Fig. 4.

228. Ti­kh­ten­gen South via the West Ridge (combined route by N. Popov, category 4B, difficulty level, fig. 18, 26). The path from the Bezengi alpine camp (group of 4–8 people) to the Kel pass is described in route 215. From the Kel pass, descend along the rocky western slope of the South Ridge onto the Oro­toka­ra glacier and, turning right, ascend on the right side of the glacier to the col of the Verkhniy Tsanner pass. From the glacier, cross the snow bridge over the bergschrund and make a straightforward ascent along the snowy slope to the col of the pass. From the pass, there is a steep descent along the icy-snowy slope with a large bergschrund in the lower part onto the upper plateau of the Tsanner glacier. Across the plateau (closed crevasses), staying close to the slopes of the Tikhtengen massif, approach the col of the Semi pass and ascend along the straightforward icy-snowy slope to it. From the Verkhniy Tsanner pass — 1.5–2 hours. From the Semi pass, there is a straightforward descent onto the upper plateau of the Kitlod glacier and along it (closed crevasses) — to the third, counting from the Semi pass, icy-snowy couloir of the West Ridge of the Tikhtengen peak. On the plateau under the couloir is the initial bivouac. From the Bezengi alpine camp — 8–12 hours. From the initial bivouac, ascend along the steep icy-snowy couloir — 200–

55. Fyt­narg­in via East Ridge (combined route, cat. 2A, fig. 5, 8). From Shariv­cek East Pass (n. 18) descend a glacier slope to the snow plateau of the Eastern branch of Fyt­nargin Glacier. From here, cross the glacier plateau leftwards (closed crevasses, protection) and approach the right side of the icefall of a hanging glacier descending from the base of Fyt­nargin East Ridge, left of the South Ridge of the Unnamed Peak. From the plateau, ascend 100–120 m up an ice-and-snow slope right of the South Ridge of the Unnamed Peak. Then turn left and ascend a steep narrow ice-and-snow gully, simple broken rocks 40–60 m up (protection) to a saddle on the South Ridge. From the saddle, step left onto a steep heavily broken hanging glacier and follow it, avoiding crevasses, to a snow plateau on the right side at the base of Fyt­nargin East Ridge. Along the plateau (closed crevasses) traverse along the northern slopes of the East Ridge, bypassing ice falls on it and crossing a bergschrund, ascend a steep 120–150-meter ice-and-snow slope to the East Ridge. Follow a long, wide, in places narrow, gently sloping snow (cornices), with exposures of easy broken rocks ridge, then ascend a 40–50-meter narrow steep snow (protection) East Ridge to below the summit north slope. From here:

• ascend 50–60 m up a steep ice-and-snow slope (piton),
• then ascend 8–10-meter steep broken snow-covered rocks (protection) to the summit of Fyt­nargin. From Shariv­cek East Pass — 7–9 hours Fig. 8.

51. Fytnergyn via Western Ridge

(combined route, Yu. Porokhnya, category III, fig. 5, 8). Follow the Northwest cirque plateau (point 45) to reach the broad ice-and-snow slope of the Western Ridge saddle of Fytnergyn. 1.5–2 hours from Zeskho Pass. From the plateau, keeping to the rocks on the left side, cross the bergschrund and ascend 200–250 m up the ice-and-snow slope (avalanche risk, protection) to the right side of the Western Ridge saddle of Fytnergyn. About 1 hour from the plateau. Here, turn right and ascend 40 m up easy rocks of the Western Ridge to the base of the first pinnacle. Traverse it on the left and then ascend steep moderate rocks («loose» stones, pitons) to the Western Ridge. Then follow 200 m along easy, crumbling ridge rocks to the second pinnacle (crux). Ascend 40–45 m up moderate rocks of the Western Ridge (piton protection) to the second pinnacle. From it, descend 3–4 m to a connecting ridge, from which traverse 15–20 m to the left of the third pinnacle along a ledge. Then ascend 30 m up a sheer icy chimney or, left of it, up smooth moderate slabs («live» pitons) to the Western Ridge at the third pinnacle. Further, follow easy, crumbling, snowy (cornices), occasionally steep Western Ridge, overcoming the fourth pinnacle head-on, to reach easy snowy rocks below the summit rise. Ascend a simple, narrow, 30-meter ice-and-snow Western Ridge, then a steep, 50–60-meter ice-and-snow northern slope (protection) of the rise, and finally a steep, easy, 8–10-meter rocky section to reach the summit of Fytnergyn. 6–8 hours from the plateau. Fig. 8.

Anniversary Climbing Event on the Central Caucasus, dedicated to the 50th anniversary of Victory

1995

Rock Climbing Category

Report

• On the first ascent to the summit of Fytargin, 4184 m, via the south-eastern counterfort
• Of the southern spur, approximately 4B category of difficulty, by a sports group from Dnipropetrovsk
• August 14, 1995 Leader: Banya A.V.

