Fig. 37 181. Ron­ket­ti Glav­na­ya (4080 m) via South Ridge (combined route, 2А cat. dif., fig. 37). From the CPS of the Tsey region (group of 4–20 people) — along the highway; 1 km before the Mamison Pass, turn right into the last gorge and ascend along the trail along the bank of the Mamison River to the eponymous glacier. Further:

• along the talus and moraine deposits covering the glacier, approach the first lower moraine rising left along the eastern slopes of the South Ridge of the Glavnaya Ron­ket­ti peak;
• at the upper part of the moraine under the eastern buttress of the South Ridge — initial

Fig. 37 182. Ronketti Main (4080 m) via the Western ridge (route is combined, B. Golubev, category III difficulty, Fig. 37). The path from the CSP of the Tsey region (group of 4-8 people) to the initial bivouac on the upper plateau of the Southern branch of the Tsey glacier below the Tsey-Mamison pass is described in routes 83 and 179. From the bivouac, approach the middle of the Tsey-Mamison pass across the snowy plateau (closed crevasses), where a group of rocks is located. From the plateau, overcome the bergschrund via a snow bridge and ascend a steep 180-220-meter snow slope to the pass, to the group of rocks (avalanches possible, piton protection). On the pass, turn left and reach the rocks of the Western ridge of Ronketti Main, then:

• Ascend a snow slope or simple, crumbling rocks and ledges on the right side of the Western ridge, bypassing gendarmes via a traverse to the right, and approach the first southern snow couloir.
• Ascend a gentle snow couloir to a saddle behind the gendarmes of the Western ridge, before the rock ascent to the Western tower.
• From the saddle, ascend simple, crumbling rocks of the Western ridge with numerous handholds to the Western tower of Ronketti Main. From the Western tower, descend simple rocks with numerous handholds on the snowy Western ridge (cornice, loose rocks) to a saddle, and from it, ascend to the summit (Central tower) of Ronketti Main. The duration from the initial bivouac on the plateau is 4-5 hours.

Fig. 23 97. Skatikom (4450 m) via the East Ridge (combined route, category 2B difficulty, Fig. 22, 23). The path from the Tsey region's KSP or from the Dzinaga settlement (group of 4-12 people) to the initial bivouac on the platforms of the West Ridge of the Bivouachnaya peak is described in route 83. From the bivouac, via the East branch of the Karaugom plateau (closed crevasses), approach the glacial-snow slope of the wide couloir descending from the saddle of the Skatikom's East Ridge. Ascent:

• From the plateau, cross the bergschrund and ascend the left side of the gentle glacial-snow slope towards the saddle.
• Before reaching the saddle, turn left and move up the glacial-snow couloir.
• Then, via simple rocks, reach the East Ridge's connecting ridge, left and above the large East pinnacle.
• On the connecting ridge, turn left and follow the glacial-snow East Ridge (cornices), bypassing small pinnacles on the left, to approach the rocky ascent.

Skatikom

Skatikom (4450 m) is located in the Saudorosky ridge between Vologata to the west and the small first gendarme of the North-Eastern ridge of the Songuti peak in the Tseysky ridge to the east. The Eastern and Western ridges of Skatikom enclose the Karaugom plateau from the north. Skatikom's northern slopes:

• are heavily snowy
• steep From the Karaugom plateau side:
• more gentle
• destroyed

95. Skatikom (4450 m) via the Western ridge, Category 3B difficulty (A. Kharlampiev and 4

Fig. 23 96. Skatikom (4450 m) via North-East Wall (combined route by G. Bukharov, 5A cat. diff., Fig. 23). From the base camp on the right bank of the Songuti River, near the tongue of the same-name glacier (group of 4–6 people), ascend to the glacier, cross it to the right and exit to the right-bank moraine. Follow the moraine to the "ram's foreheads" and bypass three seracs on the right:

• First serac
• Second serac
• Third serac Beyond the third serac, exit the rocks to the left onto the glacier and ascend to the upper snow plateau of the Western branch of the glacier along its right side. Follow the plateau to the foot of the North-East wall of Skatikom peak. The initial bivouac is on the plateau under the wall. 6–8 hours from the base camp. From the plateau, ascend a steep ice-and-snow 60-meter slope with a bergschrund in the middle part to a rock shelf on the left side of the black wall at the base of the North-East wall of Skatikom peak. From the shelf:

Fig. 24 Fig. 25 99. Songuti (4368 m) via the Southwest Ridge (combined route, F. Zauberer, 4A cat. diff., Fig. 24–26). The path from the village of Dzinaga (group of 4–8 people) to the initial bivouac on the platforms of the Western ridge of the Bivouachnaya peak is described in route 83. From the platforms, along the Eastern branch of the Karaugom plateau (closed crevices), approach the right side of the col of the Songuti pass, connecting the Songuti peak on the left with Uilpata on the right. From the plateau, ascend a snow slope to the bergschrund, cross it via a snow bridge, and move 200–250 m straight up a steep ice-snow slope (avalanche danger — piton protection). Then, overcoming the upper crevice, ascend a steep ice-snow slope (avalanche danger — piton protection) for 100 m to the Songuti pass. From the initial bivouac, 3–5 hours. Alternative ascent to the Songuti pass from the CSP of the Tsey region. The path from the CSP to the Lower Ice Overnight Camps on the right-bank moraine of the Tsey glacier is described in route 83. From the overnight camps:

• Turn right and ascend the scree slopes of the right bank of the Uilpatinka river.
• Cross the stream and move up along the trail on the left bank of the Uilpatinka, flowing in a narrow canyon.

