The unnamed peak "3160 m" (absolute height according to the state topographic map M 1:25 000) is located in the middle part of a heavily dissected rocky massif, towering above the Karadjazh tract in the Northwest end of the Sofiyskiy ridge on its segment from the Karadzhash pass to the peak "Dimitrov-100". To the Northwest of it is:

• the peak named after Bulgaro-Soviet friendship (3226 m) To the Southeast is the Unnamed peak (conditionally "3100"), the first route to which has not yet been laid (photo I). The peak "3160", as an object of first ascent, was chosen during reconnaissance group trips in November and December 1981, as well as January 1982 and was approved by the coaching council of the joint Soviet-Bulgarian expedition "Arkhyz-82". The most acceptable route for the first ascent seemed to be (in its initial part) along the steep snowy slope of the Northeast exposure to the saddle between the peaks named after Bulgaro-Soviet friendship and "3160". The relative avalanche safety of this path was assessed during the last reconnaissance (within the framework of "Arkhyz-82") on April 30, 1982 by a snow and avalanche specialist of the VGI, candidate of geographical sciences A. Runich. The nearest classified peak - "3200", 1B cat. difficulty - is located to the Southwest of the Stolicny pass (see the overview orographic scheme). The approach to the start of the route can be made in two ways:
• from the "Syrzavod" clearing up the r. Kashka-Eshek
• from the "Sofia" shelter up the r. Gammash-Chat

Ascent Passport

I. Ascent class - rock II. Ascent area - Western Caucasus, Arkhyz, Sofiyskiy ridge between the upper reaches of the Sofia and Ak-Ayry rivers III. Peak, route - "Pazardzhik" (proposed by the first ascenders), 3184 m, via the North couloir and West ridge IV. Estimated category of difficulty - 2B V. Route description - combined, via a snow-ice couloir and a rocky ridge, height difference 590 m, average steepness of the couloir - 45°, ridge - 35° VI. Pitons used - 2 ice screws, 6 rock pitons VII. Duration - approximately 9 hours VIII. Number of overnight stays - not required on the route IX. Ascent leader - Zaporizhchenko E.V. - Candidate for Master of Sports, instructor

Report

On the first ascent to the summit "Pik 3305", made by a group of climbers from the Stavropol region on May 5, 1980, in the Arkhyz mountain region (Western Caucasus) of the Stavropol region, west of the "Marukh" pass, Sofiyskiy ridge. The Arkhyz mountain region is located on the northern slopes of the Main Caucasian Range between the Kardyvach region (Krasnodar region) to the west and the "Marukhskiy" pass to the east. The region is entirely within the Stavropol region and is located within 43° north latitude. North of the Main Caucasian Range lies the Sofiyskiy ridge, where this unnamed peak with an elevation of 3305 meters above sea level is located. The base camp was situated at an altitude of 1320 m above sea level, 1.5 km from the "Lednikovaya" farm. From the base camp, the route went upstream along the Sofia River to the tributary from the Ak-Ayry glacier, then up to the "barany lby" (ram's foreheads), and from there to the right into a wide couloir that led to the firn fields. And then further up to the "Stolichny" pass — a 3-hour walk from the camp. The "Pik 3305" summit is a rocky massif on the crest of the Sofiyskiy ridge, approached by several powerful counterforts from the north. To the south, it ends in a ridge leading to "Pik 3200", v. Nadezhda 3353, and further to v. Sofia 3640 m. The northern side of "Pik 3305" continues with a ridge leading to "Pik 3231" and further to the Mingi-Kyol-Bashi 3230 m peak. The ascent route is combined — rock and snow, ridge. The character of the rocks: mostly heavily destroyed and snow-covered. The qualification of the group that made the first ascent is quite high — 1st sports category, three of the climbers being instructors-methodologists in mountaineering. The ascent was tactically competent. The description of the ascent route, passport, table of main characteristics, map scheme, photographs, and other materials are attached. Group composition:

Ascent Passport

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I. ASCENT CLASS: Rock 2. ASCENT AREA: Arkhyz, Stavropol region, KTMGV - 2.1. 3. PEAK: "Pik 3305", height 3305 m above sea level, ascent via NW ridge from Stolichny pass. 3. EXPECTED DIFFICULTY: approximately 3A category of difficulty 5. ROUTE CHARACTERISTICS: Height difference between base camp and peak - 1985 m; between pass and peak - 260 m; total route length from pass to peak - 1095 m; average steepness - 30°. Length of section with 8th difficulty grade - 200 m; 11th difficulty grade - 475 m; IIIrd difficulty grade - 330 m; IVth difficulty grade - 80 m; Vth difficulty grade - 10 m; 4. PITS DRIVEN: For rock belay - 7 pcs, ice - none, bolted - none. For creating artificial support points - 1 pc. 7. NUMBER OF CLIMBING HOURS: From base camp to peak - 9 hours, from pass to peak - 5 hours; descent from peak to base camp - 4 hours; 5. NUMBER OF NIGHTS: Route completed without overnight stay (if necessary, possible: under Stolichny pass; in the cirque under "Rocky Feathers"). 6. GROUP INFORMATION: Leader - Khamtsov Alexander Petrovich, 1st sports category, instructor-methodologist II category. Participants: Karpov Evgeny Valentinovich, 1st sports category, instructor-methodologist II category. Redozubov V. I., 2nd sports category, instructor-methodologist III category. Cher­kashin Viktor Mikhailovich, 1st sports category; Melkov Valery Petrovich, 1st sports category. 10. TEAM COACH: Rogovsky Viktor Petrovich, instructor-methodologist II category, 8 certificates. 2357. 1st sports category. II. DATE OF DEPARTURE AND RETURN FROM THE ROUTE: May 5, 1980 5:00. Returned - May 5, 1980 17:30.

Ministry of Land Reclamation and Water Management of the RSFSR NORTH CAUCASUS STATE INSTITUTE FOR DESIGNING WATER MANAGEMENT AND LAND RECLAMATION CONSTRUCTION SEVKAVGIPROVODKHOZ

• Address: 357500, Pyatigorsk, Kirov Ave., 78
• Phone: 29–38
• Teletype: 148
• Account: 38704
• Bank: Pyatigorsk branch of the State Bank
• Date: March 21, 1986

CLIMBING CLASS — Rock climbing CLIMBING REGION — Western Caucasus, Middle part of the North-West ridge of the Sofiyskiy ridge to the South-East from Stolichny 3.251 pass PEAK, ROUTE — “9 September” (first ascenders’ suggestion) via the Northern slope PROPOSED DIFFICULTY CATEGORY — 3B ROUTE DESCRIPTION — Combined (snow and rock), absolute height difference ~550 m NUMBER OF PITONS DRIVEN — 10 DURATION — 4.5 hours NUMBER OF NIGHTS — No nights required on the route CLIMBING LEADER — E. Zaporozhchenko, Candidate for Master of Sports

ASCENT PASSPORT

I. ASCENT CLASS — technical 2. ASCENT AREA, RANGE — Caucasus, Krasnodar Krai up to Marukh pass, Main Caucasian Range. 3. PEAK, ITS HEIGHT, ASCENT ROUTE — Kardyvach (Main), 3105 m, via the southern counterfort. 4. PROPOSED DIFFICULTY CATEGORY — 3A 5. ROUTE CHARACTERISTICS: length of sections R1–200 m; R2–40 m; R3–595 m; R4–110 m. elevation gain — 385 m. average slope — 42° 6. NUMBER OF PITS ON: for protection and belay, for artificial climbing holds. rock — 23, ice — 0, bolt — 0 7. TOTAL CLIMBING TIME — 7 h 15 min

Description

The route of the first ascent via the Northwest Ridge to the summit of Kardyvach Glavnaya (3105 m) - approximately Category 4B difficulty - was climbed by a group of climbers from the Krasnodar City Section of Alpinism under the DSO "TRUD" in May 1970. The Kardyvach Glavnaya peak, with an elevation of 3105 m, is located on the Main (Watershed) Ridge, near the junction of the Main and Gagra ridges in the area of Kardyvach-Ritsa lakes. The peak is a rocky-snowy dome with a sharp shoulder extending to the northwest, which then turns into a ridge. The described ascent route goes from the "13-ti" pass along the northwest ridge.

Route Characteristics

The route is rocky-snowy, mainly ridge-like, and surpasses routes like:

• Dubll-peak
• Adai-khokh