243. Chattu via the Southwest Ridge (combined route, category 1B difficulty, Fig. 18, 28).

From the "Bashil" tourist base, follow the left bank of the Bashil River upstream through the gorge until you reach the stream from the Chat glacier. Here, turn left and ascend along the stream's edge to the tongue of the Chat glacier. Approach the icefall via the glacier, preferably passing it on its right side. Above it, cross the snow bridge over the bergschrund and ascend a steep 100-meter ice-and-snow slope to the Chat pass. From the "Bashil" tourist base, it takes 5–6 hours. The path from the "Chegem" tourist base to the Chat pass is described in route 242. On the pass (when ascending via the Chat glacier), turn left and follow the ice-and-snow saddle of the pass to reach the Southwest Ridge. Traverse the heavily damaged, long, and occasionally snow-covered easy Southwest Ridge of Chattu, bypassing numerous rock pinnacles on the right (loose rocks, protection required), to reach the summit of Chattu. From the pass, it takes 4–5 hours.

Chegem via ridge, combined, Tal, 1912, 2B

The route was completed during the training camp of the KAiS MEI in 2020. From the ruins of the "Bashil" tourist base, cross the bridge to the left (orographically) bank of the Bashil River. Move along the trail for 1.5–2 hours upstream along the river until you reach the turn into the gorge of the Maly Chegem River. Fig. 1. The landmark is a standalone birch tree. Higher up and to the left along the slope is a waterfall. Climb the steep grassy slope and местами large-block talus for 2 hours until you reach a flattening on a large field with a stream. There is no trail, but there are tourist markers. Overnight stays are possible on the grassy field. Then, reach the left-bank moraine of the Chegem glacier and move along its ridge for another 1.5–2 hours. Fig. 2. The moraine ridge leads to large-block talus. Approximately at the level of the glacier tongue are the overnight stays. This is the initial bivouac. From the overnight stays, move up the large-block talus for 30 minutes until you reach the open glacier. On the gentle part, reach the glacier step. It can be overcome from the right side. The upper plateau of the Chegem glacier is the beginning of the route. From the bivouac, it takes 1–2 hours. The original 1912 route went along the ice-snow slope from the glacier to the East Ridge of Chegem. Fig. 3 and 4. Nowadays, the snow has melted, and this part is a giant ledge that crosses the slope of Chegem diagonally from left to right.

Chegem via the western ridge, combined, 3A

Route description:

We ascend to the Donkin pass along the snowy slope, followed by an ascent to the snowy pad of the northern ridge of the Kickhadar peak. The ascent leading to the Chegem peak begins from the pad. The ridge is characterized by a large number of gendarmes. The general direction is from west to east. The first four gendarmes are easily bypassed on the right. Move simultaneously with protection through the ledges, then exit to a platform, descend 10–15 m along the internal corner to the saddle between the gendarmes. There are two possible path options further: I. Bypass the main rock mass along the ledges 1.5–2 ropes below the ridge. II. Move along the ridge, overcoming the gendarmes head-on. Moving along the ridge, we come to the gendarmes with a saddle, deviating slightly to the left along the edge of the snow. The first one goes up to the crack, standing on the partner's shoulders. Secures the rope on which the rest climb. Further movement along the ridge with simultaneous protection to a smooth 3 m wall, with a narrow crack into which you can hammer pitons, but you can bypass the wall along the gap on the left. The movement continues:

• Again, simultaneous movement along the ridge,

286. Chegettau via the Western Ridge (combined route, category 2A difficulty, Fig. 18, 32).

From the "Ullutau" alpine camp (group of 4-20 people), cross the Adyrsu River via a small bridge and ascend along the trail on its right bank. After passing the Chotchat stream, the trail diverges from the river to the right and goes up a steep slope overgrown with rhododendrons to the shoulder of the Eastern Ridge of Chotchat peak. At the shoulder, turn right and follow the trail, traversing the left (southern) slope of the Eastern Ridge of Chotchat peak, to reach the right-bank moraine of the Gumachi Glacier. Ascend along the moraine to the platforms at its end. Paths:

• From the "Ullutau" alpine camp — 2–2.5 hours. The "Gumachi Moraine" platforms serve as the initial bivouac. From the platforms, exit onto the Gumachi Glacier and move along the gentle part of the glacier towards the Gumachi Pass. After passing the icefall descending from the northwestern slopes of Chegettau peak, turn left and ascend steep ice-and-snow slopes (closed crevasses) to reach the southern cirque of the Gumachi Glacier. From the cirque, cross the bergschrund and ascend a steep 80–100-meter ice-and-snow slope (with protection) to reach the saddle of the Yaman Pass between Chegettau and Gumachi peaks. From the initial bivouac, it takes 3–3.5 hours. At the pass, turn left and follow the broad snowy ridge (with cornices) of the saddle to approach the ascent of the Western Ridge of Chegettau peak. From the saddle, ascend 100 meters (with protection) over simple, destroyed, and snow-covered rocks at the ascent. Then, follow the broad, occasionally narrow snowy ridge (with cornices), with short steep ascents and sections of simple destroyed rocks, to reach the summit of Chegettau. From the pass saddle, it takes 4–5 hours.

