PASSPORT

1. Rock climbing.
2. Caucasus, Tsey Gorge.
3. Mt. Passionaria, 4000 m via the chimney of the Western bastion wall and NW ridge.
4. Proposed: Category 5B difficulty for first ascent (second ascent).
5. Elevation gain 800 m, length 1150 m. Length of Category 5B–6 sections — 160 m. Average steepness of the main part of the route — 85° (3400–3560 m).
6. Pitons hammered: rock: 32, bolted: 0, chocks: 25, ice: 0.
7. Team's travel time — 9 hours.
8. Overnights — none.
9. Leader — Leonid Borisovich Volkov, Master of Sports.

Leaving the snowy couloir descending from the saddle between the peaks of Passionariya and Moskvich to the right, we move left and upwards in the direction of the snowfield descending from under the wall. On the left, there are two bivouac sites located under the wall on separate rocky pillars. There is no water, but snow and ice are available. After ascending 70–80 m up difficult rocks with piton protection, we reach an internal corner. Along the internal corner with an overhanging rock at 80–90°, we traverse right and upwards for 20 m across a greenish-gray slab to a chimney. The chimney is narrow and steep, 7–8 m (piton, ladders). From the chimney, we exit onto a ledge-platform 40 m, then left and upwards across difficult rocks to a slab (30 m, 70°) with a crack. Initially along the crack, then straight up (piton, wooden wedges). Above the slab, we move left and upwards across rocks of medium difficulty to an internal corner (almost a chimney with a breakage at the bottom, 60 m, 70–80°). From the internal corner, we exit onto a reddish, crumbly ledge 20 m, going left along the talus (traverse left 5–6 m). I control cairn. After the traverse, we ascend the wall 6–7 m (85–90°, bolted pitons) to a sheer internal corner 17–20 m, 80–85°. Above the corner is a small platform with smooth, crack-free slabs. From the platform, across smooth slabs 40 m, 80° left and upwards to a horizontal ledge. Along the ledge, we traverse left and, bypassing an overhanging internal corner, reach a vertical chimney (rocks are wet). Up the chimney 40 m to a smooth wall of gray-green color. It's better to go without backpacks and then organize their retrieval. The rocks are difficult, with few holds and cracks.

R0: Initial bivouac R1: 15 m, 5, 70° R2: 5 m, 65° R3: 30 m, 4–5, 60° Miscellaneous rocks R5: 10 m, 4, 60° R6: 15 m, VA₁, 70° R7: 10 m, 5, 65°

Route: "Central (Ryazan) via the North face" (via the left part of the North face) Mountain: Chatyntau, 4411 m Region: Bezengi Route characteristics: rock-ice Route elevation gain: 1100 m Route length: 1400 m Average slope: 55° Total climbing time: 30 hours Category: 6A Route author: Ryazan A.

96. Ronchetti Vostochnaya via North-Eastern wall (combined route, cat. 4A)

The path from the CSP of the Tsey district to the initial bivouac on the plateau of the Southern branch of the Tsey glacier under the North-Eastern wall of Vostochnaya Ronchetti. From the bivouac, across the plateau (closed crevices), approach the North-Eastern wall of Vostochnaya Rongetti peak. From the plateau, having passed the bergschrund, ascend to a steep snow-ice slope under the left side of the North-Eastern wall of Vostochnaya Rongetti. Then, along a steep 60–70-meter snow-ice slope, approach a 10–12-meter rock couloir wall of the North-Eastern wall. From the snow patch, ascend the 10–12-meter wall of moderate difficulty rocks to the right and upwards into the rock couloir. Ascend 60 m straight up through simple and moderately difficult rocks, possibly snow-covered, passing the wall on the left in the lower part. Further ascent:

• 100 m along steep moderately difficult rocks on the right side of the couloir (piton belay);
• 120 m along tile-like steep, above moderate difficulty, rocks of the wall («live» rocks, piton belay). Then, traverse 30–40 m through the couloir and two small ridges to the left into a wet but simpler couloir. From here:
• Ascend frozen and wet rocks of moderate and above moderate difficulty (piton belay) on the right side of the couloir to a rock plug;

AND EASTERN VIA NORTH-EAST WALL, 4A cat. diff. II+ III IV IV+ III+ R6 EASTERN

4A category No. 498 as of October 28, 1980

Climbing Passport

1. Climbing type — rock climbing.
2. Climbing area — Caucasus, Tsey Gorge.
3. Peak Vostochnaya Ronketti via the North wall edge.
4. Proposed category — 5A.
5. Route characteristics: height difference 500 m, route length 5–6 km, 120 m of traversing, average wall steepness — 70°, upper part of the route — 10°
6. Pitons driven: for belaying: rock — 52, ice — 4.

Ascent Passport

1. Caucasus. Saudor ridge. Khuppara valley. Section number in Classification 2.7.
2. Peak 3939 m (Special Operations Forces) via North Ridge. Peak coordinates: 42°50′10.96″ N; 43°45′5.78″ E.
3. Proposed category: 1B, first ascent.
4. Route type: rock.
5. Route elevation gain: 200 m. Total route length: about 300 m. Length of sections with 2–3 complexity category: 50 m. Steepness of key sections: up to 60°. Average route steepness: 35°.
6. No pitons left on the route.
7. Time taken: 6 hours; days: 1.
8. Leader: Egorin S. V. — Master of Sports

109. Songuty via the East Face, cat. 4B (Durnov, 1950)

From the Volga River overnight bivouac area, head towards the central couloir that leads to routes 5A and 5Б. (“Attention!” The couloir is not visible from the overnight bivouac area, and for visual reconnaissance, one needs to move to the left part of the upper plateau of Uilpatinsky bottom), move along the right part of the couloir to the rock island, from which turn left onto a ledge leading to a counterfort. 10 m up the несложным ledges of the counterfort to a snowy ridge 10–15 m long. From it, turn left along the ledges and walls under the black streaks forming a zigzag, clearly visible from below, to the next counterfort of the central ridge. Move up the rocks of the counterfort to a snowy saddle, from which a snowy couloir goes left and down. After the saddle, a short wall leads to a large ledge crossing the East Face of Songuty. Along the ledge 150–200 m to the right to a counterfort leading to the 10th tower. Move along the rocks on the left side of the counterfort; in the upper part of the rocks, a 20-meter internal corner leads to a snowy slope (20–30 m), approaching the 10th tower. One can avoid going to the tower and instead move right along a grassy section to the saddle between the 10th tower and the summit. On the saddle, there is a platform for a tent. From the saddle to the summit, it's 80–100 m along the ridge of cat. II–III complexity, with overcoming the “pog” — a smooth 5-meter rock ascent and ridge. On the “nose” of the “pog,” a piton is hammered for passage and belay.

Appendix I

Ascent Record

I. Ascent class — rock: 2. Ascent region — Main Caucasus Range and its spurs from Chipperazau pass to Orotokara peak. 3. Peak, its height, ascent route — Bashil peak, 4257 m, 4800 m via the south face. 4. Proposed difficulty category — 5B. 5. Route characteristics: height difference — 800 m, average steepness — 75°, length of sections with 5–6 difficulty category — 185 m. 6. Number of pitons: for belaying and for creating M.T.O. average steepness — 75°, length of sections with 5–6 difficulty category — 185 m. 6. Number of pitons: for belaying and for creating M.T.O. average steepness — 75°, length of sections with 5–6 difficulty category — 185 m 6B pitons: for belaying and for creating M.T.O. final 69, 18 bolted, 3 ice. 7. Number of walking hours — 26 (excluding descent). 8. Number of nights and their characteristics — 2, semi-reclining, in a tent. 9. Surname, name, patronymic of participants and their qualification: Merlis Viktor Petrovich — MSMK, leader