Report about the ascent to the summit Nakra along the “Italy Couloir” made by group of alpinists of the Pyatigorsk alpinistic club “Freeline” on the 24 th -25 th of May 2007.

Members of the team:
Mikhail Popov
Evgeny Pismenniy

Even old-timer couldn't remember such a steady warm May. That month we managed to go to Arhiz with beginners, to make an ascent to Small Donguz-Orun along the route of 2A grade of difficulty.

When we were climbing to the small Donguz-Orun, we got a wonderful opportunity to watch the “ Italy couloir”. We must say that we had been going to make an ascent to the Nakra along this couloir for a long time and gathered information about that route. The state of the route was nearly ideal: nothing was falling down along the couloir, there were no cornices, upper two thirds of the route were presented by pure ice. The weather was unusually fine. From the op of the Small Donguz-Orun I called to Evgeny. He was descending from the Elbrus, convoying the group of foreigners. It was decided – the next day we were going to meet in Essentuki and we planned to make an ascent to the Nakra the day after the next. On the 23 rd of Way we were near the first turn of the rope way. Along a very good path we traversed the slope in the direction of the Nakra. Along a snow bridge we crossed the river and went up to the Donguz-Orun glacier. Along the glacier went just to the bottom of the route, at the end of the right bank of moraine there was a place where we planned to pass the night. We came there early, so we had time to admire the beauty and clearness of the line of our route. From the lace we watch it, it “lay down”, and it was difficult to believe that the climb between the glacier and way out to the edge came to 1100 meters .

We discussed the tactic of future ascent: we were going to set off at 2:00 p.m., snow part of the route, up to the narrow “mouth” we would pass without tearing together: there was no sense to do it as belay on such a crumbly snow was relative only. As for ice part of the route, we planned to pass it synchronously, organizing belay on ice-screws.

In the morning we set off according our plan. Snow part of the route was not difficult. Just in front of the “mouth” snow steepness went to 50 degrees. There we tore together, but there was no place where belay could be organized, so the “mouth” – 10 meters of rocks covered with ice we passed synchronously. From that place we tuned to the left, under the protection of rocks. That part of the route took us 5 hours. The sun began to illumine slopes and, according to our accounts, everything that was going to fall down, flew along the right side of the couloir to the “mouth”. Our accounts appeared true. 10 minutes later the moment when the sun lighted the top, “bombardment” started. Pieces of ice and stones flew above us and to the right from us.

At the rocks we made the first station but, it was made mostly in order to clear our conscience as stones were not reliable. Along the edge of rocks and snow, turning a little bit to the right, we passed three ropes synchronously, and, finally, reached long-awaited ice, we became able to make reliable station, to organize fine belay. Average steepness of ice was 60 degrees. We passed three ropes synchronously, but didn't like the idea. Firstly – we dad already got very tired, secondly – in some of the places steepness of ice went to 70 degrees, thirdly – we came across our usual Russian slovenliness: only one of three ice tools and one ice-axe was sharpened, Evgeny's crampons could stick into rotten stump only.

Further we came across 400- 450 meters of continuous hard work. Passing the last ropes we got exhausted up to the end. We worked “automatically”. The only thing I remember:

Two blows made by tool, three – by crampons, two blows by tool, three – by crampons…

As being half asleep I heard Evgeny's voice: “put an ice screw”.

• I am putting.
Again: tool, crampons…

• I'm putting an ice-screw… Station is here.

I out one belaying device to the fixed rope, with the help of another I belay Evgeny, the rucksack is hanged to a karabiner, I am hanging in a harness.

• Shit, it has squeezed my kidneys and hips, but, however, it is short rest...

While Evgeny was doing something on the previous station I managed to fall asleep.

Periodically like large-calibrated bullets stones flew down. I drew my head into shoulders, I didn't want to rise my glance.

Everything is over, we reached the edge. We couldn't believe in our happiness – there were comfortable places for passing the night. All the rise took us 15 hours. Later Evgeny said that he tried to awake me to have meals, to drink tea. But no such luck! I “switched off”.

It was so warm, that we didn't even close our tent – otherwise it was stuffy.

In the morning we set off at 7.00. We climbed a little bit to the right and below the edge.100- 150 meters later we turned to the right, to the screes. Small circus formed by north-western and south-western edges appeared in front of us. We crossed it to the right in its upper part, in the direction of the noticeable ledge, transforming into interior angle in right bottom part of south-western edge. We came to the edge . There was a “ road ”. That strip could be passed by pleasant climbing, not more difficult than of III grade of difficulty, for 150- 200 m . Then along the edge we turned to the right, to the top.

Rise to the top took us 2 hours.

We took the note written by tourists from Perm in 1998. Then we very quickly went down. The weather became worse and there was long descent in front of us. From the place where we had passed the night we went on descending along the N-W edge. In 70 meters from there we came across an outstanding rock. It was passed straight forward. After passing that rock we began to move to the left from the edge and continued the descent along the ledges on the left slope of the edge. We fixed a rope only once – downwards, when we came to snow. We had to cut over the slope. Of course, it was terrifying: south slope, hard, crumbly snow, everywhere around us the avalanches were running down, but we had nothing to do.

We descended to Georgia along the glacier, crossed it to the right in the direction of noticeable counterfort. Along that counterfort we again went up to the N-W edge. At that place it became less sloping. Along snow fields we went in the direction of the pass false Donguz-Orun. We stopped in about a kilometer from the pass, found a hole in the edge. At a slope of 45 degrees steep, going to the North we saw several fresh avalanches, but we had no forces to go further. We descended definitely along the line of falling water. Then we went 1-1.5 more in the direction of our base camp.

Our recommendations for following ascenders: the route is winter, it is better to go it before January, when there is no snow. During other seasons it is terrifying to climb this route as along the whole couloir, especially its right side stones are falling. It is better to set off at night time or early in the morning to reach the edge before dark.

During the ascent it is better to keep to the left side – in such a case the danger of getting into an avalanche or under falling stones is less marked.

And the last: the route is not classified. Some alpinists think it is a variant of the route of 4B grade of difficulty along the right counterfort of the northern wall. But the difference is evident. If anybody deal with it, it will be possible to make an excellent ice route of 5A grade of difficulty.