Author:
Oleg Fomichev,
Tourist club of Moscow State Technical University named after N.E. Bauman
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Traverse of Bezengi
Wall, Bezengi region,
Central Caucasus, Russia
Mt. Skhara
Main, 5068m, - Mt. Lyalver, 4350m,
(5B, 5202 max)
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Route description
Part 2
5th day (11.08.97)
Packing his rucksack in the early
morning Artem fell over on an equal place. Not fastened removable lid
of his rucksack dropped out and unsuccessfully slowly slid off into
a small hole in the bergschrund. It took us about one hour to get into
the bergschrund through another hole on 25 meters and to search the
lid. But we met with failure. It was a very pity that we lost the whole
day time portion of sweet and an inedible but expensive portable radio
set “Dragon 101 +”. After searches we understood once again that the
bergschrund was a dangerous crevasse. After we dipped 25 meters it lasted
more downwards on about 30 meters at least gradually narrowed.
All the day long visibility was good.
There was no snow or snow sleet, but the constant strong wind blew and
due to it we put on all out warm things and did not take off our down
parkas since the early morning till the evening. In general weather
conditions were good.
Site (14À) - (14) We
got back on the Great Caucasus Range on a 100 m-snow-ice slope of 45
degrees via the fixed rope that we had left yesterday evening for 30
minutes.
Site (14) - (15) On
a flat southern slope of about 35 degrees near to a flat ridge climbing
two gendarmes on short snow-ice abrupt sites we moved further with alternate
leading about 100 m and the simo-climbing about 2 hours and 30 minutes
up to the Shkhara Western summit. There we took a note of a team from
Riga, Latvia, dated 01.09.1995 (4 climbers, the head - Pavlov Dmitry,
traverse Bezengi Wall from the east to the West). Shkhara Western summit
is the most difficult of approach.
Site (15) - (16).
Up to the cofferdam between Shkhara Western summit and the gendarme
of Zapadny Kupol (Western Dome) on a wide snow ridge of 25-30 degrees
and then on an abrupt rocky-snow-ice ridge of 3rd grade about 70 m on
fixed rope. 1 hour and 15 minutes (downwards).
Site (16) - (17). Up
to Western Dome via a snow-ice slope of 35-40 degrees to the left of
the ridge of 120-150 m (simo-climbing and alternate leading). 30 minutes
(upwards).
Site (17) - (18). Up
to the snow cofferdam under the 7th gendarme of Shkhara serrate (“Saw”,
“Pila” (Rus)) on an abrupt rocky-ice ridge with several rocky gendarmes
we climbed 100 m via fixed ropes (on rocky ledges and bolts) and climbed
100m (alternate leading). About 2 hours (downwards).
Site (18) - (19). Up
to the snow cofferdam between the 7th and 6th gendarmes first upwards
20m via fixed ropes on a snow slope of 35-45 degrees to the left of
the ridge to the 7th gendarme, then traverse on a snow ridge of 25 degrees
about 30 m and rappelling 40 m on rocks of the 3rd grade for an hour.
Site (19) - (20). Up
to the trough between the 6-th and 5-th gendarmes, bending around the
6-th gendarme from the right and then traverse on snow-ice slope of
40 degrees, 50 meters of fixed ropes for 30 minutes. Here in a convenient
place we stopped to spend the night.
6th day (12.08.97)
It was cloudy till the afternoon,
but visibility was good and it wasn't snowing. Right then a snowstorm
began.
Site (20) - (21) 5-th,
4-th, 3-rd and 2-nd gendarmes of Shkhara's "Pila". We had expected to
see something more terrible according the route description in Naumov's
book. But it seemed we bypassed the rocky wall of the fifth category
of complexity on more simple rocks. From the trough we ascended about
100 m on a simple snow-ice ridge (cornices!!) on the 5-th gendarme and
then on a rocky slightly snow-covered ridge with dangerous cornices
from the north. The rocks are simple and of average complexity, but
a proper safe belay needed to be organized there. If we could identify
the fourth gendarme but it was rather difficult to do that with the
3-rd and the 2-nd: they represented the ridge of high irregularity with
several elevations and set of rocky fingers, towers and dips. We climbed
that site alternate leading. Four times we had to rappel on 30 m, two
times - on 7 meters and once on 40-50 meters. Prior to the beginning
of a snowstorm we had time to pass up to a wide saddle between the first
and second gendarmes for five hours.
