25. Panoramnaya Peak via East Ridge - Cat. 2B (A. Ermolaev, V. Vexler, A. Dobrushin and A. Kiselev - August 5, 1963; Fig. 7, 8). The path from the Bezengi alpbase to the bivouac on the South Ridge of Utug rock pinnacle is described in 18°. From the ridge, descend to the snowy plateau of the glacier, above the third step of the icefall and along it to the left and upwards, parallel to the ridge. From the glacier, to the left and up a snowy couloir to the saddle of the South Ridge below Utug rock pinnacle. From the saddle, make a 60–70-meter descent to the Southeastern plateau of Panoramnaya Peak. Ascend across the plateau, then up a snowy slope to the left of a rock pinnacle and to the right of a small rocky outcrop to the saddle on the East Ridge of Panoramnaya Peak. Ascend along the snowy (watch out for cornices!) and easy rocky ridge to below the rocky tower of Panoramnaya Peak. Traverse rocky, heavily snowed ledges (belays required!) to the left of the tower, spiralling left and upwards to the summit of Panoramnaya Peak. From the initial bivouac - 4–5 hours. Descent via the ascent route - 2–3 hours. Recommendations for Climbers

1. Number of participants - 4–8 people.
2. Initial bivouac - South Ridge of Utug rock pinnacle.
3. Departure time - 4:00.
4. Equipment: main rope - 2 × 30 m; auxiliary cord - 2 m; rock pitons - 2–3; ice screws - 3–4; rock hammer - 1; carabiners - 8; crampons - 4 pairs; tent - 1.
5. Bivouac sites - on glaciers and their moraines, on the Southeastern plateau of Panoramnaya Peak.

Description of the ascent route to Panorama Peak from the South via couloir (2B cat. dif.) (4077)

The path from the "Bezengi" alpine camp to the first stage of the Kyundyum-Mizhirgi glacier's icefall can be found in the description of the ascent route to Ullu-Auz-Bashi peak from the Kyundyum-Mizhirgi pass (3A cat. dif.). A bivouac site is located on the moraine of the glacier's first stage. 3 hours from the "Bezengi" alpine camp. Departure from the bivouac at 4:00 towards the wide couloir. Then:

• Ascend on the left side of the couloir via large scree.
• The couloir gradually narrows.
• At the turn, the couloir forks.
• The path goes via the right couloir on snow (35–40°) with crampons.
• 80–90 m before the ridge, turn right and follow distinct rock ledges under the "gendarme" (belay!!).
• The ledges lead to a snow-ice couloir (30–35°).

Protocol № 345 dated 14.12.1971

5B

The route was not credited to the group due to exceeding the time limit.

REPORT

ON THE FIRST ASCENT OF PIK PIONER VIA THE NORTH-WESTERN WALL (DUMALA VALLEY, CAUCASUS) 19–22 August 1971 www.alpfederation.ru

ASCENT TO PTITSA SUMMIT VIA NORTH RIDGE, CATEGORY 3B Route Description From the "3900*" campsite, head towards the upper plateau of the glacier. The fourth step of the icefall is climbed near the rocks of the West ridge of Kündüm-Mijirgi Peak ("bolts"!) or through the center of the glacier ("crevasses"!). Move left along the plateau towards the saddle between Ptitsa and Kündüm-Mijirgi Peaks. The ascent to the saddle is via a snow slope of 35–40°. (From "3900" campsite — 2–2.5 hours). From the saddle, ascend 200 m up the North ridge via moderately difficult rocks and snow (possible hidden ice!) to the base of a snow-and-rock couloir with flow ice in its lower part. The couloir starts 15–16 m to the right of the ridge. Climb 30–40 m up the couloir ("bolts", ledges!) and then continue along the snowy ridge ("cornices"!) to the base of a rock outcrop. From here, make a short traverse to the right and then ascend 30 m up the couloir ("bolts"!) to a snowy shoulder on the ridge. Then continue along the ridge to the pre-summit outcrop. From under the outcrop, traverse right and upwards along an 80 m snow slope towards an overhanging rock with a jammed stone. To the right of this rock, there is a rock wall that is climbed leftwards and upwards ("bolts"!). The total height of the wall is about 20 m. Then ascend a snow slope to the summit. From the saddle between Kündüm-Mijirgi and Ptitsa Peaks, it takes around 5 hours. Descent via the ascent route to the saddle takes around 3 hours. Equipment list for a group of 4: Rock bolts 6 pcs Ice screws 3 pcs Crampons 4 pairs

Description of Ascending to Ptitsa Peak (traversing South and North peaks) Cat. III

Day I

Early morning departure from the alpine camp. Trek via moraine, then glacier to the 3rd step of the Kundryum-Mizhirgi icefall (see route description for Koshtan-tau via North ridge, Cat. IV). Lunch and rest at the campsite on the 3rd step. Descent to the glacier and then to the upper cirque of Kundryum-Mizhirgi glacier, below Ptitsa, at 5–6 PM. The icefall leading to the upper cirque ("4th step") is traversed either near the West ridge of Kundryum-Mizhirgi peak or through a labyrinth of crevasses in the middle section. Overnight on snow below Ptitsa. Total duration on Day I: 8–12 hours.

