117. Kayarta —

(combined route, category II, fig. 5, 13). The path from Tyrnyauz (group of 4–20 people) to the Western Kayarta stream is described in route 106. Having crossed the stream, turn left and ascend a steep rocky slope on the right bank of the stream to its upper cirque above two waterfalls. Then:

• ascend along the right bank,
• then cross to the left bank,
• move along the left bank to the Western Kayarta glacier. On the left side of the glacier (closed crevasses), bypass the icefall. Above it, cross the glacier to the right and approach the left slope of the Western ridge of Kayarta peak. From the glacier, having passed the bergschrund, ascend to the Western ridge of Kayarta. From here, along a gently sloping wide snow-ice slope on the left side of the 450–500-meter Western ridge with a 20-meter ascent in the upper part, reach the summit of Kayarta. From the Tyutyusu gorge — 4–5 hours.

202. Kenchat via the North ridge (category 1B, A. Zyuzin, S. Katsnelson, A. Kaverin, F. Kompaneyets, L. Khodyush, August 7, 1938). The path from the Adylsu alpine camp along the Tyutyusu gorge to the stony plateau in the upper reaches of the Tyutyusu gorge is described in route 184. From the plateau, turn left and first go along the glacier, then along the gentle moraines and talus to reach the left branch of the unnamed glacier flowing from the Killar pass. This is the starting bivouac. From the last grove, it takes 6-8 hours. From the bivouac, exit to the left branch of the glacier and ascend to the upper snowy plateau along its right edge. On the plateau (many crevasses!), head towards the wide saddle of the ridge between the peaks of Orel on the left and Kenchat on the right. From the plateau, overcome the bergschrund along a steep 120-meter ice-and-snow slope (rockfall hazard!), then ascend simple, destroyed rocks to reach the Killar pass saddle. Here, turn right and exit onto the North ridge of Kenchat peak. From here, the ascent follows the ice-and-snow ridge (cornices!). The 1st gendarme and, after an 8-10-meter snow bridge, the 2nd gendarme are overcome along the ridge. After the gendarmes, ascend along the snowy ridge with huge cornices, or along the heavily destroyed, simple rocks of its left slope (belay!). Then, ascend along the upper part of the snow funnel formed by the curved ridge. Further, ascend along the rocky-snowy ridge (cornices!) to reach the summit of Kenchat. From the pass, it takes 2-2.5 hours. Descent follows the ascent route. The duration of the route is 3 days. Additionally, bring 2-3 ice axes.

111. Kenchat via the North Ridge

(combined route, 2A cat. dif., fig. 5, 13) The path from Tyrnyauz (group of 4–20 people) through the Tyutysu gorge to the rocky plateau in the upper reaches of the gorge is described in route 106. From the plateau, turn left and first follow the Tyutyu glacier, then traverse the gentle moraines and scree to reach the foot of the Northern branch of the Tyutyu glacier, which flows from the Kilar pass. Set up the initial bivouac here. It takes 4–6 hours from the last grove. From the bivouac, ascend to the Northern branch of the Tyutyu glacier and follow its right side to reach the upper snow plateau. Traverse the plateau (watch for hidden crevasses) to approach the saddle of the Kilar pass between the Kenchat peak on the right and the Oryol peak on the left. From the plateau, overcome the bergschrund, then:

• ascend a steep 120-meter ice-and-snow slope (rockfall hazard),
• followed by straightforward traverse across broken rocks to reach the Kilar pass. The path from the Bashil tourist base to the Kenchat glacier is described in route 115. From the glacier, having traversed the bergschrund, ascend the ice-and-snow slope to the saddle of the Kilar pass between the Kenchat peak on the left and the Oryol peak on the right. At the pass, turn right (when ascending from Tyutysu) and reach the North Ridge of the Kenchat peak. Follow the ice-and-snow North Ridge (cornices, protection) to approach the first pinnacle, which is overcome directly via a 6–8-meter wall. Then traverse an 8–10-meter sharp snow ridge (cornice, protection) to approach the second pinnacle; ascend it via a 6–8-meter wall (protection). Continue ascending:
• along the partially sharp ice-and-snow North Ridge (large cornices),

