Passport

I. Category — technical 2. Central Caucasus 3. Peak — Ushba North via N.W. wall (4694 m) Kolomyttsev V.G. route 4. 5B cat. diff. — 2nd ascent of the "Silver" route in 1982 5. Height difference: 1700 m, length 2400 m. Length of 5 cat. diff. sections — 1240 m. Average steepness of main sections: 55° (3750–4660 m) of the route 47° 6. Pitons hammered: rock — 26 закладок — 21

To the Classification Commission of the USSR Alpine Federation

REPORT

on the first ascent to the Sofruju peak via the southern wall on July 27-29, 1972

I. Group Composition:

Gubanov Yu. D. — leader, Candidate for Master of Sports, senior instructor of the Dombay region Climbing School, unattached, "Burevestnik" Sports Society, Dombay settlement. Prima Yu. V. — participant, Candidate for Master of Sports, radio instructor of the Dombay region Climbing School, unattached, "Burevestnik" Sports Society, Dombay settlement. Khamtsov A. P. — participant, 1st class, junior instructor, unattached, "Burevestnik" Sports Society, Dombay settlement, Alibek alpine camp worker. Support group led by Candidate for Master of Sports Vorobyev D. G., parallel route on the Main Amanauz peak via the southern wall, category 5B difficulty.

II. Alpine and Geographical Overview of the Sofruju Massif.

Ascent to Kap Peak (3207 m) — Category 1B (Fig. 16)

From the "Alibek" hut along the trail to the glacier or from the bivouac near Turye Lake along the gentle part of the Alibek Glacier — approach to the far right couloir of the Kap Peak slopes. Up the couloir (rockfall hazard!) to the cirque step. There are three ascent options: 1st option:

• To the right along the snowfield into the couloir and along the slabs (belay!) left-up to the ridge.
• Then along the ridge (belay through outcrops!).
• The upper part of the ridge is scree.
• The red rocks of the forepeak are bypassed on the right, then again exit to the ridge and along it to the summit.
• The summit dome is snow-covered.
• The journey from the bivouac to the summit takes 5–6 hours.
• Descent via the ascent route — 3–4 hours.

Fig. 3

2. Ascent to the Marukh-bashi summit via the northern ridge — category 3B difficulty (Fig. 3B)

From the Yuzhno-Karakayskiy pass (overnight stay on the moraine under the pass) ascend up to the right along the snow to the right side of the ridge to the rocks. Then move left along the rocks for 60 m and reach the main ridge. Along the heavily fragmented rocks of the main ridge (rockfall hazard!) ascend 90 m upwards and continue along the clearly defined ridge to the slabs. Bypass the slabs on the right (40–50 m) and reach the first ascent. From the ridge, move right to bypass the ascent (8 m), then climb 20 m upwards along the wall of the ascent (piton protection!) and reach the