Peak pesashha sugar. Pseashkho massif Sugar pseashkho

This will be a report in two parts. Two parts because everything happened on different days with an interval of a week, and the report is one because the goal of both events is the same, common. Something like that:).

The idea of \u200b\u200bescaping to Pseashkho Sugar in one day was born last year. Then we wanted to arrange something like a test competition, but it did not work out - Gazprom did not want to let it through the construction site, and then the weather turned bad. In November, we explored the ascent option bypassing the Psekhako ridge, through Bzerpi peak. And now we wanted to go the whole route, from the narzans through the Claw to the Sugar Pseashkho and back. So, the first part: on July 24 at 8-00 they started from narzans. We expected it at 6 in the morning, but until we reached Polyana, while we received a pass from the reserve (and thanks for giving us this early), we got along the killed (but still under construction) road to Pslukh, while the border guards wrote us down .. The three of us went - I, Sanya from Lazarevsky and Maxim from Rostov (a well-known multi-sportsman, the organizer of the Caucasus-Flight race in Lagonaki, just had a rest in our area). I described the route to Bzerpi Peak earlier, so I will give only a couple of noteworthy photos.

Just a mushroom ..

and just a tractor :).

All photos, by the way, are clickable and have geotag- i.e. tied to a map.
The forest was very damp, and when they went along the grass, it began to squish in shoes simply .. Because of the tall grass it was harder to walk than in the fall. But in abundance there were a variety of colors.

We didn’t go to the Bzerpi peak itself, because time was running out, and, in addition, we found a bypass path leading to the Bzerpie cornice.

The trail passes through the lowering between Tabunnaya and Bzerpi Peak, a kind of pass where there are places for sleeping and several swampy puddles.

View of the Bzerpsky eaves.

The house passed around 13-00, at 13-20 crossed Pslukh and headed towards Sugar.

It began to rain, which was getting stronger as it approached the second tributary. Having discussed the situation, at 14-30 they turned back. They returned to the narzans around 20-00. That's the whole first part. Conclusion: this route option is too heavy for a one-day trip, plus difficulties with border guards. But then they decided to check another option ..

So, the second part. On July 31, at 9-30, together with Sanya, we start from the top station of the cable car of Gazprom. This time, the weather was more fortunate, and the road along the Psekhako ridge was partially cleared.

In 40 minutes we reach the beginning of the trail, then another 40- to the border of the forest, where we meet descending groups.

For another 40 minutes we go along the trail leading to the Bzerp cornice with a traverse.

We pass the house at 11-30.

We approach the place where you need to turn into the Pslukh gorge, this time from here the final goal is already visible - the peak of the Sugar Pseashkho.

We go along the left side of the gorge, gradually rising. The path is overgrown with grass, sometimes in the height of a person, because of this it’s quite difficult to go through the heat, it does not blow over with a breeze. By 13-10 we approach the second tributary. Sugar is fogged, but periodically the top is visible. There are two tents on the overnight stays.

We start the ascent from the nights at 13-20. We go to the left of the ridge, adhering to a dry ravine.

A beaten path is not observed, but turiks are found.

The climb option is much safer than the one on which we are. For half an hour we go to the ridge and go further along it. Suddenly, a figure emerges from the fog with a large tripod in his hands, and then two more. They are surprised that we are going so late, and they promise us another 5 hours of ascent. Even more surprised when we say that a month earlier we climbed to the top in two and a half hours. We wish each other good luck and disagree. In fact, I understand that we will go longer now - in June we walked in the morning, rested and more or less acclimatized. And now height and fatigue begin to be felt - shortness of breath appears, muscle soreness is felt in the legs. But we continue to rise. In the place where you need to traverse to go to another ridge, we stop, wait until the fog stretches to choose the optimal path

Around the middle of the beam, behind the stream, we meet a herd of tours.

We climb a little along the grassy-talus slope, bypassing the small rocky outcrops, and then go to the right to the ridge.

There are no difficulties, and at 17-10 we reach the top, as usual, in complete fog :). We sit for about 40 minutes, hoping to see the surrounding panorama. The peak itself is periodically lit by the sun.

The sun projects our shadows onto the fog.

So without seeing anything around, we begin the descent.

Ordinary fog is replaced by a shallow water suspension, which blinds me to my glasses, I have to constantly wipe them. We get down strictly along the ascent path; this is the most optimal path. We leave for nights at 19-40, there are no more tents. It starts to rain, from the wet grass in the shoes, water immediately begins to squish. On approaching the first tributary, Sanya, slightly behind, loses the path (although it is quite well packed). I am waiting for him near the stream, then I am returning along the path, it is quiet. Fog, nothing is visible beyond 10 meters. Then Sanya still found, crossed a stream above the path and went down. We lost at least half an hour looking for each other .. Next we go, swapping places, Sanya ahead. Because of the rain, we go rather slowly, slippery. We pass the house on the Bzerp cornice at the tenth hour. It got dark, but we prudently grabbed the flashlights. At 12 we pass the upper station of the cable car and go further along the road. Then we were lucky, picked up a passing Kamaz. At one in the morning we are already near the car waiting for us in Esto-Sadka.
So, the conclusions: 1. Need to train :). 2. It is advisable to get to the start place early, i.e. Throw in by car early in the morning when the cable car is still not working. 3. Rain slows down the movement very much (it becomes slippery), but as a rule, it goes closer in the evening. In general, it is quite realistic for a trained person to go the route for daylight hours. And the monsters running to Elbrus in two hours, may well have time to escape and during the operation of the cable car :). The route is in some ways harder than on Elbrus, mainly due to overgrown paths. But at the same time it’s safe enough - even in bad weather you can safely go down without the risk of freezing (although there is a risk of getting lost). The length of the route from the upper station of the cable car to the top of the Sahara Pseashkho is 16 km, the height difference is almost 2 km. So I invite everyone to test themselves on September 10th at the Sugar Marathon;).
Details later.

Hands reached the photographs from a hike in the mountains of the Caucasian Biosphere Reserve on July 1-3. I look through the photos and understand that I want to go there again! Untouched by man, pristine nature, good people nearby, an interesting route left an indelible impression. Thanks a lot to Yura Vartanov yvar   who organized this event and invited to participate in it!

At its core, the campaign was training - as preparation for the autumn sports campaign of the 2nd category of complexity. When passing the route, we went through 2 category passes - the Stroiteley pass (1B, 2800 m) and the Marble pass (1B *, 2800 m), and both passes were completed on the same day - and for training purposes, it seems to me very cool: )

The campaign area is the Pseashkho massif, located 20 km from the village of Krasnaya Polyana, in the upper reaches of the rivers Urushten, Malaya Laba, Psluh, on the territory of the Caucasian Natural Biosphere Reserve. Belongs to the Main Caucasus Range. You can read about the Pseashkho massif.

In this campaign I was interested in a lot - to get to this part of the Caucasus Nature Reserve, to visit the mountains, to evaluate whether I need an autumn deuce, to find out what category passes are and see glaciers. All goals have been successfully achieved. The reserve is amazing! In the deuce - I’ll go! Categorical passes make the trip a great adventure! And glaciers - although small, accessible and not dangerous, for a person who has not seen anything like it - cause some kind of unrealistic feeling of eternity. When I walked along the Pseashkho glacier, surrounded by harsh, steep cliffs, this feeling did not leave me - it is all eternal, it has always been here, is and will always be. And I, so tiny as an ant, am not the king of nature. I am the same species as all the animals that inhabit these mountains - I am just like them, just part of nature. This is truly an unusual, incomparable sensation. And I really want to feel it again and again.

And this is our track:

View of the mountains at the beginning of our journey, almost on the border with the reserve:

After climbing up the path to the so-called "Gate":

And this is a reserve:

View from the reserve on the village of Krasnaya Polyana and the construction of Olympic sports facilities:

Blooming rhododendron (by the way, about here we met a female Caucasian grouse):

Inspection House:

The first snowfields when climbing to the Builders pass:

And this is our group already at the pass, we are waiting for the lagging ones:

A small panorama from the Builders pass on the Pseashkho glacier:

A few vegetation among rocky scree:

Descent down the glacier. A gently sloping valley-type glacier, covered with snow, we did not even put cats on it:

View of the glacial circus after passing the glacier:

After descending the cliffs to the very bottom, to the raging small river flowing from the glacier, we rested and went up again - to the Mramorny pass. Very interesting pass. Feels like. Because the steepness of the slope was about 45 degrees, it began to rain with hail and did not even go, but had to climb up a narrow ridge. It turned out that my phobia of height did not completely disappear, as I had previously thought. Of the 8 people, I was the 7th in experience, but I went in, or rather, I flew to the pass 3rd :)

View from the Maramorny pass to the highest point of the Krasnodar Territory, the city of Tsakhvoa (3345m):

Descent down the Marble Glacier:

Bottom view of the pass:

And this is after spending the night on the shore of the river of the same name Mramornaya:

pseashkho massif overlooking the Kholodny glacier:

We went on a four-day light trip around the Caucasian Biosphere Reserve. I wanted to finally get away from Krasnaya Polyana and go to some top 3000+. The final route was as follows: climb the Gazprom cable car to Pikhtovaya Polyana - climb the Bear Gate; camp on the headwaters of the Psluh River; climb the Sakharny Pseashkho Mountain (3,169 m); walk through the Pseashkho Pass to Camp Cold; and Fir Glade back to the cable car.

