ASCENT DOCUMENT

1. Class of winter ascents.
2. Region 2.10 Mountains of Dagestan.
3. Erydag, 3925 m, via the center of the bastion on the West wall, first ascent, rock route.
4. Proposed — 5B category of difficulty.
5. Route characteristics: height difference of the wall section — 450 m, total — 825 m, length of the wall section — 640 m, total — 2140 m, length of sections with 5th category of difficulty — 325 m, 6th category of difficulty — 80 m, average steepness of the route — 70 degrees.
6. Equipment used on the route:
   • rock pitons: 88/15
   • chocks: 40/10
   • friends: 7/5

In Memory of Sergey Volkov

Russian Mountaineering Championship 2004

First Ascent Category

Report

On the ascent of Mt. Erydag (3925 m) via the cornices on the right part of the NW wall by the team from the Dagestan Alpine Federation (Dagestan Search and Rescue Team, EMERCOM of Russia)

Ascent Passport

1. Region 2.10, Dagestan mountains, Chekhychay gorge.
2. Erydag (3925 m), via cornices on the right part of the NW wall.
3. Proposed category: 6B; first ascent.
4. Route type: rock climbing.

Ascent Log

1. Type: Rock climbing
2. Caucasus (Eastern), Chekhychay River gorge.
3. V. Erydag, via the center of the North-West wall through "Zerkalo" (Efimov's route).
4. 6A category of difficulty.
5. Height difference: 950–970 m; length — 1100 m. Length of sections with 5 and 6 category of difficulty — 930 m. Average steepness of the wall section of the route is 80°.
6. Pitons hammered:
   • Rock pitons 105

Ascent Logbook

1. Technical Climb Category.
2. Region 2.10, Caucasus, Dagestan Mountains, Chekhychay Valley.
3. Erydag, 3925 m, point 31–32, S. Efimov's route 1981, via the left part of the NW wall through "Zerkalo", rock climb.
4. 6A category difficulty, 3rd ascent.
5. Route Characteristics: route elevation gain 1065 m, wall elevation gain 940 m (from 2860 to 3800 m), average wall slope 70°, route length 2400 m, wall section length 1100 m (sections R3–R19 and R20–R60 on UIAA rock scale), section lengths: 1 — 1075 m, 2 — 295 m, 3 — 65 m, 4 — 170 m, 5 — 610 m, including 90 m on artificial aids (AID), 6 — 185 m, including 120 m on AID, total AID climbing — 210 m, including 25 m on sky-hook, AID climbing difficulty: A1–55 m, A2–95 m, A3–60 m.
6. Equipment used: 216/99 chocks, 114/44 rock screws, 53/23 bolt hangers, 3 rock features. Of these, previously placed chocks not removed — 2 pcs, previously driven rock screws not extracted — 8 pcs, previously driven bolt hangers — 24 pcs, previously drilled bolt holes for sky-hooks — 10 pcs. Left on the route: chocks — 2 pcs, rock screws — 3 pcs, bolt hanger holes — 29 pcs.
7. Team travel days — 3, hours — 37.5, including 4 hours of evening preparation.

Ascent Passport

1. Ascent area: Dagestan Mountains
2. Name of the peak: Erydag (3950)
3. Route name: via the left part of NW wall through the "mirror" (S. Efimov's route)
4. Category of difficulty: 6A
5. Route type: rock
6. Height difference: 1254 Wall section height: 1167 m. Route length: 2212 m. Section lengths: V category of difficulty — 200 m, VI category of difficulty — 762 m. Average steepness:
   • wall section — 78°
   • entire route — 45°

Page 5. Ascent log details

1. Region — Dagestan mountains, Chekhychai gorge.
2. V. Erydag 3925 m via the left part of the NW wall.
3. Difficulty category 6B, first ascent.
4. Route type — rock.
5. Wall section height difference 1000 m. Total length 1460 m,
   • category 5 — 210 m,
   • category 6 — 710 m.
   • average steepness 69°.
   • artificial aids difficulty: A-1 — 260 m, A-2 — 450 m.

Ascent Passport

1. Ascent class — Rock
2. Ascent region — Eastern Caucasus
3. Peak, its height, ascent route — Yarydag (I western), 4020, via the center of the NW wall.
4. Proposed difficulty category — 6
5. Route characteristics:
   • Height difference — 1000 m
   • Length of sections: III — 40 m, IV — 230 m, V — 455 m, VI — 405 m.
   • Average steepness — 85°
6. Pitons hammered:

Ascent Passport

1. Category of wall ascents.
2. 2.10. Caucasus, Dagestan mountains, Chekhychai gorge.
3. Erydag, 3925 m, point 31–32, Mikhailov's route, 1982, via the right part of the NW wall, rock.
4. 6A category of difficulty, " беспрохождение".
5. Route characteristics: height difference 880 m, wall length 960 m, average steepness 70°, total length of the wall section 1125 m, length of sections: 2 category of difficulty — 45 m, 3 category of difficulty — 120 m, 4 category of difficulty — 130 m, 5 category of difficulty — 770 m, 6 category of difficulty — 60 m, including 20 m with A3 climbing; artificial support points: A1 — 25 m, A2 — 15 m, total length with artificial support points: 60 m; on sections: 5 category of difficulty — 25 m, 6 category of difficulty — 35 m.
6. Used: 122/29 chocks, 118/9 rock pitons, 10/3 bolt pitons. Of these, 4 previously hammered rock pitons were used and not removed, 2 own pitons were left on the route, 10 previously hammered bolt pitons were used.

Ascent Passport

1. Ascent class — rock.
2. Ascent area — Eastern Caucasus, North-Eastern spur of the Main Caucasian Range, Usukhchai gorge.
3. Peak Yarydag (I-Western), 4020 m, via the center of the North-West wall.
4. Proposed difficulty category — 6B.
5. Route characteristics: height difference — 950 m. route length — 1120 m. length of sections 5–6 difficulty category — 960 m. average steepness of the route (3070–4020) — 81–82°.

Fig. 58

3. Ascent to the Perednyaya Chotcha peak via the northwestern ridge — category 4B difficulty (Fig. 58)

From the Northern refuge along a log over the Khokel river and along the trail alongside the Chotcha river to the foot of the northwestern ridge — bivouac. From the Northern refuge 1–2 hours. From the bivouac along the slope and grassy ledges left-upwards under the first overhanging spur on the ridge. Bypass the spur from the left (protection through the spurs!), then right-upwards onto the ridge to a loose couloir (rockfall danger!) and along it under the 100-meter wall of the first ascent. Along the wall of the ascent:

• right — upwards 35–40 m,
• then left — upwards,
• exit onto grassy ledges (protection through the spurs, partially bolted!). Further: