Pyramid

Ascent to the summit of Pyramid via the south-east ridge from Marda valley - 2A cat. From Uzunkol alpine camp along the trail on the right bank of the Myrdy river to the right moraine of the Myrza glacier. Along the trail, through the "ram's foreheads" and further - along the grassy slopes to "Myrdy bivouac". 3.5–4 hours from the camp. From the bivouac into a narrow steep couloir leading to the snow plateau of the Kara-Bashi and Pyramid peaks. From dropping the "ram's foreheads" on the edge, start-right-up along the snow and the beginning of a wide scree-filled couloir, going up in steps to the SE ridge. Along the couloir (in a rope team! Rocks!) exit to the ridge. From here, left along the destroyed rocks of the wide ridge (≈ 250 m) and the first gendarme (severely destroyed rocks). Bypass the gendarme on the left along the ledges and further along the inner corner (15 m, piton!) with an exit to the ridge behind the gendarme. Along the rocks, approach and yellow 7 m wall, behind which along the ledges enter a 10 m chimney (piton!). The gendarme at the confluence of the SE and southern ridges is bypassed on the right along the ledges (belay). www.alpfederation.ru

Route Description:

From the ice bivouacs, via the Middle Kichkinekol glacier plateau, approach the slopes of Talychat pass. To the left of the pass, the western slopes of Talychat peak begin. In the middle of the western slope, a large couloir descends — this is the route landmark. Ascend via the right snow-scree side of the lower part of the couloir to a rocky outcrop. Then:

• through rocks, up and to the right via a small snowy couloir;
• then left via fine scree to reach a large inclined ledge. Along it:
• up for 20 m, bypassing the walls on the right;
• after 50 m, reach a grassy ledge. Along the ledge, head left to a stream, bypassing wet slabs, then ascend rocks to large slabs. Across them, left onto a large scree.

M53. Peak Uzunkol via the Northwest Ridge

(rock route, category 2B difficulty, led by a Czechoslovak team, 1973) From "Uzunkol", follow the right bank of the Myrdy River to the first shepherds' huts. Then, cross two branches of the river and follow the trail to a large clearing, 200 m before the rockfall on the left bank of Myrdy. From here:

• Ascend left-upwards along grassy slopes and overgrown moraine, bypassing the false peak that rises with large sheer walls above the fork of Myrdy — Kichkinekol.
• Continue along grassy slopes and scree to the cirque between the northwest and west ridges of Peak Uzunkol.
• From here, ascend the scree slope, a short snowpatch, and rocks to the depression in the northwest ridge. From "Uzunkol" — 3.5 hours. Then:
• Follow the ridge to the right and, bypassing the first gendarme on the left via a large ledge and slope, overcome the second gendarme "head-on", leaving the rock "finger" below to the right.
• From here, descend on the right side of the ridge to a col to the next small gendarme, which is bypassed on the left via a ledge R0.

Route Description:

The ascent to Chugur Pass (following the "Kichkinekol from Chugur Pass" route) is to the right of the "Parus" rock. From Kichkinekol Pass, it takes 2 hours. From the pass, follow the right side of the 500-meter ridge, initially a broken rocky ridge (watch out for cornices on the left!), then a snowy ridge to reach the summit. From Chugur Pass, it takes 2.5 hours. The descent from the summit follows the ascent route to Chugur Pass and takes 1.5 hours.

• When ascending from the northern side, from Chugur valley, set up the initial bivouac under the Chugur glacier on the right lateral moraine, on the shore of a dried-up lake. From here, the ascent to Chugur Pass goes along the right side of the snowy slopes of the glacier, then up a steep (up to 40°) 80-meter snowy slope.

41. Adyrsu via the Western spur of the South Ridge (V. Vyal'tsev's combined route, Category III difficulty, Fig. 5, 6). The path from the Ullutau alpine camp (a group of 4-8 people) to the initial bivouac in the Adyrsu hut is described in route 247. From the hut, descend left onto the Adyrsu Glacier, cross it, and exit onto the left-bank moraine. Follow the trail along the left-bank moraine to the base of the Western spur of the South Ridge of Adyrsu peak. From here, go up and left along the large scree at the base of the Western spur to the platforms near the Red Rocks. An initial bivouac is possible here. It takes 1-1.5 hours from the hut. From the platforms, bypass the Massive Sentinel on the left and ascend on the right side of the wide, gently sloping, and destroyed Western spur, which is simple but has scree in some places. Having passed the Big Sentinel head-on, descend from it to a snowy scree saddle. From the saddle, on the right side of a steep slab, approach the base of the 18-20-meter wall of the South Sentinel of the South Ridge of Adyrsu peak. From the platforms:

• Red Rocks - 3-3.5 hours. The further ascent along the South Ridge to the summit of Adyrsu is described in route 40. It takes 7-9 hours from the hut to the summit.

185. Asmashi Peak via the West Ridge (combined route, Tomasheka, Cat. 3B, Fig. 24, 27). From the Asmashi Pass (170 m) turn right and ascend a steep snow-and-ice slope with rock outcrops on the right side of the North Buttress (cornices, protection) of Asmashi's West Ridge onto the shoulder of the West Ridge. On the shoulder, turn left and follow a gently sloping, simple, long, in places narrow snow-covered (cornices) rocky West Ridge («live» rocks, protection); surmount the I and II gendarmes on steep moderately difficult rocks («live» rocks, pitons) and ascend a snow-and-ice slope to the summit of Asmashi. 6–7 hr from the Asmashi Pass.

