113. Peak Caucasus via the Southwest Ridge (Route 2A cat. difficulty). The path from the Shhelda alpine camp (group of 4-20 people) to the Double Glacier is described in route 111. Across the Double Glacier straight up to its bifurcation. Then ascent (with crampons!) up the steep icefall of the right glacier branch. At the end of the ascent, exit left onto the easy rocks of the ridge dividing the glacier into two parts, and ascend to the sites (there is water). From the sites (without backpacks):

• Exit to the upper ice-snow plateau
• Movement across the plateau and a small snowy slope
• Ascent to the Shheldinsky Pass (0.5 hours from the sites; 8-10 hours from the Shhelda alpine camp). From the pass:
• Left and up a snowy couloir to ascend to the Southwest Ridge of Peak Caucasus East.
• Movement along the easy, in places moderately difficult, broken and snow-covered rocks of the ridge - to a site below the pre-summit wall.

Кеzgen 21. Кеzgen via the North-Eastern Ridge (route by S. Golubev, M. Galkin, M. Zaydler, A. Kuchar, P. Panyutin, N. Stainoglou, V. Shteyn, 1B category of difficulty, August 20, 1914). The path from the settlement of Verkhniy Baksan to the snowy cirque formed by the peaks of Kubasanty, Kezgen, and Mukal, via the peak of Mukal, is described in route 22. Further:

• From the peak of Mukal, descend left down the snowy slope, then along the simple rocky Western ridge.
• Bypassing several rocky gendarmes of the ridge, descend along the snowy couloir into the indicated snowy cirque.
• Cross the cirque plateau to the col of the ridge between the peaks of Mukal (right) and Kezgen (left).
• From the plateau, ascend the snowy slope to the col.
• From the col, turn left and ascend the steep, narrow snowy ridge (cornices!) to the scree shoulder.
• From the shoulder, make a short, simple descent to the connecting ridge.
• From there, ascend the simple but steep and snowy rocky ridge to the summit of Kezgen.

66. Bolshoy Kogutai via North Ridge (Category 1B route, fig. 8, 13). The path from the "Baksan" alpine camp (group of 4-20 people) to the saddle in the North Ridge of Bolshoy Kogutai peak is described in route 60. The initial bivouac is on a large clearing with a forked rock. It takes 3 hours from the clearing to the saddle. From the saddle, turn left and ascend simple rocks of the ridge to below the 1st gendarme of the North Ridge of Bolshoy Kogutai peak. Climb up a 5-meter wall (most challenging section, piton belay!) to the gendarme (control cairn). Continue along simple rocks of the ridge, bypassing gendarmes on shelves to the right or left (belay!), to reach the summit of Bolshoy Kogutai. It takes 3-4 hours from the saddle. Descent from the summit:

• via the ascent route
• via the West Ridge (described in route 67) The duration of the route is 2 days.

68. Maly Kogutai via Western Ridge (Category 1B route) From the “Baksan” alpine camp (group 4 — 20 people), head up the road in the Baksan valley. Before reaching the “Itkol” hotel, turn left and cross the Baksan River on a bridge to reach the narzan springs. From the springs, turn left and cross the Kogutaika River. From there, turn right and ascend a steep trail through the forest along the left bank of the Kogutaika. Above the forest, the trail continues through meadows; then it crosses a stream and ascends along its right bank to a meadow with a large rock split into two parts, mentioned in route 66. Set up a bivouac on the meadow. The journey from the “Baksan” alpine camp takes 2.5–3 hours. The path from the meadow (without backpacks) to the saddle on the Northern ridge of Bolshoy Kogutai is described in route 60. From the initial bivouac on the large meadow, it takes 3 hours. From the saddle:

• descend via scree and a snowy slope to the Bolshoy Kogutai glacier;
• traverse the glacier to the col on the Western ridge of Maly Kogutai peak, which is an extension of the Northeast ridge of Donguzorun peak;
• cross a snow bridge over a bergschrund;
• ascend a short, steep snowy slope to the col on the Western ridge of Maly Kogutai peak. From the saddle, it takes 2–2.5 hours. From the col:
• turn left;

The description is compiled based on materials from the training part of Ulutau a/l.