Starting in the afternoon from the top station of the Gazprom cable car, in the evening we reached the Bzerpinsky cornice

Already in the first hours of the trek it became clear that we were not mistaken in choosing the time for the trek!

Everything blooms in the mountains, including rhododendron

In a wonderful house on the Bzerpinsk cornice, employees of the reserve are based, who once again checked our documents for us on the first day of the trip. The reserve on the castle, do not slip! And it is right.

Trail to the Pslukh River Valley and to the Pseashkh Pass

In the valley of one of the tributaries of the Pslukh River, we met a sympathetic teddy bear. He sat under a rock and apparently guarded a herd of five roe deer, which was grazed above. Seeing us, the taptigin hastily retreated :)

Partly snow lies even below, in narrow valleys

Sugar Pseashkho finally appeared (on the right) - today's goal!

By 9 a.m., we finally got out onto the western ridge of Sugar Pseashkho. From here begins the climb itself!

Three hours of climbing, and now, finally, the last meters to the desired peak !!!

Jura at the top of the Sugar Pseashkho tour

The descent from the mountain took place in difficult weather conditions! Without GPS, finding the trigger lane would be oh, how difficult ..

After yesterday’s ascent to the Sugar Pseashkho, we decided to relax and take a light walk to the Kholodny camp

Meadow flowers on the Pseashkh pass (2014 m)

Wade across the Cold River at the camp of the same name. A brand new suspension bridge a hundred meters from the ford was noticed only on the way back :)

On the way back "ran" to the Jitaku Valley

On the pass, Yurka, like an old yogi, trained in the formation of clouds

Urushten River Valley

Our camp in the canyon of the Psluch creek

In the evening there was a delicious cheese soup with onions in the bite!

On the Bzerpinsky cornice with tourists from Maykop

Descent through the magical forest to the cable car

Map of the trip to the Sugar Pseashkho and Camp Cold

Boris Alexander Tarchevsky allowed this article to be published on the Internet several years ago, then I had the opportunity to publish articles on the website of our club. But it was not as convenient as we thought. Now I have rewritten it for the blog format and am posting here. Let it be. In addition, my photographs were also used here.

Boris Aleksandrovich - referent of the Sochi branch of the Russian Geographical Society. We went on several hikes. He studies including glaciers and lakes of the Caucasus. And in this article, he gave the most complete of all available sources so far, a geographical and tourist description of the Pseashkho massif (Caucasian reserve).

Mount Pseashkho is located in the Western Caucasus, 20 km from the village of Krasnaya Polyana in the upper reaches of the rivers Urushten, Malaya Laba, Psluh and belongs to the Main Caucasian Range.

1 - (photo "massif of Mount Pseashkho, Marble - view from the horizon of Khmelevsky")

  2 - (photo “massif of Mount Pseashkho - view from the Aibga ridge (third circus)”)

  3 - (photo “massif of Mount Pseashkho - view from the Aibga ridge”)

The toponym “Pseashkho” is translated from the Adyghe language as “a high-water mountain” (apparently due to the presence of a large number of glaciers and rivers flowing from them). On the old maps they often wrote “Pseashkho”, on modern topographic maps they began to write “Pseashkho”: Sev. Pseashha, city of South. Pseashkh, Pseashkh ridge, Pseashkh glacier, per. Pseashha. Modern official maps also have the following names: Camp Kholodny, p. Cold, Glacier glacier, Marble, r. Clean, r. Mal Laba, p. Out loud. The famous geographer Yu.K. Efremov: Zap. Pseashkho, Stone Castle, Kozhevnikov peak, Bzerpi peak. Sugar Loaf Peak or Sugar Pseashkho is called the inhabitants of Krasnaya Polyana. The remaining names are given by the employees of the Caucasian reserve, tourists, glaciologists: p. Mutnaya, peak Needle, per. Builder (or Builders), per. Oilman, per. Marble, Marble glacier, Sakharny glacier, Pslukh glaciers (Upper, Middle, Lower), Cold West glacier, Cold Middle glacier, etc.

  (Figure "diagram of the massif of Mount Pseashkho")

  (massif of Mount Pseashkho - space image)

The Pseashkho massif is bounded from the west by the trough valley with the Pseashkho pass (2014.2 m, n / a). This five-kilometer valley with a width of about 500m is worked out by an ancient glacier, which now does not exist. She reached out in the direction of Yuuz-ssv. The longitudinal slope of the valley is so small that the passage of the crossing point (Pseashkho lane) can not be noticed.

  4 - (photo "stone at the Pseashkho pass")

From the south-west, the Pseashkho massif is bounded by the Pslukh river valley, from the east by the Malaya Laba and Chistaya river valleys, from the north by the Kholodnaya and Mramornaya river valleys. The southern end of the massif can be considered the Aishkha pass (2401.5 m, n / a), the northern - the Marble pass (about 2800 m, 1B *).

  5 - (photo “Marble Pass - view from the side of the Marble Glacier”)

The Pseashkho massif is a complex mountain junction with ridges of different directions and peaks from two and a half to three and a quarter kilometers in height. Here, sharp alpine landforms are characteristic: rocky narrow ridges, steep slopes and walls, peaks in the form of towers, peaks, battlements. The geological structure of the massif is complex. The massif contains rocks of different ages: gneisses, shales, marbles, conglomerates, sandstones, tuffs, porphyrites.

  (topographic map of the massif of Mount Pseashkho with toponyms)
  1 Mb map under click

  6 - (photo “Pseashkho Severny, Yuzhny - view from the Aibga ridge (third circus)”)

The Pseashkho massif from the west, from the Pseashkho pass (2014.2 m, n / a) begins with a steep spur adjacent to the summit of Western Pseashkho (2899.8 m). This peak is a node from which the spurs extend: the short south-western and two-kilometer north with peaks of 2627.8 m, 2609.1 m and 2629.4 m. East of West. Pseashkho stretches a 3.5 - kilometer high serrated ridge with peaks: 2822.0 m, 3065.2 m, Uzlovaya (about 3196 m) and South Pseashkho (3251.2 m). On the northern slopes of this ridge there are several glaciers and peaks: Razdelnaya (2700.5 m) and Stone Castle (2556.0 m).

  7 - (photo "Pseashkho Range - view from the slopes of Marble")

  8 - (photo “Pseashkho Yuzhny - view from the Pseashkho glacier”)

  (picture “view of the Pseashkho massif from Mount Urushten”)

From South Pseashkho (3251.2 m), a sharp rocky ridge extends northeast to the highest point of the entire massif - Mount North Pseashkho (3256.9 m). This section of the ridge has a length of 775 m and breaks off to the northwest to the Kholodniy glacier with an almost sheer half-kilometer wall.

From North Pseashkho (3256.9 m), the ridge goes downward to the east. The small eastern shoulder of the peak abruptly breaks down and after a deep notch rises sharply upwards in the form of a rock tower with steep walls and a flat peak (150 m from the main peak). Further on the crest three more peaks rise, significantly inferior in height to the tower. After the third peak, the ridge descends to the north and northeast to the Mramorny pass (about 2800m, 1B *).

  9 - (photo “Marble Pass - view from the side of the Chistaya River”)

750 meters north-east of the Marble Pass rises the peak of Azurite (3012.8 m, 1B), named after A.F. Brikalov, discovered at the top of the yields of this mineral.

  10 - (photo “Pseashkho Severny - view from the Dzitaku ridge”)

  11 - (photo "Cogs, Kholodny glacier - view from the upper Pslukhsky glacier")

Two spurs extend from the top of Northern Pseashkho (3256.9 m). A short steep northern ridge deeply cuts into the Mramorny glacier; here, the glacier is divided into western and central parts. The northwest ridge also abruptly goes down, bordering the western edge of the Marble Glacier. After the saddle, which is the head of the corridor along which stones constantly fall onto the Kholodny glacier (for which this couloir was nicknamed the “garbage chute”), the spur rises sharply upward with two sharp rocky teeth. These teeth are clearly visible from the camp of Kholodny. The western tooth has a mark of 2936.4 m, the eastern one is 30-40 meters lower. Further, the spur, with a decrease, goes to the northwest, dividing the basins of the Cold and Marmara rivers.

Let's go back to the South Pseashkho mountain (3251.2 m). 0.5 km west of this mountain is the Uzlovaya peak (3196m) and, further south, the Uzlovaya Shoulder (3192m).

