Fig. 22

1. Ascent to the summit of Zub Sofrudju — category 2B (fig. 22)

From Dombayskaya polyana across the bridge over the Alibek river and along the trail to the stream descending from the large Belalakay sky cuolar. Across the stream onto the snowfield and 300 m up. Then left into the Sofrudju cuolar (rockfall hazard!) and up to a large overhanging rock. Then straight up a steep section to the trail and along it to Medvezhya polyana. From Medvezhya polyana:

• initially along alpine meadows (trail),
• then across snow,
• and after 300–350 m, left of the eastern slopes of Belalakaya — exit to the Sofrudju bivouac. From Dombayskaya polyana — 5–6 hours. From the bivouac (in teams!), descend to the Sofrudju glacier, traverse between the upper and lower icefalls, and exit below the massif of the summit. Ascend a steep (50–55°) snowy slope (partially rocky), exit onto the ridge and along it — to a snowy saddle. Then along the snowy ridge to a wall.

Fig. 4.

Fig. 15

Description of the ascent route to Panorama Peak from the South via couloir (2B cat. dif.) (4077)

The path from the "Bezengi" alpine camp to the first stage of the Kyundyum-Mizhirgi glacier's icefall can be found in the description of the ascent route to Ullu-Auz-Bashi peak from the Kyundyum-Mizhirgi pass (3A cat. dif.). A bivouac site is located on the moraine of the glacier's first stage. 3 hours from the "Bezengi" alpine camp. Departure from the bivouac at 4:00 towards the wide couloir. Then:

• Ascend on the left side of the couloir via large scree.
• The couloir gradually narrows.
• At the turn, the couloir forks.
• The path goes via the right couloir on snow (35–40°) with crampons.
• 80–90 m before the ridge, turn right and follow distinct rock ledges under the "gendarme" (belay!!).
• The ledges lead to a snow-ice couloir (30–35°).

Fig. 16

Fig. 16

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.

39. Peak Tikhonov via North Face — Cat. 4A (L. Alekshashin, V. Koptev and Yu. Minin — August 14, 1959). The route from the Bezengi alpine camp to the bivouac on the Southern ridge of the Utug gendarme is described in route 18. Bivouac on the Southern ridge. From the bivouac:

• Descend to the glacier above the third stage of the icefall
• Cross the glacier to the right towards the North Face of Peak Tikhonov
• On the glacier (with crampons!), bypass the base of the northern rock walls of Peak Tikhonov on the left
• Move along the right side of a steep, wide snow-ice slope — a couloir descending from the saddle — the junction of the Eastern ridge of Peak Tikhonov and the Western ridge of Koshtantau peak
• Ascend 200 m up to the base of the rock wall
• Ascend 70 m up steep snow-covered difficult rocks of the wall — to the right (pitched climbing!) to reach the left counterfort

2. Traverse of Sulakhat summit from north to south — 2A cat. diff. (see Fig. 7)

From the northern summit, left and down into the pass. Then along the ridge (insurance through ledges!) to the control cairn. From the cairn, descend to the right along the crevice to a shelf and along it (piton insurance!) to the next ridge saddle. Then along the ridge to a 30-meter wall. Descend along it to the ridge. From the ridge, descend to the right to a shelf and then along the ridge to the base of the South summit. Ascent to the South summit along the ridge. Descent from the South summit to the right along a gully (insurance!) to a shelf and along it to exit to a narrow snow patch in a couloir. Then along the couloir (insurance!) to a large snowfield and down it. Then exit left along grassy slopes and scree to a trail and along it to the bivouac. The route from bivouac to traverse and back to bivouac takes 8–9 hours.

Recommendations for climbers

1. Number of participants in a group — no more than 8 people.
2. Initial bivouac — lower Sulakhatskaya nochevka.
3. Departure time from bivouac — no later than 5:00.
4. Special equipment for a group of 4 people: a) main rope — 2×30 m; b) expendable cordelette — 2–3 m; c) rock pitons — 4; d) ice pitons — 3 (in the second half of summer); e) rock hammers — 2; f) carabiners — 8; g) crampons 4 pairs (in the second half of summer).
5. Possible bivouac locations on the North, Central summits and under the South summit.