Fig. 13. From Koruldashi glacier 8–10 hrs. The route is prone to rockfall. 65. Tsurungal via the North-West ridge (combined route. A. Freisля, 3B cat. dif., fig. 5, 12, 13). From Ailama meadows (point 44) follow the center of the Western branch of Ailama glacier (closed crevasses) to approach Tsurungal saddle on the Main Caucasian Range between Ailama and Tsurungal. From the glacier, having crossed a snow bridge or bypassed a large bergschrund on the left under Tsurungal slopes, ascend 200–250 m up an icy-snowy slope (loose rocks, belay). Then, bypassing two ice crevasses on the right, approach the rocky slope of the saddle (steep slope). Ascend 150–200 m up severely damaged steep rocks of medium difficulty (loose rocks, streams) to the left side of the saddle (cornice). On the saddle, turn left and ascend wide talus rocks to reach the north-west ridge of Tsurungal. On the route:

• Ascend 200–250 m up steep easy severely damaged rocks of the North-West ridge (belay)
• Then ascend 60–80 m up steep rocks of medium difficulty (piton) to the rise
• From the rise ascend 300–350 m up easy severely damaged rocks of the North-West ridge
• Difficult sections are bypassed on the left

23. Sha­ri­tau via North Ridge (combined route, category 1B difficulty, fig. 5). From the East saddle of Shari­vcek Pass (point 18) descend 100–120 m down to the right along a gentle glacier (closed crevasses), then traverse 500–700 m to the right along a snowy slope below the steep East branch of Fyt­nargi­n glacier cirque. Further, ascend 250–300 m up a wide snowy gully — a couloir of the glacier between the cirque on the left and the slope of Sha­ri­tau North Ridge on the right, and ascend 15–30 m via easy ruined rocks to the saddle of Sha­ri­tau North Ridge — a false Shari­vcek Pass. 30–40 min from the pass. Here, turn right and follow a gentle ice-and-snow North Ridge to reach the Lower

ASCENT DOCUMENT

1. Type of ascent: Rock climbing.
2. Region of ascent: Central Caucasus, Main Caucasian Range, Lower Svaneti.
3. Peak Sharitaou, 3699 m, Southern ridge, rock climbing.
4. Proposed category of difficulty: 3B.
5. Route characteristics: 300 m elevation gain, average slope 20°.
6. Pitons hammered: 24 rock pitons.
7. Time taken to complete the route: 8 hours.
8. Number of nights stayed: None.
9. Leader of the ascent:

ASCENT. Ascent of Peak Shota Rustaveli via the Southeastern Wall Dedicated to the jubilee days of the great poet Shota Rustaveli

Brief Geographic Overview and Climbing History of the Ascent Area

Peak Shota Rustaveli (4960 m) is located on the Main Ridge of the Central Caucasus. To the north, Peak Rustaveli drops with huge icefalls onto the Bezengi Glacier. To the south, it towers with a rocky-icy wall over the Khalde Glacier. Nearby on the ridge are the peaks of Eastern Jangi (5047 m) to the west and Western Shkhara to the east. The extensive length of the walls and the significant steepness of the southern slopes make this area exceptionally interesting for challenging sport ascents. This area is relatively undeveloped. Its exploration effectively began in 1965 with the opening of the "Ailama" camp. In 1937, a group led by Master of Sports (MS) Sandro Gvalia conquered an unnamed peak on the ridge between Jangi and Shkhara and named it Peak Shota Rustaveli. Twenty years later, Georgian climbers under the guidance of MS G. Gulbani ascended Eastern Jangi via the southern wall (5047 m). In 1960, Western Jangi was conquered by an expedition of the Grusalpklub led by MS O. Kharadze. In 1965, an ascent of Central Jangi from the south was made by a team from the Central Council of the "Gantiadi" Sports Society.

184. Shkhara South via the Eastern spur of the South Ridge (a combined route by A. Gvalia, category IIIA, Figs. 18, 21). The path from the "Ailama" alpine camp (a group of 4-12 people) to the "Inguri bivouac" is described in route 175. From the "Inguri bivouac", descend down a grassy slope to the Inguri River. Cross the river by fording and ascend traversing to the right grassy slopes to the right-bank moraine of the Shkhara Glacier. Up the moraine, then descend to the right side of the Shkhara Glacier. Up along the glacier plateau, alongside the steep southern slopes of the Shkhara massif; behind the icefall and the broken part of the Shkhara Glacier, turn left and across the plateau (crevasses) reach the talus under the Eastern edge of the Shkhara South summit. Up a snowy slope, left of the moraine, to reach the South branch of the Shkhara Glacier, descending from the South Ridge of Shkhara South between its Eastern edge and Eastern spur. Up the glacier - left to the areas on the Eastern spur of the South Ridge. Bivouac on the areas. From the "Ailama" alpine camp: 8-10 hours. From the areas, ascend via talus and easy rocks of the wide Eastern spur of the South Ridge of Shkhara South.

• Bypass the first pillar on the left via a snowy talus,
• overcome the second pillar head-on. Further, along the easy rocky Eastern spur, to the third pillar; bypass it on the right via a ledge and ascend a snowy slope to the Eastern spur. Along the snowy spur, having passed the fourth pillar head-on and bypassed the fifth pillar on the left via the slope, reach the South Ridge of Shkhara South. Here, turn right and ascend along the easy, long, gently sloping, snowy, rocky South Ridge. Then:
• 120-150 m up along the gently sloping, snowy South Ridge
• 60-80 m along a steep, snowy ascent (avalanches, piton belay) to the pre-summit rocks