Description of the Approach to the Route

From the AGЛК "Jailyk", cross the bridge over the Adyr-Su river downstream. Behind the bridge, to the left near the source, a trail begins, going through the forest up the slope in the direction of the Jalovchat lake. Climbing along the trail:

• Cross to the left (green) moraine, leading to the N. counterfort of the E. ridge in Koy-Avgan.
• Continue ascent along the moraine.
• The N. counterfort of the E. ridge is dissected by a large couloir in its lower part.
• Ascend along the green moraine until the upper part of the counterfort dissected by the couloir starts to overhang on the left.
• Here, turn left and ascend up the slope to the rocks of the counterfort, leaving the couloir to the right.
• The start of the route is in the middle (between two rocky spurs) of the lower part of the bastion, which is crowned with a rocky tooth and connected by a narrow ridge to the main part of the counterfort.

331. Nenskra via North Face (combined route, A. Snesareva, cat. 4A, fig. 32, 44). From the initial bivouac on the snow plateau of the Nenskra Glacier under the North Face of Nenskra peak, ascend via an avalanche-prone couloir, then via easy and moderately difficult rocks alternating with snowy slopes and small walls (loose rocks) to the Upper Rock Belt. From there, ascend steep, heavily broken rocks of above-average difficulty to the Upper Rock Island. Then, via a steep ice-snow slope with rock outcrops, reach the col on the ridge between the Southwest and Northeast peaks of Nenskra. From the glacier plateau, 7-8 hours. From the col, turn right and ascend simple rocks of the ridge spur to the summit of Nenskra Southwest. Descend to the col via the ascent route. From the col, via monolithic simple and moderately difficult rocks of the ascent, then along the long Western ridge, ascend to the summit of Nenskra Northeast. From the Northeast summit, descend via heavily broken simple and moderately difficult rocks of the Northeast ridge to the col under the Big Gendarme. Overcome the Gendarme head-on via simple rocks of the ridge, then via rappelling and sport descent to the saddle under the snowy shoulder. From the saddle, via a simple snow-covered rocky ridge, exit onto the snowy shoulder. From the shoulder, via a gentle snow-covered rocky ridge, descend to the snow plateau under the nameless Main Caucasian Ridge pass. From the Southwest peak, 5-7 hours.

Nerusskaya

NORTH — EAST SOUTH — WEST Fig. 44. Nerussky spur

319. Leyrag via the Western Ridge (combined route, Suprunov's category, beyond category, fig. 32, 43).

To the right of the Leyrag glacier (m. 316) upwards along the northern slopes of the Nameless Peak to the lowering in the Western ridge of Leyrag peak — Alpinist pass. Here, turn right and, crossing the bergschrund, ascend the steep snow-ice slope or, from the left, via the talus and easy rocks to the Alpinist pass. Bivouac. From Nakra settlement 5–7 hours. At the pass, turn left and move onto the rocks of the Western ridge of Leyrag peak. Via simple 200-meter rocks of the Western ridge, overcoming three small gendarmeries head-on (protection), reach a small plateau with a pond.

279. Mazeri Zapadnaya via North Ridge (combined route, V. Staritskiy, cat. 4A, Fig. 32, 40). From Okhotnichye Ploshchadki (point 258) cross Ushbinsky Glacier to the right and approach the left side of the base of the North Ridge of Mazeri Zapadnaya peak via its southern branch. From the glacier, ascend a snow-ice slope with a bergschrund in the middle part, then traverse simple rocks on the left side to reach the North Ridge. From there, ascend rocks of medium difficulty, partially severely damaged, along the North Ridge. Continue along the snow-ice ridge - slope to a rocky outcrop. Ascend steep rocks of medium difficulty with two challenging wall sections to a small snow slope. Traverse the slope to the right and ascend to a platform via simple and medium-difficulty rocks along the ridge. Bivouac. From Okhotnichye Ploshchadki, 6-8 hours. From the platform, ascend 100-120 m along the ice-snow ridge, then 120-150 m along rocks of medium difficulty, and further along steep, snow-covered rocks (100-120 m) with difficulty above medium and 3-5-meter wall sections along the North Ridge to reach the platform of the Big Gendarme. The Gendarme can be bypassed:

• to the right, traversing a couloir (chimney). From here, ascend 80-100 m along simple, damaged, and snow-covered rocks on the left side of the West Ridge to reach the summit of Mazeri Zapadnaya. From the bivouac, 6-8 hours. Fig. 40.

Report

On the first ascent of the national team of Karachay-Cherkessia to the summit of Klych-Kara-Kaya 3578 m via the eastern edge. Category 2B difficulty. Presumably Category 2B difficulty. Ascent on September 11, 2022.

Semenov M. A. — MS team leader Maksimov K. M. experience of 2nd sports category Alpclub — "Gornoe Bezumie" 2023

2. Caucasus

2.2 From Marukh pass to Nakhar pass

Participants of the ascent