DESCRIPTION of the route to v. Vilyuchinsky 2A cat. sl. from the north Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, 1977

Climbing Passport

1. Climbing class — technical
2. Climbing area — Poperechny ridge
3. Peak, its height, climbing route — northern slope of v. Vilyuchinsky height 2173 m above sea level.
4. Category of complexity — 2A
5. Characteristics of the route: height difference — 1400 m, route length — 2300 m. Length of sections:

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ALPINISM GROUP ALP/KLUB "KUTH"

Material on the first ascent of the route: "peak Kozelsky via the western edge, category 2B difficulty" The peak "Kozelsky" is located 20 km from the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky in a group of three peaks:

• peak "Koryakskaya sopka"
• peak "Avachinskaya sopka"
• peak "Kozelsky" at 53° north latitude.

Ascent plan for peak "Kozelsky"

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DESCRIPTION OF KAZEL'SKII VOLCANO TRAVERSE FROM EAST TO WEST, CATEGORY 3B DIFFICULTY.

1. General Description of the Summit and its Location

For a general description of the summit and its location, see the description of the ascent of Kozel'skii volcano via the Western Ridge, category 2A difficulty.

2. Approach to the Climbing Site

a/ Traveling by vehicle. Travel to the settlement Rodygino is described in the ascent route description of Kozel'skii volcano, category 2A difficulty, via the Western Ridge. From the settlement Rodygino, continue further along the dirt road (see map) through Kozel'skii stream. 12–15 km from Rodygino, turn left and continue along the road to the workers' houses near the quarry. Set up camp in the quarry area:

• There is plenty of firewood;
• Water is available until mid-July.

Via the South­east slope, 1B cat. dif. A. Yatskovsky 1959

Combined Due to the route's considerable length, it's necessary to start from the Avachinsky refuge no later than 4 am. The approach to the southeast slope goes along the road and further along the stream bed, which flows from its snowfields in a wide couloir with three steep snow pitches. When ascending, it's better to keep to the left side. Having overcome the last pitch, head towards the upper part of the left ridge, where there is an exit to the ridge through a small couloir along the rocks. Then follow the ridge to the "gates," and enter through a steep (40°) ice-snow couloir, 150 m long. It's better to pass the "gates" along the left or right edge, depending on the condition of the section, using a rope handrail. Then exit to the pre-summit shoulder and follow it to the pre-summit rocks. Further, traverse a wide couloir under the rocks, heading east. After completing the traverse, ascend a steep pitch to the summit. The ascent time is 10-11 hours. The descent from the summit follows the ascent route. In summer, the upper part of the ascent couloir is prone to rockfall.

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5. ASCENT TO KORYAKSKAYA SOPKA FROM THE SIDE OF ELIZOVSKAYA SUHOY RECHKI RIVER ALONG THE SOUTHEAST RIDGE — cat. dif. 2A (Figure 5) From Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky to overnight stay in the Elizovskaya Suhoy Rechki river valley to the volcanological station (see description of the ascent to Avachinsky volcano — cat. dif. 1B). From the volcanological station, with orientation to the large gendarme "Verblud" (gendarme with two peaks), exit to the southeast ridge departing from the pre-peak of Koryakskaya Sopka. Landmark — to the left, along the path, from the ridge a wide steep couloir, dangerous for passage due to rockfall and avalanches. Along the southeast ridge exit to the pre-summit group of rocks. The ridge is heavily destroyed, does not present technical difficulty. Time to cross the ridge from the volcanological station to the pre-peak is 7–8 hours. The ridge ends with a series of gendarmes, which are bypassed on the right along the path (alternate belay). From the pre-summit ridge, traverse the large gendarme to the right along the path onto a snow-ice slope with a steepness of 45–50° and then to the left to a group of rocks, exit to the right side of the upper, narrowest part of the wide snow-ice couloir. Traverse of the couloir:

• steepness 45–50°

Description

Ascent to Koryaksky volcano via SSW ridge, category 2B General description of the summit and its location To the northwest of Avacha, separated from it by a saddle-shaped valley with Avachinsky Pass, rises the highest volcano of this group - Koryaksky. Its regular cone, long undisturbed by eruptions, is cut by deep barrancos. In some places on the surface of the cone, lava flows have solidified, sometimes reaching the foot, sometimes stopping halfway. The modern height of the volcano, equal to 3456 m, exceeds all other peaks in the southern part of Kamchatka. The summit of the volcano is slightly truncated to the west, and a modern crater of irregular shape, measuring 90 by 45 m, is located in its lowered part, from which a long lava flow descends to the southern wide barranco. In the northern part of the summit are the remains of an ancient crater, expanded by the action of a glacier to 500 m. The highest point of the volcano is located to the east, and a little lower and further east, on the edge of a cliff, a high lava obelisk rises. The summit and northern slopes near the summit are covered with ice. The depression of the ancient crater is filled with a powerful glacier, descending to the foot with two tongues. The length of the glacial tongues reaches 3-4 km, the width is up to 150 m. The thickness of the ice is measured in tens of meters. West of these tongues lie three more glaciers and many snowfields, filling all the barrancos of this part of the slope. To the south, the slopes of the volcano and the adjacent foothills are freed from snow cover early in the summer and become completely waterless by early August.

Koryakskaya sopka from northwest to southeast — category III (Figure 6)

From Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky along the Yelizovo highway to the 31st kilometer, then turn right towards "5th Stroika" and left from "5th Stroika" along the river through the bridge in the direction of the pass between Koryakskaya sopka and Arik along the forest roads of old logging sites, orienting towards a clearly visible spur leading to the summit, into the valley of a nameless dry river. On foot along the dry river to the lower part of the spur, which begins not far from the pass between Koryakskaya and Arik, at the forest boundary. Overnight stay. Nearby stream and firewood. Time taken to approach — 4–5 hours. From the dry river valley along the northwest spur (landmark — in the upper part of the spur, a plume of smoke from active fumaroles is constantly observed) in the direction of the summit. Rocks of medium difficulty, many gendarmes, most of which are bypassed. Overall steepness of the spur — 40–50°. In the middle part of the spur, three 5–6 m walls are traversed directly with piton belay. From the upper part of the spur, exit along a snow-ice slope (40–45°, 3 ropes) into a small depression near the pre-summit saw (southern edge of the old crater, filled with ice). Second overnight stay. Open areas, strong wind. From the second overnight stay along the pre-summit saw, exit onto the summit dome. Rocks are solid. The middle section of the saw is traversed on horseback (2 ropes). The saw gradually turns into a ridge, which drops off at the base of the summit dome with a 3–4 m wall (rappel). Exit to the summit 2–3 ropes — ice covered with a layer of fine volcanic scree (piton belay).

Ascent to Koryaksky volcano (3456 m) via the eastern ridge

Koryaksky volcano is the highest of the Koryak volcanic group. For a description of the summit of Koryaksky volcano, see the ascent via the false ridge. From Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, take the Elizovo highway to the 30 km mark, then turn right towards "5th Stroika" and from there, fording the Mutnaya River along the Sukhaya Rechka to the volcanologists' station; the journey can be made by car. Base camp is at an altitude of 900 m. From here, the approach to the route begins. From the station, move in the direction of Avachinsky Pass, leaving the characteristic "Camel" rocks to the right. From here, ascend the ridge, which is wide and heavily destroyed, to the characteristic reddish rocks (R3–R4) (section R8.04). Then, along the central axis, cross two couloirs (loose rocks!), the ridge between them is rocky, with easy climbing. There are snow patches in some places, and exit onto the eastern ridge (section R2). Move up along the ridge (easy climbing), occasionally bypassing 3–4 m gendarmes on the right, to a rocky massif on the right (R3–R4). There is a convenient platform at this location, and an overnight stay is possible. Rope up and continue moving with alternating belays. The rocks are moderately difficult, the ridge is well-defined, and the slope is 40–45° (section R3). In the upper part of the ridge, a 2-meter cylindrical gendarme stands out (R24). There is a cairn on it (see point A). From the gendarme, ascend a snowy firn slope with a slope of 40–45°. Overnight stay in a cave. Along a steep snowy slope — 45–50° — exit onto the pre-summit ridge and, bypassing a huge gendarme on the right, reach the summit. Cornices are possible on the pre-summit ridge; bypass them on the right (R1, R5, R4). Descent is via route 2A.

Route Description

to the Main Peak of Ganal'skiye Ostryaki from the northwest, category 3B difficulty

I. Approach and Ascent (see area map).

Drive along the Milkovo road to the bridge over the Vakhtang Mal'kinskiy river between km 145 and 146. Get off the road after the bridge. There's a quarry on the right. Cross it perpendicular to the road and exit onto a forest road. Follow the forest road 8-10 km along the river valley to a clearing with a tent frame (on the right side of the road). On the left side of the road, opposite the frame, there's a passage through the alder bushes. The trail begins there. Follow the trail along the left slope of the valley. Do not turn left uphill. The trail leads to a terrace - a hollow. Follow it to a dry riverbed that crosses the trail at the forest and shrub boundary. Cross to the other side of the riverbed and ascend along it for 50-70 m. The trail then:

• turns right,
• follows logging roads through alder bushes to a stream flowing from Mt. Yurchik. Cross the stream, walk along it downstream for 100-150 m, and turn left onto a terrace above the stream flowing from the Ostriaki cirque.

Climbing Passport

I. Climbing category — rock climbing. II. Climbing region — Eastern Caucasus, Rocky Ridge, watershed of the Armkhi–Assa rivers. Chechen-Ingush ASSR. III. Peak, its height, climbing route — Girech Glavnaya, 3171.7 m, via the left couloir of the South face and the West ridge. IV. Route characteristics: a) height difference on the route — 920 m b) route length — 2970 m c) average steepness of the route — 35° V. Pitons hammered for belaying (for creating ITO): rock — 4 pcs., ice — none, bolt — none