Bezengi area

Bezengi area, located 65km east of Mount Elbrus has five 5000m peaks. The mountains here are austere, with long glaciers and long northern valleys. The region is known in Russia as the "Mecca" for all serious mountaineers. The route grades in Bezengi are from 4 to 6(7) on Russian difficulty system. The area can be reached from Nalchik via Bezengi village. From the village, there is 18km trail to Bezengi mountaineering camp at 2200m. There are also few cabins.

The most dramatic alpine scenery in the valley is the Bezengi Wall, a monumental mountain barrier 12km long without any considerable depressions and rising above the glacier for nearly 2000m. Main summits of the wall are from west to east: Lalver (4350m), Gestola (4860m), Katyn-Tau (4974m), Dzhangi-Tau Main (5085m), Dzhangi-Tau West (5038m), Peak Shota Rustavelli (4960m), Skhara West (5057m) and Skhara Main (5183m).

Not far from Bezengi wall, above Kunduym - Mizhirgi glacier lies impressive Northern Massive. Main summits of the wall are from west to east: Misses-Tau (4427m), Dykh-Tau Main (5204m), Peak Pushkina (5100m), Peak Borovikova (4888m), East (4927m) and West Mizhirgi (5025m), Krumkol (4676m), Peak Tihonova (4670m) and Koshtan-Tau (5151m).

Bezengi
There are eight summits exceeding 4000 m in Caucasus. Except for two ones - Elbrus and Kazbek - all of them are located in Bezengi area.

Two massifs: Northern and Bezengiyskaya Wall single out in the area.
Bezengi Wall is the highest site of the Main ridge of the Big Caucasus, with the following tops (from left to right if to stand the person to the Wall): Shkhara Main (5068 m), Western Shkhara (5057м), Shota Rustaveli Peak (4960 m), Dzhangi-tau East and Main (5085м), Katyn (4974м), Gestola (4860м), Lyalver (4350м), "4310" peak. Bezengi Wall extends on 12 km. Bezengi glacier (9 km) begins from northern slopes.

Northern massif is a huge 15-kilometer horse-shoe from nine basic tops, five of which exceed a five-thousandth mark. From the east on the west there are stretched: Koshtan-tau (5151 m), Tikhonov peak (4670 m), Krumkol (4676 m), East Mizhirgi (4927 m), Western Mizhirgi (5025 m), Borovikov's peak (4888 m), Pushkin peak (5100 m), East Dykh-tau (5180м), Main Dykh-tau (5204м).

Alpine Training Centre (ATC) Bezengi is situated at the altitude of 2200 m above s.l. on the slope of The Great Caucasus Range where the Bezengi gorge sides with great rock-massif Bezengi-Wall by name. This place is the most attractive for all mountaineers having any level of qualification as there are a lot of routes to the peaks higher than 5000 m with exception of Elbrus and Kazbek. ATC Bezengui offers both easy enough routes for the beginners and the ones for high-qualified climbers.

ATC Bezengi disposes the hotel with the rooms of different comfort. All the places are 220 in quantity, among them 28 places are in the double-rooms with toilet and bath, 32 places are in the rooms for two, three, four persons with the facilities situated on the same floor. The rest of the places (160) are in the little houses for two, three, four persons who makes use of the facilities situated out-door.

ATC Bezengi proposes to rent all kinds of equipment. As for the rest and training, there are the sport-grounds, tennis-courts, billiard-hall, sauna with swimming-bath and bar in ATC Bezengi.

This centre has the old traditions and reach practice of climbing that's why its' guides are high-qualified, the descriptions of the routes are done in details a lot, the level of safety is high. Besides that a porter can help to conserve the strength. It is possible to connect to the telephone-line through the radio, also one can use three huts belonging to ATC Bezengui to organise the support of the complicated and difficult routes.

Elbrustourservice Ltd. invites to ATC Bezengi, offers the transfer from the airports of Mineralny-Vody and Nalchic and from the railway stations of Patigorsk and the same towns also. The firm ensures the hotel, guide-service, porters, foodstuff, radio-communication, equipment and consultations.

Bezengi area

Bezengi area, located 65km east of Mount Elbrus has five 5000m peaks. The mountains here are austere, with long glaciers and long northern valleys. The region is known in Russia as the "Mecca" for all serious mountaineers. The route grades in Bezengi are from 4 to 6(7) on Russian difficulty system. The area can be reached from Nalchik via Bezengi village. From the village, there is 18km trail to Bezengi mountaineering camp at 2200m. There are also few cabins.