7th day (13.08.97)
At night and in the early morning
there was a strong wind and it was snowing. From 9.00 till 11.00 the
clouds were blown away for a short while. We enjoyed views of the blue
sky and Dykh-Tau massif. Then clouds involved everything around again
and in the evening it began snowing.
Site (21) - (22) We
ascended (alternate leading with chocks, friends, rocky ledges) the
"first" big gendarme via a rocky ridge of the 3-rd grade (about 200
m), further traversed 50 m on a very torn ridge hardly from the left
and rappelled 50 m on abrupt rocks of 3-rd - 4-th grade and reached
a snow southern slope of 35 degrees located hardly lower than Sandro
cofferdam (4800 m) between Mt. Shota Rustaveli summit (4960 m) and the
first gendarme. In total we spent about two hours.
Site
(22) - (23) Roped up we moved upwards up to the cofferdam between
Shota Rustaveli summit and the first gendarme of Shkhara serrate ("Pila")
- 20 m, further on the southern snow slope of 30 degrees to the left
of the cofferdam and about 50 m to Shota Rustaveli summit and then traversed
the northern slope of 20-25 degrees to the saddle at the Dzhangi East
summit (4540 m). About 500 m for 15 minutes. We decided not to reach
Shota Rustaveli summit because of worsening weather (visibility was
about 30 m).
Site (23) - (24). From
the saddle on a wide snow-ice slope of about 25-35 degrees we got to
the north-east ridge (about 40 degrees) of Dzhangi East summit where
had fixed the rope (about 50 m) on ice before the ridge. From there
we moved further with compass reading as visibility was 200-300 m in
rare seconds and we had to climb a wide long slope on a bearing. We
climbed about 150 m on the slope of 20-30 degrees from the left of the
northeast ridge up to Dzhangi East summit (there were dangerous cornices
on the ridge!). From Dzhangi East summit 40 m of fixed rope and 40 downwards
(simo-climbing) on a snow northern slope of 45-35 degrees near to the
ridge up to a snow saddle. It was a good place where we managed to shelter
ourselves from the wind. In total 1 hour and 20 minutes. We had time
to go further, but because of absolutely bad visibility it was very
dangerous to do.
8th day (14.08.97)
We had to have forced rest because
of constant blizzard.
9th day (15.08.97)
At about 9 am when visibility
improved up to 50-100 m and atmospheric pressure began to rise, we started
to pack quickly hoping for the beginning of good steady weather.
Site (24) - (25). As soon
as we left the saddle to the West and began to climb the southern snow
slope of 20 - 35 degrees following the ridge we understood that many
our hopes appeared just illusion. A dense cloud involved the mountains
again and visibility became no more than 20 m. But nevertheless we accurately
crept about 250 m up to "Snezhny Kupol (Snow dome)" gendarme and after
it we descended on a snow slope of 25 degrees about 50 m to a huge cosy
crevasse from the gendarme's northern side of for 20 minutes. It appeared
a very good shelter from the wind. And we became farther to sit there
and dig out from snow. The blizzard ended in the evening.
10th day (16.08.97)
In the morning till 10 am there
was remarkable weather - slices of the dark blue sky were sometimes
visible. But we did not see Dykh-Tau at all. But then clouds densely
shrouded us again and soon a strong wind and snowing began.
Site (25) - (26). Up to Dzhangi
Main (5085m) we climbed from the left of the ridge on a flat wide, snow-ice
slope of 45-50 degrees in places. 25 m, about 30 minutes.
Site (26) - (27). Up to the
saddle between of Dzhangi Main (5085m) and Dzhangi Western (5038m) summits
on a flat wide ridge for 10 minutes.
Site (27) - (28). Up to Dzhangi
Western summit on a flat snow-ice ridge (with cornices!) and a short
(25 m of fixed rope) heavy snow-covered rocky site (2-3 grade) before
the summit, about 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Site (28) - (29). Descending
from Dzhangi Western summit on the western ridge abruptly leaving downwards
we used the compass again. In a dense fog we went first on a southwest
ridge, but then had to return. The southern ridge leaves from the summit
too. Then we descended on a sharp snow-covered torn rocky ridge of 2-3
grade about 200 m downwards on fixed ropes. The rocks are strongly destroyed
with "moving" big stony plates and blocks. All the cracks were densely
filled with ice and snow and we could not use chocks and friend to organize
proper belay and had to bolt. Then we climbed about 200 m with alternate
leading on a snow-ice slope of 40 degrees hardly more to the left of
the ridge (very dangerous cornices hanging to the north!). Then we went
100 m on a flat southern slope near to the ridge (simo-climbing) and
100 meters more m on a snow-ice slope of 40 degrees (alternate leading).
Further 75 m again on heavily snow-covered rocky (2-3 grade) ridge on
fixed ropes (bolts) and 100 m on a snow-ice slope of 40 degrees near
to the ridge (alternate leading, ice axes, ice screws) . Then 150 meters
more up to the Halde cofferdam before the rocky gendarme "Plosky (Flat)"
on a flat snow slope to the left of the ridge (simo-climbing). We could
not find any convenient place for tent from the saddle between Dzhangi
Main and Dzhangi Western summits up to a saddle of "Plosky (Flat)" gendarme.
It would be rather problematic to dig a platform or a cave at Halde
cofferdam in snow-ice slope of 40 degrees because of that fact that
the layer of snow with a layer of thin ice was about 30 cm, there was
firm ice deeper. We had to descend from Dzhangi Western summit up to
a place of spending the night in very severe condition: visibility varied
from 3 up to 100 m (about 30 m on the average), a constant strong southern
wind, sometimes with snow showers. A lot of time we spent clearing our
way on strongly snow-covered destroyed rocks and on the organization
belay (with ice screws) as we had to dig up to ice the "pie" of snow
and ice only using an ice axe. From Dzhangi Western summit under Plosky
gendarme we got for 7 hours.
Site (29) - (29À). On Halde
cofferdam we were looking for a place under our tent a lot of time.
One time we noticed a bergschrund on a southern snow-ice slope about
45 degrees in 130 m lower than the cofferdam of Plosky gendarme. We
descended to it on fixed rope for 40 mines on the left side of a wide
snow-ice slope - couloir. On the right side there was a potential danger
of rock falls from the gendarme. Having found a safe place in the bergschrund
we stayed there to spend the night. The slope below gradually began
to be more flat from 35 up to 20 degrees. And it is possible to dig
out a place under a tent there too. In the evening this slope with rare
crevasses looked through for about 1 km downwards. Then the quantity
of crevasses increased, the glacier became narrower, and an icefall
begins, where, probably, nobody has been before.
11 day (17.08.97)
All the day long a very strong
wind blew above the ridge. Till 10 am we could see the dark blue sky.
Then again clouds appeared and we were not pleased with the visibility
of about 20-30 m.
Site (29À) - (30). A wide
snow-ice couloir of about 45 degrees leaves to the west of rocks of
the gendarme "Plosky (Flat)" to snow cofferdams of the ridge. More to
the left of the cofferdams the ridge of Mt. Lakutsa and peak 4859 summits
is allocated before its merge with The Great Caucasus Range. From the
bergschrund we climbed 225 meters via fixed ropes on a snow-ice slope
of 40-45 degrees near the rocks of the couloir's left side up to the
second cofferdam more to the right of peak 4859. Further we traversed
25 meters on a snow-ice slope of 40 degrees, bypassing rocky sites from
the left and heading on the cofferdam closer to peak 4859. On the ridge
there was a very strong wind, a fog, visibility about 20 m. At the cofferdam
there were two small snow-ice troughs where it was possible to set a
bivy. We needed for some time to determine our location. In rare seconds
of sky clearing we could notice gendarmes of the Mt. Katyn's "saw" and
the ridge of Mt. Lakutsa. We were in a place of merge of this ridge
and The Great Caucasus Range. In total we spent about two hours. In
the trough before a rocky scarp to Bezengi glacier at about 4840 m we
set a bivy to spend the night.