241. Bauman Peak via the South Ridge

(combined route, category 2A difficulty, fig. 18, 28). The path from the "Chegem" tourist base (group of 4-8 people) to the Northwest branch of the Kulak Glacier is described in route 233. Before reaching the Northwest branch, turn right and exit the glacier onto the steep right-bank moraine. Along the moraine, bypass the first step of the Northwest branch glacier's icefall from the right. After the icefall, exit onto the Northwest branch and approach the second, most powerful, step of the icefall from the right side. The second step is bypassed from the right, initially:

• ascending a steep, narrow, heavily destroyed 35-40-meter couloir,
• then traversing above the icefall along smooth rocks. Further, via the "ram's foreheads," exit onto the upper plateau of the Northwest branch of the Kulak Glacier above the second step. From here, cross the upper plateau upwards to the left and approach the lowest saddle of the spur - the Bodorku pass. From the plateau, overcoming the bergschrund via a snow bridge, ascend a steep ice-snow slope of a wide couloir (avalanches, protection) through a snow cornice onto the saddle of the Bodorku pass. The path from:
• "Chegem" tourist base — 10-12 hours

246. Bashil via the East Ridge

(combined route by B. Simagina, category 3A, fig. 18, 28). The path from the Chegem tourist base (group of 4–8 people) to the lake at the foot of the East Ridge of Bodorku peak is described in route 233. From the lake, turn right and move along the right side of the Western branch (closed crevasses) of the Kulak glacier towards the saddle of the Main Caucasian Range — the Tviber pass, located between the Kulak peak on the left and Bodorku peak on the right, under the latter's rocky ascent. From the glacier, having crossed the bergschrund via a snow bridge, ascend the steep ice-and-snow slope to the scree of the Tviber pass saddle. From Chegem tourist base: 6–9 hours. From the Tviber pass, descend via a scree and then a snowy couloir onto the Lychat glacier, cross it (closed crevasses), bypass the South Ridge of Lychat peak on the left, and reach the Laskhedar glacier. Here, turn right and ascend along the right side of the glacier, bypassing the icefall via the right-bank moraine, to reach the upper plateau. Cross the plateau to approach the saddle of the Laskhedar pass, located between Bashil peak on the left and Laskhedar peak on the right. From the glacier, having crossed the bergschrund via a snow bridge, ascend the ice-and-snow and then scree slope to the left side of the Laskhedar pass saddle. The pass serves as the initial bivouac site. From the Tviber pass — 24 hours. At the Laskhedar pass, turn left and reach the rocks of the East Ridge of Bashil peak. From here, follow the easy, simple, and heavily damaged rocks of the gently sloping, wide 200–250-meter East Ridge to approach the first gendarme. Overcome this gendarme head-on via a 10-meter wall of moderate difficulty ("live" rocks, belay), then descend from it via simple rocks onto a col under the rocky ascent.

M82. 40-letiya Tatarskoy ASSR Main Peak from Dolomit South Col

(rock route, cat. 1B, M. Kadyrov, 1961) From the bivouac on the lake shore, ascend the scree slopes past the upper Dolomit Lake towards the Dolomit South Col. Follow a gentle snowy slope closer to the slopes of 40-letiya Tatarskoy ASSR, and then via its mid-section reach the col. 2 hours from the lake. When the col's slope is snow-free, ascend the col via steep scree and terraces below the slopes of Dolomit South Peak to the snowy slopes, traversing right to reach the col's saddle. From the col, follow the broken ridge (below and left of its crest), overcoming the "Stoplb" gendarme on the right via a cleft and the "Igla" gendarme on the left via a ledge (with eaves on the right!), to ascend to a shoulder on the ridge and then via ledges to the Main Peak. From the summit, descend along the 350-meter ridge into a gap to a gendarme. Traverse it on a ledge on the left, then ascend a couloir to the South Peak. 4 hours from the col. From the summit, descend steep rocky ridge onto a snowy saddle and continue along the ridge trending towards the lakes. After 500 m, turn left and descend into a small rock cirque between this ridge and large grassy-scree ridges trending towards the Kichkinekol Maly Col. From here, follow the scree and grassy slopes to the second Dolomity terrace. 2.5 hours from the South Peak.

40-letiya Tatarskoy ASSR

204. Kayarta Glavnaya via the South Ridge (Category 1B route). The path from the "Adylsu" alp camp to the Shternberg Pass through the Tyutyusu gorge is described in routes 184 and 203. From the pass, turn left and exit onto the rocky South Ridge of Kayarta Glavnaya peak. From here, ascend simple and solid ridge rocks. Bypass the first 30-meter-high gendarme on the right (belay!). Beyond it:

• ascend the severely damaged simple rocky ridge,
• then traverse along the right snowy slope to reach the rocky edge of the South shoulder,
• ascend 50–60 m up the moderately difficult rocks of the edge. Then: