Arkhimed peak via V. Greben, 3A

From the “Ukyu-kosh” hut, ascend the gorge along the trail of the Ukyu glacier’s terminal moraine, then along the glacier, bypassing the northern buttresses of the 3rd ridge on the left, to the snow-ice slope leading to Ural Pass –1.5–2 hours (From the “dovecote” –3/4–1 hour). Up the middle part of the slope (rockfall hazard on the first half of the ascent from the left from the slopes of the 1st gendarme of the 3rd ridge of p. Ural) into the cirque under the pass, and up — to the pass (fig. 1). From the bivouac 2–2.5 hours. The ascent to the pre-summit “gendarme” begins along the rock ledge to the right of the ridge for 20 m and then up 40 m into the ridge’s gap (possible snow, flow ice). From the gap, descend to a ledge on the S side, along the ledge for 10 m and then up the internal angle for 30 m with piton belay to the ridge. Along the ridge simultaneously — to the top of the “gendarme”, here is a control cairn. Descent from the “gendarme”: 1st option — from the summit to the 3rd km to the protrusion, from it on a doubled rope, 7–10 m sportively down the smooth slab into the wide rock chimney. Along the chimney and then along the rocks to the left of the ridge to the isthmus (so-called “hole”), covered from above by a huge flat stone; 2nd option — from the summit first S ~40 m, then along the SW wall ledges to the same isthmus. From the isthmus, a planned or emergency descent to the N side is possible: rappel down the inclined internal angle, then down the broken rocks, two sports pitches leading into the cirque under the pass, then along the ascent route. From the isthmus, along the broken rocks to the left of the ridge, up to the snowy shoulder of the summit, then traverse left along the ledge to the rock couloir and up it with a S exit to the E summit. From the pass 3–4 hours.

St. Petersburg Alpine Climbing Championship 2012

DESCRIPTION OF THE ASCENT TO THE SUMMIT OF KARA-KAYA (3646 m) VIA THE CENTRAL SPUR OF THE SOUTHWEST WALL, 6A cat. dif., (E. Poltavets, 2010) The route was completed by the team of the "Polytechnic" Alpine Club

1. Central Caucasus, Bezengi gorge, section No. 2.5 of the route classifier for mountain peaks, paragraph 2.5.226 (Minutes of the Classification Committee meeting No. 6 dated December 28, 2010)
2. Peak name: Kara-Kaya (3646 m), route name: via the central spur of the southwest wall (E. Poltavets, 2010)
3. Cat. dif.: 6A
4. Route type: rock
5. Route elevation gain: 700 m (by altimeter) Route length: 1151 m. Section length: 5 cat. dif. — 245 m, 6 cat. dif. — 491 m.

Route Description to the Summit

Kundryum-Mijirgi via the Col

Kundryum-Mijirgi (via Pik Skal'nyi) 3A cat. diff.

Day I

From the Bezengi alpine camp to overnight stays on the third stage of the Kundryum-Mijirgi glacier.

Day 2

From overnight stays on the third stage to the Kundryum-Mijirgi col and to the summit of Pik Skal'nyi (see route description to Pik Skal'nyi 2B cat. diff.). Descent from the summit of Pik Skal'nyi directly north along the ridge is possible in two ways:

• — First — 20 m rappel on a double rope thrown over a ledge 2–3 m below the summit, then along a narrow shelf 5 m to the right and down 30 m through a rocky couloir to the saddle behind the summit.

Ascent Report on Kursaanty 3-V (3838 m) Traverse, along the 3rd Ridge, E. Chasova, 1982, Category 2B

The route was completed by the former team from St. Petersburg (now Voronezh) 2022

Ascent Passport

1. Western Caucasus, 2.5. From Kittlod Pass to Gezivcek Pass (from the north of the Main Caucasian Range)
2. Kursaanty 3-V peak (3838 m), traverse, along the 3rd ridge, E. Chasova, 1982
3. Route type — combined.
4. Height difference ~ 150 m. Route length ~ 600 m. Length of sections with V-VI category difficulty: ~ 40 m.

The Western ridge - category 4B difficulty (G. Pro­kudaev, I. Kor­zun and V. Na­u­menko — July 1936). The path from the Bezengi alpine camp to the initial bivouac under the Sella pass see in the description 42. From the bivouac site across the glacier (in crampons!) in the direction of the snowy couloir descending from the saddle between the Pik Pushkina and the Unnamed 4880 m. Bergschrund bypass along the avalanche chute and behind it 80–100 m up the icy-snowy couloir (rockfall!). At a large rocky "tooth" to the right — exit to the rocks of the Southern counterfort of the Unnamed 4880 m and up to the right along the moderately difficult rocks to the ridge of the counterfort. Further movement along:

• moderately difficult rocks,
• simple rocky sections,
• snowy slopes,
• ledges,
• small 2–4-meter walls (insurance!),

