17. Traverse of Irikchat from east to west (P. Kovalev's route, category 3A). The path from the "Fork" of the Baksan valley and Adylsu gorge to the initial bivouac on the southern slopes of Irikchat is described in route 14, and the path to the Eastern summit is described in route 15. From the Eastern summit, descend along a plate, a 4-5-meter wall, and moderately difficult rocks to a point below the 2nd gendarme. Traverse 30 m along ledges on the left side (belay!) to bypass the gendarme and reach a platform. From the platform, make a 1.5-meter descent (hanging on hands) to a col. From the col, ascend along a plate with a crack, then 60-80 m along moderately difficult rocks, and 30-35 m along simple ridge

16. Traverse of Irikchata from west to east (P. Rototaev's route, cat. 3B, complexity). The path from the "Razvilka" of the Baksan valley and Adylsu gorge (group of 4-8 people) to the summit of Irikchat Zapadnaya is described in route 14. From the Zapadnaya summit, descend via

Code I-I5 KOGUTAI BOLSHOY via West ridge, 1B category of complexity. From the saddle descend along the talus, then along the snowy slope to Bolshoy Kogutaysky Glacier and along it, following the northwestern slopes of Bolshoy Kogutay, reach the saddle of the ridge connecting Bolshoy and Maly Kogutai peaks. Cross the bergschrund via a snow bridge in its right part and then ascend the snowy slope to the saddle of Bolshoy Kogutay's West ridge. From the saddle of the North ridge — about 1 hour. From the saddle, move left and along a short rocky ridge reach the West ridge of the peak. Further:

• Upwards along the simple rocks of the ridge, overcome a 15-meter ascent directly (protection).
• Ascend along the left side of a wide talus ridge to under the second rocky ascent.
• Pass the second 10-meter ascent through the center; at the top of the wall — a cam.
• From the ascent, along the simple rocks of the ridge, bypassing a gendarme on the right, reach the rocky ascent of the summit tower.
• Overcome the ascent along the inner corner of the left side of the ridge (protection).
• From the corner, along the simple rocks of the ridge, ascend to the summit of Bolshoy Kogutay. From the saddle — 3–4 hours. Descend via the ascent route.

68. Maly Kogutai via Western Ridge (Category 1B route) From the “Baksan” alpine camp (group 4 — 20 people), head up the road in the Baksan valley. Before reaching the “Itkol” hotel, turn left and cross the Baksan River on a bridge to reach the narzan springs. From the springs, turn left and cross the Kogutaika River. From there, turn right and ascend a steep trail through the forest along the left bank of the Kogutaika. Above the forest, the trail continues through meadows; then it crosses a stream and ascends along its right bank to a meadow with a large rock split into two parts, mentioned in route 66. Set up a bivouac on the meadow. The journey from the “Baksan” alpine camp takes 2.5–3 hours. The path from the meadow (without backpacks) to the saddle on the Northern ridge of Bolshoy Kogutai is described in route 60. From the initial bivouac on the large meadow, it takes 3 hours. From the saddle:

• descend via scree and a snowy slope to the Bolshoy Kogutai glacier;
• traverse the glacier to the col on the Western ridge of Maly Kogutai peak, which is an extension of the Northeast ridge of Donguzorun peak;
• cross a snow bridge over a bergschrund;
• ascend a short, steep snowy slope to the col on the Western ridge of Maly Kogutai peak. From the saddle, it takes 2–2.5 hours. From the col:
• turn left;

51. Nakra via Right Counter-fors of the North Face (A. Zamora's route, cat.4B diff.). The path from "Baksan" alp-camp (a group of 4 people) to the initial bivouac on the grassy areas of the right-bank moraine of the Severniy Donguzrun glacier is described in route 50. From the moraine:

• cross the Severniy Donguzrun glacier
• go through the bergschrund to the rocks of the Right counter-fors of Nakra's North Face It is possible to bypass the bergschrund on the right via the rocks of the North counter-fors of the Northwest ridge and above it traverse through a snowy couloir (belay, falling rocks, ice falls!) to the rocks of the Right counter-fors of the North Face. Up the occasionally snowy rocks of medium difficulty of the counter-fors with several short walls and small gendarmes, which are bypassed on the right:
• ascent (pitons belay!) to a site in the middle of the counter-fors At the site — a bivouac. From the initial bivouac 8–10 hours.