The most dramatic alpine scenery in the valley is the Bezengi Wall, a monumental mountain barrier 12km long without any considerable depressions and rising above the glacier for nearly 2000m. Main summits of the wall are from west to east: Lalver (4350m), Gestola (4860m), Katyn-Tau (4974m), Dzhangi-Tau Main (5085m), Dzhangi-Tau West (5038m), Peak Shota Rustavelli (4960m), Skhara West (5057m) and Skhara Main (5183m).

Not far from Bezengi wall, above Kunduym - Mizhirgi glacier lies impressive Northern Massive. Main summits of the wall are from west to east: Misses-Tau (4427m), Dykh-Tau Main (5204m), Peak Pushkina (5100m), Peak Borovikova (4888m), East (4927m) and West Mizhirgi (5025m), Krumkol (4676m), Peak Tihonova (4670m) and Koshtan-Tau (5151m).

• Map of Bezengi Region
• map of Bezingi area

Abseits der Massen

Der Kaukasus, das russische Alpenpendant, ist zugдnglicher als viele glauben. Die einsamen Gipfel der Bezengi-Gruppe locken mit alpinen Aufstiegen von leicht bis extrem. see also Caucasus Info. By Volker Leuchsner. Article by Klettern Magazin. In German

• Massive, technically challenging mountain located in Northern massive nin Bezengi area.
• First ascent by A.F.Mummery & H.Zurfluh in 1888 via SW Ridge.

• RUS 4B.
• First ascent by J.G.Cockin, W.Holder, H.Woolley, U.Almer & C.Roth in 08/1888.

• Caucasus classic. From Austrian Hut. RUS 4B.
• First ascent by A.F.Mummery & H.Zarfluh in 1888.
• Mummery A.W.: My Climbs in the Alps and Caucasus.

• RUS 5B. Rock fall and avalanche danger.
• First ascent by V.Abalakov, M.Anufrikov, J.Arkin, V.Buslajev, V.Kisel, I.Lapshenkov, L.Filimanov & V.Tscheredova in 08/1954.

• RUS 5B.
• First ascent by N.Nukhartov in 1983.

• RUS 5B.

• Rock climb. RUS 5B.
• First ascent by Mike Harris & Gerge Band in 07/1958.

• Highest point of Bezengi wall. Shkhara has several summits, South (SW) summit (4350m), West summit (5047m), Main summit (5183m) and Southeast summit (4500m). Main summit is the second highest peak in Caucasus.
• Mixed north face rises about 2000m from the base and features several difficult routes.
• First ascent by J. Cockin, U. Almer & C. Roth in 09/1888 via NW Ridge.

• Starting point is Austrian bivouac. Via ice slope to NW ridge and along long ridge to main summit. RUS 4B-5A (60°). 1600m, at least two days for roundtrip.
• First ascent by J. Cockin, U. Almer & C. Roth in 09/1888.

• On the east rand on large central ice fall. RUS 5B, 1600m.
• First ascent by I.Krainov in 1983.

• Starting point is Austrian bivouac. RUS 5B (V), 1600m.
• First ascent by H. Tomaschek & W. Mьller in 08/1930.

• Possibly the longest and most demanding traverse in Europe. RUS 6B.
• First ascent by Poppinger, Moldan & Schindlmeister in 1931.

• Located in Northern massive nin Bezengi area.
• First ascent by H. Wooley and party in 1889.

• Predominantly on rock. From Kundium-Mizhingi glacier to NE Ridge between Ptiza (4560m) and ice dome (possible bivouac) and along the ridge to the summit. RUS 4A. 12.15h from Flat Iron bivouac.
• First ascent by W.Merkl, F.Bechtold & W.Raech in 07/1929.

• From Kundium-Mizhingi glacier. At first through the couloir between large rock islands. NE Ridge is gained between 2nd and 3rd gerdarmes. RUS 4B.
• First ascent bu E.Mikhalskiy in 1964.

• From Kundium-Mizhigi glacier via right hand pillar of North Face to West Ridge. RUS 5B.
• First ascent by A.Jimanik, I.Kudinov, E.Sokolovski & V.Schurtivi in 08/1961.

• Located in Northern massive nin Bezengi area.

• RUS 3A.
• First ascent by A.Germagenov, M.Afanasjev & N.Nikoljev in 08/1931.

• Elegant and logical ice route from Mizhingi glacier. RUS 4B.
• First ascent by A.Ivanishvili, I.Bakradse, A.Kavtaradse, D.Kandesili, W.Kvatshandadse, G.Kiniari & R.Natadse in 08/1951.

• Located in Northern massive nin Bezengi area.

• From Sella Glacier. RUS 3A (55°), 350m.

• From Sella Glacier. RUS 3A (50°).