155. Salynan via the East Ridge

(route is combined, category IIIB, fig. 14, 16). The path from the Bezengi alp camp (group of 4-8 people) to the initial bivouac on the upper plateau of the Salynan Glacier is described in route 152. Approach the right side of the wide steep ice-and-snow slope via the plateau, descending from the East Ridge saddle to the left of a wide steep ice-and-snow gully with avalanche deposits. From the glacier:

• overcome the bergschrund via a snow bridge,
• ascend the steep ice-and-snow slope to the right side of the lower rock cape,

Ascent Passport

1. Ascent category — ice-rock (combined)
2. Ascent area — Bezengi region, Kargashil ridge.
3. Peak — Maly Salynan, height — 4050 m
4. Ascent route — via the North couloir of the East ridge.
5. Estimated difficulty category — 3B
6. Height difference — 730 m, length of sections with 3–4 difficulty category — 120 m, average steepness — 43°
7. Pitons driven (including ice screws) — for belay 49/0 Number of used chocks — 8 pcs.
8. Number of climbing hours — 11

Ascent Passport

1. Ascent class — rock-ice (combined)
2. Ascent region — Bezengi region, Kargashil ridge
3. Peak — Maly Salynan, height 4050 m
4. Ascent route — via the North Counterfort
5. Estimated difficulty category — 3B
6. Height difference — 720 m, length — 570 m, average slope — 40°
7. Pitons driven: rock — 10/0, ice — 17/0, chocks — 7/0
8. Number of travel hours — 13
9. Number of nights — route is one-day

Ascent Record

ascent of Maly Salynan peak via the North wall

1. Ascent type — snow-ice
2. Ascent area — Bezengi region, Kargashilsky ridge.
3. Peak — Maly Salynan (4050 m)
4. Route — via the North wall
5. Estimated difficulty category — 4A
6. Elevation gain — 400 m, distance — 520 m, average slope — 5°
7. Pitons used (ice) — 60 (0)
8. Duration — 11 hours

Ascent Passport

1. Ascent class — technical.
2. Ascent area — from Kitlod settlement to Gezevcek settlement.
3. Peak, its height, and ascent route — p. Sella, 4382 m, via the South ridge.
4. Proposed difficulty category — 2B.
5. Route characteristics:      height difference — 450 m      average steepness — 55°      length — 530
6. Pitons hammered in: for belaying, for creating, etc.

and here are the different crops of this image to help you see better, use these only as hints:

From the "Djangi-kosh" hut along the crest of the right-bank ("crescent-shaped") moraine to its flattening, then along the Sella Glacier. Along the left edge or through the middle of the icefall (Fig. 1) exit to the upper circus (cautious — closed crevices) and through it under the N wall of the Sella peak, 1 h 31 min. Through the bergschrund along the ice-snow slope to the left of the ice fall with piton belay in the direction to the summit (attention — do not deviate left, rockfall hazard from the rocks of the NE ridge counterfort). Along the steepness, the route has sections: 1 — ice slope (120 m, 45–50°) from the lower bergschrund to the ice edge of the ice fall. 2 — ice slope (40 m, 50–55°) in the ice fall zone. 3 — ice-snow slope (80 m, 45°) from the ice fall to the upper bergschrund. 4 — ice-snow slope (120 m, 45–30°) from the second bergschrund to the summit ridge. The difference of edges of the second bergschrund along the path is 1.5–2 m, in the absence of bridges traverse right for 20 m — here the difference is smaller. Depending on the ascent timing, the length of the snow sections of the wall is 120–150 m, belay — through ice axes. For ascent 8–12 h. Descent from the summit along the NE ridge to the saddle, then along the slope to the right onto the Bezengi Glacier and along it (attention — closed crevices, under the S slopes of the Varshava peak — rockfall hazard) to the hut 1.5–2 h. Hazardous places: on glaciers — closed crevices and rockfall hazard under the S slopes of the Varshava peak, on the N wall of the Sella peak — rockfall hazard when deviating left, on the NE ridge — possible cornices to the right. Special equipment: ice axes 8–12 pcs., crampons — for all.

Sella peak — Warszawa peak, traverse.

From the “Jangi-kosh” hut through the “serac” moraine to the Bezengi glacier, along the left (in the direction of travel) side of the glacier (attention — closed crevices and rockfall hazard from the S. slopes of Warszawa peak), bypassing the bases of the three S. spurs of the main ridge, into the SW cirque of Bashha-aus-bashi. From the hut 2 hours 30 minutes. Through the bergschrund and along the snowy slope to the saddle on the NE ridge of Sella peak, leading to Bashha-aus. From the saddle, left along the snowy ridge with cornices on the left. On the pre-summit section:

• cross the ridge

Ascent Passport

1. Ascent class — technical.
2. Ascent area — Central Caucasus, Bezengi gorge.
3. Semenovsky Peak (4050 m) from the west via hanging glacier.
4. Route type — combined, sections determining the complexity category — ice.
5. Proposed complexity category — 2B category.
6. Route characteristics. Elevation gain — 1170 m, length 2325 m, length of sections 3–4 category — 875 m, average steepness of main difficulty sections 33° (2880–3680).
7. Pitons hammered: rock — 1, ice — 16.
8. Number of climbing hours — 10.
9. There were no overnight stays on the route.

ROCK peak via N ridge (via Kündüm-Mijirgi pass) Initial bivouac — on the SW spur of Panoramnyi peak (3900 m). Route:

• From the bivouac, cross the left tributary of the glacier and ascend the snowy-icy slope left of the icefall to the cirque of Kündüm-Mijirgi pass.
• Ascend to the ridge via the couloir right of the pass "gendarme" from the bivouac in 1.5–2 hours.
• Along the ridge of sharp slabs, directly to the first "gendarme", then along the ridge below the wall.
• Up and left along the wall for 7–8 m to a ledge (pitons), from it right and up via a crack to the pre-summit ridge.
• Along the ledges right of the ridge for 70–80 m to the summit.
• From the saddle in 1.5–2 hours. Descent: via the ascent route to the bivouac in about 2 hours.