REPORT

on the ascent to peak 3930 (Paton Peak) in the Caucasus, made by participants of the Ukrainian scientific sports expedition

1. Organization Ukrainian Mountaineering and Rock Climbing Federation
2. Location Russia, Caucasus, Elbrus region
3. Period from August 4 to August 23, 2004
4. Leader: Simonenko V.K., senior coach: Gorbenko M.M.

2.4.147 Ascent Report

I. Description of the Traverse of Sakashil-Bashi Massif West — East

The first ascent of the route was made on February 22, 1969, by a group consisting of:

• Skobenko S.A. (leader)
• Vasyukovich L.A.
• Karlov A.I. With the presence of an auxiliary group (observers) of 3 people. Day 1. On February 21, the 2/1 group approached through the Khunaly-Chat gorge (the left, uppermost tributary of Sakashil-Su). The approach path to the old terminal moraine of the Khunaly glacier (Western Sakashil) is the same as for the peaks "Pik XXV-letiya kombinata", A. Baysultanov, and B. Orlov. After reaching the old terminal moraine, one must ascend left-upwards and, having reached the 1st moraine terrace, traverse left into the "pocket" between the right-bank moraine and the rocky slope of the spur separating the Khunaly-Chat and Sakashil gorges. Ascending up the "pocket", we reach the moraine ridge approximately 50 m above the glacier tongue. Two options are then possible:
• Reach the glacier and continue moving along it.

6. Traverse of the Suaryk massif from east to west (P. Yakuts route, cat. 4A). The path from the village of Verkhny Baksan to the initial bivouac on the platforms in the upper reaches of Zugully is described in route 4. From the platforms (a group of 4–8 people) ascent along grassy slopes to the right of the scree descending from the moraine rampart (rockfall along the scree!), and at the top exit to the moraine rampart. Further up along gentle snow-covered scree and simple rocks to a narrow (3–5 m wide) couloir-chimney descending from the col between the Eastern Gendarme and the ascent of the Eastern ridge of the Suaryk East summit. From the platforms 2.5–3 hours. From the scree straight up along the 120-meter couloir-chimney (rockfall, "live" stones, piton belays!). The couloir gradually narrows,

Route Description

to the summit of "Bezыmannaya" via the southern ridge from the southwest or Gumači pass, category 2A The summit "Bezыmannaya" is located in the upper Adyl-Su valley between the summits Gumači and Chetchat. The ridges of Bezыmannaya consist of simple destroyed rocks alternating with scree and individual snow-ice sections. The described route (traverse) from southwest to northwest was completed on August 6, 1974, by a training and sports group of the All-Union School of Instructors of Mountaineering under the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions in the following composition:

• I. Naydovich B.V. — leader.
• 2. Starikov G.A.
• 3. Sinelshchikov G.A. The route is evaluated by the group as category 2A. From the "Elbrus" base camp, the path lies along the road to the "Jantugan" base camp, then along the trail on the left bank of the Adyl-Su River to a stone bridge, across which you should cross to its right bank. Further along the trail — to the "Green Hotel" clearing. From the "Elbrus" base camp — 3.5 hours. From the "Green Hotel", go up along the ridge of the right-bank moraine of the Jan-Kuat glacier to the sites at its end ( bivouac "Sneznyy" or "Snowy"). There are two options for reaching the southern ridge of Bezыmannaya.

132. Ullukara via North Counterforce and East Ridge (Category IV A route). The path from the "Jantugan" alpine camp to the foot of the North Counterforce of Ullukara summit with the initial bivouac at the terminal moraine of Bashkara glacier is described in route 136. From the glacier, along a steep snowy slope, bypassing the lower rocky outcrop of the North Counterforce from the left side, reach under the rocky wall. Bypass the wall from the right with an exit to a couloir and ascend 80–100 m (belay!) via non-steep, partially snow-covered easy to moderately difficult rocks of the couloir to a ridge platform. 3–4 hours from the glacier. Then, along heavily destroyed ridge rocks or its right side, ascend to a platform below an ice-snow slope. 3–4 hours from the first counterforce