Sportive Characteristics and Selection of the Ascent Object

The area began to be explored in terms of alpinism in 1934. The peak Maly Aksaut has the following routes:

• a route of category 2B difficulty via the eastern ridge, described in F. Kropff's book "Western Caucasus", M.: FiS, 1962;
• a route traversed by the Odessa Regional Council of the "Avangard" sports society in July 1975, approximately category 3B difficulty. No other data on ascents to the peak M. Aksaut was found. Upon closer acquaintance with the area, the logical and objective safety of the route along the eastern counterfort was established, as well as its sportive attractiveness. This determined the object of the ascent.

Composition of the Sports Group

The group consisted of:

• Braer V.I. (leader), 1st sports category
• Markovsky O.V., Master of Sports of the USSR

Fig. 30

2. Ascent to the main summit of Dzhuguturluchat via the northern slope - category (see Fig. 30)

From Abalakovskaya bivouac to the left-up along the glacier, bypassing ice falls from the left, then to the right-up along the slope between the ice falls and the rocky island.

• At first, the slope is gentle - 200-250 m
• Then the steepness increases to 45°, in some places - up to 50° (belay!)
• In the second half of summer, there is ice on this section; ice screws are necessary for belay (45-50°, belay!) Further to the right - up to the northwest ridge and along it to the summit. From the bivouac

Fig. 41

2. Ascent to the summit of Yuzhny Dombay-Ulgen via the southern ridge with crossing Dombay and Ptysh passes — cat. 2B (see Fig. 40–42)

From Ptysh bivouac, up the moraine of Ptysh glacier (15–20 minutes) and left — towards Dombay pass. Ascend via the couloir (or its right side) and reach the eastern edge of Kruzhevoy glacier. Then:

• Ascend the snowy slope
• Ascend the wide couloir
• Traverse on the right side of the rocky ridge
• Reach Dombay pass — bivouac

Ascent to Kap Peak (3207 m) — Category 1B (Fig. 16)

From the "Alibek" hut along the trail to the glacier or from the bivouac near Turye Lake along the gentle part of the Alibek Glacier — approach to the far right couloir of the Kap Peak slopes. Up the couloir (rockfall hazard!) to the cirque step. There are three ascent options: 1st option:

• To the right along the snowfield into the couloir and along the slabs (belay!) left-up to the ridge.
• Then along the ridge (belay through outcrops!).
• The upper part of the ridge is scree.
• The red rocks of the forepeak are bypassed on the right, then again exit to the ridge and along it to the summit.
• The summit dome is snow-covered.
• The journey from the bivouac to the summit takes 5–6 hours.
• Descent via the ascent route — 3–4 hours.

Route Description

From the Myrdı bivouac, ascend the grassy slopes towards the lower part of the eastern ridge of Pyramida. Then turn right onto the large, wide slopes cut by a chain of couloirs and scree, rising towards the terminal moraine of the Pyramida glacier. Reach the glacier via the large, long moraine. Continue straight up towards the clearly visible, rightmost narrow saddle on the Pyramida ridge. The ridge connects to the summit of Ak-bashi to the right. The ascent to the saddle follows a snowy slope with a steepness of up to 40°, then a narrow 100-meter couloir (ice in the second half of summer). From the saddle, descend 50 m to the other side and follow a wide, 400-meter scree shelf that wraps around the base of Pyramida from the west, approaching a large rocky outcrop. Ascend the outcrop upwards and to the left, then move onto inclined shelves above a white quartz vein (protection!). Then bypass the first rocky prominence and move towards the wedge-shaped rock protruding from the second rocky prominence on the ridge. Ascend to the wedge-shaped rock via broken rocks, then follow the inner angle - a couloir (water!) - to reach the upper scree slopes above the wall via a small R6 rock wall. Follow the scree slopes and small ridges to reach the main ridge of the summit at a large, horizontally lying slab. From here, move left and down into a small depression, then ascend to the summit via yellow rocks. 6 hours from the bivouac. Descent from the summit follows the "Pyramida via the Southeast Ridge" route.

• Departure time from the bivouac should be no later than 5 am.
• On the eve of the ascent day, mark the path to the terminal moraine of the Pyramida glacier.

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¹

Fig. 19 74. Taymaz West via West Ridge (a combined route, 3A category of difficulty, Fig. 19). The path from the "Taymazi" meadow (a group of 4–8 people) to the red cliffs at the head of the Taymazi River is described in route 72. At the red cliffs (rockfall):

• ford the Taymazi River;
• ascend through the boulder field on the right bank to the talus slopes. Climb the talus slopes to the northern ridge — a spur of Tcentral'naya Taymazi Peak. From here, move right and, traversing the moraines beneath the broad tongue of the Zapadny Taymazi Glacier, reach its right-lateral moraine. Ascend along the moraine crest, which gradually turns left, to almost beneath the northeastern rocky slopes of Glavnaya Taymazi Peak. Here, leave the moraine and move left onto the Zapadny Taymazi Glacier, staying on its right side (closed crevasses), and reach the Taymazi Pass that connects the Zapadnaya (left) and Glavnaya Taymazi (right) peaks. From the glacier, overcome the bergschrund via a snow bridge and ascend a steep 250–300-meter ice-and-snow slope to the Taymazi Pass. On the narrow rocky ridge's flat areas of the pass is the starting bivouac. From the "Taymazi" meadow — 8–10 hours. On the pass, turn left and:

Ascent Passport

1. Category: ice and snow climb
2. Caucasus, Tsey Gorge
3. Mamisong, 4358 m, via the left icefall of the north face
4. Proposed route — Category 5B difficulty, first ascent
5. Elevation gain: 780 m, route length 1060 m. Length of Category 5B sections — 380 m, average steepness of the main part of the route — 60° (3820 m — 4140 m).
6. Ice screws used: 89
7. Team's climbing hours — 7, days — II.
8. No overnight stays.

27.12.83

Passport

Ascent to Mt. Mamisong-hokh via icefalls of the North Face

1. Ascent category — snow and ice climb.
2. Ascent area — Caucasus, Tsey.
3. Ascent route — “Mamisong-hokh, 4358 m, via icefalls of the North Face.”
4. Route description:
   • route length — 920 m
   • height difference — 858 m
   • average steepness — 55°