Ascent Passport

1. Central Caucasus, Mizhirgi gorge, 2.5. From Kittlod pass to Gezivcek pass (from the north from the Main Caucasian Ridge).
2. Name of the peak: Misses-Tau, name of the route through the center of the Eastern wall.
3. Proposed — 6A category of difficulty, second ascent.
4. Nature of the route: combined
5. Height difference of the route: 980 m (by altimeter)

Route length: 1492 m. Length of sections:

• V category of difficulty — 295 m.
• VI category of difficulty — 165 m.

Average steepness:

• main part of the route — 85°
• entire route — 65°

6. "Hooks" left on the route: total 9; including bolted 0

Hooks used on the route:

• bolted stationary — 20 (including Aid Climbing — 2)
• bolted removable — 0 (including Aid Climbing — 0)

Used:

• rock hooks — 45 (including Aid Climbing — 12)
• chocks — 158 (including Aid Climbing — 50). Total artificial points of support (Aid Climbing) used — 64

7. Team's travel hours: 66 h, 8 days
8. Leader: Nikitin Andrey Borisovich, Candidate Master of Sports

Participants:

• Izotov Albert Olegovich, 1st sports category
• Molodozhen Vladimir Alexandrovich, Candidate Master of Sports

9. Coach: Nikitin Andrey Borisovich, Candidate Master of Sports
10. Departure on the route: 8:00, July 9, 2006

Reached the summit: 12:15, July 17, 2006. Returned to Base Camp: 21:20, July 17, 2006

General photo of the summit

Misses-Tau, 4477 m

1. via E wall, 5A
2. through the center of E wall (our route)
3. via right-hand couloir of E wall, 5B

Hand-drawn profile of the route

Dykh-Tau, 5204 m

Route diagram in UIAA symbols (scale 1:2000)

Route description

Approach to the wall via a snow-ice slope, approximately 35°. Start — on the right rib, before entering the cirque of the wall itself with a large cornice in the middle part.

R1–R2

Straight up from the snowpatch, on monolithic rocks of V–VI category (6A). Start from the bergschrund.

If there's a lot of snow:

• the first section can be bypassed via snow
• approach via a bridge almost to R2

Bivouac — 2 hooks + bolt, tied with an old loop of a main rope. Section is about 75–80°.

R2–R3

Straight up from the bivouac, via destroyed rocks of V category. To the left remains a couloir, partially with snow, exposed to rockfall from above.

Bivouac — 2 hooks + bolt.

Section is 70–75°.

R3–R4

From the bivouac upwards via destroyed rocks, partially overgrown with grass, orienting towards an overhanging rock block.

Approximately 25–30 m — a duralumin bolt.

Further, "on foot" to the overhanging block.

Bivouac — 2 channel irons.

Rocks are III–IV category, slope 60–70°.

R4–R5

Leftwards via a traverse along a scree ledge, then upwards via destroyed rocks, approximately IV category. Bivouac — 2 hooks, average slope 50–60°.

R5–R6

Leftwards upwards, via destroyed rocks of IV–V category, about 70°. We approach closely to the upper part of the snowpatch, which we previously bypassed along the cirque walls. Bivouac — in a pocket between the main wall and a standalone block, directly above the "knife" of the upper part of the snowpatch, hook + channel iron + chock.

R6–R7

Leftwards along the "knife", above a hanging glacier and under an overhanging rock with a black streak — 0°, at the end of the "knife" on the wall of the hanging glacier — a bolt, further leftwards upwards, initially via very destroyed wet rocks, then via the hanging glacier of the next snowpatch. Bivouac — 2 hooks in the hanging glacier.

R7–R8

Initially leftwards upwards via the hanging glacier, then straight upwards via rocks of V category, 70°, to a large ledge with several blocks on it. Bivouac — two hooks at the base of the blocks.

Beginning of the wall

R8–R9

To the left (approximately 5–6 m) of the large ledge, deep in the hanging glacier, 2 bolts left by the first ascendants. To the left of them, a system of small ledges, via which we ascend straight upwards via climbing, gradually moving rightwards, finding ourselves almost above the large ledge. 10 m, V category, 75–80°.

Further, 40 m upwards via an inside corner, rocks of VI category, 85–90°. Climbing is 6C+–7B or A2. Equipment:

• Small and medium chocks
• Skyhooks
• Hooks
• Cams

Bivouac — on a ledge about 30 cm wide, 2 bolts + hook + cam, deeply lodged in a crack.

R9–R10

Straight up via an inside corner of V–VI category, protection — hexes and cams. Further, two inside corners diverge with overgrown, blind cracks at the base.

Bivouac is located 40 m higher up the left inside corner. Due to unclear description, we moved via the right — VI category, Aid Climbing A2–A3, full set of gear. In the upper part, already in direct visibility of the bivouac, we transitioned leftwards via slabs.

Bivouac — 2 bolts.

R10–R11

From the bivouac leftwards upwards in the direction of large cornices, 7 m of IV category. Orient towards the right cornice (left is black, right is light). Further, 20 m of challenging climbing under the cornice — VI category or 6B–6C — then Aid Climbing A2 through the cornice upwards.

The section can be climbed via free climbing (6B–6C), but belay opportunities are limited.

Above the cornice — a bolt, and leftwards via simple rocks about 5 m to the bivouac.

Bivouac — 2 bolts.

R11–R12

From the bivouac leftwards upwards via simple (IV–V category) rocks. Many large "live" blocks, clear danger of rope damage. Exit onto a large ledge with a control cairn, possible overnight stay on the ledge. The ledge is located above a huge cornice in the middle part of the wall, visible from almost all points.

Bivouac — two bolts.

R12–R13

To the right of the bivouac via an inside corner, climbing, rocks of V category (5C–6A), protection — hexes and cams, 30 m, further:

• straight up, bypassing the cornice to the left (approximately A1),
• or bypassing it to the right, climbing via rocks of VI category (6C).

In the second variant, many live blocks. Bivouac: 1 bolt + hook.

R13–R14

Straight up from the bivouac via an inside corner under a black triangular cornice, about 20 m, VI category, A2 (6B+).

Bypass the triangular cornice to the left, 10 m, A2–A3.

Further up via an overgrown, blind crack to a bolt — A3, 15–20 m.

From the bolt, a pendulum leftwards to a neighboring crack, upwards via it to the bivouac. Bivouac is approximately 3 m above the pendulum bolt, loop on a wedged block.

R14–R15

From the bivouac upwards and rightwards, through a bend, about 25 m, 85°, VI category. Rocks are complex but with rich relief, partially wet, at the end of the section we arrive at a wet corner, under an overhang.

• About 10 m through the overhang, 95°
• Further, again rightwards upwards, exit onto the left edge of a wet slab (about 60–70°)
• Bivouac is several meters to the right and above on this same slab

Due to running water, climbing this slab proved practically impossible, and we had to bypass about 10–12 m via a cornice, challenging A3. Bivouac — hook + bolt.

R15–R16

Slightly left of the bivouac, straight up through a cornice, 15 m, V–VI category, two bolts.

End of the wall

R16–R17

Rightwards via a traverse along "ram's foreheads" for the entire length of the rope, exit onto the "gardens" — many ledges, blocks, simple rocks. About 30 m, V category, further — III category.

R17–R18

Further via strongly destroyed simple rocks leftwards upwards, in the direction of the 5A route thread. About 250 m to the ridge.

R18–R19

• From the ridge, via a snow-ice slope with rock outcrops, ascend to a saddle under the summit tower — 100 m.

R19–R20

• From the saddle upwards via a snow-ice slope towards the tower, bypassing the first rock outcrop to the left clockwise — 200 m.

R20–R21

From the ridge between the first rock outcrop and the summit tower — upwards (slightly leftwards), via несложными скалами с богатым рельефом — IV category. Bivouac — several hooks with a loop on a large overhanging block.

R21–R22

From the bivouac, traverse via ledges leftwards and approach under an implicit couloir — to the right along the way. About 40–50 m, III category.

R22–R23

Upwards from the ledges via несложными скалами (approximately IV category), 50 m to the summit ridge.

R23–R24

Leftwards upwards via a simple ridge, approximately 80 m to the summit. Rocks are II–III category.

Technical photo of the route

Photo illustration of the report

Photo 1. Section R1–R2.

Photo 3. Section R8–R9.

Photo 4. Section R9–R10. A person is visible at the top on section R10–R11.

Photo 5. Section R10–R11.

Photo 6. Section R11–R12.

Photo 7. Section R13–R14. Passage of the inside corner.