Route Description

From the Tuyuksu alpine camp, move towards the Mynzhilki weather station. After crossing the dam, turn east along the steep slope of the moraine and ascend to the bivouac of Alpingrad. From the main bivouac on the Alpengrad site, head towards the foot of the large couloir on the western side of the peak. The beginning of the approach to the route coincides with the route to Amangeldy from the West, category 1B. When entering the narrow couloir on the 1B route, it is necessary to traverse sharply to the left and exit onto the wide talus slope leading to the base of the northwest edge of the summit tower. The approach to the base of the summit tower abuts a steep wall 10-12 m high, which is passed by free climbing. The wall leads to the C-3 ridge, then:

• Turn right
• Pass along the rocky ridge with minor difficulty
• Reach the summit Descent is via the Southwest ridge, following the 1B route category. The ascent from the Tuyuksu alpine camp takes around 7-8 hours.

Recommendations

1. Number of participants: not limited.

Antikainen (4000 m)

Ascent via the southern ridge — Cat. 1B

The summit of Antikainen is located on the main ridge of the Malo-Almatinsky spur between the summits of Otechestvennoy Voyny and Manshuk Mametova. From the Mynzhilki weather station, cross the Malaya Almatinka river and, bypassing the ancient moraines of the Manshuk Mametova glacier, then the western ridge of Antikainen, move along its foot, gradually gaining altitude. Ascend via the lateral moraine of the Mayakovsky glacier to the last couloir on the southern slope of the western ridge. Ascend the couloir to its fork and continue along the right branch. Further ascent is via heavily broken rocks and scree, keeping to the left side of the couloir (be cautious!). Upon reaching the black scree at the junction of the western lateral ridge and the main ridge, traverse it and reach the main ridge. The summit of Antikainen rises 6–7 m above the ridge in the form of a pointed tower, with a cairn on it. Descent is via the ascent route. The ascent takes 6–7 hours. The first ascent to the summit was made on July 7, 1940, by a group of Almaty climbers led by I. Mezdrikov.

Recommendations for Climbers

1. Number of participants is not limited.
2. Initial bivouac is in the area of the Mynzhilki weather station.
3. Departure from the bivouac at 5–6 a.m.

Route Description

The approach to the start of the route is made via the Bogdanovich Glacier to the Komсомольский Pass. In the pass area, there is a starting bivouac. From it, the ascent begins along the northern ridge for 300 m towards the peak of Карлытау. At the very beginning, the ridge is gentle but icy; closer to the peak, the steepness increases to 35°. Here, one should descend to the ridge of the Aristov peak into a lowering referred to as the Aristov Pass. From the Aristov Pass, there is a straightforward ridge with two gendarmes, which are bypassed on the right via not very steep snowy ledges. Then, one should approach the summit pinnacle and exit to a saddle via a snowy couloir. The descent is made via the ascent route. The ascent takes 9–10 hours.

Recommendations

1. Number of participants: 4–6 people.
2. Starting bivouac: in the area of Komсомольский Pass.
3. Departure from the bivouac at 5:00 AM.
4. Equipment for a group of 4:

Peak Asker (3350 m), via the spur on the right side of the Western slope, category 2A The approach to the mountain is described in the section on route category 1B. Immediately upon entering the rocky narrowing of the couloir before the summit, turn right onto a grassy ledge. Reach the ridge and proceed along it with simultaneous belay. A bastion on the rib 90 m along the route is bypassed as follows:

• Via a ledge on the left
• Through simple rock walls Further:
• Scree
• Exit onto route category 1B via a short rock wall
• Ascend the couloir to the ridge

Bogatyr (4616 m)

1. Ascent to the North summit from the north.
2. Traverse of the Bogatyr — Kolesnik (4510 m) peaks from north to south. Ascent to the North summit from the north, category 3B route (fig. 11). The massif of Bogatyr peaks is located in the main ridge of Trans-Ili Alatau, in the upper reaches of the central branch of the same-name glacier, approaching it from the east. The northern and northwestern slopes of the massif descend towards the Pioner glacier, flowing into the Left Talgar valley. The entire massif is snow-ice, with rocks only in the uppermost part. The massif has three peaks:

• North — 4570 m

Traverse of the peaks Bogatyr - Kolesnik, 3B cat. route The beginning of the route to the North summit of Bogatyr is given in the previous description. Descent from the North summit of Bogatyr in the southern direction along the icy slope with a steepness of up to 60°, with two drops, bypassing the first gendarme on the left. The next two gendarmes are overcome head-on with alternating belay. Loss of height is up to 200 m.

Gigan (4250 m). Ascent via the Eastern Ridge — Category 1B (fig. 5)

Gigan peak is located in the Kargalinsky spur system in a northwesterly direction from Zheshtar peak and is connected to it by a ridge. To the east, a ridge with Oktyabr peak (4140 m) extends from it. Its northern side is snow-covered, while the southern side has rocky, heavily eroded ridges descending from it, separated by couloirs filled with large, loose scree resting on a steep base. Fig. 5. Approaches to the summit from the Prohodnoye gorge. Bypassing the Alma-Arasan resort and the forest zone, turn west and move along the moraine of the unnamed glacier, leaving the eastern ridge of Zheshtar peak to the left, and reach the glacier. Before reaching the ridge connecting Zheshtar and Gigan peaks, start ascending from the southern side via one of the couloirs that leads to the eastern ridge. Then, proceed along the rocks, which do not present technical difficulties, to reach the summit. The summit is a narrow, eroded ridge. Descent is possible via the ascent route. It is also possible to descend northward along the ridge towards the Kargalinskoye gorge. The ascent takes 7–8 hours. The first ascent was made in 1951 by Almaty climbers:

• A. Lukhtanov
• A. Maryashev

Recommendations for Climbers

Zhestar (4200 m)

Ascent via the Eastern Ridge — Category 1B difficulty

The Zhestar peak is located in the Kargalinsky spur system, which stretches for up to 20 km in a north-northeast direction from the Trans-Ili Alatau ridge, and serves as a watershed between the valleys of the Kargalinka and Prokhodnaya rivers. The route begins from the Prokhodnoye gorge. Passing by the Alma-Arasan resort and the coniferous forest zone, head upwards towards the Prokhodny Pass. Before reaching it, turn west. From here, the Zhestar peak comes into view. Its southern side is rocky, while the northern slopes are snow-covered. Approach the base of the peak along the southeastern ridge, traversing the moraine of the Bezymanny Glacier. Continue along the talus, slightly to the right, between the southeastern and northeastern ridges without ascending to the ridge. Staying close to the southeastern ridge, overcome a steep, rockfall-prone couloir, then ascend to the eastern ridge and proceed along it to the base of the summit tower. The ascent from the southern side follows a faintly defined couloir. Descend via the ascent route or along the northern ridge. The climb takes 6–7 hours. The first ascent was made in 1951 by Alma-Ata climbers A. Maryashev and S. Kuderin.

Recommendations for Climbers

1. The number of participants is not limited.
2. Initial bivouac on the moraine of the Bezymanny Glacier.

Romana Ziasto traversing: 8th: Mine-maw, S. Tolgar, P. Tolgar, N. Tolgar, “right”, N. V. Tolgar (left — right)

32. Western summit of Elbrus via the Western shoulder (route category 2B, fig. 8–10). From the village of Terskol, ascend first along the road, then along the trail on the right side of the Azausue valley and, after 4 hours, reach the initial bivouac at the Old Panoramic Viewpoint (Stary Krogzor) located on the southernmost (southeastern) spur of the Elbrus massif. From the Panoramic Viewpoint (departure at 2–3 am) turn left and via the moraine, and then along the Maly Azau glacier, reach the snowy plateau. Across the plateau (covered crevices!), then along a small, gently sloping snowy slope, reach the rocky ridge to the right (north) of the Khotiu-Tau pass and the Nameless avalanche glacier descending into the Ullukam valley. From the Old Panoramic Viewpoint, 4–4.5 hours. Here, turn right and along the simple rocks of the ridge, reach the rocky ridge descending into the Ullukam valley, along the right bank of the avalanche glacier. Traverse this ridge and along simple, in places moderately difficult, destroyed, snow-covered (cornices!) rocks of the ridge, ascending in the direction of the Western shoulder, reach the snowy ridge. Along the sharp (cornices!), then wide snowy ridge, ascend to the Western shoulder of the Elbrus massif. On a small snowy saddle to the right of the shoulder — bivouac. From the Khotiu-Tau pass, 3–5 hours. From the saddle, ascend northeast along the snowy fields with gradually increasing steepness, traverse left to avoid the Western summit of Elbrus and reach below the northwestern rocky ridge of the Western summit. From here, along the simple rocks of the ridge or along the snow beside the rocks — a steep ascent to the Western summit of the Elbrus massif. From the shoulder, 5–6 hours.