150. Shaurtu Glavnaya via West Ridge (A. Germogenov's combined route, category III, Figs. 14, 17). The path from the Chegem tourist base (group of 4-8 people) to the initial bivouac on the moraine under the West Ridge of Shaurtu Glavnaya peak is described in route 149. From the bivouac, go left along the Northeast branch of the glacier (closed crevices) to the wide 1st gendarme of the West Ridge of Shaurtu Glavnaya peak. Behind it, turn right and cross the snow bridge over the bergschrund, then ascend the steep 45-50-meter ice-and-snow slope to the snow saddle of the West Ridge. On the saddle, turn left and ascend the ice-and-snow slope on the left side of the West Ridge or between rocks and snow - a 120-150 m ascent - to the wide snow West shoulder. From the shoulder, follow the steep West Ridge to approach the 2nd gendarme, bypass it along the steep ice-and-snow slope on the left side (piton protection), and ascend the couloir behind it to the West Ridge. Then, ascend the wall and slabs to approach the 3rd gendarme. Bypass it on the left and emerge onto a snow saddle behind it. Over simple, местами medium-difficulty steep icy rocks - ascent (piton protection) - to the 4th gendarme. From the gendarme, cross the ice-and-snow saddle (cornices, protection), and ascend the ice-and-snow slope with rocky outcrops on the left side of the West Ridge to the summit of Shaurtu Glavnaya. From the initial bivouac - 5-6 hours.

Shkhara: via NE ridge and N edge

Shkhara (Main), NE ridge — Cat. 5A

The initial bivouac can be organized either at the "Austrian overnight stays" or on the Shkhara pillow — a snow plateau below the western slopes of the NE ridge. From the "Austrian overnight stays," descend to the glacier and, passing under the steep ice step of its tributary flowing from the Sella pass, cross the Eastern branch of the Bezengi glacier, exiting under the icefall in the couloir between the NE ridge and the North edge of Shkhara. Ascend the couloir to the right of the icefall via a snowy slope with a series of ascents. 400–450 m. The couloir is avalanche-prone (threatened by ice discharges on the northern slopes of East Shkhara), so at the beginning of the ascent, stay closer to the rock outcrops of the North edge. Upon reaching the upper boundary of the icefall, you should:

• Turn left,
• Cross avalanche gullies,
• Exit onto the snow plateau above the icefall — the "pillow".

171. Shkhara main via the North-East Counterfort of the Northern Edge

(combined route by P. Baudysh, 5B cat. dif., fig. 18, 20). The path from the "Bezengi" alpine camp (group of 4-5 people) to the Jangy hut is described in route 161. Further:

• cross the Eastern branch of the Bezengi glacier upwards to the right,
• then ascend the left snowy slope to a small South-East cirque of the Eastern branch,
• approach the left side of the North-East counterfort of the Northern edge of Shkhara Main peak via the ice-snow slope of the glacier. From the hut: 4-5 hours. On the glacier, turn right. After passing the bergschrund, ascend 80 m upwards on the steep ice-snow slope on the left side of the North-East counterfort (to the right of the counterfort is an icefall- and rockfall-prone couloir). Here, turn right and ascend 80 m upwards to the right on snow-covered rocks of medium and above-medium difficulty onto the North-East counterfort. On the snow-covered rocks of the North-East counterfort of medium and above-medium difficulty, approach the base of the first wall. Ascend directly upwards on the difficult rocks in the center of the wall, then traverse left, and beyond the edge, ascend directly upwards through a rock overhang (ladders, pitons) onto the first wall. From the wall, exit onto a platform below a rock ascent via the rocks and the ice-snow slope of the North-East counterfort (exit point of N. Romanenko's group onto the North-East counterfort. The group ascended from the glacier via a 100-120-meter ice slope). Further:
• ascend 40-meter rocks on the left side of the North-East counterfort, to the left of the first ascenders' path,
• traverse right on ledges through an ice-snow couloir onto an ice-snow slope,

209. The 4310 m peak via the Northeast ridge (a combined route, category B. Solovyov, 3B category of difficulty, fig. 18, 25). The path from the Bezengi alpine camp (a group of 4-8 people) to the upper plateau of the Western branch of the Bezengi glacier with a starting bivouac at the Kel pass is described in route 215. Across the plateau, approach the right side of the Northeast ridge of the 4310 m peak. From the glacier, ascend an 80-90-meter slope to a saddle on the Northeast ridge of the 4310 m peak. On the saddle, turn right and traverse along the left side of the Northeast ridge to cross a 10-meter ice-and-snow couloir (rockfall, avalanches). Ascend 100-150 m up and left along simple rocks and ledges on the left side of the couloir to reach the Northeast ridge. From here, ascend 50-60 m on simple rocks. Then, ascend 120-150 m along the steep ice-and-snow Northeast ridge, leaving a gendarme on the left and ice drops on the right, to reach an ice-and-snow pad. From the pad, ascend 80-100 m up a steep ice-and-snow Northeast ridge (cornices, protection) to approach a wall. Under the wall, traverse 20-25 m left along the boundary of rocks and snow. Then, ascend 60-70 m up and right on moderately difficult rocks to reach the Northeast ridge. Further, ascend 30-40 m to the 4310 m peak. From the Kel pass - 7-9 hours.

4310 — Gestola, NE ridge, traverse, 4A cat. Route of ascent to the top. Gestola through Mt. Lyalver.

• Red dashed line — ascent route
• 4A route is indicated by a blue dashed line
• A possible emergency descent route, unclassified route, is indicated by a black dashed line
• Green labels — overnight stays 4 — Chyornye Osypi (Black Talus) stop.

1. Ascent to Gestola peak via Lyalver.

Gestola peak (4850 m) is located in the Main Caucasian Ridge, in the Bezengi Wall. The ascent to Gestola via Lyalver is classified as 3B cat. difficulty.

Bartuy

The Bartuy peak (4000 m) is located in the Main ridge between the Gebe peak to the northwest and the Kain peak to the southeast, in the upper reaches of the Bartuy glacier to the north and the Kirtysh glacier to the south. The only route was climbed by N. Tizengauzen, A. Bratolyubov, and B. Shcherbakov on August 12, 1933, via the southeast ridge from the Bartuy glacier. 78. Bartuy via the Southeast ridge (combined route, category 1B) The path from the Dzanaga settlement (group of 4-20 people) to the upper firn plateau at the top of the Second step of the Bartuy glacier's icefall is described in route 80. From the plateau, go right and upwards to pass the Third step of the icefall of the Western branch, then ascend a gentle slope with a bergschrund in the lower part to reach the saddle of the Main ridge between the Bartuy peak to the right and the Kain peak to the left. On the saddle, turn right and ascend simple snow-covered rocks of the Southeast ridge to reach the summit of Bartuy. Descend via the ascent route. The duration of the route from the Dzanaga settlement is 3-4 days. Naumov A. F. Karagom, Digoria, Tsey (Central Caucasus), M., "Fizkultura i sport", 1976.

Fig. 3 6. Galdor Main via Western Ridge (combined route by I. Suzhaev, category 4B, Fig. 3). The path from the "Nakhashbita" clearing (group of 4-8 people) to the moraine leading to the Galdor glacier is described in route 1. From here, ascend the moraines to the Galdor glacier. Then, moving up the steep glacier, overcome a crevasse cutting across it on the left side, and cross over to the right side. Further, staying on the right side (rockfall is possible from the left), approach the saddle of the Sugansky ridge between the peaks of Tsukhgarty on the left and Galdor Main on the right. From the glacier, ascend a steep ice-snow slope, then scree, to the saddle, where a bivouac is set up. From the "Nakhashbita" clearing, it takes 4 hours. On the saddle, turn right and reach the rocks of the Western ridge of Galdor Main. Along the simple, heavily destroyed Western ridge, approach the first pinnacle. Overcome this and the subsequent second pinnacle head-on via moderately difficult rocks. Further, along simple rocks, reach the third pinnacle. Overcome it via rocks of above-average difficulty head-on up a 20-meter wall (piton belay), and then bypass the pinnacle's summit on the right via steep rocks. Beyond the pinnacle:

• first, along a ledge on the right side of the ridge;
• then, along destroyed rocks, approach the main rock ascent of the Western ridge.

pr. 557 and 6 dated 24.12.1985

1. Climbing category — snow-ice.
2. Climbing area, ridge: from Geze-tau pass to Gurdzivceg pass, Main Caucasian Ridge.
3. Peak, its height, ascent route: Geze-tau, 3870 m, via North-Eastern slope.
4. Estimated category of difficulty — 3A.
5. Route characteristics: height difference — 1 km, no sections of 5–6 categories of difficulty, average steepness — 38°.
6. Pitons were not hammered on the route.
7. Number of travel hours — 8 hours.
8. There were no overnight stays on the route.

Gülchi

The Gülchi massif (4477 m) consists of the peaks Gülchi and Rtsy­vash­ki. It is located in the western part of the Sugansky Ridge, between the peak of Sugan­Tau (located east of the Rtsy­vash­ki pass, to which the Southeast ridge of Gülchi descends) and the peak of Komsomol Ukrainy (to which the North ridge of Rtsy­vash­ki approaches). From under the wall of the Southwest shoulder of Gülchi in the Akhsu gorge depart:

• Southwest ridge with the peak Akhsu,
• from the East shoulder to the East Rtsy­vash­ki glacier descends a steep rocky edge. Between the southeast and south ridges of Gülchi lies the Akhsu glacier, feeding the Akhsu river, and in a small corrie under the southern slopes of the peak Akhsu - a small glacier Maly Akhsu, the flow of which is a tributary of the Akhsu river. From the summit tower of Gülchi to the northwest departs a practically uninterrupted ice-covered ridge of the main massif Gülchi, ending with a small two-humped peak Rtsy­vash­ki. Beyond Rtsy­vash­ki, the ridge of the massif:
• turns north,
• descends to the ice saddle,

¹

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