The route to the peak Shogentsukov via South ridge, cat. 2B (E. Fomushkin, 1965). Since 1965, the route has changed slightly. R1–R2. 90–100 m, 10–15 degrees, 1. From the shoulder of the South ridge of peak Shogentsukov, without descending to the glacier, to the right, along the South ridge. Along the large talus and destroyed rocks, approach a sharp gap in the ridge. R2–R3. 30–40 m, 20–25 degrees, 2. Descend into the gap (15 m, rappel) to the col of the South ridge. From the gap, along a small 8–10-meter couloir, ascend to an even, wide talus plateau. R3–R4. 90–100 m, 5–10 degrees. Along the plateau, approach the talus couloir. R4–R5. 70–80 m, 25–30 degrees, 2. Along the couloir, ascend 70–80 meters to a small col to the left of the ridge. R5–R6. 25 m, 45–60 degrees, 3–4. To the right along the rocks and steep inner corner with ice to the ridge. Along the ridge to the left, bypass the gendarme on the right side in the upper part. R6–R7. 2–3. Bypass several gendarmes along the ledges in a zigzag pattern (2nd and 3rd - to the left, 4th - to the right). R7–R8. Wide inclined ledge to the right of the 4th gendarme. 30 m. Cross to the left through the ridge to the snowy slope. R8–R9. To the right to the summit. Snowy slope 80 m. Kovalev A.N. 08/2020.

Kenchat

202. Kenchat via the North Ridge (Category 1B route, A. Zyuzin, S. Katsnelson, A. Kaverin, F. Kompaneyets, L. Khodyush, August 7, 1938). The path from the Adylsu alpine camp through the Tyutyusu gorge to the rocky plateau in the upper reaches of the Tyutyusu gorge is described in route 184. From the plateau, turn left and first traverse the glacier, then the gentle moraines and scree to reach the left branch of the unnamed glacier flowing from under the Killar Pass. This is the starting bivouac. It takes 6–8 hours from the last grove. From the bivouac, enter the left branch of the glacier and ascend along its right edge to the upper snowy plateau. Traverse the plateau (many hidden crevices!) towards the wide

Peak Aviazii via the western ridge through Kurmychi peak, category 1B difficulty

Ascend to Kurmychi peak via the SE ridge (category 1B route). From the top of Kurmychi, descend along the broad snow-covered, scree-filled eastern ridge to a small snow plateau. From the plateau, follow a broad snowy ridge, then a broad, heavily broken simple rocky ridge, bypassing small gendarmes on the right (belay!), to ascend to Peak Aviazii. The journey from Kurmychi peak takes 1–1.5 hours. Descend via the ascent route. The duration of the route is 1 day.

Artkol 8. Artkol via the South Ridge (V. Grecheninov's and E. Grecheninova's route. Category 1B, August 14, 1938) The path from Verkhniy Baksan settlement to Zugulla is described in route 4. Having crossed Zugulla ford to the left bank, ascend along the trail on the right bank of the Kyrtyk river up to the confluence of a small Gicheartkol river coming in from the right. Cross Gicheartkol ford and ascend along the grassy slope of its left bank up to the upper abandoned cattle-breeding farm and further along the left bank up to the talus descending from the summit of Artkol. The initial bivouac is at the talus. 7-8 hours from Verkhniy Baksan settlement. From here:

• turn right and ascend along the large talus to the rocky towers of the South Ridge of Artkol summit;
• further ascent along simple, heavily cut and ruined rocks of the South Ridge with numerous gendarmes;
  • bypass the 1st gendarme on the left along taluses and simple ruined rocks;
  • overcome the 2nd one head-on along the ridge;
  • bypass the 3rd one along taluses on the left and then along a simple rocky ridge reach the 4th gendarme;

From the Shkhelda a/b, up the right slope of the Shkhelda valley trapezoid, first through the forest, then through the grassy slopes to the Shkhelda glacier. 300 m above the glacier tongue, exit to its surface moraine. Along the moraine, sticking to the right bank of the glacier, go about 500 m upstream along the gorge, then exit to the right onto the trail. Along the trail on the grassy slope, the ascent along the glacier to the clearing at the rocks with black stripes — Aristov bivouac. On the clearing there is a bivouac. From the Shkhelda alp camp — 3.5–4 hours. From Aristov bivouac, go to the Aksu glacier — the right tributary of Shkhelda — and up it. Having passed the right branch of the Aksu glacier falling into it with an icefall, exit after the turn to the icefall of the main (left) branch of the Aksu glacier, lying in a narrow rocky gorge. Pass the icefall in the center or bypass it to the right along the moraine (a longer and more dangerous path due to falling stones!). Beyond the icefall:

• ascent along the center of the glacier,
• ascent along the ice-snow ascent (crevasses!) to the snow plateau of the upper circus of the left branch of the Aksu glacier. Move up the plateau — to the right to the snowy slope rising to the North-Eastern ridge of the Aksu peak. Along the slope — ascent to the ridge (bivouac site). From the sites on the ridge — exit to the upper circus of the right branch of the Aksu glacier. Along the snow plateau of the upper circus of the right branch, go to the left and, without losing height, shift to the Aksu pass. From Aristov bivouac — 7–8 hours. On the pass, turn left to the Western ridge of the Aksu peak. Along simple, heavily destroyed rocks of the Western ridge with small scree and rocky ascents of gendarmes, passable head-on, ascent to the Aksu peak. From the Aksu pass — 2.5–3 hours.

Ba­lyk via the South Ridge (Route 1B cat. dif.). The path from the settlement of Verkhniy Baksan to the scree under the South Ridge of Artkol peak is described in routes 4 and 8. From here, follow the right bank of the Ikeras River, then Subashi River, to reach the scree of the upper plateau in the Subashi gorge. From the plateau, ascend via scree and broken simple gentle rocks to the gentle snowy South Ridge of Balyk peak. From here:

• initially along a gentle,
• then along a steeper simple snowy ridge — ascent to the South shoulder. From the col, via simple rocks and connecting ridges alternating with sharp snowy crests (cornices!) — ascent to the summit of Balyk. From the scree — 3–3.5 hours. Descent:
• via the ascent route,
• or along the East Ridge. Duration of the route — 2 days. “Baksan Valley”, A.F. Naumov