Description
First Ascent of Djan-Tugan
Via the North-West Ridge
This ascent involved 8 people (the "Lokomotiv" team) divided into two groups of four, with a 1-hour interval between them.
First group:
- Garf (team leader)
- Karavaev
- Povarnin
- Sharunin
Second group:
- Razovskaya (team leader)
- Nekrasova
- Baldin
- Mikhailov
On July 15th, at 5:00 AM, the first group departed from the "domotiva" hut located at the confluence of the Bashkara and Djal-Kuat glaciers, known as the "Green Hotel". Initially, the path followed a hollow between the right (orographic) moraine of the Bashkara glacier and the rocks of the Djan-Tugan massif. After traversing the moraine, we turned left, onto the ice, and traversed a gentle icy slope to the left, reaching the base of a firn couloir leading towards the western ridge. The couloir was in the shade and had good firn. We quickly gained altitude, initially staying on the left side (in the direction of travel), then traversing the couloir to the right side and staying on the right until we reached a ledge. The average steepness of the couloir was 35-40°.
We reached the top of the couloir around 8:00 AM. From there, we ascended steep snowy slopes for an hour to reach the base of the north-west ridge, which featured sheer rock formations resembling sheep's foreheads. The beginning of the ridge was bypassed from the south, towards Bashkara. After a short icy slope (3 ropes) with a steepness of around 45°, we reached the base of a wall leading to the ridge from the south. We traversed a narrow ledge, crossing the first unclearly defined couloir, which was hazardous due to rockfall, and entered a second couloir partially covered in ice. Staying on the left side (in the direction of travel), we ascended to a fork (3 ropes). The ledges for protection were scarce ("layers"), so we had to use pitons.
After a short traverse to the left across difficult terrain, we encountered a sheer wall with few holds (2 ropes). Protection was achieved using pitons.
Around 12:30 PM, we finally reached the ridge.
Next, we encountered a short but steep icy salon leading to a second rocky massif, which was bypassed from the south, first via an icy couloir and then along a rocky stepped gully, leading to the pre-summit part of the ridge. The ridge was heavily fragmented, requiring extreme caution.
Generally, when ascending the ridge via the couloirs and continuing along it, simultaneous movement of both rope teams was impossible, and the second team had to find reliable shelter from the numerous rocks inevitably dislodged by the first pair.
At a distance of 2-3 ropes from the summit, there was a suitable platform for an overnight bivouac.
The group reached the summit at 4:30 PM, having taken around 11 hours of climbing time.
The descent followed the usual route to the Djentugan plateau. The group returned to the "Green Hotel" by 8:00 PM.
The second group, forced to maintain a significant gap to avoid being hit by falling rocks, did not reach the summit that day and had to bivouac on the aforementioned pre-summit ridge platform.
Comparing our route to other ascents of the same category (Misses-Tau, Bashnara, Ullu-Kara, Bzhedukh, etc.), it should be classified as a Category 3B ascent.
Captain of the 1st team, DSO "Lokomotiv", Master of Sports of the USSR (V. Garf).
Djan-Tugan via the North-East edge
Recommended Itinerary
for ascending Djan-Tugan via the North-East edge.
Day I. "Elbrus" alpine camp — overnight at "Green Hotel" — 4 hours.
Day II.
- "Green Hotel" — reaching the col on the North-East edge — 2-3 hours — edge to the summit of "Djan-Tugan" — 8-10 hours.
- Descent from the summit via the 2A category route — 3-4 hours.
- Return to "Elbrus" alpine camp — 2 hours.
N-E edge