36. Koshtantau via the North Counterforce — Cat. 4B (E. Mikhalskiy, E. Varteresevich, T. Lukaitis and E. Khrobak — August 20, 1964, V. Klimashin, Yu. Zhemchuzhnikov, E. Karchevskiy, A. Klopova, E. Nikonov and V. Shataev — June 29, 1965, Fig. II). The route from the "Bezengi" alpine camp to the initial bivouac on the Southern ridge of the Utug crag is described in route 18. From the bivouac:

• Descend to the glacier above the third step of the icefall
• Move up and to the right along the glacier towards the base of the Western ridge of the Kunduum-Mizhyrgi peak
• Pass the fourth step of the icefall 10–50 m to the right of the ridge
• Bypass individual crevasses in the upper part of the icefall to the right
• Exit left onto the upper plateau of the glacier
• Move up the plateau towards the left side of the North counterforce of Koshtantau
• Ascend 120 m up the snowy slope

Climbing Passport

• Climbing area: Central Caucasus, Lateral Ridge, Krumkol glacier gorge. Section number according to KMGV: 2.5
• Peak: Koshtantau 5151 m, via the Southwest slope.
• Difficulty category: 4B, 3rd ascent *.
• Route type: ice and snow.
• Height difference: approximately 1400 m.
• Route length: approximately 2 km, including 50 m of ice sections with a steepness of 50–55°, 500 m with a steepness of 40–45°; 750 m of snow and ice sections with a steepness of 30–40°.
• Number of pitons used (during ascent): ice screws - 39.
• Number of climbing hours to the summit - 16, reaching the summit on the second day of ascent (11:00), descent via the ascent route - 11 hours.
• Number of bivouacs - 2 (1 on the ascent route and 1 on the descent, at the same location).

43. Koshtantau via the Southwest Ridge — Cat. 5B (I. Galustov, A. Korchagin; K. Sizov, I. Smirnov, N. Shalaev, and V. Yakushkin — July 27, 1955; Fig. 13). From the fork of the Dykhsu and Karasu gorges, ascend via a poorly-defined trail on the left bank of the Dykhsu River to the Green Glade below the Dykhsu Glacier. From the fork — 3.5–4 hr. Further:

• From the glade, ascend via the left-bank moraine of the Dykhsu Glacier.
• After 500–600 m, cross onto the glacier.
• Via the central moraine of the Dykhsu Glacier, reach the confluence with the

47. Koshtantau via the East Ridge - Category 5B (B. Garf, G. Vedennikov, G. Karavaev, and V. Kizel - August 22, 1948; Fig. 16, 17). The path from the "Bezengi" alpine camp to the "Trud" bivouac in the Dumala gorge is described in route 18. From the "Trud" bivouac:

• Head to the upper plateau of the Ullu-Auz glacier, keeping to the left of the Northeast ridge of Koshtantau, and then to the second glacier icefall leading to the Ullu-Auz pass.
• Ascend the center of the second icefall or closer to the slope of the Koshtan-krest ridge (ice avalanches are possible from the ridge!).
• At the top of the icefall, move left onto the snowy slope of the Koshtan-krest ridge (dangerous!), ascend it, then move right to reach the upper plateau of the Ullu-Auz glacier.
• Follow the plateau, keeping to its left side, and ascend to the Ullu-Auz pass via snowy slopes. Time:
• From "Trud" bivouac to the upper plateau - 4-5 hours.
• To the pass - 5-6 hours.

Base camp “Bezengi” till the night stop on the Southern ridge of Utug spire - see description 18. From the night stop descend to the glacier above the third stage of the icefall and cross it to the right towards the Northern buttress of peak Tikhonov. Through the bergschrund, ascend a steep 100-meter snowy slope to the saddle of the Northern buttress of peak Tikhonov, left of the rocky spire Medved (Bear). On the saddle - a bivouac, from “Bezengi” base camp - 10–12 hours. From the bivouac:

• Bypass the rocks of the buttress on snow to the left.
• 300-meter ascent on the snowy Northern buttress of peak Tikhonov, not reaching 60–70 m to the black rocks.
• To the right, exit to a steep ice-snow slope below the Western wall of peak Tikhonov.
• Along it, 250–300-meter traverse (pitons! rockfall!) with a descent from it along the snowy ridge to the Krumkol collapse plateau. From the bivouac on the Northern buttress of peak Tikhonov - 4–5 hours. In the collapse:
• Bypass the spire by a 30-meter traverse to the left or right along simple icy rocks (protection!).