  12 - (photo “massif of Mount Pseashkho - view from Khmelevsky’s outlook”)

From the Nodal Shoulder, the ridge with a sharp decrease goes south-southeast to the Stroitel (or Builders) pass about 2815 m high (1B) and then with a sharp rise to the knot, from which the ridges leave west and east. At 250m to the west of the site is located the peak of Saharny Pseashkho (3188.9m) or Sakharnaya Golovka peak with a 2-kilometer spur extending to the west. This peak from Krasnaya Polyana looks like a beautiful sharp peak. Whitened by winter snows, it really resembles a sugar cone (in the old days, refined sugar was produced in the form of “sugar heads” of a conical shape, hence the name of the peak).

  13 - (photo “Pseashkho Sugar, Needle-shaped peaks - view from Khmelevsky’s outlook”)

  14 - (photo “Pseashkho Sugar, needle peaks - view from the side of Lake Zerkalnoye (Achishkho)”)

  15 - (photo “Pseashkho Sugar, needle peaks - view from the Achishkho ridge”)

From the aforementioned site, a ridge extends to the east to the summit of Zelyony Klin (3164.4 m) and further to the southeast and south and after 1.4 km it reaches the nodal mark of 3004.2 m, to the east of which Kozhevnikova peak 3070 is elevated at 325 m, 6m (the peak is named after the scientist-botanist A.V. Kozhevnikov).

  16 - (photo “Kozhevnikov peak - view from the Aibga ridge (third circus)”)

  17 - (photo "Kozhevnikov peak - view from the slopes of the Needle Western peak")

  18 - (photo "Kozhevnikov peak - view from the north side of the Aishkho-1 pass")

From the peak of Kozhevnikov to the north-east and further east the spur leaves, ending in the peak of 2936.2 m. The spur is about 1 km long. From the nodal point 3004.2 m, the ridge goes south to the Aishkh pass (3.7 km). In addition to the above-described ranges, in the Pseashkho massif there is a 1.5-mile rocky ridge with a height of more than 3000 m with peaks 3154.8 m and 3168.5 m.

  19 - (photo “Peak Needle Chief - view from Peak Needle Western”)

  20 - (photo "Needle Peaks (Main, Western)")

This crest divides the two branches of the Pseashkho glacier (glaciers No. 35 and No. 36 according to the Catalog of Glaciers of the USSR). Peaks 3154.8 m and 3168.5 m and the aforementioned peak 2936.2 m on the spur of Kozhevnikov peak look very impressive from the valley of Malaya Laba. The appearance of these peaks varies greatly depending on the location of the observer. If you look at the peak 2936.2 m from the valley of Malaya Laba, near the mouth of the Mutnaya river (flows from glacier No. 36), then this peak looks like a beautiful sharp peak with a “needle-like” shape. Often they call it that - “Needle Peak”.

  21 - (photo "Needle Peak South - view from the north side of the Aishkho-1 pass")

  22 - (photo "Needle Peak South - view from the valley of the Malaya Laba River")

  23 - (photo "Kozhevnikov peaks, Needle South - view from the valley of the Malaya Laba River")

  (drawing "view of the needle peaks from the valley of Malaya Laba (from different points)")

The peak 3154.8 m visible to the right also has the appearance of a rock tower. In order not to get confused in the names of these peaks, it is proposed to name the highest of the three peaks, 3168.5 m, by the “Needle Chief Peak”. The summit of 3154.8 m is proposed to be called "Western Needle Peak", and the top of 2936.2 m in the spur of Kozhevnikov Peak is called the "South Needle Peak".

  24 - (photo "Needle peaks, Pseashkho glacier - view from the Pseashkho nodal shoulder")

  25 - (photo “Needle peak Main - view of the rise to the Builder pass”)

Pseashkho massif is interesting for its glaciation. Here you can count 11 glaciers, of which the Pseashkho glacier (glacier No. 35) is the largest glacier in the Krasnodar Territory. This is a caravan valley glacier with a length of 3 km and an area of \u200b\u200b1.5 km 2. With its upper reaches it merges with the neighboring (to the south) glacier No. 36 (area 1 km 2), as if riding a ridge separating them. Such glaciers are called intermittent. The saddle separating glaciers No. 35 and No. 36 (ice separation) is at the same time a pass called Neftyanik (2936.8 m, 1B).

  26 - (photo “Pseashkho glacier, Neftyanik pass - view from the Pseashkho nodal shoulder”)

  27 - (photo "east view from the Neftyanik pass")

The Pseashkho and No. 36 glaciers, like other Caucasus glaciers, are shrinking in size. Particularly susceptible to intense melting are parts of glaciers that are well lit by the sun, while the shadow parts of glaciers are in more favorable conditions. Pseashkho Glacier is especially intensively melting in the place where the ice flow changes direction from north-west to east. The southern branch of the Pseashkho glacier (glacier No. 36) is exposed to solar radiation and melts intensely in the summer months in the part adjacent to the southern slope of the Needle Western peak. Here, the thickness of the ice is only 2-3m, and the ice surface in the second half of summer is literally cut out by ravines with streams of melt water running through them. Pseashkho Glacier (No. 35) gives rise to the Chistaya River, glacier No. 36 to the Mutnaya River (both are left tributaries of the Malaya Laba River).

  28 - (photo "Chistaya River Valley")

To the north of the highest point of the massif (3256.9 m) is the Marble Glacier (No. 31), giving rise to the Marble River. The area of \u200b\u200bthe glacier (1km 2) is gradually decreasing due to climate warming and the disintegration of the glacier into three parts is already planned.

  29 - (photo “Marble Glacier (part of the glacier under the Marble Pass)”)

  30 - (photo “Kholodny Glacier (upper part) - view from the top of Dzitaku”)

On the northern slopes of the ridge connecting the peaks of West Pseashkho (2899.8 m), South Pseashkho (3251.2 m) and North Pseashkho (3256.9 m), there are several glaciers that used to be a single glacier. In the process of degradation, he broke into pieces. The extreme, eastern glacier is called Cold. This is a caravan-valley glacier No. 30 (according to the catalog of glaciers of the USSR) with an area of \u200b\u200b0.5 km 2. Overflowing the bowl of punishment, the glacier pushes its tongue through the crossbar into the valley, which is why it is called the Karovo-valley. The position of the end of the glacier changes periodically. So, in 1959, the tongue of the Kholodny glacier protruded beyond the crossbar and hung on its slope. In 1985, the tongue of the glacier advanced and advanced (according to the author's measurements) into the valley 20m from the foot of the crossbar. Currently, the tongue of the glacier is again on the slope of the crossbar. Thus, the Kholodny glacier is apparently a weakly pulsating glacier. It is dangerous to approach the tongue of the glacier because of the possibility of falling rock fragments and collapses of blocks of ice. From the Glacial Glacier flows the Cold River, which flows into the Urushten River.

  31 - (photo "Kholodnaya river valley - view from the upper Pslukhsky glacier")

  32 - (photo "source of the Cold River")

To the west of the Kholodny glacier, glaciers No. 29 and No. 28 are located, connected to each other by a narrow strip of ice, which may disappear in the coming years, and the glaciers will completely separate from each other. Glaciers No. 29 and No. 28 belong to the type of caravans. Glacier No. 29 (let's call it “Medium Cold”) has an area of \u200b\u200bonly 0.1 km 2. The lower part of the glacier is severely fractured by cracks, ice can collapse here, so it is dangerous to be below the glacier.

  33 - (photo “Pseashkho glaciers - view from the Dzitaku ridge”)

Glacier No. 28 (let's call it “Western Cold”) has two branches flowing around the Razdelnaya peak (2700.5 m) with currents to the north-west (large branch) and north (smaller branch, with an area of \u200b\u200b0.1 km 2). The total area of \u200b\u200bthe glacier is 0.5 km 2.

A remarkable feature of the glaciation of the massif of Mount Pseashkho is that the first glaciers from the south of the southern macro slope of the Greater Caucasus appear here. These glaciers are located at the headwaters of the first and second left tributaries of the Pslukh River. There are four glaciers in total. The largest of them is the Sakharny Kara Glacier, which occupies part of the car and the steep northwestern slope of the Sugar Loaf Mountain (3188.9 m). Its area (according to the author’s measurements) is 0.131 km 2, the mark of the upper point is 2800 m, and the lower point is 2611 m.

  34 - (photo “Sakharny Glacier - view from the pass
  Builder")

  35 - (photo “Sakharny Glacier - view from the Builder Pass”)

Three other glaciers (Pslukhskiye glaciers) used to be a single glacier, which fell into three parts during degradation.

