Ба­ш­хауз, 3 контр­фор­са с греб­ня. From the “Djangi-kosh” hut along the crest of the right-bank (“sickle-shaped”) moraine to its flattening and further along the crest of the counterfort with small rocky walls, then along the N crest to the right to the summit. From the start of the route 6–8 hours. Descent from the summit along the SW ridge to the snowy saddle, left along the right edge (attention - stonefall hazard on the left) of the snowy slope to the Bezengi glacier and along it (cautiously: closed crevasses, stonefall hazard under the S slopes of peak Вар­ша­ва) bypassing the S spurs of the Sella - Вар­ша­ва ridge to the hut. From the summit 1.5–2 hours. Hazardous areas:

• On the glaciers - hazardous closed crevasses and stonefall hazard under the S slopes of peak Вар­ша­ва
• On the snow-ice slope to the right of the counterfort - stonefall hazard
• On the N crest - possible cornices on the left
• When descending from the SW ridge - stonefall hazard on the left side of the slope. Special equipment:
• Rock pitons - 7–8 pcs.

2. Varschava peak — Sella peak, traverse.

From the Dzhangi-Kosh hut, cross the crescent-shaped moraine, reach the Bezengi glacier and move along the "pocket" between the zone of marginal crevices and the S. slopes of Varschava peak until the glacier flattens out for 30–40 minutes (watch out! — prone to rockfall from the left, hidden crevices). To the left is a wide snow couloir, bounded on the right by the S. ridge of Varschava peak. Follow the snow on the left side of the couloir, then:

• left across the broken rocks
• up the narrow snowy couloir (if icy — along the rocky ridge to the left of the couloir)
• to the saddle on the SW ridge with a cairn. From the hut — 2 hours. From the saddle, move to the right or along the ridge line simultaneously with protection on the ridge's protrusions and bends. The rocky ascent of the ridge before the summit is bypassed on the left along an inclined ledge with piton protection, then 30 m of easy rocks. From the saddle to Varschava peak — 2 hours. From the summit, descend simultaneously along the easy, gentle rocky ridge to a dip. Descend into the dip with a double rope pull or with the last person using piton protection, then continue simultaneously along the ridge to its lowest point. The ascent to Sella peak initially follows a broken rocky, then a gentle, gradually widening snowy ridge. From here, in adverse weather conditions, it is possible to abandon the route along the S. spur — ridge. From the junction with the spur:
• simultaneously along the sharp snowy ridge with rock outcrops,

"Main Dzhangitau via the North-East buttress — category 5A" (Schwarzgruber, A. Larin, Peringer, Taper — 23 July 1935; N. Chekmarev and G. Skornyakov — 23 August 1936; Fig. 39). From Bezengi alpine camp, follow the trail along the left-bank moraine of the Bezengi gorge up to the Missekosha hut. From the hut, on the south side of the meadow, follow the trail down, across the meadow with graves of climbers who perished in the Bezengi area, and descend to the Bezengi Glacier. Traverse the glacier, keeping to its left side, up and past minor icefalls and crevasses near the left bank, and then up the center-right of the glacier to its fork into left (East) and right (North-West) branches. Under the icefall of the East branch, turn left under the talus and grassy ascent of the left-bank moraine. Follow the trail right of the stream that flows from the trough between the moraine and the slopes of Pik Semenovsky down to the main Bezengi Glacier, and ascend to the moraine. Camp on the moraine. From Bezengi alpine camp — 3–4 hours. From the camp (with crampons!) traverse the glacier to the right side of the base of the North-East buttress of Main Dzhangitau. From the glacier, ascend the avalanche debris (avalanches!) between two rocky outcrops, through a bergschrund and along a gully, and then up a snowy slope to beneath the main rocky ascent of the North-East buttress. Bypass it via a snowy ascent on the right (avalanches! rockfall! icefall!) and exit onto an ice ledge (pitons!). From initial camp — 3–4 hours. From here:

• left and up rocky terrain of medium difficulty and an ice-snow slope (pitons!) — ascent onto the North-East buttress;
• from there, right and 80–100 m up simple and medium-difficulty rocks of the buttress (“live” rocks! pitons!), small slabs are bypassed via snow-ice slopes on the right;
• then, up a snowy slope — ascent onto a horizontal snowy ridge;

Dumala. Via the SE buttress, category 4A

From the green campsites in the moraine pocket of the Ullu-Auz glacier, ascend along the moraine. Cross a stream and climb a steep talus (partially grassy) slope to a large snowfield (0) and traverse it until the narrow part of the large SE couloir of v. Dumala, known as the "gates," becomes visible (1). Up to this point, the route coincides with the path to the upper cirques of the Ullu-Auz glacier. From the green campsites, it takes 1 hour. It is recommended to spend the night here to pass through the "gates" by 4:00 AM. Rockfall begins at 5:00 AM. The ascent to the "gates" via snow takes about 1 hour. The "gates" are traversed on snow, hugging the right-hand rocks. After the "gates," the couloir widens and turns into a broad snow slope cut by avalanche gullies. Ascend on the right part of the slope under the cover of the rocks of the Eastern peak's ridge. The snow is firm. Protection is running belays.

