4. Ukyu via NW ridge, 3A category
The ascent to the saddle between Gidan and Ukyu is described in route 2. From the saddle, traverse right, bypassing the first rocks along a snowy slope and then along a wide, crumbling ridge to the wall of the 1st "gendarme." Traverse left along a 6–7 m inclined ledge and then climb 20–25 m with piton protection up a steep internal angle (caution! — ice is possible) to a ridge with good rock features.
Continue along the line of the gentle ridge with solid and reliable rock features (caution! — do not descend to the left onto ledges below the ridge — the rocks here are heavily broken and the features are unreliable). Descend from the upper point along a rocky ridge and snowy slope to a wide saddle. In an emergency, it is possible to abandon the route from here via the S couloir.
From the saddle, ascend to the summit of Maly Ukyu across snow and simple rocks (caution — ice is possible). Continue along the ridge and descend to the left of the ridge along a rocky couloir and snowy slope to a pre-summit saddle. It is also possible to abandon the route from here via the second S couloir.
From the saddle, ascend a 40–50 m snow-ice slope, then traverse rocks on a wide ridge to a gentle "shoulder." From there, ascend a snowy-icy slope to the S ridge. Traverse left along the ridge for 30–40 m to the summit. The ascent from the saddle takes 6–8 hours.
Descend along the SE ridge as described previously. Hazardous locations: on ledges to the left of the ridge, beyond the 1st "gendarme," the rocks are heavily broken.
Special equipment:
- 5–7 rock pitons
- 2–3 ice screws
- crampons for all participants