Day II

From the campsite, ascend a snowy slope and navigate through a minor bergschrund towards a poorly defined couloir on the right side of Ptitsa massif, gradually turning into a narrow cleft. Moderate rock climbing difficulty (5 ropes). The cleft leads to a rock wall, bypassed upwards-rightwards on ice (2 ropes). Continue ascending a snow-ice slope via rock outcrops towards the saddle between Ptitsa and the ice dome on Koshtan-tau's North ridge (5 ropes). Before reaching the saddle (1.5 ropes away), veer into a narrow snowy couloir ascending leftwards. After 30 meters, the couloir becomes a steep crevice with flow ice – the route's first critical section.

Route Description

First ascent to p. Pushkin (5100 m) on the southern wall (approximately 56 k.tr.) Group a/l "Bezengi" under the leadership of Gorevsky N.N.

Route Description

From the camp along the trail or through the middle of the Bezengi glacier to the so-called "Austrian camps", then through the "sickle-shaped moraine" by the usual path leading to the Sella pass, to the plateau under Pushkin Peak. From the camp 8–9 hours. The wall of Pushkin Peak, in its lower part, is a triangle dissected by a narrow vertical couloir. The height of the lower part of the wall is about 700 m. The route passes along the right side of the wall. The beginning of the route goes along a snowy slope, to the right of the avalanche chute, through the bergschrund, and then along rocks of the "sheep's forehead" type to the base of an inclined shelf leading upwards to the right. Further along the shelf to its end (8 ropes). The shelf ends with a snowy slope going into the couloir. Without entering the couloir:

• straight up the icy rocks (2 ropes);

Between July 30 and August 7, 1966, the LOS DSO "Trud" team (team of the A. N. Krylov CRI) consisting of:

1. PUGACHEV A. D. — Master of Sports, leader
2. PUSHKARSKY V. I. — 1st sports category, participant
3. ANTONOVSKY D. I. —
4. MANOILOV Yu. S. — completed the traverse of p. Pushkin — East Mijirgi. On p. Pushkin, the group ascended for the first time via the left counterfort of the southern wall. Peak Pushkin (5100 m) is a small gendarme in the Northern spur of the Main Caucasian Range between the peaks Zapadnaya Mijirgi (4922 m) and Dykh-Tau (5198 m). Its southern side is a ruined rocky massif intersected by deep snow-and-ice couloirs. The presence of counterforts and sheer sections allows for interesting and logical ascent routes to any part of the Dykh-Tau — Mijirgi ridge, including Peak Pushkin. The difficulty of the proposed routes from the south to p. Pushkin, according to the participants of this traverse, lies within 4B–5B category. It should be noted that there are existing classified routes of 5A category to Dykh-Tau and Zapadnaya Mijirgi from the south. The proximity to these most popular peaks and, perhaps, the difficulty of the descent may explain the lack of ascent routes to p. Pushkin until recently. Although the southern wall of p. Pushkin has been featured several times as an ascent object in the USSR alpine climbing championships (e.g., in 1962, the LOS DSO "Trud" team submitted one of the ascent options to p. Pushkin from the south), the first route to this peak was only completed in July 1966 by Gorevsky's team (LOS DSO "Trud"). The ascent to p. Pushkin from the south via the left counterfort, made during this traverse, is the second such route. Below is a description of the ascent route to p. Pushkin.

Tactical plan and organization of the ascent

Pushkin Peak via the North Face

Ascent Log

1. Region: Caucasus, Bezengi gorge, section 2.5
2. Summit: Pushkin Peak 5100 m. Route name: via the North Face
3. Proposed — 5B category of difficulty, variant or combination
4. Route type: combined
5. Route elevation gain: 1900 m. Route length: 2930 m. Length of sections:
   • 5th category of difficulty — 780 m

Ascent made during the 1972 USSR Alpine Championship

1. Class of ascent — technically difficult.
2. Area of ascent — Bezengi, Mikhigri gorge.
3. Ascent route — Pushkin Peak via the North face (5000 m).
4. Characteristics of the ascent: height difference — 2000 m, average steepness — 60°, length of the most difficult sections — 980 m,
5. Number of pitons used: rock pitons — 112 pieces, ice pitons — 80 pieces, drilled pitons were not used.
6. Number of climbing hours — 70 hours only on the wall.
7. Number of bivouacs and their characteristics:

Salynan-B. via SW ridge, cat. 2B

The path from the Bezengi camp goes along the right (orographically) lateral moraine of the Bezengi Glacier to the meadow and the Barankosh Lake (2.5–3 hours). From the lake, we first go up steep grassy slopes and then scree until we reach a wide ridge running from Kel-Bashi towards the slopes of Salynan. The path begins to the right of the stream and rocky outcrop and continues towards a large light-gray scree. Black shale fine scree and a snowfield should remain on the left. Having reached approximately the middle of the large scree, we traverse left towards the SW ridge along the fine black scree (2.5–3 hours). The bivouac is set up on the horizontal part of this ridge, closer to the slopes of Salynan. Water can be found on the other side of Kel within 10 minutes - on a snowfield. From the bivouac, descend to a snowy plateau and head towards the western ridge, to the rightmost (en route) and widest snow couloir in the ridge, adjacent to a sharply rising edge leading to the summit of Salynan. The path through the snow couloir (early in the morning or late in the summer - with crampons) should be kept slightly closer to its left side, towards two rocky outcrops in the middle part of the couloir, and then to the left branch, reaching a wide col at the base of the western ridge of Salynan peak (12–15 pitches, 45–50%).