From the Baksan valley along the trail leading to the Don-Guz-Shrun pass. From the upper lake, we turn left to the ridge lowering and exit to the bottom pass Don-Guz-Shrun along the scree and gully. Descent 10–15 m down the broken rocks to the glacier and further up the glacier to the right on the southwest ridge of Nakra-Tau. Here, on the flat part of the ridge, is an overnight stay. The path from the Baksan valley to the overnight stay takes 7–8 hours. From the overnight stay site, we descend down the scree into the glacial circus, separating the northwest and west ridges of Nakra-Tau. Descending down, we cross the circus in the direction of the well-defined snow col of the western ridge. Up the steep snowy slope (4–5 ropes), we ascend to the col and exit to the "naran" - the exit from the "Karmen" to the flat snow plateau. Along the snow plateau, we move east to the South Don-Guz-Ortov plateau. From the plateau, we ascend up the gentle snow slope in the direction of the pass between the peaks Don-Guz-Shrun and Nakra-Tau. Having reached the gentle part of the slope, we turn right to the snow ridge, along which we ascend in the direction of a small zenith выступ in the ridge leading to the Don-Guz-Shrun peak. Along the skeleton of the bergschrund and further up the snow-ice slope, leaving the rocky outcrops to the left, we exit to the ridge. Along the simple rocks and snowpatch of the ridge, we ascend to the Main summit of Don-Guz-Shrun. Descent is via the ascent route. The path from overnight stay to overnight stay takes about 12 hours.

• The ascent can be made in any quantitative composition.
• In August, the exit and descent to the "naran" are challenging; on the ground, you need to have tension ropes, three ice hooks, and four clamp devices.

Report

On the ascent to the summit Donguzorun Glavnaya via the southwest slope, category 2A, by the team of MAC "Freeline", September 30, 2024.

I. Ascent Report

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Description of the ascent route to Donguz-Orun via the northwest wall (counterfort) — 1962

The Donguz-Orun massif (4468 m) is located in the Main Caucasian Range, in the upper reaches of the Baksan valley, and is quite familiar to mountaineers. The ascent route to Donguz-Orun via the northwest wall (counterfort) has been traversed twice, but there is no description of the route, and it is not known exactly where the climbers' paths lay, whether they coincided for both groups, or what variations these groups took. We embarked on the route, considering the wall to have sufficient difficulty both technically and tactically, and the route to be: — logical, — interesting, — deserving of the most serious consideration and evaluation, and likely to gain wide sporting popularity in the future. It was necessary to study the most expedient paths for its traversal and compile a more or less stable description. The Donguz-Orun massif is composed of ancient rocks, predominantly gneisses, layered in such a way that the slopes of the northern sector of the massif, with their great steepness, have the character of smooth wall sections interspersed with very steep slabs of tiled structure. The route via the northwest wall is combined, with large sections of formed ice. The height difference from the foot of the wall to the summit is about 1900 m.

000243-004H

M

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.

1. Climbing type — rock climbing
2. Central Caucasus. Shkhelda gorge (Double Glacier area)
3. Peak Kavkaz 4037 m via the SE buttress.
4. Difficulty category — 4A
5. Route characteristics: a) elevation gain — 320 m; b) length of section R1–R2 — 40 m; c) average steepness — 60–65°
6. Number of pitons hammered — 26 pcs.
7. Climbing hours — 14 (including approach through Double Glacier)

Code I-I5 KOGUTAI BOLSHOY via West ridge, 1B category of complexity. From the saddle descend along the talus, then along the snowy slope to Bolshoy Kogutaysky Glacier and along it, following the northwestern slopes of Bolshoy Kogutay, reach the saddle of the ridge connecting Bolshoy and Maly Kogutai peaks. Cross the bergschrund via a snow bridge in its right part and then ascend the snowy slope to the saddle of Bolshoy Kogutay's West ridge. From the saddle of the North ridge — about 1 hour. From the saddle, move left and along a short rocky ridge reach the West ridge of the peak. Further:

• Upwards along the simple rocks of the ridge, overcome a 15-meter ascent directly (protection).
• Ascend along the left side of a wide talus ridge to under the second rocky ascent.
• Pass the second 10-meter ascent through the center; at the top of the wall — a cam.
• From the ascent, along the simple rocks of the ridge, bypassing a gendarme on the right, reach the rocky ascent of the summit tower.
• Overcome the ascent along the inner corner of the left side of the ridge (protection).
• From the corner, along the simple rocks of the ridge, ascend to the summit of Bolshoy Kogutay. From the saddle — 3–4 hours. Descend via the ascent route.

Kogutai-Bashi 3821 m.

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