  36 - (photo “Pseashkho Severny, Yuzhny - view from the Achishkho ridge”)

  37 - (photo "Pseashkho Severny, Yuzhny - view from Khmelevsky's outlook")

The Upper Pslukhsky glacier can be attributed to the morphological type of Karov-hanging glaciers. The glacier has a convex surface shape, is clearly visible from Krasnaya Polyana, resembling a sail filled with wind. The lower part of the glacier has a steepness of 50 °, the upper part is much poorer. The area of \u200b\u200bthe glacier is 0.052 km 2, the lowest point is 3030 m, the highest - 3200 m. About 100m from the end of the glacier, an arched shaft of the terminal moraine is clearly visible. Runoff from the glacier is carried out into two river systems (through depressions in the ridges bordering the glacier from the north and south): to the second Psluh tributary (the Mzymta river basin) by filtration through moraine deposits and to the Kholodnaya river (the Urushten river basin) in the form of a stream flowing out from the northern side of the glacier.

  38 - (photo “Upper Pslukhsky Glacier”)

The middle Pslukh glacier is the most unusual of the Pslukh glaciers. It is difficult to attribute it to any morphological type. The glacier is an ice ridge, sometimes sharp, stretching across the valley with steep ice slopes in both directions and a drain in both the first and second tributaries of Pslukh. Two small lakes were sheltered at the foot of both ice slopes. The west lake is spring-loaded by a terminal moraine shaft. The area of \u200b\u200bthe middle Pslukhsky glacier, as well as the other two, is small - only 0.062 km 2 (according to the author’s measurements). The mark of the lowest points: 2909m (the foot of the western slope) and 2955m (the foot of the eastern slope). The highest point of the glacier is 3021m (ice ridge at the top of 3053m). One more interesting feature of the Middle Pslukhsky glacier can be noted. As a rule, small glaciers are located in the bottoms of cars and other recesses of the slopes, where snow accumulation is better, there is more shading and, therefore, less exposure to the glacier of solar radiation. All this contributes to better conservation of glaciers. A different picture is observed on the Middle Pslukhsky glacier: its main part is located on a hill and is well lit by the sun at any time of the day. It can be assumed that the stability of the glacier is provided by abundant nutrition due to snowstorm transport of snow associated with the peculiarities of local circulation of air masses. Therefore, the glacier itself can be attributed to the genetic type of ridge inspired.

  39 - (photo "middle Pslukhsky glacier")

  40 - (photo "middle Pslukhsky glacier")

The Lower Pslukhsky glacier (caravan), with an area of \u200b\u200b0.067 km 2 (according to our measurements) drops to the level of 2754 m and feeds the first inflow of Pslukh. The highest point of the glacier has a mark of 2903m. With its western edge, the glacier abuts against a powerful arched moraine rampart. A comparison of the photographs of the Lower Pslukhsky glacier, taken by the author in 1959 and 1985, suggests that the glacier has little or not changed during this time, its position is quite stable.

  41 - (photo "Pslukhsky glaciers, the first tributary of Pslukh - view from the top of Perevalnaya Yuzhnaya")

The massif of Mount Pseashkho is very popular among tourists and climbers, many interesting routes are laid here. However, it should be remembered that in order to visit the Pseashkho district, it is necessary to obtain a pass in the administration of the Caucasus Nature Reserve, and sports training groups and equipment should correspond to the difficulty category of the route traveled. It is also necessary to register the group in the rescue team in Krasnaya Polyana.

One of the most popular routes in this area is climbing the Sugar Loaf peak (3,188.9 m).

  (topographic map "route to Pseashkho Saharny")

In summer, the route is rated difficulty category 1A. From the Pykhtovaya glade on the Psekho ridge (on the modern maps the ridge is erroneously called “Psekhako”), we climb the path to the Bear Gate and then go to the Bzerpinsky cornice to the small house built here in 2004. We follow further along the path towards the Pseashkho pass and, passing 1.5 km, turn right down from the path. From afar, you need to make out the path on the southern slope of the Western Pseashkho mountain and outline a landmark to which you should go.

  (picture “view of the Pseashkho massif from the slopes of the Yuzhnaya Perevalnaya mountain”)

  42 - (photo "massif of Mount Pseashkho - view from Perevalnaya South")

Having crossed the upper reaches of Psluh ford or over stones, we go to the beginning of the trail. After going to the trail, there are usually no problems with orientation - the trail is quite clearly laid along the most gentle part of the slope. Walking with a smooth climb, we cross the stream, then we approach the 1st tributary of Pslukh. The influx flows in a trough hanging valley, abruptly cutting off with its mouth to the Pslukh river valley.

  43 - (photo "the first, second tributaries of Pslukh - view from the Bzerpi ridge")

Steep descent down, crossing the tributary and ascending to its left-bank slope. Here under a low flat rock is a good camp site. Move on. A steep climb along the slope, and again the trail is traversed with a smooth climb. Descent into the 2nd tributary of Pslukh, crossing through it and ascent to the grassy areas of the left-bank slope. The trail is over. Here, at an altitude of about 2150m you can set up camp.

  44 - (photo "camp at the foot of the western ridge of Pseashkho Saharny")

The path to the top of the Sugar Loaf peak (3188.9 m) goes along its western ridge. The horizontal distance to the top is 2.5 km, the vertical drop is about 1000 m. The ridge is covered with grass, sometimes rhododendron, there are rocky outcrops.

  45 - (photo "the second tributary of the Pslukh River")

  46 - (photo "the second tributary of the Pslukh River")

Before reaching the steep ups of the ridge (approximately the middle of the ridge), we turn right, cross the snowfield and exit to the southwest ridge. We go to the top along this very ruined simple ridge.

  47 - (photo "Pseashkho Sugar - view from the Aibga ridge (third circus)")

  48 - (photo "panorama to the east from the summit of Pseashkho Saharny")

  49 - (photo “Kozhevnikov peak - view from the summit of Pseashkho Sakharny”)

A beautiful panorama of the near and distant mountains opens from the top: Pseashkho (Uzlovaya, Yuzhny, Severny), Needle peaks, Green wedge, Kozhevnikov peak, Tsakhvoa, Agepst, Ah-Ag, Aibga, Achishkho, Chugush and others. Visible are Akhun, Bytkha, the city of Sochi, the Black Sea. When descending from the summit along the southwestern ridge, it is possible, by mistake, especially in fog, to turn onto the southern ridge adjacent to it. To avoid this, when climbing, you can mark the place of descent in rounds of stones or other marks.

The described route to the Sugar Loaf peak is the easiest. There are more difficult routes. In 1998, Viktor Kholodilin, a climber from Lazarevsky, climbed Sakharnaya Golovka peak along an edge from the Pseashkho glacier, evaluating the route with difficulty category 3A-3B. In July 2000, Arthur Brikalov, a Tuapse mountaineer, made a traverse: Sugar Loaf peak - Green wedge - nodal mark 3004.2 m - Kozhevnikov peak. The difficulty category of the route according to its assessment is 2B.

Another, no less popular, route leads to the Nodal Shoulder (3192m) of South Pseashkho. The difficulty category of the route is 1A, the length (from the camp at the Sugar Glacier) is 1.4 km, the climb is 540 m. The beginning of the route to the 2nd tributary of Pslukh is described above.

  50 - (photo “the path to the Sakharny glacier along the valley of the second tributary of the Pslukh river”)

Next, we go up the tributary valley towards the Sakharny glacier. The glacier itself is not visible, it is closed by a crossbar (2650m), which with its steep slope blocks the valley of the 2nd tributary. Further, the path goes up the overgrown with grass and rhododendron moraine. The main tributary flowing from the Sugar Glacier remains to our right. On the left is a powerful creek with waterfalls. The moraine along which we climb is adjacent to the left (if viewed from below) edge of the crossbar. Here the climb goes along a weakly marked path. It is necessary to rise carefully - on the left the slope steeply breaks off to the stream. Behind the crossbar there are good sites for the camp, behind them is the lower cup-shaped part of the Sugar Glacier, and then the saddle of the Stroitel pass (2815m, 1B). From the camp you can go through the Stroitel pass to the Pseashkho glacier.

  51 - (photo "an approximate path to the Stroitel pass from the Sakharny glacier")

The slope along which they climb the pass seems steep, but, in fact, it passes easily. To the left of the Stroitel pass, the Nodal Shoulder is clearly visible (3192m). The path to it (from the camp at the Sakharny glacier) goes along the talus slope of the left bank of the stream. At the very end of the climb along the stream, where the channel cuts deep into the ridge, the movement is somewhat complicated by the steepness and unstable stones on the scree. Having crossed the creek inlet, we exit to the Middle Pslukhskiy glacier with a small lake at the foot of a steep eastern slope, and the upper Pslukhskiy glacier, bordered on the right (from the south) by an uncropped, strongly destroyed ridge, hangs on the right, 300 meters away, on a steep ice wall. On this simple ridge, climbing from one block of rock to another, we exit to the top of the Knot Shoulder (3192m).

  52 - (photo "Pseashkho Sugar - view from the nodal shoulder")

  53 - (photo "panorama to the north from the summit of Pseashkho Saharny")

If you go along the ridge further north, leaving the Upper Pslukhsky Glacier on your left, you can go to the Uzlovaya Peak (3196m). When moving along the ridge along the upper edge of the glacier, care must be taken (ice ax is ready!), Since in the event of a fall it is possible to slide down, where the steepness of the glacier is 50 ° and it will be problematic to linger.

Following from the nodal peak further east along the ridge, you can reach the peak of South Pseashkho (3251.2 m) after 500 m. At the top there is a metal pyramid - a triangulation point (badly damaged by winter snows and wind). This route has a higher category of difficulty - 1B.

  54 - (photo “Pseashkho Peak South - view from Pseashkho Sugar”)

  55 - (photo “Pseashkho Yuzhny - view from the nodal shoulder”)

Sometimes tourists, having climbed the Uzelovoi Shoulder, consider that they have reached the top of South Pseashkho, and, having climbed South Pseashkho, they think that they have ascended to North Pseashkho. This mistake can be easily eliminated, remembering that a pyramid is installed on the top of South Pseashkho, but there is no pyramid on Northern Pseashkho.

You can go to the Nodal Shoulder by other, more difficult routes. If you go up the valley of the 1st tributary of Pslukh, you will have to overcome a simple wall, on which the tributary is divided into three arms, forming waterfalls. Next, you need to overcome the steep slopes of the Pslukh glaciers - the Lower and the Middle (cats, ice ax!). After descending from the Middle Glacier, the ascent path coincides with that described above. The difficulty category of the route is 1B.

Another route (also 1B) runs along the crest of a watershed ridge separating the basins of the 1st and 2nd tributaries of Pslukh with access to the western ridge of the Uzlovyi Shoulder. The route is somewhat tiring, with overcoming numerous rocky take-offs, and in the first half of summer and a sharp snow crest.

From the camp at the Sakharny glacier you can go to the Igolchaty peaks through the Stroitel pass (2815, 1B). From the pass, go along the Pseashkho glacier (cats, ice ax!) To the Neftyanik pass (2936.1 m, 1B) and then traverse the slope of glacier No. 36 in the direction of the southern spur of the Igolchaty Western peak (3154.6 m). On a simple, mostly scree and heavily destroyed ridge of the southern spur, they climb north to the top of the peak. The difficulty category is 1A.

  56 - (photo "way to the Needle Western peak")

Traverse of two peaks is more difficult: Needle Western - Needle Chief. A. Brikalov, having completed this route, estimates it 2А by the category of difficulty.

Simple routes (no higher than 1A) lead to the peaks of Razdelnaya (2700.5 m) and Kamenny Zamok (2556.0 m), provided that they climb along their southern ridges (from the north these peaks are quite difficult to climb). The problem here is different - in the complexity of the approaches.

  57 - (photo "left tributary of the Cold River")

The path along the left tributary of the Kholodnaya River (flowing from Glacier No. 28) is rather unpleasant in its lower part. Walking along the right bank of the tributary (leaving a waterfall on the right), one has to wade through thickets of crooked forests without a path. After entering the tributary valley, one should go in the direction of a large stone and then to the "ram's foreheads" with a small pond. The next obstacle is the rocky barrier. In its left part there is a shelf with a path trodden by tours. Above the path is lost, you have to overcome steep cliffs. This is followed by a more simple and gentle ascent to the northern edge of glacier No. 28. On a gentle moraine along the edge of the glacier, we move east to the southern simple ridge of Razdelnaya (here, glacier No. 28 is divided into two branches - northwest and north). Easy access to the summit along the ridge (2700.5 m). Going around Razdelnaya from the east, they go down to the Stone Castle and over a very easy, almost horizontal, wide meadow ridge, go to the highest point (2556.0 m).

It is much more difficult to climb to the highest point of the entire massif - Northern Pseashkho (3256.9 m). There are no easy ways to this peak. Below is a description of one of the climbing options (along the route traveled in July 1998 by a bunch of A. Brikalov - B. Tarchevsky). The difficulty category of the route is approximately 2B-3A.

(drawing "ascent route to Pseashkho Severny")

From the Kholodny camp, along the right-bank path along the Kholodnaya river, go to the southeast. Short of reaching the mouth of the Marmara River, the trail begins to take to the left (in the direction of rocky cliffs) and, gaining height, leads to the valley of the Marmara River. Having crossed the river, we climb along meadow, talus, and snowy slopes, through a snow bridge between two rocky ridges to the western part of the Mramorny glacier, to the moraine at the foot of the Pseashkho cliffs (2936.4 m). From the moraine, we climb the steep slope of the Marble Glacier (cats, ice ax!) Bypassing the cracks and then left to the saddle in the lower part of the northern edge of the peak (leaving the north-western edge to the right).

From the saddle, the crest rises in a steep take-off. We go around it on the shelves on the left, then go up to the ridge. On the crest with sharp rocks in the form of feathers, going around them on the left on the plate, we leave between the two "gendarmes". Again, bypass the ridge on the left along the shelves, exit to the ridge and then up the steep takeoff of the ridge. Here the crest again becomes sharp and jagged, but on the right there is a detour along the shelves and screes. On the right there is a small grotto. We pass the top wall to the right and on a simple talus slope we reach the highest point of the entire Pseashkho massif (3256.9 m).

A magnificent panorama of the mountains opens from the top. Below, under the feet are the Pseashkho, Kholodny, Marble glaciers, the green valley of the Kholodnaya river, the sharp Pseashkho Jags. The Southern Pseashkho is clearly visible with a pyramid on top, a rocky ridge bristling with towers and teeth leads to it. In the south-west through the haze you can distinguish Mount Akhun and even Bytkhu with white dots of houses. To the east go endless chains of mountains with bizarre patterns of glaciers and snowfields sparkling in the sun. A world of silence, grandeur and beauty!

  B. A. Tarchevsky

Photos: KOT / R4 / PNL Krasnodar, D. Komarov, Sochi

Boris Alexander Tarchevsky allowed this article to be published on the Internet several years ago, then I had the opportunity to publish articles on the website of our club. But it was not as convenient as we thought. Now I have rewritten it for the blog format and am posting here. Let it be. In addition, my photographs were also used here.

Boris Aleksandrovich - referent of the Sochi branch of the Russian Geographical Society. We went on several hikes. He studies including glaciers and lakes of the Caucasus. And in this article, he gave the most complete of all available sources so far, a geographical and tourist description of the Pseashkho massif (Caucasian reserve).

Mount Pseashkho is located in the Western Caucasus, 20 km from the village of Krasnaya Polyana in the upper reaches of the rivers Urushten, Malaya Laba, Psluh and belongs to the Main Caucasian Range.

1 - (photo "massif of Mount Pseashkho, Marble - view from the horizon of Khmelevsky")

2 - (photo "massif of Mount Pseashkho - view from the Aibga ridge (third circus)")

3 - (photo "massif of Mount Pseashkho - view from the Aibga ridge")

The toponym "Pseashkho" is translated from the Adyghe language as "high-water mountain" (apparently due to the presence of a large number of glaciers and the rivers flowing from them). On the old maps they often wrote "Pseashkho", on modern topographic maps they began to write "Pseashkho": Sev. Pseashha, city of South. Pseashkh, Pseashkh ridge, Pseashkh glacier, per. Pseashha. Modern official maps also have the following names: Camp Kholodny, p. Cold, Glacier glacier, Marble, r. Clean, r. Mal Laba, p. Out loud. The famous geographer Yu.K. Efremov: Zap. Pseashkho, Stone Castle, Kozhevnikov peak, Bzerpi peak. Sugar Loaf Peak or Sugar Pseashkho is called the inhabitants of Krasnaya Polyana. The remaining names are given by the employees of the Caucasian reserve, tourists, glaciologists: p. Mutnaya, peak Needle, per. Builder (or Builders), per. Oilman, per. Marble, Marble glacier, Sakharny glacier, Pslukh glaciers (Upper, Middle, Lower), Cold West glacier, Cold Middle glacier, etc.

(Figure "diagram of the massif of Mount Pseashkho")

(massif of Mount Pseashkho - space image)

The Pseashkho massif is bounded from the west by the trough valley with the Pseashkho pass (2014.2 m, n / a). This five-kilometer valley with a width of about 500m is worked out by an ancient glacier, which now does not exist. She reached out in the direction of Yuuz-ssv. The longitudinal slope of the valley is so small that the passage of the crossing point (Pseashkho lane) can not be noticed.

4 - (photo "stone at the Pseashkho pass")

From the south-west, the Pseashkho massif is bounded by the Pslukh river valley, from the east by the Malaya Laba and Chistaya river valleys, from the north by the Kholodnaya and Mramornaya river valleys. The southern end of the massif can be considered the Aishkha pass (2401.5 m, n / a), the northern - the Marble pass (about 2800 m, 1B *).