Route on the Left Buttress and Central Edge of the Eastern Wall of Sonuti

“The route is combined, category 4B difficulty.” The path from the KSP of the Tsey district to the initial bivouac at the Volginsky nochyovki. From the Volginsky nochyovki, “depart at 3–4 am due to rockfall in the lower part of the route,” cross the snowy plateau of the Uilpatinsky glacier to the left and upwards towards the Left Buttress of the Eastern wall of Sonuti peak. To the left of the buttress, there are ice collapses at the top. From the plateau, after passing the bergschrund, ascend a steep snowy-ice slope “possible ice collapse” to the rocks of the Left Buttress. From here, straight up through 120 meters of simple, heavily destroyed, snow-covered rocks. Then, ascend 150 m through steep, moderately difficult, destroyed rocks of the Left Buttress to the first rocky islands in the right ice-snow couloir descending from the saddle with a small lake on the Southwest ridge from under the wall of the South tower of Sonuti. Further, traverse to the right “pitons for protection” through the ice-snow couloir “rockfall, avalanches,” then through moderately difficult rocks of the Left Edge of the Eastern wall of Sonuti. After passing a platform, through monolithic rocks, approach the second steep ice couloir and traverse to the right and upwards through this couloir “possible rockfall” to the rocks on the left side of the Central Edge of the Eastern wall. Through monolithic rocks of medium and above-medium difficulty on the left side of the Central Edge, ascend 150 m “pitons for protection” to a platform. From the Volginsky nochyovki, 6–8 hours. From the platform, 150 m through medium and above-medium difficulty rocks with numerous holds on the left side of the Central Edge “pitons for protection” upwards to a shoulder. From the shoulder, across a sharp snowy ridge, move left to the rocks on the right side of the Left Edge.

(combined route, category 4B difficulty) The path from the KSP of the Tsey district or from the village of Dzinaga to the initial bivouac on the platforms of the Western ridge of Bivouachnaya peak. From the platforms, approach the Northwestern wall of Songuti peak via the Eastern branch of the Karaugom plateau (beware of hidden crevasses). From the plateau, cross the bergschrund via a snow bridge and ascend a steep 150–200-meter snowslope to rocky outcrops in the direction of the saddle between the summit pinnacles of Songuti (avalanche risk, rock and piton belay). Continue as follows: ascend snow-covered rocky outcrops of medium and above-medium difficulty, alternating with steep snowslopes (rockfall risk — piton belay) to the rocky ascent of the summit pinnacles. From here, ascend a steep, diagonal snowslope of the couloir 200 m up and to the right (piton belay). Then, ascend snow-covered rocks of medium and above-medium difficulty on the wall to the saddle between the pinnacles. Bivouac on the saddle platform. 10–14 hours from the initial bivouac. Continue with the ascent to Songuti peak. Descent via the ascent route or down the Southwestern ridge with rappels.

158. Songuti Malaya (3800 m) via the East Ridge (combined route by A. Akopyan, category 3A, difficulty level, fig. 33). The path from the CSP of the Tsey region (group of 4-8 people) to the initial bivouac on the platforms near Turie Lake under the Maly Songuti glacier is described in route 156. From the platforms, ascend via scree, then via the Maly Songuti glacier towards the saddle of the Tsey Ridge between the peaks of Malaya Songuti to the right and Burevestnik-TsEYSKIY to the left. From the glacier, on the left side of the steep ice-snow slope (avalanches possible), to the right of the "ram's foreheads," ascend to the saddle between Malaya Songuti and Burevestnik. On the saddle, turn right and reach the rocks of the East Ridge of Malaya Songuti peak. Ascend 15-20 m via simple rocks along the ridge. Then, traverse via ledges, partly via moderately difficult rocks (belaying required), bypass the "Trezubets" gendarme to the left and reach the snowy saddle under the II gendarme - "Bashnya." From under "Bashnya":

• descend 20-30 m to the left via a wide couloir;
• continue traversing via simple, partly moderately difficult rocks on the left side to bypass "Bashnya" (belaying required);
• reach the saddle of the East Ridge under the East gendarme. From the saddle:
• bypass the East gendarme to the left with a slight descent;

¹

1. DIFFICULT ROCK FORMATIONS
2. "КО­НЕК" (the "horse" or ridge)
3. SHELF ("POLKA")