ascending to the summit of CHEGET-KARA-BASHI (traverse with ascent along the north-eastern ridge and descent via route category II difficulty)

The first ascent of the route was made in the 1974 season by a group of instructors from the "Shkhelda" alpine camp led by V.N. Lukinov. In the 1975 season, the ascent was repeated by a group of instructors from the same camp consisting of:

• 1. Presnov V.A., 2nd category, leader
• 2. Maerkovich V.V., Master of Sports
• 3. Zhukov S.Ya., 1st category
• 4. Kruglov E.M., 1st category
• 5. Stepanov V.N., 1st category
• 6. Silin B.M., 1st category
• 7. Razumov Yu.A., 1st category

From the "Shkhelda" alpine camp, go up the road past the "Dzhan-Tugan" alpine camp to the "Koshi" bivouac. From the bivouac (depart at 2-3 am, or 1-2 am in the first shift due to the large amount of snow) on the right (in the direction of travel) side of the Adyl-Su river, we approach the Cheget-Kara glacier. By passing around the glacier along the moraine from below, we reach a wide couloir to the left of a large rock massif. 1.5 hours from the bivouac. Up the couloir (steepness 25°) between two buttresses, we ascend to a saddle (1 hour). From the saddle, go up to the right, bypassing the rock massif on the left along the ledges (with protection). After this massif, we come to a steep snowy (or slab with ice at the end of summer) slope, which leads to the north-eastern ridge. The ascent is directly up the snow (steepness 30-35°), keeping direction towards the double-toothed gendarme on the ridge (do not go left - it is avalanche-prone!). The exit to the ridge is to the right of the double-toothed gendarme. 2-2.5 hours from the saddle to the ridge. Further along the ridge, we approach a large rock gendarme with a gap. By bypassing the gendarme on the left side along the ledges with piton protection (be cautious, many loose rocks!), we exit into the gap, and from the gap, via the left part of the wall, we exit upwards (20 m) and along a simple ridge, we approach the second gendarme, which is passed directly head-on (first pitch). The exit is onto a snowy saddle - a "tent" - and along rocks of medium difficulty, we ascend to the summit in 2-2.5 hours. Descent is via the category II difficulty route.

Conclusion: the group of instructors from the "Shkhelda" alpine camp came to a unanimous conclusion that this route corresponds to category III difficulty.

Group equipment for a group of 4 people:

• rock pitons - 4-6 pcs.
• ice pitons - 2 pcs. (there may be ice on the route in the second half of summer)
• expendable rope - 5 m
• hammers - 2 pcs.

The description was compiled by the group leader: /Presnov V.A./ July 23, 1975