Ascent Logbook

1. Type of ascent: ice and snow climb.
2. Ascent area: Central Caucasus, Bezengi.
3. Peak Shota Rustaveli, 4960 m, via the north face.
4. Estimated difficulty category: 5B.
5. Route characteristics: Total height difference of the route 1340 m, height difference of the wall section 1180 m, average steepness of the wall section 48°, route length 2400 m, wall section length 1660 m, length of sections with 5–6 difficulty category 1355 m.
6. Pitons used: Ice pitons for belay 257, ITO 6, rock pitons for belay 12.
7. Total climbing hours: 24.

Ascent Passport

I. Class of ice and snow ascents 2. Ascent area: Central Caucasus, Bezengi 3. Peak Shota Rustaveli - 4960 m via North face (route by A. V. Laletin) 4. 5B category, fourth ascent 5. Total height difference of the route is 1360 m. Height difference of the wall section is 1200 m. Average steepness of the wall section is 48°. Route length is 2565 m. Length of the wall section is 1755 m. Length of sections with 5-6 category difficulty is 1445 m. 6. Pitons hammered: Ice pitons for belay - 250, ITO - 9. Rock pitons for belay - 13.

Physical Culture and Sports Committee under the USSR Council of Ministers

XXXVI USSR Alpine Championship 1985

Snow and Ice Ascent Category

Report

On the ascent of Shota Rustaveli peak, 4960 m, via the north face, category 5B difficulty, made by the team RSFSR – II.

Team's Tactical Actions

A day before departure, an observation of the route and a study of the lower part of the route were conducted. The tactic was built to safely and quickly pass the extended snow and ice route.

Shkhara: via NE ridge and N edge

Shkhara (Main), NE ridge — Cat. 5A

The initial bivouac can be organized either at the "Austrian overnight stays" or on the Shkhara pillow — a snow plateau below the western slopes of the NE ridge. From the "Austrian overnight stays," descend to the glacier and, passing under the steep ice step of its tributary flowing from the Sella pass, cross the Eastern branch of the Bezengi glacier, exiting under the icefall in the couloir between the NE ridge and the North edge of Shkhara. Ascend the couloir to the right of the icefall via a snowy slope with a series of ascents. 400–450 m. The couloir is avalanche-prone (threatened by ice discharges on the northern slopes of East Shkhara), so at the beginning of the ascent, stay closer to the rock outcrops of the North edge. Upon reaching the upper boundary of the icefall, you should:

• Turn left,
• Cross avalanche gullies,
• Exit onto the snow plateau above the icefall — the "pillow".

Shkhara

via the northern edge, cat. 5B Team M.G.S. "SPARTAK" July 13-18, 1965 Coach and leader - SHATAEV V.N. Shkhara northern edge

Ascent

July 13. From the alpine camp, the path goes up along the trail and the Besengi glacier moraine to Misses-Kosh. We set out fairly early (5:00) hoping to rest well at the "Austrian" campsite and get to know the character of Shkhara. No wind. Only the uларs disturb the peace with their morning songs. The path is familiar only to the leader; the others are going to Shkhara for the first time. Turning left from the confluence of the Eastern and Western branches of the Besengi glacier along the coastal moraine, we approached the red rocks, from which we reached the campsite in half an hour. Gusty winds were shaking the tent of a group of Leningraders climbing Shkhara via the Eastern edge - cat. 4B. We set up the tent behind a rock, and while preparing lunch, Shataev-Karchewski went out to examine the approach route and the exit to the edge.

Ascent Passport

1. Central Caucasus, Bezengi region, classification table section number 2.5
2. Shkhara peak (Main) (5068 m) via Tomašek's rib
3. Category 5B difficulty
4. Route type: combined
5. Route elevation gain: 1900 m Route length: approximately 2500 m Section lengths:

• Category 5 difficulty — 125 m
• Category 6 difficulty — none

Shkhara (Main), North Edge, 5B cat. dif.

The initial bivouac can be organized either

1. on the "Austrian overnight stays", or
2. in a snowy hollow above the ice drops adjacent to the left of the rock outcrops of the North Edge (250–300 m above the base of the edge). From the "Austrian overnight stays" to the snowy hollow is 2 hours according to description 7. From the hollow, having overcome the randkluft, ascend 50 m up the snowy slope to a rocky ledge going from left to right along the eastern rock wall of the North Edge. The ledge 70–80 m leads to a snow-ice couloir ("tie"), dividing the lower wide part of the edge into two ridges - kant. The couloir is stone-dangerous, and therefore, having ascended along the border of the rocks of the left ridge to the rocky island in the narrow part of the couloir, one should cross the couloir and exit to the right ridge. Along the rocks of medium difficulty of the right ridge 150–200 m upwards under the overhanging rock wall. Here is the junction of the ridges of the lower part of the edge. Through the ice groove flowing into the couloir-"tie", exit to the 10 m wall and climb it to the overhanging rock. Further, the path goes along the clearly defined jagged ridge. Steep rocky sections and walls are bypassed on the snow on the right. After 150 m, on the left side, 3–5 m below the ridge, there is a platform for a tent. The subsequent movement goes along the snowy rocks of medium difficulty 80–100 m with an exit to the 50 m ice slope. After the rocky ascent on the gentle snow-ice ridge, resting against the wall of rusty rocks, it is possible to organize a bivouac. From the initial bivouac 10–12 hours walking.

Russian Alpine Championship

High-altitude technical class

Team from Voronezh Regional Public Organization "Alpinism Federation"

Ascent to Shkhara (Main) (5068 m) — via the ridge (H. Tomashek route), category 5B

2008

Ascent Passport

1. Central Caucasus, Bezengi region, section number according to the classification table 2.5.
2. Ascent to Shkhara (Main) (5068 m) via the ridge (H. Tomashek route).
3. Category 5B.
4. Route type: combined.

Ascent Record

1. Category — snow and ice climb
2. Main Caucasus Range, Bezengi valley
3. Shkhara Main via the ice board on the North face
4. Proposed — 5B category difficulty, first ascent
5. Height difference — 1800 m, length — 2790 m, length of sections with IV–VI category difficulty — 888 m, including about 130 m of VI category difficulty. Average steepness of main sections — 44°
6. Equipment used on the route: ice screws — 197, rock pitons — 4
7. Climbing hours for ascent — 24, days — 1.5
8. All overnight stays on snow platforms

Fig. 26

2. Tra­verse of Sofru­dzhu peak from the north-east — category 2B (fig. 26)

From Domba­y­skaya Poly­ana across the bridge over the Ali­bek river and along the trail to the crossing over the Ama­nauz river. Crossing to the right bank, then along the mo­rena and over the "baa­ran­y lby" to the Ama­nauz­sky gla­cier, and along it to the ter­mi­nal mo­rena under the Zapad­no-Ama­nauz­sky gla­cier. Camping site. From Domba­y­skaya Poly­ana — 3–4 hours. Further (in con­nec­tion!) as­cend to the Ama­nauz pass be­tween the peaks Glav­ny Ama­nauz and Sofru­dzhu. As­cend along the right side of the heav­ily cre­vassed gla­cier, then, in the up­per part, un­der the slopes of Sofru­dzhu Zub exit to the mid­dle of the gla­cier, as snow ava­lanch­es are pos­si­ble from the slopes of Sofru­dzhu Zub. Along the mid­dle of the gla­cier up to the bergschrund, cross the bergschrund over a snow bridge and up the steep snow slope (50°) to the pass. Exit to the pass to the left of the rocky out­crop at the pass point.