5 - (photo "Marble Pass - view from the side of the Marble Glacier")

The Pseashkho massif is a complex mountain junction with ridges of different directions and peaks from two and a half to three and a quarter kilometers in height. Here, sharp alpine landforms are characteristic: rocky narrow ridges, steep slopes and walls, peaks in the form of towers, peaks, battlements. The geological structure of the massif is complex. The massif contains rocks of different ages: gneisses, shales, marbles, conglomerates, sandstones, tuffs, porphyrites.

(topographic map of the massif of Mount Pseashkho with toponyms)
1 Mb map under click

6 - (photo "Pseashkho Severny, Yuzhny - view from the Aibga ridge (third circus)")

The Pseashkho massif from the west, from the Pseashkho pass (2014.2 m, n / a) begins with a steep spur adjacent to the summit of Western Pseashkho (2899.8 m). This peak is a node from which the spurs extend: the short south-western and two-kilometer north with peaks of 2627.8 m, 2609.1 m and 2629.4 m. East of West. Pseashkho stretches a 3.5 - kilometer high serrated ridge with peaks: 2822.0 m, 3065.2 m, Uzlovaya (about 3196 m) and South Pseashkho (3251.2 m). On the northern slopes of this ridge there are several glaciers and peaks: Razdelnaya (2700.5 m) and Stone Castle (2556.0 m).

7 - (photo "Pseashkho Range - view from the slopes of Marble")

8 - (photo "Pseashkho Yuzhny - view from the Pseashkho glacier")

(picture "view of the Pseashkho massif from Mount Urushten")

From South Pseashkho (3251.2 m), a sharp rocky ridge extends northeast to the highest point of the entire massif - Mount North Pseashkho (3256.9 m). This section of the ridge has a length of 775 m and breaks off to the northwest to the Kholodniy glacier with an almost sheer half-kilometer wall.

From North Pseashkho (3256.9 m), the ridge goes downward to the east. The small eastern shoulder of the peak abruptly breaks down and after a deep notch rises sharply upwards in the form of a rock tower with steep walls and a flat peak (150 m from the main peak). Further on the crest three more peaks rise, significantly inferior in height to the tower. After the third peak, the ridge descends to the north and northeast to the Mramorny pass (about 2800m, 1B *).

9 - (photo "Marble Pass - view from the side of the Chistaya River")

750 meters north-east of the Marble Pass rises the peak of Azurite (3012.8 m, 1B), named after A.F. Brikalov, discovered at the top of the yields of this mineral.

10 - (photo "Pseashkho Severny - view from the Dzitaku ridge")

11 - (photo "Cogs, Kholodny glacier - view from the upper Pslukhsky glacier")

Two spurs extend from the top of Northern Pseashkho (3256.9 m). A short steep northern ridge deeply cuts into the Mramorny glacier; here, the glacier is divided into western and central parts. The northwest ridge also abruptly goes down, bordering the western edge of the Marble Glacier. After the saddle, which is the head of the corridor along which stones constantly fall onto the Kholodny glacier (for which this couloir was nicknamed the “garbage chute”), the spur rises sharply upward with two sharp rocky teeth. These teeth are clearly visible from the camp of Kholodny. The western tooth has a mark of 2936.4 m, the eastern one is 30-40 meters lower. Further, the spur, with a decrease, goes to the northwest, dividing the basins of the Cold and Marmara rivers.

Let's go back to the South Pseashkho mountain (3251.2 m). 0.5 km west of this mountain is the Uzlovaya peak (3196m) and, further south, the Uzlovaya Shoulder (3192m).

12 - (photo "massif of Mount Pseashkho - view from Khmelevsky’s horizon")

From the Nodal Shoulder, the ridge with a sharp decrease goes south-southeast to the Stroitel (or Builders) pass about 2815 m high (1B) and then with a sharp rise to the knot, from which the ridges leave west and east. At 250m to the west of the site is located the peak of Saharny Pseashkho (3188.9m) or Sakharnaya Golovka peak with a 2-kilometer spur extending to the west. This peak from Krasnaya Polyana looks like a beautiful sharp peak. Whitened by winter snows, it really resembles a sugar cone (in the old days, refined sugar was produced in the form of "sugar heads" of a conical shape, hence the name of the peak).

13 - (photo "Pseashkho Sugar, Needle-shaped peaks - view from Khmelevsky's outlook")

14 - (photo "Pseashkho Sugar, Peaks Needle - view from the side of Lake Zerkalnoe (Achishkho)")

15 - (photo "Pseashkho Sugar, Needle peaks - view from the Achishkho ridge")

From the aforementioned site, a ridge extends to the east to the summit of Zelyony Klin (3164.4 m) and further to the southeast and south and after 1.4 km it reaches the nodal mark of 3004.2 m, to the east of which Kozhevnikova peak 3070 is elevated at 325 m, 6m (the peak is named after the scientist-botanist A.V. Kozhevnikov).

16 - (photo "Kozhevnikov peak - view from the Aibga ridge (third circus)")

17 - (photo "Kozhevnikov peak - view from the slopes of the Needle Western peak")

18 - (photo "Kozhevnikov peak - view from the north side of the Aishkho-1 pass")

From the peak of Kozhevnikov to the north-east and further east the spur leaves, ending in the peak of 2936.2 m. The spur is about 1 km long. From the nodal point 3004.2 m, the ridge goes south to the Aishkh pass (3.7 km). In addition to the above-described ranges, in the Pseashkho massif there is a 1.5-mile rocky ridge with a height of more than 3000 m with peaks 3154.8 m and 3168.5 m.

19 - (photo "Needle peak Main - view from West Needle peak")

20 - (photo "Needle peaks (Main, Western)")

This crest divides the two branches of the Pseashkho glacier (glaciers No. 35 and No. 36 according to the Catalog of Glaciers of the USSR). Peaks 3154.8 m and 3168.5 m and the aforementioned peak 2936.2 m on the spur of Kozhevnikov peak look very impressive from the valley of Malaya Laba. The appearance of these peaks varies greatly depending on the location of the observer. If you look at the peak 2936.2 m from the valley of Malaya Laba, near the mouth of the Mutnaya river (flows from glacier No. 36), then this peak looks like a beautiful sharp peak with a “needle” shape. Often they call it that - "Needle Peak".

21 - (photo "Needle Peak South - view from the north side of the Aishkho-1 pass")

22 - (photo "Needle Peak South - view from the valley of the Malaya Laba River")

23 - (photo "Kozhevnikov peaks, Needle Southern - view from the valley of the Malaya Laba River")

(drawing "view of the needle peaks from the valley of Malaya Laba (from different points)")

The peak 3154.8 m visible to the right also has the appearance of a rock tower. In order not to get confused in the names of these peaks, it is proposed to name the highest of the three peaks, 3168.5 m, by the “Needle Chief Peak”. The summit of 3154.8 m is proposed to be called "Western Needle Peak", and the top of 2936.2 m in the spur of Kozhevnikov Peak is called the "Southern Needle Peak".

24 - (photo "Needle peaks, Pseashkho glacier - view from the Pseashkho nodal shoulder")

25 - (photo "Needle peak Main - view of the rise to the Builder pass")

Pseashkho massif is interesting for its glaciation. Here you can count 11 glaciers, of which the Pseashkho glacier (glacier No. 35) is the largest glacier in the Krasnodar Territory. This is a caravan valley glacier with a length of 3 km and an area of \u200b\u200b1.5 km 2. With its upper reaches it merges with the neighboring (to the south) glacier No. 36 (area 1 km 2), as if riding a ridge separating them. Such glaciers are called intermittent. The saddle separating glaciers No. 35 and No. 36 (ice separation) is at the same time a pass called Neftyanik (2936.8 m, 1B).

26 - (photo "Pseashkho glacier, Neftyanik pass - view from the Pseashkho nodal shoulder")

27 - (photo "east view from the Neftyanik pass")

The Pseashkho and No. 36 glaciers, like other Caucasus glaciers, are shrinking in size. Particularly susceptible to intense melting are parts of glaciers that are well lit by the sun, while the shadow parts of glaciers are in more favorable conditions. Pseashkho Glacier is especially intensively melting in the place where the ice flow changes direction from north-west to east. The southern branch of the Pseashkho glacier (glacier No. 36) is exposed to solar radiation and melts intensely in the summer months in the part adjacent to the southern slope of the Needle Western peak. Here, the thickness of the ice is only 2-3m, and the ice surface in the second half of summer is literally cut out by ravines with streams of melt water running through them. Pseashkho Glacier (No. 35) gives rise to the Chistaya River, glacier No. 36 to the Mutnaya River (both are left tributaries of the Malaya Laba River).

28 - (photo "Chistaya River Valley")

To the north of the highest point of the massif (3256.9 m) is the Marble Glacier (No. 31), giving rise to the Marble River. The area of \u200b\u200bthe glacier (1km 2) is gradually decreasing due to climate warming and the disintegration of the glacier into three parts is already planned.

29 - (photo "Marble Glacier (part of the glacier under the Marble Pass)")

30 - (photo "Kholodny Glacier (upper part) - view from the top of Dzitaku")

On the northern slopes of the ridge connecting the peaks of West Pseashkho (2899.8 m), South Pseashkho (3251.2 m) and North Pseashkho (3256.9 m), there are several glaciers that used to be a single glacier. In the process of degradation, he broke into pieces. The extreme, eastern glacier is called Cold. This is a caravan-valley glacier No. 30 (according to the catalog of glaciers of the USSR) with an area of \u200b\u200b0.5 km 2. Overflowing the bowl of punishment, the glacier pushes its tongue through the crossbar into the valley, which is why it is called the Karovo-valley. The position of the end of the glacier changes periodically. So, in 1959, the tongue of the Kholodny glacier protruded beyond the crossbar and hung on its slope. In 1985, the tongue of the glacier advanced and advanced (according to the author's measurements) into the valley 20m from the foot of the crossbar. Currently, the tongue of the glacier is again on the slope of the crossbar. Thus, the Kholodny glacier is apparently a weakly pulsating glacier. It is dangerous to approach the tongue of the glacier because of the possibility of falling rock fragments and collapses of blocks of ice. From the Glacial Glacier flows the Cold River, which flows into the Urushten River.

31 - (photo "Kholodnaya river valley - view from the upper Pslukhsky glacier")

32 - (photo "source of the Cold River")

To the west of the Kholodny glacier, glaciers No. 29 and No. 28 are located, connected to each other by a narrow strip of ice, which may disappear in the coming years, and the glaciers will completely separate from each other. Glaciers No. 29 and No. 28 belong to the type of caravans. Glacier No. 29 (let's call it "Medium Cold") has an area of \u200b\u200bonly 0.1 km 2. The lower part of the glacier is severely fractured by cracks, ice can collapse here, so it is dangerous to be below the glacier.

33 - (photo "Pseashkho glaciers - view from the Dzitaku ridge")

Glacier No. 28 (let's call it “Western Cold”) has two branches flowing around the Razdelnaya peak (2700.5 m) with currents to the north-west (large branch) and north (smaller branch, with an area of \u200b\u200b0.1 km 2). The total area of \u200b\u200bthe glacier is 0.5 km 2.

A remarkable feature of the glaciation of the massif of Mount Pseashkho is that the first glaciers from the south of the southern macro slope of the Greater Caucasus appear here. These glaciers are located at the headwaters of the first and second left tributaries of the Pslukh River. There are four glaciers in total. The largest of them is the Sakharny Kara Glacier, which occupies part of the car and the steep northwestern slope of the Sugar Loaf Mountain (3188.9 m). Its area (according to the author’s measurements) is 0.131 km 2, the mark of the upper point is 2800 m, and the lower point is 2611 m.

34 - (photo "Sakharny Glacier - view from the Builder Pass")

35 - (photo "Sakharny Glacier - view from the Builder Pass")

Three other glaciers (Pslukhskiye glaciers) used to be a single glacier, which fell into three parts during degradation.

36 - (photo "Pseashkho Severny, Yuzhny - view from the Achishkho ridge")

37 - (photo "Pseashkho Severny, Yuzhny - view from Khmelevsky's outlook")

The Upper Pslukhsky glacier can be attributed to the morphological type of Karov-hanging glaciers. The glacier has a convex surface shape, is clearly visible from Krasnaya Polyana, resembling a sail filled with wind. The lower part of the glacier has a steepness of 50 °, the upper part is much poorer. The area of \u200b\u200bthe glacier is 0.052 km 2, the lowest point is 3030 m, the highest - 3200 m. About 100m from the end of the glacier, an arched shaft of the terminal moraine is clearly visible. Runoff from the glacier is carried out into two river systems (through depressions in the ridges bordering the glacier from the north and south): to the second Psluh tributary (the Mzymta river basin) by filtration through moraine deposits and to the Kholodnaya river (the Urushten river basin) in the form of a stream flowing out from the northern side of the glacier.

38 - (photo "Upper Pslukhsky Glacier")

The middle Pslukh glacier is the most unusual of the Pslukh glaciers. It is difficult to attribute it to any morphological type. The glacier is an ice ridge, sometimes sharp, stretching across the valley with steep ice slopes in both directions and a drain in both the first and second tributaries of Pslukh. Two small lakes were sheltered at the foot of both ice slopes. The west lake is spring-loaded by a terminal moraine shaft. The area of \u200b\u200bthe middle Pslukhsky glacier, as well as the other two, is small - only 0.062 km 2 (according to the author’s measurements). The mark of the lowest points: 2909m (the foot of the western slope) and 2955m (the foot of the eastern slope). The highest point of the glacier is 3021m (ice ridge at the top of 3053m). One more interesting feature of the Middle Pslukhsky glacier can be noted. As a rule, small glaciers are located in the bottoms of cars and other recesses of the slopes, where snow accumulation is better, there is more shading and, therefore, less exposure to the glacier of solar radiation. All this contributes to better conservation of glaciers. A different picture is observed on the Middle Pslukhsky glacier: its main part is located on a hill and is well lit by the sun at any time of the day. It can be assumed that the stability of the glacier is provided by abundant nutrition due to snowstorm transport of snow associated with the peculiarities of local circulation of air masses. Therefore, the glacier itself can be attributed to the genetic type of ridge inspired.

39 - (photo "middle Pslukhsky glacier")

40 - (photo "middle Pslukhsky glacier")

The Lower Pslukhsky glacier (caravan), with an area of \u200b\u200b0.067 km 2 (according to our measurements) drops to the level of 2754 m and feeds the first inflow of Pslukh. The highest point of the glacier has a mark of 2903m. With its western edge, the glacier abuts against a powerful arched moraine rampart. A comparison of the photographs of the Lower Pslukhsky glacier, taken by the author in 1959 and 1985, suggests that the glacier has little or not changed during this time, its position is quite stable.

41 - (photo "Pslukhsky glaciers, the first tributary of Pslukh - view from the top of Perevalnaya Yuzhnaya")

The massif of Mount Pseashkho is very popular among tourists and climbers, many interesting routes are laid here. However, it should be remembered that in order to visit the Pseashkho district, it is necessary to obtain a pass in the administration of the Caucasus Nature Reserve, and sports training groups and equipment should correspond to the difficulty category of the route traveled. It is also necessary to register the group in the rescue team in Krasnaya Polyana.

One of the most popular routes in this area is climbing the Sugar Loaf peak (3,188.9 m).

(topographic map "route to Pseashkho Saharny")

In summer, the route is rated difficulty category 1A. From the Pikhtovaya glade on the Psekho ridge (on the modern maps the ridge is erroneously called "Psekhako"), we climb the path to the Bear Gate and then go to the Bzerpinsky cornice to the small house built here in 2004. We follow further along the path towards the Pseashkho pass and, passing 1.5 km, turn right down from the path. From afar, you need to make out the path on the southern slope of the Western Pseashkho mountain and outline a landmark to which you should go.

(picture "view of the Pseashkho massif from the slopes of Mount South Perevalnaya")

42 - (photo "massif of Mount Pseashkho - view from Perevalnaya South")

Having crossed the upper reaches of Psluh ford or over stones, we go to the beginning of the trail. After going to the trail, there are usually no problems with orientation - the trail is quite clearly laid along the most gentle part of the slope. Walking with a smooth climb, we cross the stream, then we approach the 1st tributary of Pslukh. The influx flows in a trough hanging valley, abruptly cutting off with its mouth to the Pslukh river valley.

43 - (photo "the first, second tributaries of Pslukh - view from the Bzerpi ridge")

Steep descent down, crossing the tributary and ascending to its left-bank slope. Here under a low flat rock is a good camp site. Move on. A steep climb along the slope, and again the trail is traversed with a smooth climb. Descent into the 2nd tributary of Pslukh, crossing through it and ascent to the grassy areas of the left-bank slope. The trail is over. Here, at an altitude of about 2150m you can set up camp.

44 - (photo "camp at the foot of the western ridge of Pseashkho Sugar")

The path to the top of the Sugar Loaf peak (3188.9 m) goes along its western ridge. The horizontal distance to the top is 2.5 km, the vertical drop is about 1000 m. The ridge is covered with grass, sometimes rhododendron, there are rocky outcrops.

45 - (photo "second tributary of the Pslukh river")

46 - (photo "second tributary of the Pslukh river")

Before reaching the steep ups of the ridge (approximately the middle of the ridge), we turn right, cross the snowfield and exit to the southwest ridge. We go to the top along this very ruined simple ridge.

47 - (photo "Pseashkho Sugar - view from the Aibga ridge (third circus)")

48 - (photo "panorama to the east from the peak of Pseashkho Sugar")

49 - (photo "Kozhevnikov peak - view from the peak of Pseashkho Sugar")

A beautiful panorama of the near and distant mountains opens from the top: Pseashkho (Uzlovaya, Yuzhny, Severny), Needle peaks, Green wedge, Kozhevnikov peak, Tsakhvoa, Agepst, Ah-Ag, Aibga, Achishkho, Chugush and others. Visible are Akhun, Bytkha, the city of Sochi, the Black Sea. When descending from the summit along the southwestern ridge, it is possible, by mistake, especially in fog, to turn onto the southern ridge adjacent to it. To avoid this, when climbing, you can mark the place of descent in rounds of stones or other marks.

The described route to the Sugar Loaf peak is the easiest. There are more difficult routes. In 1998, Viktor Kholodilin, a climber from Lazarevsky, climbed Sakharnaya Golovka peak along an edge from the Pseashkho glacier, evaluating the route with difficulty category 3A-3B. In July 2000, Arthur Brikalov, a Tuapse mountaineer, made a traverse: Sugar Loaf peak - Green wedge - nodal mark 3004.2 m - Kozhevnikov peak. The difficulty category of the route according to its assessment is 2B.

Another, no less popular, route leads to the Nodal Shoulder (3192m) of South Pseashkho. The difficulty category of the route is 1A, the length (from the camp at the Sugar Glacier) is 1.4 km, the climb is 540 m. The beginning of the route to the 2nd tributary of Pslukh is described above.

50 - (photo "path to the Sakharny glacier along the valley of the second tributary of the Pslukh river")

Next, we go up the tributary valley towards the Sakharny glacier. The glacier itself is not visible, it is closed by a crossbar (2650m), which with its steep slope blocks the valley of the 2nd tributary. Further, the path goes up the overgrown with grass and rhododendron moraine. The main tributary flowing from the Sugar Glacier remains to our right. On the left is a powerful creek with waterfalls. The moraine along which we climb is adjacent to the left (if viewed from below) edge of the crossbar. Here the climb goes along a weakly marked path. It is necessary to rise carefully - on the left the slope steeply breaks off to the stream. Behind the crossbar there are good sites for the camp, behind them is the lower cup-shaped part of the Sugar Glacier, and then the saddle of the Stroitel pass (2815m, 1B). From the camp you can go through the Stroitel pass to the Pseashkho glacier.

51 - (photo "approximate path to the Stroitel pass from the Sakharny glacier")

The slope along which they climb the pass seems steep, but, in fact, it passes easily. To the left of the Stroitel pass, the Nodal Shoulder is clearly visible (3192m). The path to it (from the camp at the Sakharny glacier) goes along the talus slope of the left bank of the stream. At the very end of the climb along the stream, where the channel cuts deep into the ridge, the movement is somewhat complicated by the steepness and unstable stones on the scree. Having crossed the creek inlet, we exit to the Middle Pslukhskiy glacier with a small lake at the foot of a steep eastern slope, and the upper Pslukhskiy glacier, bordered on the right (from the south) by an uncropped, strongly destroyed ridge, hangs on the right, 300 meters away, on a steep ice wall. On this simple ridge, climbing from one block of rock to another, we exit to the top of the Knot Shoulder (3192m).

52 - (photo "Pseashkho Sugar - view from the nodal shoulder")

53 - (photo "panorama to the north from the peak of Pseashkho Sugar")

If you go along the ridge further north, leaving the Upper Pslukhsky Glacier on your left, you can go to the Uzlovaya Peak (3196m). When moving along the ridge along the upper edge of the glacier, care must be taken (ice ax is ready!), Since in the event of a fall it is possible to slide down, where the steepness of the glacier is 50 ° and it will be problematic to linger.

Following from the nodal peak further east along the ridge, you can reach the peak of South Pseashkho (3251.2 m) after 500 m. At the top there is a metal pyramid - a triangulation point (badly damaged by winter snows and wind). This route has a higher category of difficulty - 1B.

54 - (photo "Pseashkho South peak - view from Pseashkho Sugar")

55 - (photo "Pseashkho Yuzhny - view from the nodal shoulder")

Sometimes tourists, having climbed the Uzelovoi Shoulder, consider that they have reached the top of South Pseashkho, and, having climbed South Pseashkho, they think that they have ascended to North Pseashkho. This mistake can be easily eliminated, remembering that a pyramid is installed on the top of South Pseashkho, but there is no pyramid on Northern Pseashkho.

You can go to the Nodal Shoulder by other, more difficult routes. If you go up the valley of the 1st tributary of Pslukh, you will have to overcome a simple wall, on which the tributary is divided into three arms, forming waterfalls. Next, you need to overcome the steep slopes of the Pslukh glaciers - the Lower and the Middle (cats, ice ax!). After descending from the Middle Glacier, the ascent path coincides with that described above. The difficulty category of the route is 1B.

Another route (also 1B) runs along the crest of a watershed ridge separating the basins of the 1st and 2nd tributaries of Pslukh with access to the western ridge of the Uzlovyi Shoulder. The route is somewhat tiring, with overcoming numerous rocky take-offs, and in the first half of summer and a sharp snow crest.

From the camp at the Sakharny glacier you can go to the Igolchaty peaks through the Stroitel pass (2815, 1B). From the pass, go along the Pseashkho glacier (cats, ice ax!) To the Neftyanik pass (2936.1 m, 1B) and then traverse the slope of glacier No. 36 in the direction of the southern spur of the Igolchaty Western peak (3154.6 m). On a simple, mostly scree and heavily destroyed ridge of the southern spur, they climb north to the top of the peak. The difficulty category is 1A.

56 - (photo "way to the Needle Western peak")

Traverse of two peaks is more difficult: Needle Western - Needle Chief. A. Brikalov, having completed this route, estimates it 2А by the category of difficulty.

Simple routes (no higher than 1A) lead to the peaks of Razdelnaya (2700.5 m) and Kamenny Zamok (2556.0 m), provided that they climb along their southern ridges (from the north these peaks are quite difficult to climb). The problem here is different - in the complexity of the approaches.

57 - (photo "left tributary of the Cold River")

The path along the left tributary of the Kholodnaya River (flowing from Glacier No. 28) is rather unpleasant in its lower part. Walking along the right bank of the tributary (leaving a waterfall on the right), one has to wade through thickets of crooked forests without a path. After entering the tributary valley, one should go in the direction of a large stone and then to the "ram's foreheads" with a small pond. The next obstacle is the rocky barrier. In its left part there is a shelf with a path trodden by tours. Above the path is lost, you have to overcome steep cliffs. This is followed by a more simple and gentle ascent to the northern edge of glacier No. 28. On a gentle moraine along the edge of the glacier, we move east to the southern simple ridge of Razdelnaya (here, glacier No. 28 is divided into two branches - northwest and north). Easy access to the summit along the ridge (2700.5 m). Going around Razdelnaya from the east, they go down to the Stone Castle and over a very easy, almost horizontal, wide meadow ridge, go to the highest point (2556.0 m).

It is much more difficult to climb to the highest point of the entire massif - Northern Pseashkho (3256.9 m). There are no easy ways to this peak. Below is a description of one of the climbing options (along the route traveled in July 1998 by a bunch of A. Brikalov - B. Tarchevsky). The difficulty category of the route is approximately 2B-3A.

(drawing "ascent route to Pseashkho North")

From the Kholodny camp, along the right-bank path along the Kholodnaya river, go to the southeast. Short of reaching the mouth of the Marmara River, the trail begins to take to the left (in the direction of rocky cliffs) and, gaining height, leads to the valley of the Marmara River. Having crossed the river, we climb along meadow, talus, and snowy slopes, through a snow bridge between two rocky ridges to the western part of the Mramorny glacier, to the moraine at the foot of the Pseashkho cliffs (2936.4 m). From the moraine, we climb the steep slope of the Marble Glacier (cats, ice ax!) Bypassing the cracks and then left to the saddle in the lower part of the northern edge of the peak (leaving the north-western edge to the right).

From the saddle, the crest rises in a steep take-off. We go around it on the shelves on the left, then go up to the ridge. On the crest with sharp rocks in the form of feathers, going around them on the left on the plate, we leave between the two "gendarmes". Again, bypass the ridge on the left along the shelves, exit to the ridge and then up the steep takeoff of the ridge. Here the crest again becomes sharp and jagged, but on the right there is a detour along the shelves and screes. On the right there is a small grotto. We pass the top wall to the right and on a simple talus slope we reach the highest point of the entire Pseashkho massif (3256.9 m).

A magnificent panorama of the mountains opens from the top. Below, under the feet are the Pseashkho, Kholodny, Marble glaciers, the green valley of the Kholodnaya river, the sharp Pseashkho Jags. The Southern Pseashkho is clearly visible with a pyramid on top, a rocky ridge bristling with towers and teeth leads to it. In the south-west through the haze you can distinguish Mount Akhun and even Bytkhu with white dots of houses. To the east go endless chains of mountains with bizarre patterns of glaciers and snowfields sparkling in the sun. A world of silence, grandeur and beauty!

B. A. Tarchevsky

Photos: "CAT" / "R4" / PNL Krasnodar, D. Komarov, Sochi