Koshtan-Tau (5145 m), North Ridge, Cat. 4B

From the "3900" campsite, move in the direction of the upper plateau of the Kundryum-Mijirgi Glacier. The fourth stage of the icefall is climbed:

• near the rocks of the West Ridge of Kundryum-Mijirgi Peak (piton use required!)
• or through the center (crevasses!) of the icefall. Then, move left along the route with a slight ascent to reach the slopes of Ptitsa Peak. It is convenient to camp here (1.5–2 hours from the "3900" campsite). From the plateau, through a small bergschrund, ascend a snowy slope to the rocks at the lower part of Yuzhnaya Ptitsa Peak, left of a vaguely defined couloir. From here:
• ascend slabs (60 m)
• ascend an inclined ledge up to the right (80 m) to reach a rocky terrace. Then, make a short traverse left to the base of the couloir, which after 40 m will lead to a rocky platform on the left part of the snowy-icy slope. Along the wall rocks, on rocks and icy-snowy sections (piton use required!), ascend (120–140 m) to a rocky niche.

Ascent of Koshtan-Tau via the Southeast Ridge with descent along the North Ridge

Accomplished by the MGS DSO "Trud" team under the leadership of MS USSR A. Naumov. Tikhonov Peak Koshtan-Tau from the south (from the Spartak Pass)

Brief geographical description and sporting characteristics of the ascent object

The Koshtan-Tau massif, with a height of 5151 m, is located in the northern spur of the central part of the Main Caucasian Range, and together with the peaks:

• Dykh-Tau,
• Mizhirgi,
• Krumkol,

47. Koshtantau via the East Ridge - Category 5B (B. Garf, G. Vedennikov, G. Karavaev, and V. Kizel - August 22, 1948; Fig. 16, 17). The path from the "Bezengi" alpine camp to the "Trud" bivouac in the Dumala gorge is described in route 18. From the "Trud" bivouac:

• Head to the upper plateau of the Ullu-Auz glacier, keeping to the left of the Northeast ridge of Koshtantau, and then to the second glacier icefall leading to the Ullu-Auz pass.
• Ascend the center of the second icefall or closer to the slope of the Koshtan-krest ridge (ice avalanches are possible from the ridge!).
• At the top of the icefall, move left onto the snowy slope of the Koshtan-krest ridge (dangerous!), ascend it, then move right to reach the upper plateau of the Ullu-Auz glacier.
• Follow the plateau, keeping to its left side, and ascend to the Ullu-Auz pass via snowy slopes. Time:
• From "Trud" bivouac to the upper plateau - 4-5 hours.
• To the pass - 5-6 hours.

80

Description of the Ascent Route to Koshtan-Tau Peak (5144 m) via the Central Counterfort of the North Face (First Ascent)

The ascent to Koshtan-Tau (5144 m) from the north via the central counterfort was accomplished between July 11 and 16, 1969, by a group from the LОС DSO TRUD, consisting of:

1. Nosov A.P., CMS - leader
2. Dreitser V.D., CMS - participant
3. Shymelis V.P., CMS - participant
4. Kosobokov L.I., 1st sports category - participant
5. Kuritsyn I.F., 1st sports category - participant Koshtan-Tau (5144 m) is located in the northern spur of the central part of the Main Caucasian Range and is one of the highest peaks in the Caucasus. From the north, several routes have been ascended and classified to the summit: 4B-5B category of difficulty. The path chosen by the group via the central counterfort of Koshtan-Tau's north face had long attracted the attention of Leningrad climbers, but in 1964, it was ascended by Czechoslovakian climbers, although they left no information about their ascent.

Ascent Passport

1. Ascent category — technical.
2. Region — Central Caucasus, Bezengi region.
3. Peak Krumkol (4640) via the Central Bastion of the North face, combined route.
4. First ascent, proposed category of difficulty — 5B.
5. Route characteristics: Elevation gain 1440 m (by altimeter). Length of sections 5–6 km trud. — 480 m. Average steepness 53° (same as Melentyev's route, for which data is available in the USSR Sports Committee).
6. Pitons used: rock 24/4, ice 96, protection gear 15.
7. Total travel time: 15 + 7 + 11 = 33 hours.

1. Altitude-technical class.
2. Caucasus, Bezengi, Northern array, section 25 p. 92 according to the classification table 2001
3. Krumkol, via C rib 6A (Timofeev's route) 4676 m
4. The route is combined.
5. Height difference of the route: 1576 m. Route length: 1735 m. Length of sections: V–VI cat. diff. 1400 m. Average steepness: 70°.
6. Team's walking hours: 30 hours, 2 days.
7. Leader: Viktor Yu. Kramarenko CMS (Kharkov). Participants: Dmitry N. Podlesny CMS (Taganrog), born 1979. Alexander V. Gudzinsky CMS (Uzhgorod).
8. Coach: Valentina T. Orekhova, CMS, 1st category alpinism instructor-methodologist, cert. #550 (Taganrog);