Dedicated to the memory of Mikhail Khergiani

73

Report

• on the first ascent of Donguzorun (Main) via the North wall, 5B category of difficulty

Central Caucasus

1978 Team of instructors at the Baksan alpine camp:

• Stadnik V.F. — CMS
• Chegel V.I. — CMS

Report on the Ascent of Donguz-Orun via the North Face

Geographical Location and Sporting Characteristics of the Ascent Object

The peak Donguz-Orun (4,452 meters above sea level) is located in the Main Caucasian Range, between the Donguz-Orun pass and the Becho pass. To the west of Donguz-Orun lies the peak Nakra-Tau, essentially serving as a shoulder of Donguz-Orun. Donguz-Orun, like Elbrus to its north, is characterized by significant glaciation. All three peaks of Donguz-Orun are covered by a powerful glacier, reaching thicknesses of 120–150 meters. On the southern side, towards the Nakra valley, this glacier has natural, gentle slopes. However, on the north, northwest, and northeast, due to the steepness of the slopes forming the walls, the summit glacial shield breaks off with sheer drops. The ice is expended in these directions through ice avalanches, making the northern walls of Donguz-Orun highly dangerous to traverse. The glacier on the peaks of Donguz-Orun is often referred to as the ice "cap" or simply "cap". The peaks of Donguz-Orun have been visited by climbers multiple times, with several ascent variations available. The most well-known route is the ascent via the northern ridge (4A category of difficulty), which is traversed annually by many climbing groups. Furthermore, ascending Donguz-Orun from the west, along gentle ice and snow slopes (2B category of difficulty), is quite common. This route is also typically used for descending from the summit after ascending via the northern ridge. Notably less frequent are ascents via two other routes:

Passport

1. Technical class.
2. Central Caucasus.
3. Donguzorun via M. Khergiani route on the North face.
4. 5B difficulty category.
5. Elevation gain: 1618 m, length 1900 m. Length of sections:

• 5th cat. diff. 1205 m.
• 6th cat. diff. 70 m. Average steepness of the main part of the route — 62°

Description, Marinuto

The path from "Terekos" to "Kurnik". At the beginning, at the 14-year end, it does not provide conveniently erroneous simple and impeccable things. From "Kurnik" common smooth and short and dry oxidations, refusing oxidations. Along the length of oxidation, given in oxidation, in 12–14 years at 8:00–10:00:

• refusing smooth
• not refusing oxidation yielding from the execution of skis. The violation is not violated for oxidation, gives and 10 m. Inside conveniently marinuto, violation. With a violation at the 14-year end, and 80 m. Inside, violation, on

113. Peak Caucasus via the Southwest Ridge (Route 2A cat. difficulty). The path from the Shhelda alpine camp (group of 4-20 people) to the Double Glacier is described in route 111. Across the Double Glacier straight up to its bifurcation. Then ascent (with crampons!) up the steep icefall of the right glacier branch. At the end of the ascent, exit left onto the easy rocks of the ridge dividing the glacier into two parts, and ascend to the sites (there is water). From the sites (without backpacks):

• Exit to the upper ice-snow plateau
• Movement across the plateau and a small snowy slope
• Ascent to the Shheldinsky Pass (0.5 hours from the sites; 8-10 hours from the Shhelda alpine camp). From the pass:
• Left and up a snowy couloir to ascend to the Southwest Ridge of Peak Caucasus East.
• Movement along the easy, in places moderately difficult, broken and snow-covered rocks of the ridge - to a site below the pre-summit wall.

10. Koyavgan via the East Ridge (combined route, by A. Baturova, category III complexity, fig. 1, 2).

From the “Dzhailyk” alpine camp (a group of 4 people) descend right down the road on the right side of the Adyrsu gorge. Cross the Adyrsu River via the bridge and approach the Jalovchat stream, then turn left off the road and ascend via the left bank of the stream to the left lateral moraine of the Jalovchat tributary valley, to the right of the East Ridge of Koyavgan peak. Along the moraine on the left bank of the Jalovchat stream, bypassing rock wall outcrops on the right, reach the tongue of the Jalovchat Glacier. From the “Dzhailyk” alpine camp, it takes 2–3 hours. From the glacier tongue, turn left and ascend a steep scree slope with short ice and snow sections to approach the left side of the lower rock belt on the right side of the East Ridge of Koyavgan peak. To the left of the rock belt, from the col of the East Ridge with a sharp gendarme in the center, descends:

• a steep Central ice-and-snow couloir,
• with a diamond-shaped rock outcrop in its middle section. From the scree slope, to the right of the Central couloir, ascend 30 m leftward along an ice-and-snow slope alongside the rock belt. Then directly upwards via moderately difficult rocks in a not clearly defined steep 30-meter couloir (pitons for protection). Continue ascending 40 m rightward via easy rocks to the top of the rock belt. From here, ascend a steep ice-and-snow slope on the East Ridge, to the right of the Central couloir, upwards and rightwards (possible rockfall) to the left side of a long narrow rock outcrop. Then ascend via easy, heavily fragmented rocks on the left side of the narrow outcrop to its top. From there, ascend a steep ice-and-snow slope (pitons for protection) to approach the right side of the rock ascent on the East Ridge. Via heavily fragmented, easy rocks on the right side of the ascent:
• ascend 30 m straight up,

331. Nenskra via North Face (combined route, A. Snesareva, cat. 4A, fig. 32, 44). From the initial bivouac on the snow plateau of the Nenskra Glacier under the North Face of Nenskra peak, ascend via an avalanche-prone couloir, then via easy and moderately difficult rocks alternating with snowy slopes and small walls (loose rocks) to the Upper Rock Belt. From there, ascend steep, heavily broken rocks of above-average difficulty to the Upper Rock Island. Then, via a steep ice-snow slope with rock outcrops, reach the col on the ridge between the Southwest and Northeast peaks of Nenskra. From the glacier plateau, 7-8 hours. From the col, turn right and ascend simple rocks of the ridge spur to the summit of Nenskra Southwest. Descend to the col via the ascent route. From the col, via monolithic simple and moderately difficult rocks of the ascent, then along the long Western ridge, ascend to the summit of Nenskra Northeast. From the Northeast summit, descend via heavily broken simple and moderately difficult rocks of the Northeast ridge to the col under the Big Gendarme. Overcome the Gendarme head-on via simple rocks of the ridge, then via rappelling and sport descent to the saddle under the snowy shoulder. From the saddle, via a simple snow-covered rocky ridge, exit onto the snowy shoulder. From the shoulder, via a gentle snow-covered rocky ridge, descend to the snow plateau under the nameless Main Caucasian Ridge pass. From the Southwest peak, 5-7 hours.

1. Climbing class — technical
2. Climbing area — from Kitlots pass to Gezetau pass
3. Peak, its height, and ascent route — Kurmychi peak, height 4051 m, via the central counterfort of the NW wall.
4. Proposed difficulty category — 2B
5. Route characteristics: Height difference — 1000 m. Average steepness — 35°. Length of sections: I difficulty category — 1000 m, II difficulty category — 600 m.
6. Number of pitons driven: for belaying, for creating ITO. Rock pitons — 3.
7. Number of travel hours — 3.5.
8. Number of overnight stays and their characteristics — there are no overnight stays on the route.
9. Surname, name, patronymic of the leader and participants: Vetrov Yu. I. 2nd sports category, leader; Valitov A. I. 2nd sports category; Golovin A. A. MS; Gorodetsky E. M. CMS; Kolomoytsev V. G. CMS.

37. Traverse of the Elbrus massif with ascent to Kyukyurtly via the South Face (route by V. Nekrasov, cat. 5B). The path from the Terskol village (group of 4 people) to the Khotyutau pass is described in route 32. From the Khotyutau pass, without descending into the Ullukam mouth, turn right and ascend the rocks of the Khotyutau saddle, then traverse the avalanche-prone glacier descending into the Ullukam mouth. Behind it, exit onto the ridge descending left into the Ullukam mouth between the avalanche-prone glacier and the Ullukam glacier. Along this simple scree ridge, descend to the left lateral moraine of the Ullukam glacier. From the Terskol village, 10–12 hours. Bivouac on the moraine. From the moraine, exit right onto the Ullukam glacier, cross it

Ascent Log

1. Ascent classification — technical
2. Ascent area — Central Caucasus, Elbrus region
3. Peak, its height, ascent route — Kjukjurtlu, 4623 m, center of the west wall
4. Anticipated difficulty category — 6B category difficulty
5. Route characteristics: a) height difference — 1020 m. b) length of sections: 5 — 120 m, 6 — 425 m, A-II — 8 m, mixed (У–VI, А+е) — 235 m. c) average steepness — 87°
6. Pitons driven: