Types of Risks and Their Characteristics

For each type of human activity, a specific definition of risk can be derived. This definition also depends on the angle from which the risk is studied. In our case, for alpinism and tourism, the risks we will consider represent a condition that, if it occurs, has the potential to negatively impact the group. The difference here from more "classical" schemes is that we do not consider theoretical models but rather rely on practical ones. Thus, we take as an axiom that conditions capable of having a negative impact arise inevitably and on a constant basis. Firstly, many of them we create consciously and purposefully by setting certain frameworks and rules for navigating the route. Secondly, we are not capable of excluding all negative conditions because some of them arise independently of us. Thirdly, we almost never consider risks as conditions that can also have a positive impact on the group, as our research starts from accident rates rather than from accident-free conditions. In simple terms, our risks are "before something happens." When we work with risks as uncertain conditions, the event has not yet occurred. It is potential and will happen only with a certain degree of probability, high or low. Nevertheless, since we are considering the scheme of risks from a practical perspective, the probability itself in a mathematical sense is not of interest to us because it is not important. We suffer equally from an event that occurred with a "probability of 100%" and one with a "probability of 1%," if the impact of these events is the same. So, below we will structurally examine the risks that represent uncertain conditions capable of having a negative impact.

Report

On the first ascent of golets Babkha via the North-Eastern edge, approximately category 2B complexity, by the Baikal Alpine School team on June 1, 2020.

I. Ascent Report

Passport

1. Type of ascent — ice and snow climb.
2. Region of ascent — Central Caucasus, Main Caucasian Range, Adyr-Su valley.
3. Peak, its height, ascent route — Ullutau East, 4058 m, via rocky outcrops of the North face, West ridge (route by Yu. Chernoslvin, 1965)
4. Difficulty category — 5B
5. Route characteristics:
   • height difference of the route — 650 m
   • route length — 850 m
   • length of sections category 5 — 85 m (central part of the Big rocky outcrop)
   • length of sections category 3–4 — remaining part of the rocky outcrop

Report on the Ascent of Donguz-Orun via the North Face

Geographical Location and Sporting Characteristics of the Ascent Object

The peak Donguz-Orun (4,452 meters above sea level) is located in the Main Caucasian Range, between the Donguz-Orun pass and the Becho pass. To the west of Donguz-Orun lies the peak Nakra-Tau, essentially serving as a shoulder of Donguz-Orun. Donguz-Orun, like Elbrus to its north, is characterized by significant glaciation. All three peaks of Donguz-Orun are covered by a powerful glacier, reaching thicknesses of 120–150 meters. On the southern side, towards the Nakra valley, this glacier has natural, gentle slopes. However, on the north, northwest, and northeast, due to the steepness of the slopes forming the walls, the summit glacial shield breaks off with sheer drops. The ice is expended in these directions through ice avalanches, making the northern walls of Donguz-Orun highly dangerous to traverse. The glacier on the peaks of Donguz-Orun is often referred to as the ice "cap" or simply "cap". The peaks of Donguz-Orun have been visited by climbers multiple times, with several ascent variations available. The most well-known route is the ascent via the northern ridge (4A category of difficulty), which is traversed annually by many climbing groups. Furthermore, ascending Donguz-Orun from the west, along gentle ice and snow slopes (2B category of difficulty), is quite common. This route is also typically used for descending from the summit after ascending via the northern ridge. Notably less frequent are ascents via two other routes:

PASSPORT

1. Class — ice and snow
2. Central Caucasus, Ushbinsky spur of the Main Caucasian Range.
3. Ushba South peak (4710 m) via the icefalls of the Northwest, Northwestern wall.
4. Proposed — 6B category of difficulty, first ascent.
5. Elevation difference: 2210 m, length 3630 m, length including traverses — 3800 m. Length of sections 5–6 — 2300 m. Average steepness of main sections 40° (2500 m – 4710 m). Of these, 6 — 140 m (90°, 3030–3130); (90°, 3565–3605 m).
6. Number of pitons driven — 233: | Rock | Bolts | Chocks | Ice screws | | :--: | :-----: | :--: | :-----: | | 39/0 | 0/0 | 4/0 | 190/0 |

Ascent Passport

1. Climbing season — winter
2. Climbing area — Central Caucasus
3. Peak — Shkhelda Centralnaya 4295 m via the right edge of the northern wall.
4. Complexity category — 5B
5. Height difference — 1265 m. Length — 1635 m. Length of sections with 5–6 complexity category — 644 m.
6. Pitons driven: | Rock | Nuts | Bolts | Ice screws | | :--: | :--: | :--: | :-------: | | 43 | 40 | - | 52 |

2. Group equipment: a) standard, additional, special equipment: | main rope | - | auxiliary rope | - | | -------------------- | - | ----------------------------- | - | | carabiners | - | ice axes | - | | ice screws | - | rock hammers | - | | ice hammers | - | rock pitons | - | | ice pitons | - | crampons | - | | harness | - | protection gear | - | | rappel slings | - | piton hammers | - | | sling-extenders | - | quickdraws | - |

I. Rock class. 2. Central Caucasus. 3. Peak Shchurovsky via the bastion on the north wall. 4. 5B category of difficulty. 5. Elevation gain 825 m, length 1109 m. Length of sections with 5–6 category of difficulty — 626 m. Average steepness — 49°, of the bastion — 66°, including 116 m of 6th category sections. 6. Pitons hammered in: rock — 57, spare — 5; chocks — 48, spare — 1; ice screws — 42, spare — 0.

CLIMBING ROUTE DOCUMENT

1. Technical category.
2. Caucasus, Tsey Valley.
3. Uilpata peak via South edge of the South-West ridge.
4. Proposed category 4B, combined, first ascent.
5. Elevation gain 1000 m, length — 1400 m. Length of sections with category 5A — 40 m, 4B — 200 m. Average steepness of the main part of the route (the edge itself) 55–60° (3700–4500).
6. No pitons were left on the route.
7. Climbing time — 22 hours, duration — 3 days, including 1 day for "sitting out" bad weather.

ASCENT LOG

Bukabashi via the right part of the southern wall and the eastern ridge

(Report on the first ascent)

1. Technical category.
2. Central Caucasus, Almalykaya Ridge
3. Bukabashi via the right part of the southern wall and the eastern ridge 3500 m.
4. Supposed to be 4A category of complexity, first ascent.
5. Elevation gain: 370 m, length — 504 m. The length of sections of the 5th category of complexity — 25 m. The length of 6A-6B sections — 0 m. The average steepness of the main part of the route — 55°, the entire route — 48°.
6. Total number of pitons left on the route — 0 pcs., including: