Ascent on Erydag (3925m), Caucasus, Mountains of Dagestan, Chekhy-Tchay gorge / Climb / Mountain.RU

The route passes via the centre of the right bastion of Erydag, North-West face. As the matter of fact, it is unique on this face (without consideration bastions more to the left from "Kolodets (Well)" on Erydag North-North-West exposition), more to the right the bastion smoothly passes in the West face of Erydag. The route is very cold due to its NNW exposition. Only the route "Cold corner" via the North face (P.Leonov, 96) with smaller daylight is colder. The sun on the centre of the bastion appears at 15.30, and leaves at 17.15 (at the end of February). The route is very cold and windy. Problems with water can appear as in summer, and in winter.

Hi-Res Photo
The-man team Sokogon-Voronin is fixing the rope from R4, the photo is taken from fixed rope at R2.

The route consists of two equal parts; a bottom part is a monolithic and very abrupt wall with a very pour surface of very firm limestone, almost like marble. The line of the route is almost vertical and adheres to a black smudge here. It is impossible to leave aside in the centre of the wall. The upper part – upper the kar- is less abrupt, but corners alternate with very abrupt sites, the surface is very torn and heavy destroyed in places. The walls are of tile structure; we climbed hard even on not so abrupt sites and the last pitches before getting onto the plateau are abrupt and hanging too. The beginning of the route is in the lowest point of the bastion behind the left corner and presents a system of corners (2,5 pitches): slanting slippery ledges interrupt the corner in 4 places. The rocks are monolithic and have good cracks under pitons and chocks, but the corners are very abrupt, with small cornices up to 1 meter of width in places. We bypassed them on rocks. There are sites of "mutton foreheads" rocks too. In good weather you can free climb the corners (pitches 0 - 7). The corner leads to the long (up to 15m) (pitches 7 - 8) narrow ledge, the fissure leading right to the crack under the cornice begins from there. We used AID climbing devices to climb its abrupt part (big hexes and friends, camalots) (pitches 8 - 9). After the crack there is a small ledge for two climbers. From the ledge AID climbing vertically upwards along the fissure bypassing the 1,5m-cornice (at the left) (pitches 9 - 10), then AID climbing on the wall to the right - upwards around of the cornice hanging in 30m. R4 is at its right edge. The entire route from here and upper (up to R7) we used sky hooks, bolted sometimes holes to set them. There are deaf horizontal cracks that cut the wall in places, sometimes rather wide, where it is convenient to use a long sky hooks and ice fi-fi. We had to climb very intensively with sky hooks.

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1. Route of the team: via the centre of right bastion NW face, 6À.
2. Route via the right "cold corner" NW face, 5B, Leonov, 1996.
3. Route via the left edging, W face, 5B, Polyakov, 1980.
4. A variant of Polyakov's route, 5B, Pleskovsky, 1987.

AID Climbing from R4 upwards and hardly to the right via complex rocky site: the steepness grows, the wall hangs in places. It is a very complex site with minimal microrelief (pitches 11 - 12), further the wall hardly lies, and we climbed on the deaf rather narrow licked crack (pitches 12 - 13) up to a small narrow ledge. We spent the night there (portaledge). This small ledge allows us to live more comfortably on the wall. Further, adhering to a smudge on which there are more bowls for sky hooks and the breed is softer, we could easier bolt and aid climbed vertically upwards. We could hard go onto the wall from horizontal cracks through a stomach because the wall hangs above cracks in places (pitches 13 - 15). From R6 pitch aid climbing upwards: the surface is smooth, a sky hook hardly holds, few bowls, (pitches 15 - 16) at the end of the site we went to the left into a corner and on a small convenient ledge in the basis of an abrupt corner. On the corner (pitches 16-17), on the cracks of the right part (friends, chocks, pitons), then to the left under overhanging and a heavy traverse to the right - upwards from there, rocks are destroyed, there is almost conglomerate, it is difficult to bolt (all bolts loosen). The bend and the entrance in the kar are close from there. Here we got organised to lead R7. Then there was aid climbing further on unpleasant kar rocks (pitches 18 - 19). Then we spent the night (portaledge) under the hanging rock. We left the kar and via the system of corners (pitches 19 - 22) (tile rocks, complex climbing) we approached under the wall with a corner and a crevice (pitches 22 - 23) suitable under camalots and gexes. The site was difficult, but we climbed it with pleasure, against the positive wall sites higher the kar. Up to R10 upward to the right on very dangerous and destroyed rocks (pitches 23 - 25). On the corner (pitches 25 - 27) upwards there are destroyed rocks and the corner passes in an abrupt chimney and deduces to the big corner with crack. From there is an opportunity to make a trip to the left in “Cold corner”, but it can take a pitch and a half of aid climbing. Further movement to the right on cracks: oblique traverse under the wall behind the external corner via the system of ledges to R13 (pitches 27 - 30). We had to move very accurately traversing clean (1|2 pitch), few times we had to lower a little. You have to enter the corner with strongly hanging in its average part; then through a ledge we bolted and left on a balcony (pitches 30 - 31) and then via the system of corners we went on the summit plateau. It is more convenient to fixed the rope at the left side, on the block of 3620 m. On the plateau we reached the summit tower on taluses and the "mutton foreheads" rocks and ascended the rising slope (3À graded: from the plateau on West ridge) (pitches 33 - 34), then on the wall and a chimney to the summit ridge (pitches 34 - 36) and finally via the ridge right to the summit (pitches 36 - 38). Descent was going via the route of 2À graded to the plateau and then to "Gate", and on ridges right to the base camp at 2300 m. It takes about 5 - 7 hours.

THE REVIEW OF ASCENT’s AREA

Erydag massif is located in short, but high Northeast spur of Main Caucasian Range. The plateau is entirely almost located in Azerbaijan, particularly, the highest point of plateau Yarudag (4116m) is located abroad, but the wall in itself is in Dagestan. The wall has differences of the altitude from 300 m up to 1000 m. There are a lot of very complicated routes on the wall still unclimbed, as more to the left and more to the right of Bolshoi kolodets (Big well). Jurassic metamorphised stratums form the wall. The average steepness of the wall is 70 degrees, but in places there are extended abrupt sites and overhangings. Climate in the area is droughty and hot in the summer. We had a problem to get water on the wall. In winter frosty dry weather holds, periods of bad weather last usually no more than 2-3 days. Problems with water can appear in winter, because snow on the wall does not lie, winds blow it off, and also because of dryness of air.

Arrival in the area is from Makhachkala via a federal highway "Caucasus" on the south up to the settlement of Novo - Goptsakh (180 km) and further to the right, upwards the river Samur up to the settlement Usukhchai (25 km) (700 m). Then to the left upwards the river Chekhy-Chai up to the settlement of Kurush (250 km) (2500 ì). It takes about 6 - 8 hours. From the settlement of Kurush - down to merge of the rivers Chekhy-Chai and Selda (2250 m) where base "Erydag" of search and rescue service of the Ministry of Emergency Measures of Russia is situated on a terrace (30 min) (it is possible to go round by car). Further over two bridges to a slope and to move in a direction of the wall and its bastion. There are the platforms with stones and the big cairn more to the left from ouval directly under "Polyakovskaya" ledge in 2 - 2,5 hours from the valley. The ABC camp is settled here at 2800 m. There is no water in winter there, but you can find it if to go more to the right in stones or 20-min down to the glade. The way under the centre of a bastion under its lowest part goes from the camp to the left - uphill through a blockage of large stone blocks. Here hardly to the left, behind a corner the route begins: the corner deducing to the crack. The start altitude 3020 m. From ABC - 0,5 hours.

TEAM's TACTICS

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The bottom part of the bastion

The present route Dagestan team tried to climb in February, 1999 (Dorro K., Aliev S., Smotrov S., Gorjaev A., Shanavazov S., Sokogon V.). The team climbed up to R3 for three days and had to descend because of shortage of time, insufficient readiness and low spirits. The bastion is very abrupt: it is one of the most abrupt parts of the wall. There is no any convenient place for spending the night on the first half of the route (as it appeared later - and on the second). Therefore we choose the tactics of the maximal fixing processing from ABC under the wall, and further the three-man team set a portaledge and continued fixing the rope from it up to the kar and up to the following place of spending the night. Then the two-man team left ABC, and everyone continued the ascent. The leader works with unary rope "Edelveis" of 10,5 mm and used it for fixing. The group had 8 50m-ropes, all of them were fixed, 3 bottom ones were dumped on talus. On February, 16 the team made first full carry to ABC, settled the camp and checked equipment. A two-man team Voronin-Sokogon started to fix the route at 15.00. By 17.00 they fixed 45m up to R1, and descended at 17.30. Dorro, Goryaev descended to the base camp.

On February, 17, a two-man team Voronin-Sokogon continued fixing until bad weather began: heavy snowing, wind, small avalanches. This day the guys managed to climb up to R3 - 90 m. (12.00-17.00).

Hi-Res Photo
Voronin is climbing the cornice upper R3

On February, 18, a two-man team Voronin - Slobodenyuk worked (10.00-17.30). For this day they fixed 25 m (15 m - pitches 10 - 11). The most difficult pitches of the route began. Dorro and Goryaev came from BC in ABC with a cargo of equipment and food.

On February, 19, a two-man team Dorro - Goryaev worked. It was very strong frost, the thermometer in BC showed -23C. Dorro broke one by one two sky hooks (because of the strong frost or they could be overheated or overweighed- 95 kg plus equipment). On the second time Dorro fell 10 m, fortunately without traumas. We replaced the sky hook (in total the team had 10 sky hooks of five kinds under a different relief). 20 m - for a day, up to R4.

On February, 20, a two-man team Voronin-Sokogon worked (8.00 - 17.30). 25 m of rope was fixed on a heavy and abrupt site. We had to wake up early at 5.30 - 6.00, and the trip via fixed ropes under the route took a lot of time. This day Dorro went from ABC with a gear and a portaledge and set it on the ledge (pitches 7 - 8) and hauled it on R4 where Voronin belayed from the hammock: it was more convenient and warmer to do that.

Hi-Res Photo
Voronin works upper R6 (AID climbing, sky hook, bolts).

On February, 21, a two-man team Voronin - Slobodenyuk worked on the wall (8.00-17.30). 20 m up to R5 and further 15 m (pitches 13 - 14). There we found more - less convenient place for camp.

On February, 22 at 10.30 Dorro, Sokogon, Voronin went on the wall hauling gear, tent, food, water for two days working... The portaledge was hauled from R4 to R5. Voronin set it and organised a camp. The guys hardly hauled the cargo, but they did not pull it but lift it on the fixed rope. The cargo was suspended on a harness on 1,5 m below, it allowed it to be under control and took aside the wall. We worked on two clips (right and left), left - on a leg with fixing under a knee. During a pitch we left 2 - 3 points of fastening where the line was fixed by a stirrup, as we used "dynamic" ropes, which were less sprigged. The guys worked from 15.00 till 17.30. Dorro led 15 m (pitches 13 - 14) and descended to the portaledge.

On February, 23 very bad weather began at night. The portaledge was established in small (5 m) distance from the wall on braces, and snow did not fill the space between the wall and the tent. In tent it is a lot of condensate and hoarfrost, all the things became wet, haul bags rescued only. It was snowing in the second half of the day, and snow carpet reached about one meter. At last the weather gave us a "window" and at 14.30 Sokogon began fixing, and from 15.00 till 17.00 he climbed 10 m (pitches 14 - 15). Voronin belayed him, staying in the portaledge, through a harness and Figure 8 (as well as on a route); in addition safety rope was clipped in a pitch karabin. It gives the maximal safety and convenience of work with a rope, and also softer detention at fall. By 17.30 Sokogon descended to the portaledge. Periodically the leader and the portaledge little avalanches covered.

Hi-Res Photo
Portaledge of the camp at 3370 m. Dorro and Voronin are in tent.

On February, 24 it was very frosty at night and very windy. At 10.00 Voronin and Dorro started to work on the wall: aid climbing on very poor microrelief. They had to bolt sometimes. Hanging at R6 Dorro belayed him. Voronin finished pitches 14 - 15 and made pitches 15 - 16 (only 25m) from 10.00 till 17.00. At 17.30 they descended to the portaledge.

On February, 25, Dorro- Sokogon worked (10.00-18.00). Dorro hardly climbed the top part of the corner using pitons and bolts (pitches 17 - 18): it was the beginning of the kar. There are strongly destroyed tile rocks, it seemed water streamed there and everything was lively here in summer. Aid climbing Dorro had two bolts simultaneously taken off and he fell on 8 m from the hanging top part. He was not injured and managed to climb back by himself. Finally he had to bolt in unsteady plate. At the end of work the punch (already the third for the ascent) was broken, and R7 was not organised very reliable. We climbed 25 m for a day and descend by 18.00. It total we made 7 pitches on the wall.

On February, 26 we took of the camp and the gear and Sokogon and Voronin left with the cargo to continue fixing. Dorro removed the portaledge. The two-man team climbed R8 and further R9 (90 m). Dorro hauled the portaledge and the gear from R7 on R8 and began to organise the camp at R8. We could hardly climb the kar: there was a lot of snow, the surface was not visible, we had to dig out the ropes and aid climbed on the wall of 60 degree. But we did not have any problem with water at spending the night. Though we veiled the portaledge by awning all the same the tent two times was punched by stones and one bolt, the leader dropped. On February, 27 all five of us together spent the night despite of narrowness in the tent on the portaledge because of the bad weather. The dimensions of our portaledge: self-made, duraluminium 40 mm poles ,195 x 135. Goryaev - Slobodenyuk worked this day on the route (10.00-17.30). Having already climbed to the end the pitch 25 - 26 Goryaev got pendulum falling rather deep (7m) because of the snow-covered relief (very much destroyed finely block) relief: during pitch organisation he bolted and his feet lost fulcrum. But everything turned out all right.

On February, 28 Voronin - Goryaev worked (10.00- 18.00). We planned to consider a variant to get "Cold corner" and to lead the route through it in case of the big difficulties above. From R11 Dorro climbed to the left upwards, as it appeared there was not easy passage there. He climbed on plates and a crack of 30 m and descended. The team decided to move upwards and hardly to the right on the corner of the Bastion. Voronin made two pitches and left on the system of the corners deducing on the plateau already behind the external corner of the bastion. By this time (14.00), the ropes were taken off and the portaledge was hauled on R11. Slobodenyuk hauled the ropes and gear to R13. Dorro - Sokogon set the portaledge and prepared a camp. At 17.00 Voronin made last two very abrupt pitches in excellent rate and fixed the rope on the plateau. Rather dry and not so frosty day allowed him to climb in rocky shoes (it was only the second day when the leader could work without boots). At 18.00 all of us gathered in the portaledge.

On February, 29 we started to work on the wall at 10.00. We took off the camp, disassembled the portaledge. And climbed the last two slanting pitches. With cargo it took us very long time. We went onto the plateau at 13.00. At 15.00 we summited. We took off the previous note (the group led by Goryaev, Erydag, Babitsky route, 6À). The team started to descend and by 17.00 we reached "Gate" and then via ridges we came to the base camp at 21.00. The team was not exhausted and had reserves of moral and physical forces. Certainly all the guys were completely satisfied.

P.S. It is remarkable, that we had no day lost: even during bad weather we worked on the wall.