Description

Ascent to Peak MNR-Northeast

Via the South Ridge (Category 3B difficulty)

From the bivouac on the green shoulder above the Kurmy Glacier, head towards the VTsPS pass until the first clearly visible couloir descending from Peak MNR-Northeast. Ascend 80 m along the scree of the couloir, sticking to the left (in the direction of travel) side, to a rock plug and:

• Traverse 40 m to the left along rock ledges and then medium-difficulty rocks to a ledge on the South Ridge;
• From the ledge, ascend 20 m up medium-difficulty rocks to under a 12-meter wall. The wall is climbed using difficult climbing with the application of an artificial point of support (piton-carabiner) in its middle part. Then:
• Ascend 30 m along difficult rocks, sticking to the left side of the ridge, to approach a 6-meter chimney;

Report on the First Ascent by the Team of the Multifaceted Mountaineering Club "FREELINE" from Essentuki

To the Summit of Meshchana Zapadnaya

via the south wall and southwest ridge Presumably 4A category of difficulty. Team Leader: Popov Mikhail Lvovich Coach: Motienko Nikolai Ilich Essentuki, 2019 Addresses:

• 357600, Stavropol Krai, Essentuki, ul. Oktyabrskaya, 434, apt. 59, Popov M.L. +7 928 265-71-30, mikl_popov@inbox.ru
• 357524, Stavropol Krai, Pyatigorsk, ul. Fuchika, 8, building 3, apt. 41. Konstantinov G.A. Ph. +7 988 860-73-77, bargest2008@gmail.com

59. Sugan Maly — Uzlovoy (V. Popov's combined route, cat. 5A, fig. 11). The path from the base camp on the right bank of the Psygansu river (group of 4–8 people) to the initial bivouac on the scree of the wide snow plateau of the Sugan ridge saddle between the peaks Suganbashi on the left and Maly Sugan on the right is described in route 35. From the base camp — 8–10 hours. The path from the "Nakhashbita" glade to the initial bivouac via the Doppakh pass takes:

• 1–2 days (see routes 17, 22, 26, 28). From the bivouac, along the snow plateau, bypassing the Southeast ridge of the Central Sugan peak on the right, approach the snowy slope of the wide couloir descending from the upper part of the Southeast ridge of the massif to the plateau. Overcoming the bergschrund, perform a 200 m ascent, sticking to the rocks, along the steep ice-snow slope (running belay). Then:
• ascend 40 m along the wet slabs (running belay) to the Southeast ridge of Maly Sugan;
• turn right;
• ascend 160 m along the heavily destroyed rocks of the ridge with numerous gendarmes;

Fig. 41

2. Ascent to the summit of Yuzhny Dombay-Ulgen via the southern ridge with crossing Dombay and Ptysh passes — cat. 2B (see Fig. 40–42)

From Ptysh bivouac, up the moraine of Ptysh glacier (15–20 minutes) and left — towards Dombay pass. Ascend via the couloir (or its right side) and reach the eastern edge of Kruzhevoy glacier. Then:

• Ascend the snowy slope
• Ascend the wide couloir
• Traverse on the right side of the rocky ridge
• Reach Dombay pass — bivouac

Fig. 53

3. Traverse of the Dottakh-kaya — Bu-Ulgen massif (see Fig. 53–56)

From Dombayskaya polyana to the Northern shelter by car. From the Northern shelter, across the river Khokel via a log, to Chotcha polyana - bivouac. From the Northern shelter, 1 hour. From the bivouac, crossing the Chotcha gorge, to the right and further along the snows of avalanche depositions, approach to the first couloir on the slope of the Eastern peak of Dottakh-kaya. Through the couloir, exit to the "ram's foreheads" and further ascent to the eastern ridge descending towards the Northern shelter. Without reaching the ridge, traverse left into the cirque of a small glacier. Along the snowy slope of the cirque, diagonally upwards to a rocky outcrop, bypass the outcrop on the left and along a steep snowslope (belay!) - exit to the ridge. Then along the ridge and, bypassing a rocky outcrop on the left via a ledge, - exit to the saddle between the main ridge of Dottakh-kaya and the rocky outcrop. From the saddle, along the main ridge (steep rocks of medium difficulty, belay through outcrops, partly piton!) - exit to the Eastern peak of Dottakh-kaya. Further path to the Western peak of Dottakh-kaya is described in the traverse description of Dottakh-kaya.

Ascent to Kap Peak (3207 m) — Category 1B (Fig. 16)

From the "Alibek" hut along the trail to the glacier or from the bivouac near Turye Lake along the gentle part of the Alibek Glacier — approach to the far right couloir of the Kap Peak slopes. Up the couloir (rockfall hazard!) to the cirque step. There are three ascent options: 1st option:

• To the right along the snowfield into the couloir and along the slabs (belay!) left-up to the ridge.
• Then along the ridge (belay through outcrops!).
• The upper part of the ridge is scree.
• The red rocks of the forepeak are bypassed on the right, then again exit to the ridge and along it to the summit.
• The summit dome is snow-covered.
• The journey from the bivouac to the summit takes 5–6 hours.
• Descent via the ascent route — 3–4 hours.

REPORT

• on the ascent made in the area ch. Caucasian ridge and its spurs from Marukh pass to Pakhar pass to the summit of KAP PIK (3400 m) from the Belalakaisky glacier (from the north)

Group Members:

1. Slezyn Yu. — MS
2. Ovcharenko V.D. — 1st sports category
3. Pilipenko V.S. — 1st sports category
4. Volkov L.B. — 1st sports category

Bolshaya Marka

Fig. 11

Ascent to Bolshaya Marka peak (3768 m) - Cat. 1B (Fig. 11)

From Dombay plain, take the road to the "Alibek" alpine camp and continue on the trail to "Semidesyatitrekh" pass. The journey from Dombay plain takes 5-6 hours. From the pass, descend north down a steep snowy slope (ensure belaying!), then traverse scree and grassy slopes to reach a meadow in the Kiche-Teberda gorge. Set up a bivouac. The total time from Dombay plain is 8-9 hours. Continue by traversing a grassy slope (under the trigonometric point) upwards to the left, towards the western edge of the ridge. Then, proceed up a large scree slope into a hanging valley bounded by the southwest ridge on the right and the west ridge of Bolshaya Marka peak on the left. A high rock face is visible on the slope of the western ridge. Ascend the slope under the rock face, bypass it on the left, and continue up the slope to the northern buttress of the peak. Traverse scree to reach the col between the peak and a large gendarme. Then:

• proceed right-upwards along a rocky slope (weathered rocks!),
• reach the ridge,
• then traverse ledges to the summit.

Fig. 3

2. Ascent to the Marukh-bashi summit via the northern ridge — category 3B difficulty (Fig. 3B)

From the Yuzhno-Karakayskiy pass (overnight stay on the moraine under the pass) ascend up to the right along the snow to the right side of the ridge to the rocks. Then move left along the rocks for 60 m and reach the main ridge. Along the heavily fragmented rocks of the main ridge (rockfall hazard!) ascend 90 m upwards and continue along the clearly defined ridge to the slabs. Bypass the slabs on the right (40–50 m) and reach the first ascent. From the ridge, move right to bypass the ascent (8 m), then climb 20 m upwards along the wall of the ascent (piton protection!) and reach the