Kichkidar via the Western Ridge, combined, 2A

Route Description:

The path from the "Ullutau" alpine base lies along the trail of the "Kullumkol" gorge, exiting to the "Nizhnie-Kichkidars" overnight camps on the Western Yunom-Su glacier, and then on to the "Nizhnee-Kichkidars" overnight camps. The journey takes 4-5 hours. From the "Verkhnee-Kichkidars" overnight camps, the path initially lies in the direction of the "Donkina" pass, with an ascent to the right part of the glacier and then towards the steep Western ridge. Approaching it, the glacier is heavily crevassed (travel strictly roped), we approach the right side of the ridge from the "Kichkidar" summit and ascend via ice and snow, bypassing the rocky wall at the base of the Western ridge and its first gendarme on the right. On the saddle, turn slightly right and then proceed along snowy slabs and, in places, steep rocks, heading towards the 2nd small gendarme; this is a control cairn. From it, upwards, bypassing the high gendarmes and walls on the left (belaying is mandatory), interspersed with snowy sections of the Western ridge, we reach the summit. The journey takes 4-5 hours. The descent from the summit follows the path of 2A cat. diff. to the "Zaitsev" To the "Verkhne-Kichkidarskie" overnight camps!

63. Kichkidar via Western slope of the Southern ridge (route is combined, 2A cat., fig. 5, 7). The path from the “Jailyk” alp camp (group of 4–12 people) to the upper plateau of the Zapadny Yunum glacier with the initial bivouac at the “Verkhne-Kichkidarskie nochovki” is described in route 73. Across the glacier plateau (closed crevasses) approach the snowy-ice Western slope on the left side of the saddle of the massif, which connects the Kichkidar peak on the left and the Yunumkara peak on the right. From the glacier, having crossed the snow bridge over the bergschrund, ascend 180–200 m up the steep snowy-ice Western slope to the snowy-ice saddle (possible cornices) to the left of the two rocky towers of the Zaitsev. On the saddle, turn left and along the wide snowy-ice ridge (cornices) of the saddle, approach the ascent to the Kichkidar tower summit. Along the steep easy rocks of the ascent, bypassing the gendarme on the left, with a 10-meter wall (belay) on the Southern ridge, ascend to the summit of Kichkidar. From the “Verkhne-Kichkidarskie nochovki” 3–3.5 hours.

64. Kichkidar via the West Ridge (combined route, category 2A difficulty, Fig. 5, 7). The path from the Djailyk alpine camp (group of 4-12 people) to the upper plateau of the Zapadny Yunum glacier with a starting bivouac at "Verkhne-Kichkidarskie nochyovki" is described in route 73. Across the glacier plateau (closed crevasses), approach the right side of the steep West Ridge of Kichkidar peak. From the glacier, turn right and ascend the ice-snow slope, bypassing the rock walls at the base of the West Ridge and its I gendarme on the right. After passing the gendarme, turn left and ascend a 120-160-meter ice-snow couloir to the col of the West Ridge above the I gendarme. On the col, turn right, then across snowy expanses, destroyed and sometimes steep rocks alternating with snowy sections of the West Ridge, bypassing low gendarmes and walls on the left (with protection), ascend to the summit of Kichkidar. From "Verkhne-Kichkidarskie nochyovki" 3-3.5 hours.

Kichkidar-Yunom, combined, 3B

Route description:

The exit is from the Djailyk tourist camp, moving along the right (orographically) bank of the Kulumkol River past the cow shed and further along the moraines to the middle Kichkidar overnight stays near the Yunom glacier. Travel time is 2.5–3 hours. From the middle Kichkidar overnight stays:

• Up the glacier along the ridge, leaving it on the left;
• Exit via easy rocks to the saddle;
• Further up the snow-ice slope in the direction of the left gendarme of the "hare". The bergschrund under the "hare" is usually bypassed on the left. The time taken to move from the middle Kichkidar overnight stays to the left gendarme of the "hare" is 2–2.5 hours. From the left "hare", easy rocks on the pre-summit ridge lead to the summit of Kichkidar. The time taken for this section is approximately 0.5 hours. From the summit of Kichkidar, bypassing the "hares" on the right (belay!!!), move in the direction of the Yunomkara summit, keeping to the right side of the ridge (there may be cornices on the left) until the first gendarme of the three on the ridge, before the wall on the Yunomkara summit. Options for overcoming the gendarmes:

235. Kulak via the Northwest Ridge (V. Merkl's combined route, category IIIA, difficulty, fig. 18, 28).

The path from the Chegem tourist base (group of 4-8 people) to the lake at the foot of the Eastern Ridge of the Bodorku peak is described in route 233. From the lake, turn right and ascend, crossing the Western branch of the Kulak Glacier (closed crevices), to the right side of its Southwest branch. From here, ascend in the direction of the col of the False Twiber pass, located in the Main Caucasian Ridge (MKR) to the left (south) of the Twiber pass, on the right side of the heavily broken Southwest branch of the glacier. From the glacier, cross the bergschrund via a snow bridge and ascend a steep ice-and-snow slope (avalanches, rockfall) to the left side of the col of the False Twiber pass. The ascent is also possible via the rocks of the counterfort in the middle part of the col ("unstable rocks", protection). On the col, turn left and ascend via easy, simple rocks of the ridge to a platform. The initial bivouac is on the platform. From the Chegem tourist base, 8-12 hours. From the platforms on the col, ascend via the Northwest Ridge of the Kulak peak. From the col, 120-150 m upwards via simple rocks of the narrow Northwest Ridge, bypassing small difficult walls on the right ("unstable rocks", piton protection). Then, 300-350 m upwards via the wide, snow-covered, rocky Northwest Ridge to the North Shoulder (I pinnacle). From the shoulder:

• descent via a 50-60-meter ice-and-snow slope;
• ascent via a steep 50-60-meter ice-and-snow rise of the Northwest Ridge (cornices, piton protection) to the second North pinnacle. From the northern pinnacle-coudelle, a small descent via a simple, snow-covered, rocky ridge follows. Then, 50-60 m upwards via a steep ice-and-snow slope of the Northwest Ridge (cornices, piton protection) to the right side of the rocky wall of the summit tower.

233. Kulak via the Eastern Ridge (combined route by N. Popov, category III difficulty, fig. 18, 28).

From the "Chegem" tourist base (group of 4–8 people), ascend along the trail on the left bank of the Kulak River, then cross to the right bank via a bridge and approach the koshu along the trail. Continue along the right-bank moraine of the Kulak glacier. After fording the stream from the Chat glacier, approach the point where the Northwest Branch of the Kulak glacier merges with it from the right. Here, descend from the moraine to the left onto the glacier and, having traversed:

• the Northwest Branch of the Kulak glacier,
• the base of the Eastern Ridge of the Bodorku peak, reach a lake located under the left (southern) side of the base of the Eastern Ridge of the Bodorku peak. A bivouac is possible by the lake. From the "Chegem" tourist base, it takes 5–6 hours. From the lake, cross to the left (south) onto the exposed Western Branch of the Kulak glacier

Fig. 25

1. Ascent to Sofrudju peak (3785 m) — cat. d. 1B (fig. 25)

From Dombayskaya polyana cross the bridge over the Alibek river and follow the trail to the stream descending from the large Belalakay couloir. Cross the stream to the snowfield and ascend it for 300–350 m. Then turn left into the Sofrudju couloir (danger of rockfall!) and ascend it to a large overhanging rock. Continue straight up the steep section to the trail and follow it to Medvezhya (Med­ve­zh­'ya) polyana. From Medvezhya polyana ascend 300–350 m up the eastern slope of Belalakay through the snow — exit to the Sofrudju bivouac. From Dombayskaya polyana — 5–6 hours.