1. Plieva via North-West Ridge, cat. 4A

Text on the diagram: P. PLIEVA BLACK TAKEOFF NORTH-WEST RIDGE ROPE TEAM 3rd ROCK TOWER 2nd ROCK ISLAND 1st ROCK ISLAND

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

Russian Mountaineering Federation Russian Mountaineering Federation Protocol No. 382 dated April 5, 1974 Classify as Category 5A difficulty First Ascent 2.7.104 115 SKATIKOM

ASCENT VIA EASTERN COUNTERFORTS

SOUTH TOWER

Route difficulty category: 4B/TR. R14

• UTYUG R13 40 m 3
• R12 10 m 4
• R11 15 m 3
• R10 30 m 3
• R9 35 m 3 TRAVERS 200 m

Route on the Left Buttress and Central Edge of the Eastern Wall of Sonuti

“The route is combined, category 4B difficulty.” The path from the KSP of the Tsey district to the initial bivouac at the Volginsky nochyovki. From the Volginsky nochyovki, “depart at 3–4 am due to rockfall in the lower part of the route,” cross the snowy plateau of the Uilpatinsky glacier to the left and upwards towards the Left Buttress of the Eastern wall of Sonuti peak. To the left of the buttress, there are ice collapses at the top. From the plateau, after passing the bergschrund, ascend a steep snowy-ice slope “possible ice collapse” to the rocks of the Left Buttress. From here, straight up through 120 meters of simple, heavily destroyed, snow-covered rocks. Then, ascend 150 m through steep, moderately difficult, destroyed rocks of the Left Buttress to the first rocky islands in the right ice-snow couloir descending from the saddle with a small lake on the Southwest ridge from under the wall of the South tower of Sonuti. Further, traverse to the right “pitons for protection” through the ice-snow couloir “rockfall, avalanches,” then through moderately difficult rocks of the Left Edge of the Eastern wall of Sonuti. After passing a platform, through monolithic rocks, approach the second steep ice couloir and traverse to the right and upwards through this couloir “possible rockfall” to the rocks on the left side of the Central Edge of the Eastern wall. Through monolithic rocks of medium and above-medium difficulty on the left side of the Central Edge, ascend 150 m “pitons for protection” to a platform. From the Volginsky nochyovki, 6–8 hours. From the platform, 150 m through medium and above-medium difficulty rocks with numerous holds on the left side of the Central Edge “pitons for protection” upwards to a shoulder. From the shoulder, across a sharp snowy ridge, move left to the rocks on the right side of the Left Edge.

Fig. 57

1. Ascent to the peak Perednyaya Chotcha (3637 m) via the counterfort of the northern wall — category 4B difficulty (fig. 57)

From Dombay plain by car to the Severny shelter. From the Severny shelter:

• via a log across the Khokel river
• further along the trail on the left side of the Chotcha gorge to the snowy couloir under the northern wall of the Chotcha peak Ascent:
• up the middle of the couloir to its middle part
• then via the "ram's foreheads" and uncomplicated rocks