Missees-Tau via North Ridge, Cat. 4B

From the base to the bivouac sites at the turn of the glacier under the base of the SE ridge of Brnoe Peak – 2.5–3 hours. Rounding this ridge from the left, ascend the grassy slope, then along the stream bed into the moraine-filled cirque of the glacier flowing from the South cirque of Brnoe Peak. Here, near the moraine lake, there are bivouac sites. Up the glacier tongue. The icefall is bypassed on the right along the boundary with the rocks (provided there is snow), or via rock-and-scree ledges. For training purposes and safety, it is recommended to traverse the icefall through the center, roped and with piton belays. The initial bivouac is in the South cirque, from the sites at the turn – 3–4 hours. An alternative initial bivouac is possible on the last snow col in the Brnoe–Missees-Tau ridge, the ascent to it from the cirque takes ~1 hour. In its lower part, the broad North ridge of Missees-Tau is covered with a glacier, which has several rises and ends in drops on the west and rock walls on the east. The second rise leads to a rock "island", from which a snowy ridge goes left, ending in rocks on the eastern wall (routes Cat. 5A and 5B also lead here). Move 30–40 m left of the right edge of the ridge, reaching the col of this ridge. At the left end of the ridge, on the boundary with the rocks, there is a bivouac site. A safe place to spend the night during a thunderstorm, protected from the wind, is in the bergschrund under the col. From the plateau – 3–4 hours.

Ptiitsa via S ridge, cat. 3B.

Route description

From the "3900" bivouac move in the direction of the upper plateau of the Khyundyum-Mizhyrgi Glacier. The fourth step of the glacier is climbed near the rocks of the W ridge on Khyundyum-Mizhyrgi (piton!) or through the center (crevasses!) of the glacier. Then, follow left with minor ascent to approach the slopes of Ptiitsa (1.5–2 hours). From the plateau, through a small bergschrund, ascend a snowy slope to the rocks at the lower part of S Ptiitsa, left of a weakly expressed couloir. From here, ascend slabs (60 m) and then an inclined ledge up and right (80 m) to reach a rocky terrace. Then make a short traverse left to the base of the couloir which, 40 m later, will lead to a rocky platform on the left part of the snowy-icy slope. Along the wall of S Ptiitsa, ascend rocky outcrops and snowy-icy sections (piton!), 120–140 m, to a rocky niche. From here, ascend a steep icy chute (60 m) (piton!) to a snow patch that leads to the saddle between Ptiitsa and the dome. Two rope lengths before the saddle, sharply turn left into a narrow couloir. In the couloir, first ascend ice, then rocks, to a crevice with ice flow, which will lead to a snowy ledge 5–6 m from the summit, a rocky pyramid. Time required to ascend from the plateau — 5–6 hours. Descent is via the ascent route:

• First, rappel (2 × 40 m) to the snowy slope.

40. Peak Tikhonov via NW ridge — 4A cat. diff. (V. Lubenets, V. Volchenko, L. Kalishevsky, I. Kunaev, V. Lebedev, V. Nikolaenko, A. Ovchinnikov and A. Sevostyanov — August 23, 1951). The path from the "Bezengi" alpine camp to the overnight stay on the Southern ridge of the Utug spire is described in route 18. From the overnight stay:

• Descent to the glacier above the third stage of the icefall
• Crossing the glacier to the right towards the Northern counterforce of Peak Tikhonov
• Through the bergschrund — ascent up the steep 150-meter snowy slope to the saddle

Dalar via Northwest ridge, peak Shokoladny, combined, cat. 4B

Route description:

From the bivouac, traverse the plateau to reach the foot of peak Shokoladny. Ascend the snow and scree slopes, transitioning to broken rocks in the upper section, to reach the peak (category 2A difficulty). The ascent from the bivouac takes approximately 1.5 hours. From the peak's summit, descend steep rocks to the left and downwards, circumventing the first drop of the ridge via chimneys and internal corners. From the second drop of the ridge, perform a rappel to a narrow saddle adjacent to the "Palets" gendarme. Bypass the gendarme on the left, then rappel leftwards to a ledge and follow it to regain the ridge. Subsequently, descend 25 meters down steep rocks and perform another rappel down an overhanging wall. The broken rocks lead to a saddle between peak Shokoladny and Dalar. Bivouac sites are available on the left, beneath the overhangs. The descent from the peak's summit takes around 2 hours. From the saddle, traverse rightwards along ledges that cut through Dalar's western wall, eventually leading to the main ridge beneath the summit tower. The ledges vary in width and have a general inclination to the right. From R8, a narrow cleft ascends upwards, culminating in a ledge beneath a couloir with a waterfall. Ascend via the couloir-chimney and a series of ledges (R10), overcoming a gendarme on the ridge "head-on," to reach a snowy and icy ascent leading to the junction of the north-eastern and north-western walls of the summit tower. From R13 (end of the ascent), a series of ledges traverse along the wall to R16 (avoid the edge of the ledges due to loose rocks!). From the upper ledge, ascend a narrow crevice to a vertical wall (R17–R19), then again via a crevice to reach a gap in the summit ridge (R21).