261. Ullutau East via the Eastern Ridge

(combined route by A. Zolotarev, category 3B difficulty, fig. 18, 30). The path from the Ullutau alpine camp (group of 4-8 people) to the initial bivouac on the Mestian Pass is described in route 247. At the pass saddle, turn right and approach the base of the Eastern ridge of the Ullutau massif via a snowy slope. From the plateau, cross the bergschrund via a snow bridge and reach the Eastern ridge. Follow the boundary between rocks and snow of the straightforward Eastern ridge to approach the first "saw" jendarme. Traverse the "saw" consisting of 4 jendarmes along the destroyed simple and moderately difficult rocks of the Eastern ridge ("loose" stones, belay) and reach a snowy saddle. From the saddle, ascend along the straightforward, gentle, long, and occasionally sharp snowy (cornices) Eastern ridge with two rises to a snow dome. From the dome, make a straightforward gentle descent along a wide snowy rocky ridge to a saddle (large cornice). From the saddle, make a steep ascent along rocks alternating with sharp snowy ridges to the Vzlet jendarme. From it, follow the sharp snowy (cornices) straightforward Eastern ridge to approach the "saw". The second "saw" is traversed along a ridge of numerous small jendarmes, exiting below the Ogurtsy jendarmes, which are bypassed on the left along steep, moderately and more than moderately difficult destroyed rocks (belay), and then ascend along a couloir to a wide snowy saddle of the Eastern ridge below the rocky wall of the Eastern shoulder. The bivouac is on the saddle. From the Mestian Pass, it takes 4-8 hours.

Fig. 30

284. Chegettau via the North-West Face (Nikolaenko's combined route, cat. 4B, fig. 18, 32). The path from the Ullutau alpine camp (a group of 4 people) to the initial bivouac at the Gumachi Moraine platforms is described in route 286. From the bivouac, cross the Gumachi Glacier and approach the left side of the North-West Face of Chegettau peak.

In the ice and snow couloirs on the left and right sides of the North-West Face:

• icefall seracs overhang. From the glacier:
• overcome the bergschrund;
• ascend a steep ice and snow slope (icefall, rockfall) to reach the rocks on the left side of the Lower Rock Belt of the North-West Face. On the monolithic, moderately difficult and difficult rocks of the face:
• ascend 80–100 m to a small ledge;
• from the ledge, 60 m upwards on rocks of above-average difficulty (avalanches, rockfall) to a ridge;
• follow a poorly defined 60-meter steep rocky ridge to reach the Lower Rock Belt.

Ynom-Kichkidar, combined, 3A

Route Description

From the Ullu-Tau alpine camp, the path goes through the Djailyk alpine camp, then crosses the Kullum-Kom river via a bridge and follows a trail along the right bank up to the terminal moraine of the Yuzhny Ynom-Su glacier. The ascent to the moraine takes 1.5 hours. Follow the trail on the moraine to ascend to the glacier and reach its right (orographically) side, along which you should proceed to the so-called srednekichkidar bivouac. It takes 2 hours from the camp to the bivouac. From the bivouac, move along the right side of the Yuzhny Ynom-Su glacier to a counterfort descending from the Freshfield Pass. The pass resembles "Gates" - two rows of rocky outcrops. It takes 3 hours from the bivouac to the pass. Then, descend from the pass about 20 meters down the snowfield to the east, and then traverse left to a couloir descending from the southeast ridge of the Ynom-Kara-Tau peak. Climb out of the couloir onto the ridge on its left side. The path to the summit continues along rocky steps resembling adjacent slabs. These steps lead to a gully. Cross the gully to the right and ascend the rocks on its right side (in the direction of travel) to a saddle. The path goes along simple rocks (slabs) to the summit. The summit is a sharp ridge, about 2 meters high, with a crevice in its middle part. The ascent from the Freshfield Pass takes 2 hours. From the summit, the path follows the ridge to the end of the massif, where a descent is made down a wall (40 m rope) to a snowy saddle. Then, a large gendarme is bypassed on the left along a snowy-icy slope, and a straightforward ridge is reached. The following gendarmes ("hares") are also bypassed on the left, leading to the ridge of the "Kichkidar" peak. The summit is covered with smooth rocky slabs. Return to the "hares" gendarmes and descend to the bivouac along the Zapadny Ynom-Su glacier, keeping to the left side.

Ba­lyk via the South Ridge (Route 1B cat. dif.). The path from the settlement of Verkhniy Baksan to the scree under the South Ridge of Artkol peak is described in routes 4 and 8. From here, follow the right bank of the Ikeras River, then Subashi River, to reach the scree of the upper plateau in the Subashi gorge. From the plateau, ascend via scree and broken simple gentle rocks to the gentle snowy South Ridge of Balyk peak. From here:

• initially along a gentle,
• then along a steeper simple snowy ridge — ascent to the South shoulder. From the col, via simple rocks and connecting ridges alternating with sharp snowy crests (cornices!) — ascent to the summit of Balyk. From the scree — 3–3.5 hours. Descent:
• via the ascent route,
• or along the East Ridge. Duration of the route — 2 days. “Baksan Valley”, A.F. Naumov

143. Bashkara via the South Ridge of the South Shoulder (K. Tumanov's route, category 3A). The path from the “Jantugan” alplager (group of 4-8 people) to the initial bivouac at the Jantugan Pass is described in route 146. From the pass, exit onto the Jantugan Plateau and move down along its right side. Bypass the glacier's icefall from the right, then descend along the moraine under the slopes of Lekzyr-Jantugan Peak onto the Lekzyr Glacier at the confluence of its Western and Eastern branches. Ascend along the flat surface on the right side of the Western branch, bypassing the Bashkara Gadyl massif from the south, until reaching the point where the Unnamed Glacier's icefall (which descends from a small cirque formed by Ullukara

142. Bashkara via North-Eastern Ridge (E. Ivanov's route, cat. 3B) The path from the Djantugan alpbase (group of 4-8 people) to the initial bivouac on the Djantugan pass is described in route 146. From the pass, depart (at 3:00-4:00 am) to the Djantugan plateau. Traverse around the Djantugan peak from the left and exit to the North-Eastern ridge of Bashkara below the last (left) gentle snowy slope descending from the ridge saddle, which connects the Bashkara peak on the left and the Djantugan peak on the right. Turn right from the plateau and, having overcome the bergschrund, ascend directly up the gentle snowy, then scree slope. Further, ascend via easy, broken rocks, leaving the gendarme-connectors on the right, to the rocks of the North-Eastern ridge of Bashkara. 1-1.5 hours from the bivouac. When exiting onto the ridge, bypass the gendarme-connector on the left via easy, broken rocks (belay!). From the exit point to the ridge, turn left and move 50-60 m up via easy, broken rocks on the left side of the ridge, then across a short snowy connector below the rock ascent wall. Ascend 30 meters straight up the wall of medium difficulty to a ledge and traverse 10 m left along it. From there, ascend up-right 20-25 m via rocks of medium difficulty, then via easier and more broken rocks to the ridge (pitons for belay on the ascent wall!).

158. Viatau via the South Couloir and West Ridge (Category I-b route, Fig. 23, 33).

The path from the “Jantugan” alpine camp to the “Green Hotel” is described in route 146. From the “Green Hotel”, ascend along the Adylsu gorge, then reach the Jankuat Glacier and move up along it, keeping to its left side. After 350–400 m, turn left and ascend to the left-bank moraine at its lowest point. Continue ascending along the moraine. Having passed the foot of the West Ridge of Viatau Peak, turn left, descend from the moraine, and ascend along the southern slopes of the West Ridge. Initially, the slope is grassy, then it becomes covered with fine and later coarse scree, leading to a wide snowy scree-filled couloir descending south from the West Ridge of Viatau Peak. Here, turn left and ascend along the snowy scree and simple rocks of the wide snowy couloir until you reach the West Ridge of the peak. From here:

• Continue to the right along the simple, destroyed, and partially snowy rocks of the ridge.
• In the upper section, keep to the right side (“live” rocks!).
• Ascend to the summit of Viatau. From the “Green Hotel”, the ascent takes 5–6 hours. Descend via the ascent route. The total duration of the route is 2 days.

Passport

1. Climbing category — rock.
2. Central Caucasus, NW spur of the Main Caucasian Ridge, Mt. Gumači.
3. Mt. Viatau 3820 m via the 3rd ridge, combined route.
4. Proposed category of difficulty: 2B confirmed.
5. Height difference: 530 m, distance: 1060 m. Length of sections with III category of difficulty: 145 m, IV category of difficulty: 15 m. Average steepness of the main part of the route: 47°.
6. Pitons hammered in: rock — 9/0, chocks — 2/0
7. Traveling hours — 5