Kyundyum-Mizhyrgi (4500 m) via W and N ridge

From the bivouac on the SW spur of Panoramny peak (3900) cross the glacier tributary, enter the cirque of Kyundyum-Mizhyrgi pass and approach the beginning of the ascent to the pass. From here, 120–150 m along the snow shelf to the right under the walls of Skalniy peak, 150 m up a gentle snow gully, then 80 m up an ice-rock gully (with protection on ledges on the left) to a snow shoulder on the 3rd spur from the main ridge. From the shoulder, down and then 80 m up a snowy-icy gully on the left to the saddle on the N ridge of the summit. 3–4 hours from the bivouac. Kyundyum-Mizhyrgi From the saddle, 40 m along a steep, sharp snow ridge, 150–170 m along a flattening snow slope, and another 120–150 m along a snow ridge with rock outcrops (beware of cornices) to the summit. 1–1.5 hours from the saddle. Descent via the ascent route takes 2.5–3 hours. Hazardous places: closed crevasses on the glacier; rockfall hazard and natty ice on the shelf; possible cornices on the N ridge. Special equipment: 4–5 rock pitons; 2–3 ice screws; crampons for all participants.

Route Description to the Summit

Kundryum-Mijirgi via the Col

Kundryum-Mijirgi (via Pik Skal'nyi) 3A cat. diff.

Day I

From the Bezengi alpine camp to overnight stays on the third stage of the Kundryum-Mijirgi glacier.

Day 2

From overnight stays on the third stage to the Kundryum-Mijirgi col and to the summit of Pik Skal'nyi (see route description to Pik Skal'nyi 2B cat. diff.). Descent from the summit of Pik Skal'nyi directly north along the ridge is possible in two ways:

• — First — 20 m rappel on a double rope thrown over a ledge 2–3 m below the summit, then along a narrow shelf 5 m to the right and down 30 m through a rocky couloir to the saddle behind the summit.

Route description for Peak 4500 "Kundyum-Mijirgi" via the southeast ridge, category 3B difficulty.

Day I

Ascent to the third step of the "Kundyum-Mijirgi" icefall. (Refer to the route descriptions for Peak 4500 via the western ridge, category 3B difficulty, and via the northern ridge, category 3A difficulty.)

Day II

From the campsite on the third step, ascend to the plateau located above the fourth step of the icefall. The fourth step is bypassed either on the left along the rocks or through a labyrinth of crevasses in the middle part. Traverse the plateau, staying on its left side, towards the saddle between the "Ptitsa" peak and Peak 4500. Ascend to the saddle via a snowy couloir (with rock outcrops in the upper part), staying on the right side. The rocky gendarme (1) in the ridge between "Ptitsa" and Peak 4500 remains on the right. The ascent from the campsite on the third step to the saddle takes 2–4 hours. From the saddle, proceed along the ridge (moderately difficult rocks) for 6 rope lengths to a rectangular gendarme (rock) 4 m high. The rock is a key point on the route. For a team of 4, the following order is recommended for passing the rock. The first climber from the first rope team approaches the inner corner of the rock along a sharp snowy ridge and drives in the first piton for self-belaying and setting up a belay.

Lalver – Gestola, traverse, 3B cat. diff. The red dotted line is the ascent route. The blue dotted line indicates the 4A route. The black dotted line indicates a possible emergency descent option, the route is unclassified. Green labels — overnight stops.

• 4 — Chyornye Osypi bivouac.

1. Ascent to Gestola peak via Lalver

Gestola peak (4850 m) is located in the Main Caucasian Range, in the Bezingi Wall. Ascent to Gestola via Lalver is classified as 3B cat. diff.

Fig. 25

1. Ascent to Sofrudju peak (3785 m) — cat. d. 1B (fig. 25)

From Dombayskaya polyana cross the bridge over the Alibek river and follow the trail to the stream descending from the large Belalakay couloir. Cross the stream to the snowfield and ascend it for 300–350 m. Then turn left into the Sofrudju couloir (danger of rockfall!) and ascend it to a large overhanging rock. Continue straight up the steep section to the trail and follow it to Medvezhya (Med­ve­zh­'ya) polyana. From Medvezhya polyana ascend 300–350 m up the eastern slope of Belalakay through the snow — exit to the Sofrudju bivouac. From Dombayskaya polyana — 5–6 hours.