Eastern) from the "Stolichny" pass
4. ANTICIPATED DIFFICULTY: approximately 2A category of difficulty
5. CHARACTER OF THE ROUTE:

• Height difference between the base camp and the peak — 1911 m
• Between the "Stolichny" pass and the peak (Main) — 181 m
• Total route length from the pass to the peak — 845 m
• Average steepness — 40°–35°