12 day (18.08.97)
At night and all the next day
long a very strong wind from the south blew over the ridge. In the morning
the temperature in our tent was negative -4,7C. Without warm mittens
hands just froze up on the wind in two ups, therefore nobody offered
to go to gendarmes of the Katyn's "saw". All the same visibility was
poor- about 25 m. We got in a very difficult situation: we had food
and gas remained only for two days, and we were still far away up to
our depot left on pass N. Tsanner.
Site (30) - (31). In the morning
we took a successful reco of an abrupt ice southern slope of 45-50 degrees
that deduces from The Great Caucasus Range to Adish plateau. It began
from the ridge in 4 meters from our tent. The scout descended 50 meters
on fixed rope and had to wait for a "good" visibility for a long of
time to find the further descent route. We had luck and found it without
difficulty. We descended 350 meters more on abrupt ice slope of 45 degrees
for a bergschrund on a flat plateau of Adish glacier between the ridge
of Mt. Lakutsa and the southern ridge of Mt. Katyn (4974m) fixed the
rope first to an ice screw that our tent had been fixed. We reached
the bergschrund (400 meters) via fixed ropes for 2 hours and managed
to overcome the four-meter bergschrund via a huge vertical icicle.
Site (31) - (32). Up to a
plateau at merge of the main northern branch and the east branch of
Adish glacier that is located at the bottom ending of a southwest ridge
of Mt. Katyn summit we went on a closed glacier (0-20 degrees) bypassing
wide crevasses from the right and simo-climbing for 2 hours. Absence
of a strong wind was really unordinary for us. But visibility all the
same was about 20 m and we went through a full fog taking a compass
bearing. There was deep snow on the slope- we were sinking into the
snow on 20-30 cm.
Site (32) - (33). Up to the
bottom part of Katynskoe plateau (4450 m) on the right board of a wide
snow-ice couloir of 30-35 degrees between ice breaks at a southwest
ridge of Mt. Katyn and a nunatak dividing the basic branch of Adish
glacier on two arms (simo-climbing). About two hours. We moved very
slowly because we had to break trail. But finally visibility improved
and became about 300 m.
Site (33) - (34). Up to an
average part of Katynskoe plateau (altitude 4500m) on a flat closed
glacier of 0-10 degrees. About 30 minutes. At a crevasse under the slope
of Mt. Katyn we set a bivy to spend the night.
13 day (19.08.97)
All the day long there was low
overcast, but visibility was good - about 500-800 m. And a weak wind
blew.
Site (34) - (35) Up to the
south-western ridge of Mt. Gestola (4860m) on a flat glacier and a snow
slope 20 meters long. 30 minutes.
Site (35) - (36) Up to
Mt. Gestola summit on a flat wide snow-ice ridge with cornices and destroyed
rocks and taluses in places, simo-climbing, 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Site (36) - (37) Up to Churlenis
East pass (4220m) on snow-covered simple rocks and snow-ice slopes of
30-40 degrees and then up to the northern ridge of Mt. Gestola summit.
1 hour.
Site (37) - (38) Up to Churlenis
Western pass (4189m), over the Mt. 4310 summit via a snow slope of 35
degrees and a ridge. About 1 hour. We did not cut the southern slope
because of its increased avalanche danger.
Site (38) - (39) Radial ascent
up to Mt. Lyalver summit (4350m) via a snow slope of 20-30 degrees bypassing
a rocky ridge from the left. There and back 30+15 minutes.
Site (39) - (40) Beyond a
bergschrund under Churlenis Western pass to Bezengi glacier via a snow-ice
slope of 40-45 degrees 400 m on fixed (with ice axes) ropes. 1 hour
35 minutes.
Site (40) - (41) On flat Bezengi
glacier to the north under Nizhny Tsanner (3850m) pass. 15 minutes.
Site (41) - (42) Under the
ridge between Bezengi and Ortokora glaciers on flat closed Bezengi glacier,
simo-climbing, 20 minutes. At last we took off our crampons and harnesses
here.
Site (42) - (43) Up to Kel
pass through the ridge on a path on a fine talus and Ortokora glacier.
1 hour. Then 1 hour-descent up to Barankosh on a track.
Conclusions and recommendations.
1. At the present time this traverse
is not really interesting for the majority of climbers because it needs
full energies and a lot of time but practically it does not include
technically complex sites of 5-6 grades. For tourist sports groups the
full traverse is not logical too because of its possible long duration
and its danger (sites between Mt. Shkhara Main summit and Sandro cofferdam,
between Mt. Dzhangi Western and Mt. Katyn summits). It is especially
dangerous when a group does not have a radio communication with rescuers
and if its members do not have good individual climbing technique.
2. Optimum structure of a group -
4 persons, optimum time - from July, 20 till August, 20.
3. Movement on the ridge with cornices
in a fog is very dangerous. If you have slack time it is better to have
forced rest. In such conditions at poor visibility on the western ridge
of Mt. Dzhangi Main summit one cornice collapsed together with our team-mate.
Fortunately he was proper belayed from the other side of the ridge.
4. As we relied on using of chocks
we were short of bolts (12). After a blizzard all the rocks were snow-
and ice-covered and to use chocks was very problematic.
5. You should explore the description
of a difficult route before your climb. Unfortunately, for the objective
reasons, we did not make this. But the description that we had was sometimes
rather brief and inexact.
6. We had a conical shape tent. A
strong wind bent poles (dural, d=10 mm) and pressed them to the ground.
A hemisphere shape tent with 3-4 crossed poles would be better to use.
7. We had two main ropes and a secondary
one. It would be better to have three main ropes.
8. Gas consumption for one meal was
40-50 g/a person.
9. We had a heavy pressure cooker
on 4.5 liters. It is better to choose thin-walled utensils.
Control points of sites.
1 Dzhangi-Kosh (Austrian hut)
2 A plateau above Bezengi glacier
3, 4 On a north-west buttress
of the northeast ridge of Mt. Shkhara Main summit
5,6,7,8, 9, 11 On the north-east
ridge of Mt. Shkhara Main summit
10 Mt. Shkhara East summit (5057
m)
12 Mt. Shkhara Main summit (5068
m)
13, 14, 14Á On the western ridge
of Mt. Shkhara Main summit
15 Mt. Shkhara Western summit
16 The cofferdam between Mt.
Shkhara Western summit and Zapadny Kupol (Western Dome) gendarme
17 Zapadny Kupol (Western Dome)
gendarme
19 Between 8-th and 7-th gendarmes
of Mt. Shkhara "saw"
20 Between 7-th and 6-th gendarmes
of Mt. Shkhara "saw"
21 Between 1-st and 2-nd gendarmes
of Mt. Shkhara "saw"
22 Sandro cofferdam (4800 m)
23 Between Mt. Shota Rustaveli
and Mt. Dzhangi East summits
23À Mt. Dzhangi East summit
(4540 m)
24 Between Mt. Dzhangi East
summit and Snezhny Kupol (Snow Dome) gendarme
25 A crevasse at Snezhny Kupol
(Snow Dome) gendarme
26 Mt. Dzhangi Main summit (5085m)
27 Between Mt. Dzhangi Main
(5085m) and Mt. Dzhangi Western (5038m) summits
28 Mt. Dzhangi Western summit
(5038m)
29 Halde cofferdam
29À A bergschrund of Halde glacier
30 Halde-Adish Pass
31 A bergschrund of Adish glacier
32 A plateau of Adish glacier
at a southern ridge of Mt. Katyn summit (4974m)
33 Katyn Plateau, bottom part
34 Katyn Plateau, average part
35 A southwest ridge of Mt.
Gestola summit
36 Mt. Gestola summit (4860m)
37 Churlenis East pass (4220m)
38 Churlenis Western pass (4189
m)
39 Mt. Lyalver summit (4350m)
40 Bezengi glacier at Churlenis
Western pass
41 A plateau of Bezengi glacier
at Nizhny Tsanner pass.
42 At the ridge between Bezengi
glacier and Ortokara glacier
43 Kel pass (3600m)
44 Barankosh